New Beginnings

Normally, a freshly brewed pot of coffee and a clear head were all she needed to start work for the day. So that Monday morning when a whole pot of coffee and a plateful of warm eggs and toast didn’t kick her mind into action, she felt frustrated. And it was just 11am—she had to do a whole day of this! Of course, today was no regular day. Her mind, body, and soul were in absolute disarray.
Inaya let out an aggravated sigh. “Ugh!” Her right knee shook with restless anxiety. She looked at the clock. “Damn it! Screw this.”
She got up, crumpled the page she was writing on, and swiftly marched to her cupboard. She rummaged through it. “Grey, what do I do?” She was given a swift response: “Meowwww,” followed by the cat brushing against her. “Okay, you help me choose, okay?”
After a lot of contemplation and discussion with her cat Grey, Inaya finally chose a simple pair of black pants, a slip, and an overshirt. An internal dialogue brewed as she found her way to the bathroom. If you could see her face, you’d watch a flipbook of emotions reflecting and adjusting to her thoughts.
She rushed through getting dressed as quickly as her thoughts rushed through her mind. She refilled Grey’s food and water bowls and knocked on the door adjacent to her room.
A sleepy-headed body wrapped in a blanket opened the door. A gush of cold air from the air conditioning greeted her. She stifled a laugh and brightly said, “Hey Rishi! I’m going to work from Brew Tales today. Would’ve asked you to join, but you don’t seem ready to be in this world yet! Haha. I’ll see you later?”
“Don’t tease! And why are you so loud and chirpy today? It’s just 11:30, woman,” Rishi mumbled.
“Sir, it is 11:30am. Half of this timezone has had their lunch. I’m off to have mine and get some work done. My brain is fried!” Inaya replied.
Rishi dismissively waved his hand. “Oh alright, tell me something new though! Your mind’s been fried lately. I hope everything’s okay with you. We can chat once I’m awake. I also wanted to go to Brew Tales today. I’ll see you there by 3pm, and maybe we can pick up Swan later and go watch the sunset at the meadow?” His concerned voice seemed to have woken him up a little.
Inaya was grateful to live with her dear friends. She softened her eyes. “Of course. Sounds like a plan. Maybe I’ll tell you guys what’s on my mind during sunset.” They hugged, and Inaya waved to him from the main door. Not before she heard Rishi softly sigh at Grey invading his bed.
‘Inu, let’s do this.’ She sat on her scooty and took a sharp breath. The soft wind on her face and the lush green fields filled her every breath as she rode to the café. Brew Tales came into view, its glass windows glowing with the promise of warmth and chatter. Inaya parked, steadying herself with a deep inhale. She felt the weight of her thoughts loosening, like pages waiting to be turned. Maybe today wasn’t about coffee at all, maybe it was about beginnings. She pushed the café door open, ready to find out.