Naomi hurried across the slippery, wet streets of downtown Savannah. She tried her best to keep her umbrella from flipping upward at the gusts of wind. Tourists blocked her walkway, as she dodged in and out the clumps of families, and bachelorette parties. Typically the tourist calmed down once it began to turn cool, but this year they were out in plentiful numbers. Each group constantly oohing and awing at the old historic houses covered in fall leaves.
“And did you know that this is the only city General Sherman didn’t burn down during his march to sea? That’s why all of these buildings are still in peak condition! Oop! Umbrellas up, looks like this drizzle is still going! But just like Sherman, it won’t stop us, let’s march on!” A tour guide said as Naomi passed through a group.
She rolled her eyes, and moved her umbrella out of the way, which caused her to hit a branch instead. Water flung onto her, sending chills down her arms and legs. This was not the day to wear a long skirt and sweater combo. At least her boots protected her from the puddles around her.
“Ugh!” Naomi said, as she wiped water off her sweater.
She stopped at the last crosswalk before she reached the Tin Roof Coffee Shop. She could see it from across the street with is cozy lights, warm aesthetic, and buzzing guests. As she peered through the drops of rain she spotted Aaron through the window. She smiled as she watched him tap his foot excitedly, and periodically look toward the door. He took off his glasses to clean them, and squinted out the window looking for Naomi.
This was Naomi’s fourth date with Aaron, or fifth, she couldn’t keep up with the exact number. Which was odd for her considering she always kept up with everything in her life. Especially, after having Adia. But, Aaron made it harder for her to focus on the little thoughts. He was clumsy, yet fun, passionate, yet youthful with an old soul. Naomi met Arron in college, after being introduced to him by her roommate Lena. Aaron then introduced them to his roommate Carter, and for the next four years the four of them were inseparable. They always called their friend group the perfect college ad brochure. With Naomi being mixed with black and white, Aaron being black, Lena being Japanese, and Cater being white, the school photographers went crazy trying to get their pictures for the website. You could always find them hanging out in their dorms, or going to parties together. Everything was perfect. That is, until Naomi got pregnant with Adia, then everything changed. She finished out the rest of her degree online, and graduated at home in her parent’s living room. A week later Adia was born. Lena was the only person Naomi kept in touch with from college, she was the only person Naomi trusted after getting pregnant. Everyone else felt like a threat to her wellbeing and sanity. But now, seven years later, at twenty nine, she was going on her fourth or fifth date with her old best friend, Aaron. What a weird little place the world can be.
Naomi watched as the light turned green, and dodged the wet leaves on the ground. She made it across the street just as the light turned yellow, and grabbed the door handle to the coffee shop. Aaron quickly stood up, accidentally knocking over his chair. He quickly bent down to pick it up, and bumped his head on the table. His floppy, black curls bouncing off his head and his glasses falling onto the floor.
“Ouch!” He said softly.
Naomi laughed and walked over to him. She graciously picked up his chair and helped him up. He placed his glasses back on and rubbed his head.
“You ok?” She said through her laugher.
“Huh, what? Yeah, I barely felt it! I’m good! The curls softened the blow.” Arron said sitting back down. “Oh, wait!”
Aaron stood back up and pulled out the chair for Naomi to sit in. Naomi smiled and sat down.
“Thank you, Aaron.” Naomi said quietly. She sat down her bag, and fixed her sweater.
“Anytime! I like your sweater today, the green looks nice with your brown skirt, and your hair pulled up like that.”
“Oh! Thank you, I tried fixing my hair but then I realized it was pointless because of the rain. Also, my curls are coming back anyway.”
“I know, I’m excited!” Aaron said.
“Excited?” Naomi said laughing.
“Yeah, I love your curls. I mean I love your straight hair too, but, your curls are my favorite. Not, that I have a preference! You can wear your hair however, I don’t care—.”
“Aaron, haha I get it, hey it’s my favorite trait I got from dad!”
A barista came by their table and sat two mugs down in front of them.
“Order for Aaron? One black coffee, and a brown sugar, apple latte, with cinnamon on top, and almond milk?”
“That’s correct, thank you!”
“No problem!” The barista said as she walked away.
“You remembered my drink?” Naomi said in shock.
“Yes! I went ahead and ordered if that’s ok. I remembered you used to order it all the time in college. If you want something else I can get it for you.”
“No this is perfect, thank you! It’s exactly want I wanted today, it’s the perfect fall drink.” Naomi took a sip and closed her eyes. She began to speak but Aaron finished her thoughts for her.
“Cozy mozy?” He said smiling.
“Yes, cozy mozy!”
“Oh, before I forget, I got this for Adia.” Aaron said reaching into his pocket. “Oh maybe it’s in this pocket, oh no, wait, here it is!”
Aaron pulled out a small yellow crocheted duck with a blue rain jacket and hat.
“I found it in one of the tourist shops yesterday. I thought she could add it to her duck collection.”
“Aww Aaron, she’ll love this! It’s so cute too. You didn’t have to do this!”
“It’s no problem. As a fellow animal lover myself, I am inclined to feed the addiction. Also it’s wearing a rain jacket, come on, I can’t pass that up it’s adorable!”
“I’ll pay you back, how much was it?”
“Naomi, no, it’s a gift, I mean it. Tell her it’s from a friend. You don’t even have to say my name.” Aaron said.
Naomi nodded and looked down. She smiled as she grabbed her bag and safely placed the duck in on of the pockets inside. She fidgeted uncomfortably as people passed by with their to go drinks. Their wet shoes squeaked on the old tiled floor, and the baristas hurried to clean up the tracks they left. Aaron pushed his glasses up on his face and took off the denim jacket he was wearing. Naomi noted how the cream sweater he was wearing, brought out the deep browns in his skin. Aaron had always been a great dresser. She remembered borrowing clothes from him weekly back in college. He always said yes, claiming they looked better on her than him.
