The Coffee Shop Ch. 02 - Caitlin

It was truly a pun early summer weekend filled with love, joy, kindness and amazing love.

***

Caitlin

It was during that sophomore year of college that I met and fell for Angela. I fell hard for her and she fell hard for me, at least I thought she did. We spent every moment together.

Angela walked out on me and my future collapsed. Her explanation was that she needed to be a grown-up not be a sorority girl lesbian and that she realized her life was not that of a lesbian.

I was crushed. I spent the next three or four days in bed crying, feeling sorry for and blaming myself.

Thankfully my brain still worked some, and I eventually got my act together and took small steps. Like a shower, a little grooming and well refocused. I dove into my schoolwork. I stayed in my closed inner shell, focusing on the remainder of my sophomore and all of my junior year. I knew what I wanted to do and what I wanted to be.

The path to me becoming a pharmacist would absolutely be an irregular one. The typical high school student goes right into their undergrad and into the six-year program. I thought I wanted medicine so I started out as a chemistry and biology major. Anatomy and Physiology I & II made the decision quickly for me, medicine wasn't for me. So I finished my baccalaureate degree in chemistry and was admitted to the School of Pharmacy. I was still missing one major journey in my academic life. I am just not sure it is still possible. Rome and studying abroad.

However, all changed when I walked into Marcie's coffee shop almost a whole year ago when I needed a "pick me up" coffee. I hadn't been there in a long time and had missed it, the atmosphere and the vibe of it all.

Then a stunning woman caught my eye, her beautiful words, her long red hair, and out of the blue, she touched my hand. It was with that touch my heart truly skipped a beat. I argued in my mind with myself, even after she recognized my ring, and knew why I was wearing the heart forward. She was slightly shorter than I am, Frances, but she is a beautiful woman.

Fast forward now, the summer of what would be considered the beginning of my fourth year of my six-year Pharm.D. program. The morning sun started rising over the buildings just to the East watching it rise over top of Mount Washington and the West End Bridge. I parked in the lower parking lot and made my way to the top of the hill.

The sun shined bright on the small football field of Duquesne University as I sat outside waiting for the doors to open, in the next chapter in my life to begin.

***

Frances

We spent the entire summer together. I helped her move from her Oakland apartment to the South Side Flats. I settled into my full-time work schedule at the coffee shop.

The second week of August, Caitlin surprised me by whisking me away to NYC. We enjoyed a four-day weekend and saw three matinee shows enjoying Rent, Wicked and Rock Of Ages. It was a dream come true, I was giddy and playful. We walked the NYC museums and walked through three art galleries. A night time stroll through Time Square. On our last night there, we sat on the "steps to nowhere", holding hands, her head resting on my shoulder.

I was in love!

As the school year started, Mom and Momma were happy as I was home more often. I needed my second year at CCAC to be as successful as my first and working with Marcie, well that was just amazing. Marcie was thrilled to have me back working at the coffee shop from my summer hiatus.

I am not a naive woman and I was well aware what the difficulties would be in not seeing Caitlin during her first real year of pharmacy school and my second year at CCAC.

What I never realized was that I would only see one day during the week. We would spend Saturday night and Sunday morning together. Sadly when an exam would approach, she would call and cancel our plans explaining how important the testing was and that she was studying.

I was frustrated but I was focusing on my studies. I will admit I was enjoying my classes and had made an application to transfer to Point Park for their Arts and Theater program. My application had been accepted, I was pending approval.

At the end of September and with the first month of class under my belt I was in my groove and flow of my work schedule. I was in a good place with school and work. Our relationship and time spent together could have been more but I saw the big, long-term picture and hopeful future.

I hadn't seen Caitlin in two weeks as she was studying and working towards her goal. We would speak briefly on the phone but she started to seem distracted and distant in our calls. When I would ask, she just reassured me there was a bit of stress with school but she promised that this weekend we would spend time together.

I love the fall in Pittsburgh and as Thanksgiving approached, the cooler weather was upon us. This made me happy.

You see, in Pittsburgh cooler weather means more coffee and hot chocolate drinkers. This equals more customers which equal more income and more tips. I had my eyes on a few nice sweaters as Christmas gifts for Caitlin.

I finished my shift Saturday afternoon excited that I Caitlin was coming to meet me for dinner and our date. Thanksgiving had passed and the city had turned into a Christmas Wonderland.

I popped my head into Marcie's office and told her I would see her Monday after class for my shift.

She stood and kissed my cheek and told me to have an amazing date. We stepped out from the back office and around to the front of the store. As I turned the corner I saw Caitlin standing there with tears in her eyes and streaming down her cheeks. She was holding a large yellowish envelope.

I ran to her and wrapped my arms around her trying to comfort her tears.

"What is it my dear?" I questioned.

She pulled my hands from around her waist, holding them both she walked me to our back corner table, the same table where I first touched her.

When we sat, she opened the envelope pulling out a small stack of letters and handed them to me.

Caitlin went on to explain that during her application process to Duquesne and the Pharmacy program she had applied for the study abroad program with the University in Rome.

"Never in my wildest dream would I have thought I would get accepted into the program. I am a transfer student." She explained.

She had been accepted for the final remainder of her Pharmacy program in conjunction with the university and UPMC and the exchange program with the Italian division of the UPMC in Rome, Palermo and Mirabella Elcano.

She would be leaving at the end of this semester as the program started the first week of January. She would need to spend time with her family and Christmas in Rome getting settled in.

She was actually moving with the assistance of the program sponsor and her parents on the fifteenth of December.

I was so proud of Caitlin as her career dream was coming true in amazing fashion.

"Rome!" I exclaimed. "How amazing for you Caitlin. I am so thrilled for you!"

However, inside my heart was crushed and sad. I held strong for her and knew what our long term would be. Or at least hoped it would still be.

We spent the next hour talking, holding hands and weeping. What shocked me the most was that she was leaving so soon? I understood she was expected in Rome to start her program and orientation but in two weeks?

My hands started shaking, my lips started quivering. I could feel my heart start beating faster and my eyes filled with tears as I dropped my head to the table and cried harder than I have ever cried.

After a few more minutes I realized that someone had brought me a few tissues and both of us a cup of coffee.

Finally our tears had dried up and our hearts slightly mended but I knew this was for her. I took a deep breath, took hold of her hands and stood for what I realized was one last hug for a long, long time.

As we broke our last hug, she kissed my lips.

"I will be here waiting for her in two years when you return." I said.

She leaned forward and whispered that she had a special gift for me. Releasing her hands from around my waist, she held out her right hand. She took her Claddagh ring off her finger and turned it around. Caitlin placed her ring back on her right hand ring finger.

Caitlin leaned forward and said "You have captured my heart. I will wait for the day when soon we'll be together and you place this ring on my left hand."

She kissed my cheek and walked out of the coffee shop.

I turned to Marcie and the tears just flowed. She wrapped her arms around me holding me tight and whispered that everything would be alright.

***

Thank you for reading this next chapter in this little adventure story. I do hope you enjoy reading it as Frances moves forward.

Please be loving, kind, and caring.

Love you,

Aoife