Bitter-Sweet Macchiato

It was raining outside.

As usual, I sat alone in this café. A familiar waitress came to me.

“A cup of hot macchiato”, she said as she put it on my table. 

“Thank you.”

I looked outside the window.

“Will he come?” My mind wandered around him. 

I met him a week ago. It was a rainy day. I came alone to this café. He was standing next to me. We ordered same coffee. Macchiato.

“Macchiato, please”, we said to the waitress at the same time. 

I turned my face at him, he smiled at me.

“Hot or cold?”, asked the waitress.

“Hot, please”, we answered the waitress at the same time. 

I turned my face at him again, he smiled at me again.

“Two hot macchiato. Please wait a moment.” 

His phone rang. He walked away, busy talking on the phone. I glanced at him in silence.

“Here is your hot macchiato.” The waitress handed me hot macchiato. 

He kept talking on the phone. I passed by him, took my umbrella, and left the café.  

I still looked outside the window, hoping he would come again.

“Hot macchiato. Please wait a moment.” I heard a voice of a waitress. 

I couldn’t believe what I saw. It’s him. Standing alone over there waiting for his macchiato.

His phone rang. He picked it up. I faintly heard what he said.

“Where are you?”, he hesitated. “Ok, I’m waiting for you at café.”

“Here is your hot macchiato”, said the waitress as he hung up his phone.

He paid the macchiato, walked outside, and stood in front of the café. 

I looked at him silently through the window.

One minute.

Once in a while he sipped his macchiato.

Three minutes.

I was still not moving. He was still not moving.

Five minutes. 

Suddenly, a man with red umbrella ran toward him.

He kissed that man on lips.

Then, they strolled along the sidewalk under that sweet red umbrella.

I smiled bitterly and sipped my macchiato.

“Ah, bitter-sweet.”, I said to myself.

-ultrautogia-