Take My Heart to the Depths

3. Difference

As soon as the sun rose, Henrietta hopped out of bed to start her day. She combed her hair, brushed her teeth, set a tea kettle on the stove, and checked her email while she waited for the water to boil.

There was only one email in her inbox today. The subject read, "Need an Illustrator for Some Children's Books." She opened it as soon as she finished reading the subject line.

"Dear Ms. Strand ... We are looking for a talented illustrator for a series of children's books ... If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact us for more details."

Henrietta's eyes sparkled with anticipation. A wide grin spread across her face and she threw her arms in the air.

Finally, a job opportunity!

She was so glad she didn't give up yesterday.

Henrietta promptly responded to the email, expressing great interest in the offer. She glanced over her response repeatedly to ensure there were no errors. Once satisfied with her corrections, she sent it off.

The tea kettle began to whistle just as Henrietta got up to stretch. She skipped over to the stove and turned off the fire. Then she stared at the kettle for a few moments. Her hand rose to her chin as an idea lit up in her head.

I could use something a little special today, Henrietta thought to herself. I think I'll head down to the coffee shop across the street.

Henrietta usually made all her meals at home to save money, but she decided to make an exception for today. It was a lovely morning and she was still overflowing with excitement from the potential job opportunity.

She undressed in a few swift motions and flung her pajamas onto the bed as she walked toward the closet. Then she picked out a simple outfit-an ivory shirt with floral trim and a typical pair of jeans.

Once dressed, Henrietta reached for the brown leather purse hanging on the closet knob and slung it over her shoulder. After a final check in the mirror, Henrietta was out the door.

She headed straight to the stairway without sparing a glance at the elevators-it was often too crowded in the mornings. Besides, her unit was only on the third floor. It barely took any time to reach the ground floor and leave the apartment complex.

Henrietta strolled across the street at a leisurely pace. She had only been walking for a couple of minutes, but her destination was already in sight.

She approached the open doors of Little Tee's Coffee House. The lovely fragrance of brewing coffee filled Henrietta's nostrils as she entered.

This small coffee shop was one of Henrietta's favorite places for passing time. She walked across the brown tiled floor, up to the counter, and placed her order-a latte and an oatmeal bowl.

While waiting for her meal to be prepared, Henrietta stared at the picture frames hanging on the cream-colored walls. They displayed the owners, their family members, as well as some beloved customers. She had already seen all these pictures before-there was nothing new. But she would always pretend to be occupied by something nearby because she didn't know what else to do while waiting.

As soon as Henrietta heard the barista's footsteps, she broke her gaze away from the wall to receive her order.

"Enjoy!" The female barista flashed her best service smile.

Henrietta tried her best to return the same smile. "Thank you," she said while receiving her meal.

She then strode over to an empty table and placed her food on the polished surface. There was a potted plant adorning the corner of the room, which also happened to be beside the chair. Henrietta carefully maneuvered around it before taking a seat.