A Warm Cup of Kindness

Cameron walked into the coffee shop the next day rubbing his hands against the cold. Mason stood behind the counter busy helping a couple other guests with their order. Cameron's eyes though searched through the shop. Mason glanced over and shook his head. Sighing Cameron sat down in one of the nearby chairs. Mason came around the counter to stand next to him.

"Sorry Lover Boy," he said, "Maybe you scared her off yesterday when you bumped into her."

"I was hoping to see her again."

"I figured as much, were you going to ask for her number this time?"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to her about this," Cameron reached into his bag and pulled out the book.

"And what ask for a date?"

"Would you get your mind off dating for a moment," Cameron said, "she's a writer Mason, and a really good one. I haven't read anything this good in a long time."

"So, no date?"

"No, I wanted to actually offer to publish her book," he said, "we just started a new project that I think her book would be perfect for. Here." he reached inside his bag and pulled out one of his business cards, "Give her my card if she comes in again and tell her to give me a call."

"Alright buddy, but isn't the guy supposed to call the girl?"

"Mason I'm not interested in dating right now; I've already told you. This is a business opportunity."

"Whatever you say Bro," Mason said and he took the business card and headed back around the counter. The familiar jingle of the door opening sounded and Cameron turned to see a young lady come in. Beautiful blue eyes looked out from behind a pair of glasses, her brown hair up in a bun that must have been made in a hurry. She wore a long coat and scarf against the chill and a long skirt over leggings and a pair of brown lace up boots. A stack of books balanced in her hands as she glanced up at the menu. A moment later the door closed on the end of her scarf,

"Um Ma'am," he said. She stepped forward but jerked backed suddenly on her scarf as her books tumbled to the floor.

"Oh great," she said opening the door and freeing her scarf and bending down to pick up the books. Cameron knelt down and began helping her. Glancing up her blue eyes met his, and for the second time in two days his heart did a backflip.

"Hi..." he said.

"Umm hi," she said standing up, tucking a stray brown hair behind her ear, "I'm really sorry..."

"It's okay," he said, "I'm sorry about your jacket."

"It was...it was an old one anyway," she said laughing softly. Her cheeks flushed as she looked back up at him, biting her lip. Cameron handed her back her books, clearing his throat.

"Are you...a student?"

"Teacher actually," she said, "I'm a 1st grade teacher at Ridgeway Elementary."

"Really! I went to Ridgeway back when I was a kid,"

"Seriously? So did I... umm how old are you Mr..."

"Johnson, Cameron Johnson," he said extending his hand, "And I'm twenty-nine Ms...?

"Melody...I mean Bryant. I'm Miss Melody Bryant," she said taking his hand her face slowly growing red. Trying to ignore the pounding in his ears he cleared his throat grasping for the words. Goodness it was grade school all over again.

"Do you...come here often?" he said. Smooth, real smooth.

"Actually no. I heard about it from a friend of mine and thought I would check it out." Someone coughed and they both jumped and turned to see Mason standing behind the counter watching them.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said, "What can I get for you miss?"

"Large Caramel Latte, 2% please, and ummm...extra caramel," she said.

"Alrighty I can do that," he said, "I'll let you know when it's ready."

"Thanks...How much do I you?" she said. Mason looked at Cameron raising his eyebrow slightly. Fine if he insisted...

"I'll take care of it Miss Bryant," Cameron said.

"Oh no that's alright Mr. Johnson..." she said her face growing even redder.

"No, it would...it would be my pleasure," he said. She nodded and went over to sit at a nearby table putting her stack of books in a chair. What was he thinking? Everyone that asked him about dating again he always told them no. Yet he had just offered to buy this woman coffee. She certainly looked cute, almost too cute. Every woman before Lisa included had been a bit wilder and adventurous. And after Lisa...

Mason came forward with her coffee and Cameron's usual. Cameron took the coffee and brought Morgan hers. She thanked him politely and he sat down at the table. She smiled at him shyly, her cheeks pink.

"So, what do you do Mr. Johnson," she said.

"I work for my father's publishing Company," he said.

"Does he own Johnson & Grant Publishing?"

"Uh yes...he does."

"Your father donated over half of the books we have in our school library. He's actually one of the school's biggest supporters. They're all anonymous donations but we all know they come from him." she said. His father a philanthropist? Maybe Abigail had been behind the donations. Yet any donations would have gone past his father's desk for approval. And why Cameron's old Elementary School...

Morgan sat sipping her coffee silently, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. Seriously, he had not been attracted to any women for months almost years since Lisa. How in two days did he encounter two women who immediately caught his eye. He glanced at her hand and saw she wore no ring, and she had introduced herself as Miss Bryant. Bryant...that named sounded so familiar.

"Miss Bryant," Cameron said, "Did you go to High School here too?"

"Yes, at River Creek High," she said. River Creek too...this couldn't be a coincidence. Same Elementary and High School, probably the same Middle School too. Bryant, Bryant...where did he know that name from? Then he remembered and his stomach dropped past the floor. No...it couldn't be.

"Umm...did you happen to be in Mrs. Boyer's Literature Class?"

