STORM

THE STORM


Alice, twenty- six, headstrong, always a planner. She had big dreams of going to NYU after graduating high school. She hoped to live in a modern studio apartment right in the middle of the city with grey wooden floors and kitchen cabinets and big windows wrapped all around. Instead, she found herself having a baby at seventeen-years old with her high school boyfriend at the time, Matthew. A relationship that was short-lived. Instead, she is in a cramped one-bedroom apartment in New York, that she shares with her now nine-year-old son, James, wondering how life could be so different. Matthew, now remarried, seeming to have life all figured out, having the family that Alice has always desired. Alice goes to a coffee shop every morning to think about why she ended up so bitter. It feels like a burning fire in her heart whenever she thinks about Matthew, his new life, or hears that name.

“Order for Matthew!” the barista yelled.

Alice’s eyes poked out of her head.

Her stomach knotted as soon as she heard his name.

She was flushed. Her cheeks shined bright red on her pale skin. “PTSD?” she thought.

She secretly hoped it wasn’t him as she hadn’t seen Matthew since their divorce. He moved to Florida to live with his parents and shortly met his now wife, at the college he was attending.

“How could it be?” she thought to herself. “I thought he moved to Florida, what could he possibly be doing here?” her thoughts felt like 100mph, matching her heart rate.

She turns over, and sees his long curly hair, as it is put up in a man bun. It is him.

He grabs his coffee from the barista and turns around to look for a seat. He paces through the tightly knit coffee shop, holding his warm caramel latte. There are only three tables in there, not giving him many options of where to sit.

As he is deciding on which table to choose, he locks eyes with Alice. Her burnt orange hair and big blue eyes captivated him. Them being the only people at the coffee shop, not including the barista. She instantly broke eye contact, as she was reminded of his infidelity and his lack of care for their son. She felt this rage and anger come over her, but it was suddenly disrupted by the pouring rain outside. There’s a loud tv blaring in the background on the news channel. Forecast shows it is a tropical storm, and it is advised that everyone remains in a safe shelter until it blows over. Alice was in disbelief that she was trapped in a coffee shop with her ex-husband who she despises.

“Just my luck,” she says sarcastically.

A strong sense of sorrow and regret overcomes him as he feels her words of anger tug on his skin.

“Hey Alice.” he says softly, trying to catch his breathe. “Can I join you?”

“There’s other tables here you know, why do you need to sit at this one?”

“I haven’t seen you in a few years. I’m back in town for a few days, can we talk?”

“Maybe if you checked in on your son and I, you wouldn’t need to use a time like this to talk.”

The tension was so strong and bold, that it could cut through the storm.

“Why do you have to be such a b—” he paused and took a deep breathe. Fighting the urge to say something he would later regret.

Her face looked empty, disgusted, and in disbelief of what was happening. She still was struggling with the fact that this wasn’t a fever dream.

She takes a sip of her now, room temperature green tea, waiting for him to finish his lovely sentence.

“I just want to say, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused you.”

Silence between them filled the room. Rain drops tapped loudly against the window while the news channel blared in the background.

“I forgive you,” she says as weight lifted off her shoulders.

Matthew’s eyes grew ten times.

“I never realized how much this hatred held me back from finding freedom in this. I spent all these years angry and bitter. I forgive you, but I also forgive myself too.” she continued.

The rain starts getting heavier.

“I waited all these years to hear you say sorry, but it doesn’t make a difference. I forgive you whether you say sorry, or not. We were 17-year-old kids in love who knew no better. We both had big dreams, but life had other plans for us. Being married to you was the worst experience of my life, but getting our son out of it was the best one. I can’t keep letting anger this rob me from the only joy I have.”

Matthew stared blankly, as he was still speechless and processing her words.

“I loved you, but I had to walk away for the sake of our son. He deserves to see me be loved and treated correctly. He also deserves to have a present father in his life. I forgive you for what you did to him too.” She finished.

Matthew’s eyes watered as he felt a knot in his throat.

“You both deserve better than me. You both deserve to be happy and have a healthy family.” he says, with his voice shaking . “ Even if it is not with me.”

The rain starts to calm down, and skies start clearing up, after what felt like forever.

“We have that now. Goodbye Matthew.” she replied.

Alice gets up from her seat, feeling free from the bondage of unforgiveness she felt for all these years leave her body. She walks out of the coffee shop eagerly, to go pick up her son from school and ask him about his day.

Joannie Quispe Alvarez loves to beach in the sunshine state, Florida. When she isn't writing, she enjoys spontaneous impromptu trips to Disney with her two boys, Adrian and Liam. Follow her on Instagram @itsjustjojoo.