82 year old angel

Dani was already running late for her 9am shift start at the café. She looked at her phone, cracked screen and green marble case barely intact and saw 7:05 am. ‘Damn it’, she thought. Dani had to be at work before 7:00 am and she was a good 10 minutes away. She willed the streetcar to go a little faster with no luck.

7:20am and Dani speed walked up to the mint green entrance of The Bean café. She unlocked the doors, turned off the alarm code and got to work, twisting her hair up in a bun with a clip. She had exactly 9 minutes to set everything up before the doors open and her regulars strode in, including Doris McDonald.

Doris was a lovely 82 year old woman who had been coming to The Bean for the last 10 years: as long as the doors had been open. She came in at 7:30am sharp, every single morning for her cup of dark roast coffee, a chocolate croissant and a pistachio macaron. Doris always wore beautiful scarves and quoted Audrey Hepburn. Until the café got busy Dani loved sitting with her to share a cup of something warm over a life story. Doris had lived such an interesting life. She had been an actress in the 60’s in L.A. and quickly decided it was not for her. She then moved to Paris and designed a line of beautiful scarves for men and women. After her brand took off in Europe she moved to Kenya to live on an animal reserve and help with rescuing animals. Every day brought a new story and Dani looked forward to it. She sometimes even came into the café on her days off to grab a cup of tea and hear a quick story from Doris.

7:29am, Dani saw a shadow at the front door. Doris. She smiled and walked over to the door. She unlocked it and let Doris in. ‘Good morning, Doris’, she said to her, a warm smile on her face. ‘Dani, I tell ya, I don’t know why we live in Toronto of all places. It is bloody cold out’, Doris said as a greeting and walked in. She removed her beautiful purple and gold paisley scarf and sat at her regular table against the left wall of the café. Dani poured Doris her fresh cup of dark roast, reheated her chocolate croissant for exactly 17 seconds and brought it over to her table. ‘Thank-you, dear. Were you late again this morning?’, Doris said as she blew on her coffee before taking a quick sip. ‘Yes. I snoozed my alarm again’, Dani shrugged. Doris looked at Dani, concerned. ‘You cannot continue working all these jobs, you do not sleep enough! And though I am not complaining because you make one golden pot of dark roast, you cannot work her forever’, Doris said as she popped some chocolate croissant into her mouth. Dani exhaled and looked out the window onto the cold and snowy Toronto street. ‘I know. I can’t help it, Doris. I moved here to be a writer. I have no other training or experience. All I can do is work here and cater. I have no interest in becoming a bartender or server. I don’t want a 9-5 job and either way, no one will hire me without any experience unless it’s a low salary job and I already make barely enough now’, Dani replied. She walked back to the counter and poured herself an Earl Grey vanilla tea and walked back to Doris, sitting down across from her.

‘When is the last time you wrote something? You won that writing contest and then what?’, Doris asked Dani. Dani took a sip of her too hot tea and shrugged again, ‘That was the last thing. I haven’t exactly been inspired lately’. Doris rolled her eyes. ‘Bull’, was all she said. Dani smiled at her. ‘You know, you could let me write about you’, Dani said to Doris. Doris exhaled, ‘I’ve told you, Dani, no one wants to read about an old bag like me’. She finished her chocolate croissant. Dani got up, got a fresh cup of coffee and Doris’ pistachio macaron. She she put them both on the table she looked at Doris, ‘I disagree. You have lived such an interesting life. Every day I learn something new about you. For all I know your first husband could have been Frank Sinatra’, Dani laughed and sat back down. Doris nodded as she sipped on her fresh cup of coffee, ‘Oh honey trust me, he wasn’t my husband but we were familiar’, she winked at Dani who grinned and shook her head in reply.

Doris stayed her regular 2 hours, paid for her breakfast, left a generous tip, wrapped her scarf around her neck and told Dani she’d see her tomorrow. As Doris left the café, belly full and a smile on her face, she realized how much she cared for Dani. She had never had grandchildren let alone children of her own and was feeling deprived at that very moment. ‘It wasn’t for her’, she had always said. Though now, at the age of 82, she would not mind a granddaughter. She knew Dani was alone in Toronto and she enjoyed her company. ‘A bright young woman’, she referred to her to her friends. Dani truly was a lovely young woman. She wished she could help her. Maybe she would. As Doris walked up to her Condo on Broadview Avenue, she took a look around at the Toronto street. This had been the longest time she had spent in one place. Perhaps it was time for a change.

