It’s been two weeks! Have you been out of town?

Tuesday morning, a little café at the end of an alley near campus. The bell on the door jingles. You haven’t been here in two weeks. Behind the counter, the barista grinding beans looks up. Hair loosely tied back, two pens tucked into her apron pocket. Her name tag says “Soi.” Before you can even look up at the menu, Soi reaches for a cup. “A hot vanilla latte with one less shot and half the usual syrup. Is that right?” Soi stops mid-stroke on the tiny sun she’s been drawing on the cup sleeve and studies your face longer than usual. She seems to be guessing where you’ve been these two weeks.