door open, and Mateo entered with a brightly colored bouquet of flowers. He smiled and handed them to Amber, who covered her mouth to conceal her surprise and excitement. “You left the apartment to get me flowers?” She was totally awed by his gesture, and her face spoke a thousand words.
“I thought you might enjoy something to brighten up your morning, especially since yesterday was kind of stressful for you.” He handed them to her and then stood back, watching to see her reaction. She held them with pride and then leaned in and kissed Mateo on the lips.
“These are beautiful, and that was one of the most thoughtful things anyone has ever done for me.” She looked down, feeling her eyes well up with tears. It was true. She had led such a solitary life for so long that it was hard to remember the last time anyone had done anything especially for her. Mateo smiled, and then reached for her hand.
“We have some waffles to eat.” He grinned and then gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Amber grabbed her purse and then locked up, telling herself that this would be a productive and positive day. As she locked the door, she quietly recited one of her chants that she learned in her first year of learning about crystals and energy healing:
What has to be, will always be
So lend no time to fear
What has to be will always be
Keep healing thoughts right here .
She locked the door to her apartment, and they headed down the steps and out to the street, then around the block to Bethany’s where his truck was parked. They got inside and Mateo started the ignition. “You ready?” He took a deep breath and Amber nodded her head. She felt as ready as she ever would. With her guidance, they drove through downtown Berkeley until they reached Wanda’s Waffle House. The parking lot was packed but Mateo found a spot out front, and they both got out and headed inside.
“Table for two?” The waitress smiled and led them to a spot by the window. Amber felt like a little kid, sliding down the bouncy red booth until she could reach the sugar packets at the end. Mateo chuckled at her childlike spirit, and then slid down on his side, as well. They ordered pancakes, waffles, orange juice and eggs. Both had coffee, as well. As soon as the food arrived, Mateo flashed Amber a huge smile. She laughed and the dug in, both thoroughly enjoying the rare treat of sugar-loaded breakfast food. Just as he lifted a syrupy forkful of buttermilk pancakes to his lips, Mateo’s phone rang.
“I wonder who could be calling me so early.” He looked down and then the smile left his face. “It’s Christopher.” He looked at Amber, set his fork down, the pancake sliding sadly off the end, and then got out of the booth. He covered the phone with his hand. “I’m going to take this outside.” He spoke in a hushed tone and then slowly wandered to the front door where he turned the knob and walked outside.
Amber sipped her coffee and then craned her neck to see if she could gauge what was happening. She didn’t want to intrude on his privacy, but at the same time she felt compelled to know whatever Christopher Burton might be talking about at that particular moment. The waitress stopped at the booth and asked Amber if wanted more coffee. She nodded her head and then stabbed at her waffle that was now getting cold. The fun seemed to be leaking out of her special breakfast.
She craned her neck and this time she could make out the back of Mateo’s head outside. He was throwing his arms up in the air and pacing back and forth. She wished she could get up and ask him what was going on, but she didn’t want to intrude on his business. He spun around and yelled into the phone, then shook his head and walked toward the front door.
Amber played with t puddle of syrup in her plate and then looked up just as Mateo came back in and slid emphatically into the booth. He
“I thought you might enjoy something to brighten up your morning, especially since yesterday was kind of stressful for you.” He handed them to her and then stood back, watching to see her reaction. She held them with pride and then leaned in and kissed Mateo on the lips.
“These are beautiful, and that was one of the most thoughtful things anyone has ever done for me.” She looked down, feeling her eyes well up with tears. It was true. She had led such a solitary life for so long that it was hard to remember the last time anyone had done anything especially for her. Mateo smiled, and then reached for her hand.
“We have some waffles to eat.” He grinned and then gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Amber grabbed her purse and then locked up, telling herself that this would be a productive and positive day. As she locked the door, she quietly recited one of her chants that she learned in her first year of learning about crystals and energy healing:
What has to be, will always be
So lend no time to fear
What has to be will always be
Keep healing thoughts right here .
She locked the door to her apartment, and they headed down the steps and out to the street, then around the block to Bethany’s where his truck was parked. They got inside and Mateo started the ignition. “You ready?” He took a deep breath and Amber nodded her head. She felt as ready as she ever would. With her guidance, they drove through downtown Berkeley until they reached Wanda’s Waffle House. The parking lot was packed but Mateo found a spot out front, and they both got out and headed inside.
“Table for two?” The waitress smiled and led them to a spot by the window. Amber felt like a little kid, sliding down the bouncy red booth until she could reach the sugar packets at the end. Mateo chuckled at her childlike spirit, and then slid down on his side, as well. They ordered pancakes, waffles, orange juice and eggs. Both had coffee, as well. As soon as the food arrived, Mateo flashed Amber a huge smile. She laughed and the dug in, both thoroughly enjoying the rare treat of sugar-loaded breakfast food. Just as he lifted a syrupy forkful of buttermilk pancakes to his lips, Mateo’s phone rang.
“I wonder who could be calling me so early.” He looked down and then the smile left his face. “It’s Christopher.” He looked at Amber, set his fork down, the pancake sliding sadly off the end, and then got out of the booth. He covered the phone with his hand. “I’m going to take this outside.” He spoke in a hushed tone and then slowly wandered to the front door where he turned the knob and walked outside.
Amber sipped her coffee and then craned her neck to see if she could gauge what was happening. She didn’t want to intrude on his privacy, but at the same time she felt compelled to know whatever Christopher Burton might be talking about at that particular moment. The waitress stopped at the booth and asked Amber if wanted more coffee. She nodded her head and then stabbed at her waffle that was now getting cold. The fun seemed to be leaking out of her special breakfast.
She craned her neck and this time she could make out the back of Mateo’s head outside. He was throwing his arms up in the air and pacing back and forth. She wished she could get up and ask him what was going on, but she didn’t want to intrude on his business. He spun around and yelled into the phone, then shook his head and walked toward the front door.
Amber played with t puddle of syrup in her plate and then looked up just as Mateo came back in and slid emphatically into the booth. He
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