Split Sides

One-Shot: Meeting of Two Rivers

"How far is this place again?" Hayley asks as we push past the doors of Union Station.

"Just a few blocks across the street," I answer, pausing to let traffic pass through. "It's in a café-slash-bookshop with some weird name."

"Wow, it's so cold and windy here," she remarks as a newspaper blows through the breeze and tugs itself on her hips.

"Yeah, I've never felt this before. It's a shock, actually." We push our luggage across the crosswalk and head toward the place where we would be meeting.

"Do you know where it is?"

"Yeah, just a few blocks... There it is."

Here we are. The place with the German name that's just about unpronounceable. We take our place on the cast iron tables and wait.

"So...what does she look like?" Hayley wonders, fixing her hair and straightening her cream cashmere coat.

"You'll see," I respond, my leg fidgeting as I observe the daily rush of people passing by. "Haven't you conversed with her a few times?"

"Yeah, but like you said it was only a few times. We couldn't have enough time to keep talking."

"Hopefully you'll get to do it longer now that you're both in person." I look through the windows to see occupied tables and lines of people waiting to order by the counter. The coffee shop/bookstore has a nice homely feel to it.

I look around the place. Lots of Asian tourists going around with their selfie sticks snapping photos of the National Mall and the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Then I see a young woman in a denim jacket and jeans with a black full-length dress and leather boots waving at us. I take it that's her.

"You're here!" I greet her with a hug once she approaches our table. "You're finally here!"

"It's great to see you here!" she says, pausing to brush some hair off her eyes and pull her jacket closer. The unnatural frigidity of the weather creates a marked contrast to the balmy familiarity between us. Which is quite odd considering this is the first time we have physically met. "And it's nice to finally meet you," she says, extending her hand to Hayley.

"Guys, let me introduce each other," I say as I watch them shake hands. "Hayley, this is Katie, my best friend. Katie, this is Hayley, the sister I always wanted." After taking their seats I ask her why she picked this place.

"I've been a regular here since I was a kid," Katie explains. "It means 'Hands of the World' in German. And I love its unpretentious character and rustic charm."

"I see. It looks Bavarian, like a hunter's lodge. So this is the place I saw in your pictures online?"

"Pretty much. I make the journey here every time one of my favorite authors is in town. Since it's almost tea time, what will you guys be having?"

"I haven't even thought of that," admits Hayley as she looks up from her phone. "I have no idea what I want, actually."

"Just go ahead and order for us Katie," I say. "I'm sure you'll think of something."

So she heads inside, taking the liberty to decide our food. Passing glances outside show her having a friendly chat with the staff, even having some banter between them. After a few minutes of waiting and ordering and paying for everything she takes a tray of orders to our table outside.

"Here you go guys," she says, handing us the plates and accompanying drinks. "Some mille feuille and sweetened coffee for Hayley, some black forest gateau and jasmine tea for me, and two servings of Welsh oggies and hot chocolate for Zack. So what's been happening guys?"