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With people, Sarika said. Not with dying machines
that refuse to let me nish this double mocha latte with
a triple shot of e presso.
Well if you would stick to the menu of Mr.
Hathaway started.
“If I stuck to the menu of just plain coffee, iced coffee,
and tea, we wouldn’t do any business Sarika e claimed
while pressing an espresso bean holder into the whining
machine, and cranking it in.
Leila stifled a laugh, watching the scene unravel from
her seat, as Sarika shouted back at poor Mr. Hathaway.
She made herself comfortable as the two of them battled,
locked in their usual routine. Adam’s was practically their
second home, and not just because Sarika worked here,
slinging coffee whenever she could, but because it was
meant to feel like a second home for teens like them.
Leila nuzzled into the hard wall along the back of the
once church pew now coffee table bench, and sighed
as Sarika fussed with something behind the machine,
causing steaming hot water to burst from the front. The
steam hissed with an explosive smell of espresso beans
and misty water, like someone had spilled a cup of coffee
in the summer rain.
Hey Sarika shouted at a random customer waiting
in line, who looked up at her in surprise, pulled from his
staring at his phone trance.
Would you come in here, if it was just plain coffee and
tea Sarika asked. A number of an ious looking people
stood behind him, and Leila held in another laugh as their
eyes darted about awkwardly in that trying to look casual

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