Let's talk later.
Te amo, mi niña.
Phew. Nothing major. I love how he calls me a little girl, even though I’m well into my thirties. I'm about to reply when a crashing sound comes from the ground floor.
Fuck, my smoothie!
As I return to the kitchen, a green mess greets me. The lid popped off before the entire jug fell, and now my breakfast is everywhere. Spinach, kale, chia seeds, and other ingredientsare smeared across the counter, the walls, and the floor. There’s even some on the ceiling.
I unplug the appliance. “Well, shit,” I whisper into the quiet room and my body starts shaking. My uncontrolled laughter fills the space, and I swipe my watering eyes on my pajama sleeve.
Moments like this make me wish I lived with a partner, someone who’d groan at the mess with me, then help clean it up while we laughed through the chaos. But no, I'm the most single person in a ten-mile radius. And that says a lot because I live in a city known for having a large percentage of single people.
Taking a quick photo of the current situation, I send it to my best friend, Soph, knowing she’s pulling an all-nighter at a recording studio.
Haisley
Meet me at Fred’s in 30?
Soph
What the fuck happened??
Haisley
My blender turned into Hulk and had a meltdown
Soph
I think it's mad you didn’t add enough kale (which is disgusting btw)
Haisley
It's a freaking crime scene in here, but everything’s puke green instead of bloody red
Soph
I knew those daily smoothies were evil when you told me you started drinking them last month
Haisley
You aren't wrong. I need caffeine and our specialty to get through this.
Soph
I'll be there with Lactaid *peace sign*
Chuckling, I react with a thumbs up to her latest text and start cleaning the mess around me. This was not how today was supposed to start, but I better get moving if I want to be at the diner in half an hour.
Let’s be honest, it’ll take me at least forty-five minutes to get there. But Soph already knows that.
Fred’s is an old-school diner from the sixties located about halfway from my place to where Soph used to live with her parents. We found it by accident a few years ago after a night out and have returned many times since. Now that my best friend lives with her partner, we visit the place less frequently. But mornings like today scream for waffles with extra whipped cream and strawberries, not to forget Fred’s signature brew that I still haven't managed to copy at home.
Stepping in, the bell above the door signals my arrival. Tove, a sweetheart of a waitress in her twenties, turns my way and smiles warmly. “Soph is in the corner booth. I'll bring coffee after putting your order in. It’s a quiet morning, so I should have that for you soon!”
Thanking her, I walk toward my best friend, who's checking something on her phone. She looks tired but happy.
“Rough night?” I ask, taking off my pink overcoat and placing iton the bench. My flower-printed scarf follows with the bigger yellow handbag.
