Dark Roast

Lisa is ordering a Caramel Macchiato. She's not a huge caramel fan, but it's the only drink she can remember that isn't a boring cup of Joe. She doesn't have to be at work for another hour. This is her only quiet time. Her ex-husband takes the kids on the weekends, but those are used clean and make her home normal again come Monday. She lied to the new babysitter about her hours so she could have the mornings to herself. She loves her kids, more than anything, but becoming a single mother is the loneliest she has been. She never stopped loving her husband, she just didn't have enough room in her heart for so much love once their third was born. Love had become a chore. For a reason beyond her, she wants to try again. She uses this time to click the link her friend sent her to the new hip dating site. It's been years since she's had her picture taken, so she poses her glasses on her head and takes a selfie with her coffee.

Justin orders a black coffee, but he sneaks in packets of sugar from home. If his new job has taught him anything, he needs to harden up. This is the big leagues his dad told him about. He wasn't prepared for one thing: Ms. Larson, his supervisor. He's never met a woman like her, and by that he's never met one so mean. His first week on the job he accidently shredded some documents that were obviously placed a little too close to the shred pile. He realizes it's a major mistake, but who put those papers there to begin with? When Ms. Larson found out he didn't know if he'd make it home alive. She told him if he didn't have his head stuck up his ass maybe he'd be able to tell the documents apart. Once his anger and embarrassment wore off, he realized there was something he liked about it. Maybe it's the fact his mother wasn't around as a child, or maybe because female attention of any sorts was never something he experienced. He's slumped in his chair, discreetly looking at old Freudian texts online, hoping to find an answer.

Marci is ordering a glass of water. She's taking a five-hour energy and chasing it since she hates the taste. She woke up before school starts to cram before her exam. It's her last final of her Senior year, and though she's an honor student, she can't slip up now. She can taste the freedom coming as her morning mix races to her stomach. Eighteen years of living life for everyone around her but herself, and it's almost over. She has a weird sense of mourning, but it's overshadowed by her pure joy. She loves her parents, they've always supported her, but she feels her life has been nothing more than them trying to right their wrongs and put all that pressure on their only daughter. She opens three tabs on her laptop. Piano music, her math problems, and cute lamps for her dorm room.

Linda orders a London Fog and an ice water. She scoops the ice out of the glass and into the tea; she has no idea if "Iced London Fog" is a thing and is too scared to ask. The ice on her fingertips also reminds her she's alive. Her and Garrett have been together since high school, he was a senior and she was a sophomore. Five years later and four years of long distance while he's away at college, and they're still going strong. However, she's messed up again. She said the wrong thing and now she hasn't heard from him in three days. This happens from time to time, and her anxiety tells her it's deserved. Afterall, he chose to study for a real job while she chases her pipe dreams. She wonders why he stays with her, if it's love or manipulation. As she gets old she can't tell if the line blurs or vanishes. She knows she'll hear from him again soon. In the meantime, she turns on her favorite Pavement album and starts to draft what will hopefully be her ticket out of their hometown.

Steven stumbles in after Linda, and says he'll have what she's having. He just orders so he can be a paying customer and use the bathroom. He was hoping for more caffeine, but he's still so drunk he couldn't read the menu himself. Memories are starting to come back to him. He was at a bar with his buddy, but once again he let the liquor get the best of him. The last thing her remembers his mouthing off to some dude before everything went back. He downs his ice water and makes his way to the restroom. It's worse than he imagined. Busted lip, swollen eye, and dried blood caked on his nose. He wonders why the girl who took his order didn't seem phased. He sits on the bathroom floor and tries to find his phone to call an Uber. It's gone. In the comfort that only a locked bathroom can provide, he cries.

The lines died down, so Trish goes on break. Instead of sitting in the cafe she hides in the walk-in and cries. Her father passed two days ago and this is her first shift back. She didn't tell the owners; she has nothing to say. She lost her father to addiction years ago; he just left this plane of existence now. She doesn't want to take time off. She feels like she's scamming someone, whether it be society, her regulars, or her own pride. She doesn't even think there will be a funeral, so what would she need the time off for? She sneaks a bottle of water and sips it slowly, feeling as though the grip of plastic is the only thing she can control. She has five minutes to clean herself up and put her smile back on. The only thing keeping her going today is seeing the state of humanity walk to the counter.