I looked over at the clock on the dresser. It flashed 5:15 am.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
I leapt out of bed and sniffed the air. Fire? No smoke.
I put on my robe and went to answer the door.
"Andrew?" I asked. "Is that you?"
BANG! BANG! BANG!
I opened the door.
Steve stood in my doorway.
"Get dressed," he said. "I made reservations."
"Reservations, huh?"
We sat on a park bench, with a bag of hot, fresh bagels and two cups of coffee.
"Yes," Steve said. "This bench has a six-month waiting list. All the winos are fighting to sleep on it."
It did have a beautiful view.
It was on a hill, overlooking the ocean.
The sun was coming up behind us, its rays illuminating the night sky to dawn.
We saw dolphins playing in the sea.
The sky was turning a bright red.
Steve took my hand. "You know what they say," he said, chewing on a piece of bagel. "Red sky at morning, sailors take warning."
The rain started at noon.
I picked up Hugo's gift at the shop and drove to Mocha Daze.
I banged on the front door.
Hugo came out of his office, saw it was me and let me in.
"You're soaking wet," he said. "Let's get you some coffee. I've got the machine running."
While Hugo was making the coffee, I went to my car, got his gift and brought it into the shop, the rain soaking the brown paper that covered it.
When he came back with the coffee, he saw the package.
"For me?"
"Open it, Hugs."
He ripped off the paper, saw what it was and stopped.
"Oh...my..."
I could see the tears welling up in his eyes.
"It just wouldn't be Mocha Daze without it," I said.
He picked up the stained glass dove and held it tenderly in his arms.
For the first time in his life, I think Hugo Ciccarelli was at a loss for words.