The next morning, Dani was running late again. She had only gotten home at 3 am from the wedding she was catering at. She was both physically and mentally drained. As 7:30am rolled around, she opened the doors and Doris strolled right in, beautiful yellow floral scarf around her neck. ‘Morning, Doris’, Dani said as she closed the door behind her. ‘Dani, you look like the living dead’, Doris replied. Dani laughed and shook her head. Doris always said the nicest things, she thought. ‘I got home at 3am and woke up at 6:30. I basically am the living dead’, Dani replied. She brought Doris her coffee and warmed croissant. Doris thanked her.

‘I have news, Dani’. Dani, who was back at the counter getting her cup of tea, looked up to meet Doris’ gaze. ‘I am moving. The weather is catching up with my old age. I need some sun, some warmth’, Doris said. Dani walked over to her table and sat down quietly, waiting for more. Doris just ate her croissant. ‘Where to?’, Dani said, a little disappointed. ‘Italy. I have friends there who will let me rent out one of their villas right on the Amalfi Coast’, Doris replied. ‘Wow, that will be beautiful’, Dani replied, a warm smile on her face. ‘You can most certainly come visit if you wish, there will always be room for you, Dani’, Doris said as she took a sip of coffee. Dani smiled. ‘Thanks, Doris. I’ll focus on paying my rent before getting a ticket to Italy but I’ll remember your offer. When do you go?’, Dani asked. ‘Tomorrow’, Doris replied. Dani’s mouth dropped, ‘Tomorrow!? Why so soon?’, she asked. ‘You know me, I move quickly. So to speak’, Doris said with a hint of a smile. Dani shook her head in disbelief. ‘I’m going to miss you, Doris. Who is going to eat all of my pistachio macarons?’, Dani asked. Doris smiled, ‘See, I have a proposal. I acquired my condo over 10 years ago when the market was much better. I have no intention of dealing with a broker to sell it and barely get any money from it. Would you look after my home for me? I may come back for a week or two in the summer, for the festivals. There are 2 bedrooms and you only need one, the other I would keep a bed in and a few of my items. How does that sound?’, Doris asked Dani nonchalantly, as if she were asking for extra sugar for her coffee. Dani only stared. ‘Are you serious? If this is a joke, I can’t tell’, Dani replied. ‘I am as serious as the plague’, Doris replied. Dani smiled in disbelief. ‘Yes, absolutely. I can pay rent or -‘, Dani started to say before Doris cut her off, ‘Hun please, I have no need for your money. You need it more than I. I leave tomorrow afternoon. I have already made you a copy of the keys’, Doris said as she pulled keys out of her purse. She handed then over to Dani. Dani simply shook her head, still in disbelief. ‘Now that that is settled, where is my macaron?’, Doris asked.

The next day Doris came by for her regular breakfast, said goodbye to Dani and that she would see her in a few months. They exchanged a rare hug and Doris promised she would call Dani once she landed safely. Dani had already packed her room, advised her roommates that she was leaving and would pay until the end of the month. She was going to ask her friend to help her move after her shift but first she planned on going to visit this condo that she had never been to. Could this really be happening? Had she been so lucky to have met a guardian angel who pretty much saved her? After her shift she walked over to the address Doris had written down. Keys and keycard in hand, she swiped to enter the lobby. Dani walked to the elevator, swiped the keycard and pressed the button for the 11th floor. She got off the elevator, walked to door number 1105, put the key in the keyhole and unlocked the door. As she stepped through she saw the most beautiful apartment in different shades of blush and grey with touches of green and blue. So Doris. So classy with a pop of colour. Dani took her shoes off and explored her new apartment, a smile never leaving her face. As Dani looked into every room, she finished with what was her bedroom. Doris had left her a note. She sat on the beautifully made white and grey bed and unfolded the note addressed to her. ‘Dani, I hope you enjoy your new digs. A fresh start is what you need. You are a talented young woman and you need your shot. I leave you with 3 more things: A quote, a tip and a notebook. Make sure you make the best of it, chat soon. P.S. Don’t use the pool at 2pm on weekdays, Mr. Jenkins uses it and swims in the nude’, Dani laughed. She turned the note around and saw the quote “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” - Audrey Hepburn. Dani smiled. She noticed a small black notebook on her bed. She turned the cover open. A cheque was the first thing she noticed. It was made out to ‘Danielle Hewitt’ from ‘Doris McDonald’ for $20,000. Dani dropped the cheque on the bed. This couldn’t be real? She looked in the notebook and saw another handwritten note on the front page. ‘Dani, this may seem like too much but it is not. You inspired me to share my story. Consider this an investment. Here is one of my 10 journals. I wanted to give you this one first since it’s where my journey started in L.A. I wrote this 60 years ago, have fun deciphering it. Get writing, girl’. Dani looked around. She pulled out her computer and started taking notes as she read through Doris’ notebook, ready to change her life. Ready to do what she came to this city to do; change the world one story at a time.