It was finally Sunday-the kind of Sunday that reminds me to keep my promise to myself as well as to my coffee date with Layla. It was 11:15am and I was still pushing through my Sunday rituals. Soft music, light cleaning, light stretching and most importantly, skincare. And finding what to wear just wasn't on the list of to-dos. "Alexa, what's the weather today?" 60 degrees. Perfect. I reached for a pair of light-blue denim jeans, while whispering a quiet prayer that they still fit. They did! I slipped into a forest-green chunky knit sweater and my white pointed toe booties-cute, festive, and definitely giving off cozy vibes. Feeling optimistic about December, I made my way to Noir Lux Coffee. The moment I walked in, the scent of peppermint and freshly baked holiday cookies gave me a warm welcome. It smelled like Christmas had come early. It was my turn to order, and I had already made my mind up that I wanted to try the Peppermint Mocha latte. But before the words could leave my lips, the barista at the counter smiled and said: "Welcome back, September. We have a special order for you". I paused. Layla must have ordered ahead. "Okay... thank you." I said as I made my way to the seating area. Layla wasn't there. Odd but not alarming. I settled into a cozy corner with a marble table and two plush love seats. Seven minutes passed... and then Chris walked up. "Hi September," he said, warm but calm. "I have a Christmas Cookie latte for you." The drink looked delicious-steaming hot, crowned with whipped cream and dusted with red and green sprinkles. "Hi Chris-and thank you, I replied. "How have you been?" "I've been great. It's great to see you again." Before I could say anything else, Layla chimed in. "Hey babes, you look cute, what did you order? Caught off guard, I lifted the cup. "I... thought you ordered this Christmas Cookie latte for me." We both froze, with confusion written across our faces. Moments later, another waiter arrived with Layla's drink. "Peppermint Mocha, excellent choice Layla." he said before placing a perfectly made latte in front of her. As soon as he walked away, Layla leaned in with excitement. "Girl... I think Chris is cute. real chill. I'm kind of into him." I blinked, stunned. Confused. Connecting the dots that I didn't even know were dots. Did Chris send the Christmas Cookie latte? And if so... why? I smiled and replied, "Honestly? You should shoot your shot. He's your type." Hours passed as we talked about our personal lives. It all made sense now that Layla finally admitted she was bisexual. I didn't judge; if anything, I felt even closer to her. It was honest. Like our lattes, unexpected and surprisingly good. After leaving the coffee shop, the walk home was full of laughter until Layla dropped a question that I wasn't prepared for. "Have you heard back from Russel?" I paused, pressed the elevator button to my floor and simply said: "Nope." We both laughed. Once inside my apartment, the silence felt louder. I didn't want to fall back into old patterns, I didn't want to crave chaos, but my mind wandered anyway. The flowers last week. Today's latte, the timing, the tone. The look in Chris's eyes. What if it wasn't Russel at all? What if it was Chris? I sat on the couch, the lights dim, my sweater still holding the scent of peppermint. For the first time, I didn't know what or who to think about. But one thing that was for certain: This was the beginning of a fresh start.

                                                                    To be continued...