A Coffee by Mistake
A mixed-up order leads to a first real conversation
It was a rainy Tuesday, and both cafes were unusually busy that morning.
A tall man in a grey coat ordered a hot drink at The Blue Kettle.
Hannah was making his coffee when a sudden crowd filled the counter.
In the , she wrote the wrong name on the paper cup.
The drink which she had prepared was carried to the wrong table.
A few minutes later, a young man walked in through the rain.
It was Leo, holding a cup that clearly belonged to her cafe.
"I think our orders got mixed up," he said with a smile.
Hannah was checking the receipts when she finally looked up at him.
His eyes were kinder and warmer than she had imagined.
The cup which he was carrying had her own handwriting on it.
"So you are the one who keeps watching my window," she said quietly.
Leo laughed and admitted that he had been curious about her for weeks.
They stood talking while the rain ran down the glass behind them.
He told her that the coffee at her cafe smelled wonderful.
She was laughing at his joke when Ruth appeared from the back room.
Ruth's face grew the moment she recognised the young man.
Leo quickly returned the cup which did not to him.
"I should get back before my father notices," he said .
Before he left, he asked she worked every morning.
"Almost every morning," Hannah answered, trying to hide her smile.
The conversation had lasted only a minute, yet it felt important.
As he crossed the street, he turned once and waved to her.
For the rest of the day, Hannah kept thinking about the drink that had brought them together.
Neither of them yet knew how much one small mistake would cause.