“So, how is Adia today?” Aaron said, breaking the silence.
“She’s great! On Saturday’s we always make breakfast together. Today we made smiley face pancakes, you have to see this picture of her it’s so cute!”
Naomi took out her phone and showed Aaron the picture. Adia stood in the middle of the kitchen, with her light brown eyes and dark wavy hair, holding up a plate with a pancake on it. The smiley face was made out of fruit, and whipped cream. Aaron laughed and grabbed the phone from Naomi.
“Love the whip cream eye brows that was a nice touch. She beautiful Naomi, I can’t get over how much she looks like you. It’s like your twins!” Aaron said handing her phone back.
“I love her so much, I can’t believe she’s seven. She really is like a mini me, sometimes I forget there was another person who made her.”
Aaron shifted in seat and cleared his throat. Naomi could tell this made him uncomfortable so she quickly tried to smooth things over.
“Anyway, she was excited to have time with aunt Lena today.”
“How’s Lena doing? I saw her latest art show online, she’s killing it!”
“She’s doing great! Her last show was insane, she had people coming from across the country to see her work! She also has some things booked in Japan, which if you remember, that was her goal.”
“Yeah, yeah! She wanted to go back home to Japan and sell some of her work there too. Man, I’m glad she did it!”
“Me too. She still finds time to help me out, she’s a roommate, a baby-sitter, a friend, an aunt, and sometimes a chef. Today, her and Adia are repainting her room to match the energy of her duck collection. Whatever that means.” Naomi said with a laugh.
“I’m glad she let you guys live with her I would’ve hated to see you move back home permanently. I know Texas isn’t far, and it’s always what’s best for Adia, but..”
“I love this area, and I think it’s a great place for Adia!”
“It is, and well, I would’ve really missed you. I’m really glad we reconnected. After you got pregnant and went back home, I never thought I’d see you again.”
“I’m glad we reconnected too, I really missed you Aaron. More than you know. Everything happened so quick I didn’t know what to do! I still wanted to graduate, and have a life and I—.”
“Hey, I get it,” Aaron said softly.
He reached across the table and grabbed Naomi’s hand. Naomi squeezed his hand back, and they stayed like that for a while. Enjoying each other’s silence and comfort. That was what Naomi loved about Aaron, his kindness was almost an anomaly. She wished she could have said yes to him earlier, but every time she thought about that guilt creeped into her chest. She wouldn’t of had Adia, and she was the most important person to her. Out of all the darkness in her life, she was the brightest light.
“Listen, Naomi, I-I was wondering, if things seemed like they were going in a good direction. Like, do you think me and you could—.”
Suddenly, Aaron’s elbow knocked over his cup of coffee. The mug tumbled over spilling coffee onto the table and ground, barely missing Naomi’s shoes. Aaron quickly picked up the mug in a frantic manner.
“Shoot, Naomi, I’m sorry did I get your outfit dirty?”
“No it’s alright, let me get us some paper towels!”
Naomi rushed up and grabbed some napkins from the counter. By the time she got back, a barista had handed Aaron a towel. Naomi crouched down next to him and to tried to help.
“Naomi, I got it, I don’t want you to get dirty. You look so nice,” Aaron said.
“It’s ok, I don’t mind! I already got rain water all over me anyway.”
“Man, I’m sorry I hope I didn’t ruin this date.” Aaron said, as he got up and dusted his hands off.
“Absolutely not. Everything is perfect.”
They both sat back down and a barista refilled Aaron’s mug. Naomi watched as he thanked her, and reached into his pocket and pulled out some bills. He smiled and handed them to the barista, who beamed with gratitude. Naomi watched, as she added the money to the tip jar and celebrated with her coworkers. When she turned back to Aaron he was cleaning his glasses and smiling.
“That’s why I always carry cash!”
“Yes, Aaron.”
“Oh, you do the same?”
Naomi laughed. “No, I mean, yes to this going in the right direction. Yes to this being more. I really like spending time with you.”
“I like spending time with you to Naomi. I would love to meet Adia soon, when the time is right. I’ve been researching the best way to introduce a significant other to a child.”
“You researched? Aaron, that is so kind of you!”
“Of course, this is new territory for me, for both of us, I want to make it as seamless as possible.”
“I’ve talked about you a little. She always wonders who I’m with and I try to say I’m with a friend. I’m always honest with her, so she defiantly knows something is up. But I think soon we should be at a good spot for you to meet her.”
“That’s awesome! I would love that. Umm, so I’ve been meaning to ask..”
Naomi’s shoulder’s dropped. She knew where this was going. She was going to have to explain that the father was not in her life, and that she didn’t want contact. Or it was going to be what the requirements of being in a relationship with a child took. She would have to explain that her weeks were going to filled with school projects, and after school activities. Staying out late would be a luxury, and may not always happen. Dates might consist of brining Adia with them, if she could find a babysitter in time. All of the reasons why her past relationships failed, and why she waited years before she tried dating again.
“What happened seven years ago Naomi? I need to know. I feel like there was something more that happened. Is that true?”
Naomi took a deep breath in this was not the question she was prepared for. She didn't know what to think or say next. All she knew was Aaron was right, there was something more.
Thank you for reading my second short story! As always I am so grateful for all the encouragement and support this community gives me. Enjoy this read, and consider reading my other work too! If you feel lead you can also donate to help me publish my book! See you guys soon for part two!
Love it! Ready for part 2!!