ArchivedLogs:Future Letters

Future Letters
Dramatis Personae Laura, Melinda
In Absentia	2014-12-20 Part of the Future Past TP
Location <NYC> Montagues - SoHo
Montagues harkens back to the day when SoHo was filled to the brim with artists, with its mismatched furniture, all plush and decorated heavily with carved wood, but remains trendy enough to keep its newer patrons by making sure that furniture is clean, in good repair and inviting. The antique tables all have been reinforced to seem less creaky. The real draw of the cafe is the smell: fresh roasted coffee mingles with perfectly steeped teas. Spices from crisp pastries mingle with the tang of clotted cream but don't overwhelm too much the scent of chalk on the menu boards. It is a crisp, cold day in the city, driving more people into the cosy coffee shop to imbibe warm drinks and find respite from the dreary day. It's nearly solstice, so the day is short and the sun has already begun its dive into the horizon, adding a dimmer color to the light filtering in through the windows. The patrons of the cafe are settled into the armchairs scattered through out and there isn't much of a line. As the demand for fresh coffee is low, the manager has taken this opportunity to take a break. She is seated at a table that has a name plaque on it, leaning back into the soft surface, cradling a large cup of coffee in her fingers. She's wearing a warm sweater of light ivory over black trousers and a black half apron. Her hair is braided at the nape of her neck and draped across her shoulder. Laura has found herself into Montagues as a new space to rest after another long day of working with other women, teaching them the importance of standing up for and defending themselves. Laura has just received her own coffee from the counter and gives the place a look to see where may be a good seat. Tucked under her arm is a thick hard bound book that looks like it spends much of its life on a library shelf. "Is this seat taken?" she asks of Melinda noting the empty chair. Melinda looks up when someone speaks, blinking at her for a moment before smiling. "Oh, no. Go ahead." Her eyes shift quickly to the plaque on the table and she inhales quickly before turning her attention back to Laura. "Good book?" Brows rise and she brings the cup to her lips, sipping lightly and letting it rest between her fingers again. Laura smiles gratefully and takes up a seat, her eyes following Melinda's to the plaque that says its reserved, "Hive?" Not sure what the name really may have been but instead just accepts it and answers the question posed, "Oh yea," the book is turned so the title can be seen, 'meoirs of the Twentieth Century,' "I only just started it but it seems interesting enough so far, a guardian angel travels back in time with letters from the future." "Yeah, he sits here during the week, when he has the time. He's not here today, so it's okay." Melinda is a little quiet when she replies taking another sip before placing the cup down on the table near the name. "Oh, well, good. Sounds like a nice premise. Looks a bit thicker than my usual fair. I think I'll leave the future where it is for now." She brushes some crumbs off her shirt, likely belonging to the empty sandwich nearby. Laura pulls the book back beside her and takes a delicate sip from her rather warm coffee. "I like the idea of leaving the future in the future, but... well I was having some rather intense dreams and decided it was a reason to read more. I find it interesting through that the 'future' in the book is the late 90's, which gives an interesting alternative on how things could have turned out." "Dream? Dreams can be pretty intense. Mine have left me less than loving sleep these days." Melinda clears her throat and reaches back out for her coffee. "Granted, I don't sleep much, with a baby and all. It's kind of a foregone conclusion. I am sympathetic. Hope your dreams get better." She takes a drink. "Is the future this year? Every so often watch a movie that is set in 'the future' and it turns out it was five years ago." Laura says, "It was really only a couple of them that were so intense, though normally I only get a ... very short period of sleep, but its normally enough so I can't complain, just leaves me far too much time to read too many mediocre books. And no, the future in the story was about if the church got out of control and christianity was near apocalyptic. Its better than some of the futures iv read about." "I see," Melinda listens quietly while Laura keeps talking, looking her over. She finishes her coffee and starts to stand up. "Well, I'm glad your book is enjoyable. I hope they avert their apocalypse, or at least, end up in heaven, as some of those books tend to end up." She puts her cup on her plate and starts to clear off the table. "I should probably let you read." Laura gives a smile as the other woman starts to take her leave, "It was nice talking with you, hope your day dosn't become too over bearing." "Thank you. You have a good day and let me know if you need a refill." Melinda gives a little wave before turning and taking the dishes and putting them into the collection wash bin before taking the whole bin into the back. Laura smiles at that, "I will," and settles in her seat to start reading the book she had brought with her.