Hard Decisions by Elaine © 2020

"Will you let me buy you a coffee as a thank you for helping me?" I asked ignoring his comment as I put the last of the fruit inside the box he was holding.

"That's all right you looked as though you needed some help," he replied. "Those free store bags are hopeless. They burst open really easily."

"Yes, so it seems," I said, "no-one else came to help and I'm really grateful, it's really embarrassing seeing all your shopping spread across the supermarket floor."

He smiled carrying the heavy box, "which way is your car?"

"Are you sure you won’t let me buy you a coffee?" I asked suddenly realising that I quite liked this gentleman.

He looked at his watch, then at me, and then reconsidering he said, "I'm not a coffee drinker but a hot chocolate would be quite nice, thanks."

So, he carried the box over to a clean empty table in the cafeteria, while I bought a coffee for me, and his large cup of creamy hot chocolate.

"There’s milk and sugar if you want it creamier or sweeter?" I asked as I approached the table with the tray in my hand. I liked being Mum and it wasn’t often that I was.

"I have a sweet tooth," he replied," so two spoonfuls would be good."

I looked him up and down and I noticed his wide grin and clear deep blue eyes, his bushy eyebrows that didn’t quite meet up in the middle of his face. His right ear carried a gold hoop and his ring finger was bare. I must admit I have always been a sucker for blue eyes and his reminded me of Steve McQueen.

I added the sugar before passing the large cup and saucer. I did my coffee white with no sugar as usual. Well I must watch my figure these days. That's something I never did before, and I can’t just eat everything I want, like I did when I was younger.

"Thanks once again, I wonder why they don’t make those shopping bags very sturdy?" I asked as my opening gambit after taking a welcome sip of my hot coffee. My recently painted frosted pink nails contrasting strongly with the plain white porcelain of the cup.