"Yes, I was..." she said, "wait, were you there too?"

"Yes," he said.

"Cameron Johnson...I remember that name now," she said and her face fell a little, "it was you and your friends who..."

"I'm sorry," Cameron said, "Please I'm sorry for everything. My friends and I we were...well stupid and..."

"It's okay..." she said, "it was years ago anyway." She glanced at her watch and stood up, "Thank you for the Coffee Mr. Johnson. And take care..." she grabbed her books and started toward the door. Cameron got up to follow but paused for a moment. Melody barely turned around as she walked right out the door.

Mason stood behind the counter looking from the door back to Cameron.

"What happened?" he said.

* * * * * *

Cameron sat at his desk the bubble of guilt sitting in his stomach like a rock. Of all the women he could have run into he just had to run into Melody Bryant.

Back in High School his friends and him had been merciless in their teasing and pranking of her. From tripping her, leaving things in her backpack, stealing her books and placing them where she could not reach them. Part of it had been when she had turned down one of them for a date. Part had been because she was such a dedicated bookworm that the teachers all loved her and made the rest of them look stupid. Part had been maybe she just seemed way too pure. Whatever the reason they had not let up, and Melody never seemed to retaliate.

It all culminated when she was doing a speech in front of the entire student body during an assembly. They had rigged a whole bunch of water balloons to fall on top of her and most of the students. The balloons fell just as planned drenching Melody and a good portion of the students who all started leaving the gym in a rush. During the confusion one of them had run past her and hooked her underwear to a rope that yanked her into the air where she hung in pain and embarrassment in front of everyone. A janitor finally helped her after everything calmed down. Embarrassed did not even do justice to how mortified she looked. After that she actually transferred schools and Cameron never saw her again.

Until now...

The principal had known they had been behind the whole debacle and they had been punished accordingly. Thankfully he no longer talked to any of those friends anymore. After that he quickly learned how much of a bad influence they had been. After High School he had met friends like Mason who had been much better than those immature jerk. Yet the damage had already been done. He had put that part of his life behind him, yet past mistakes still seemed to rear their ugly head.

Jacob came into the office and took one look at him raising an eyebrow.

"Bad time?"

"Just remembering how stupid I was in High School," Cameron said.

"Most people are stupid in High School," Jacob said, "does this have to do with the girl you and your old buddies sent flying in the gym?"

"Yeah...you remember that?"

"Everyone remembers that. We all thought it was hilarious at first but then realized later we were being completely sophomoric."

"Whatever you walking thesaurus, what do you have for me?"

"Latest batch of Manuscripts for our project," he said, "I already tossed out all the slush so these are fairly good picks. I wanted you to see if there are any you would like to skip on or if I can keep all of these."

"I'll take a look at them," Cameron said, "and actually I have a manuscript I'd like you to look at." He pulled Sam's book out of his bag and handed it too him, "I still have to contact the author before we move forward but trust me she's really good."

"I'll let you know what I think," Jacob said and he left the office with Sam's book. Cameron leaned back in his chair trying to put Melody out of his mind. Besides he kept telling everyone he was not interested in dating anyway. Besides chances are he would never see Melody Bryant again.

* * * * * *

Melody entered her apartment exhausted from the day. Her cat Snickers raised her head as she entered then came over rubbing against her legs begging for food.

"I'll feed you in a little," She said taking off her coat and hanging it on a nearby peg. Though work had thankfully not been too rough she still felt shaken from this morning. Cameron Johnson...of all the people she could have bumped into. He looked even more handsome than back in high school. Wealthy and good looking, all the girls had dreamed of being with Cameron Johnson. All of them except her, who only knew him as one of her tormentors.

Memories of that day still brought up feelings of embarrassment and humiliation. Memories she had squashed down years ago but seemed to bubble up now. She unzipped her boots leaving them by the door before sitting down on the couch. Lying down she closed her eyes trying not to think of High School or Cameron. A moment later the door opened.

"Melody you're home," Kitty said, "you okay Honey?"

"Went to the Coffee shop you suggested," Melody said opening her eyes and looking up at her roommate.

"Sooo what did you think," Kitty said.

"You never told me Cameron Johnson went there too," Melody said. Kitty looked at her a little puzzled then her eyes widened in understanding.

"Oh I'm so sorry," Kitty said, "I honestly had no idea..."

"It’s okay,” Melody said. After a few moments Kitty bounced up and made her way into the kitchen the sounds of cooking floating through the air. Snickers came over and climbed on top of Melody curling up right on her chest.

"So what's for Dinner tonight?" Melody called.

"Haven't decided yet," Kitty called back, "Oh my cousin is in town."

"Which one again?"

"The writer, though she hasn't published anything yet," Kitty said, "she was freaking out earlier because she lost her notebook where she's been handwriting her story. I keep telling her she should switch over to typing but she likes handwriting. I think she left it at the coffee shop, we're going back tomorrow to see if we can find it." The coffee shop...where she ran into Cameron. She shook her head trying to get him out of her mind, but he stayed there smiling and handsome. Well hopefully she never ran into him again...maybe.