Jane

The bell above the door in The Artisan's Cafe gave a cheery jingle of hello as Jane let it close behind her. Dale was behind the counter and she gave a wide mascot's wave from the end of the long room. He had seen her every morning that week and she was up only slightly later on the drizzly Saturday. "Hi Jane, what'll it be today?"

Her hair hung long in a mess of curls, hiding the arms of her round tortoise shell glasses, and she wore chunky ethnic jewelry laying in the deep v neck of her simple, white knit sweater. She tilted her head all the way to one side and a curtain of spiraling tendrils climbed down her shoulder like pea shoots. "I need some caffeine today," she said, wilting limply to show how she was dragging. "I gotta get going," and she popped back upright like someone remembered to water her.

"Coffee then? Latte?" Dale didn't understand why he had to drag orders out of people but he was practiced pleasant.

Jane liked when Dale asked her questions in his easy, casual way. He didn't ask for her order in the commercial sense, Jane knew he was more asking about her day, how this first decision would set her on her way, inform her actions, reveal her expectations. "How about some tea?" She could take her time this morning and sip, she wanted the nice smooth momentum of a boat and not the bumpy dirt bike jitters she chased all week. "Do you have green tea? I want to wake up and relax at the same time." Jane had a bright, white smile and she flashed it now. Her eyes were soft brown and her skin clear, unspoiled like the air after a downpour.

"Of course we have green tea," he said thinking 'who doesn't.' He produced the carousel bending to set it down for inspection, Jane took it as a bow and giggled. She thought he had the perfect indie coffee shop persona. He obviously had eschewed a traditional career, he moved with artisinal care but obviously dismissive of authority, he served the tea at his genuine pleasure, and his soul patch was so cute. Jane had been coming in every day since she decided this, slowly insinuating a warmth in their relationship. "We have green ginger melon, green mint, lemongrass herb..."

"Do you have just regular green?" He nodded in a funny way. "I'm just plain Jane" she said, pronouncing her name like 'Jay-ane' and holding out her hands to illustrate the same, laughing again. He smiled benignly. "Is it organic?"

"Yup." He had no idea. "Milk, sugar, honey?"

"Nope," she smiled to show how easily pleased she was. "I brought my own soy."

"We have soy."

"I like my soy better." Jane was pleased with how that went. She turned to discover a small line had formed behind her.