In one glimpse, it´s legendary
It was a fall Saturday morning at the Coven Café, just a few blocks away from Bryant Park. The amber leaves were falling to the ground as the chilly air started making an appearance. Fall had always been one of her favorite seasons in New York, it made the place seem warmer, even if the temperature was dropping. Rio entered, greeting the baristas with a warm smile as they handed her usual, a routine she had been part of every Saturday for over a year. This time, she decided to sit closer to the windows, facing them so she could admire how slowly the leaves were falling.
She usually spent the morning alone, drinking her latte while she checked her email, talked to clients over the phone, or tried to get out of her creative slump with a quick sketching session. She took out her Moleskine sketchbook, a dark emerald green one, her favorite gel pens, and a black marker. This time she kept it simple, prompting herself to design a ring using moonstones. Most of the images she sketched remained there, never getting to see real life. Her hands moved imperceptibly, drawing precise lines without hesitation, effortlessly portraying the vision in her mind. Suddenly, a woman entered the shop, looking around flustered and stressed. Luckily for her, there were no seats available, so she reached for the nearest table, taking her laptop from her bag as she sighed.
“I’m so sorry, I just really need to send this email. It’s an urgent matter.”
“Be my guest.” That’s all Rio managed to say as she watched her intently, trying to make sense of the situation, even stepping her hands away to give the other woman more space to work on whatever it was she was doing. The woman had dark hair and beautiful blue eyes, her features so unique highlighting her beauty, she was gorgeous, probably one of the most gorgeous women Rio had ever seen, the thought made her stir uncomfortably on her sit. Once the email was sent, the woman let out a breath she had been holding, laughing to herself. “Is everything all right?”
“God, I’m so rude. Agatha Harkness.” She extended her hand, inviting a handshake, which Rio gladly accepted. “And you are?”
“Rio Vidal.”
“I’m sorry for barging in on you like this. If I didn’t send these documents by 10 am, I was never going to see the light of day. Then my subway broke down and I had to get off at the nearest station. For a moment there, I was sure my boss was going to kill me.” It made Rio smile widely, her lips reaching the corners of her mouth as she suppressed the laugh she was holding back. “What’s so funny?”
“You look so stressed right now. Go and get some coffee, please, so we can have a decent conversation.”
“Oh, so you’re not buying?” She teased, making something stir inside Rio.
“You just disturbed my perfectly calm morning. I think you can get your own coffee, for now.”
Agatha surrendered as she got up and ordered a hot black coffee, looking back at the table with a light grin on her face. Maybe the bus breaking down wasn’t so bad after all. As she came back to her seat, Rio was already looking into her eyes, still smiling.
“What do you do that gets you so stressed?”
“I work in a law firm. There’s no time to screw up there.”
“You work on Saturday?”
“From home, yes.”
“You’re not home.”
“Well, I’m glad I’m not.”
Rio’s cheeks were evidently red, the grin on her face growing wider by the minute. “Do you do this with every woman you stop by?”
“Just the ones I like looking at.”
Rio had to look away immediately. That only made Agatha chuckle, both sharing the same warm sensation in their stomachs. “What do you do?”
“I’m a jeweler.” Still unable to look back at her, losing herself between the pages of her sketchbook just to avoid looking at her.
“Impressive.” Agatha looked her up and down as she sipped her coffee. “You must have really skillful hands.”
Agatha burst out laughing as she saw how flustered she had made Rio. “You blush way too much, you know?”
“Maybe it’s your turn to blush.”
“Oh, honey, I don’t blush.” The smug smile on her face lingered as her eyes darkened. “You come here often?”
“Every Saturday.”
“Okay, then.”
She cursed herself for taking the subway today. The weather was bitterly cold, and she hadn't dressed warmly enough. As she walked down the subway station, she noticed a couple of young women holding each other close, trying to fend off the chill. The sight stirred a deep sadness in her, compounded by the emotions from her meeting with Wanda earlier and her call with Alice. But she wasn’t about to cry amid the December crowd.
When she got off at her stop, she kept her eyes fixed on the ground, avoiding eye contact with anyone, as if they cared. She felt ashamed of her puffy eyes and ruined mascara, embarrassed by her vulnerability. She hurried through a few more blocks, walking as fast as she could until she reached the building’s doors. She greeted the doorman and headed upstairs, not even considering the elevator to avoid a chance encounter with any neighbors.
As soon as she entered her home, she collapsed onto the couch. She was too exhausted to cry, instead, she found herself contemplating the loneliness she had grown so accustomed to. She wondered if leaving her hometown had been worth it at all.
Rio grew up in Pennsylvania with her mother. Her childhood was enjoyable, filled with running around and exploring different cities as they moved frequently. It wasn't until she was older that she realized these moves weren’t a luxury, but rather a necessity due to financial struggles. Her mother died when she was twelve, and she was taken in by an aunt who welcomed her as one of their own. Despite the hardships, she knew the struggles had been worth it, always embracing the path that led her to where she was today. Yet, sadness often tried to take that away, especially during seasons like this and on days like today.
The usual table Rio takes at the café was already occupied, and she was not one to hold grudges, but couldn´t help herself to get a glimpse of the woman stealing her unassigned table, a blissful smile creeping into her face as she immediately recognized the woman.
“Stealing tables, I see.”
“And getting you coffee.” That smile again. “Since you refused to buy mine last time.” Her eyes pointed towards both cups of coffee laying in the center of the table, right behind Agatha´s laptop.
She offered her a warm beam, looking straight into those piercing blue orbs seeking for reassurance that she was not the only one feeling the unfamiliar, but not unwelcomed, rush through her. She took a sip out of her cup, her eyes opening in slight amusement.
“How did you know?” A hundred menu items and somehow, she got the right one.
“I asked the barista for your usual.” Agatha answered, her eyes skimming through her laptop for a brief second before closing it and returning her attention to her.
“And there I was thinking it was cupid on our way.”
“Would´ve been a better line.” She started packing up her bag, carefully placing the laptop in along with its accessories.
“Leaving already?” Evident disappointment in her voice.
“No, finished earlier so I could focus on you.” There it was the blush on Rio´s cheeks again.
The deal with drugs is once you have some, you can´t help yourself but wanting more and more, sometimes more than what your body can handle. An inner scream igniting from pain or boredom, in seek of something that´ll fill the void inside. By the time you realize the damage you´ve done to yourself, it´s so hard to stop, your body gets so used to it that living without it seems impossible. Agatha has always been Rio´s drug of choice, even after they broke up, she never seemed to get enough of her, stalking her media, concurring the places she used to, her work, her apartment, never quite actually reaching for her, but just being somewhere near Agatha´ she s radar seemed to be enough for her. Until it wasn´t. She can´t recall the amount of times she cried to Alice, how many times she had to sleep in her friend´s bed because she couldn´t manage to sleep on her own, or how many times she went to Lilia hoping her antiques and witchery would heal the wounds, or bring Agatha back for the matter. Any trace of Agatha was taken away from her a year after they ended it, her friends made sure to take her away since she seemed unwillingly to, because they all knew she would run back to her in a heartbeat. It was in Rio´s best interest after all.
After 8 years clean, she fell back down on the menace that was Agatha Harkness. She went to her room, unloading a box from the upper part of her closet, taking her old phone and charging it beside her bed. Meanwhile, her fingers typed Agatha Harkness on her socials, every account with no recent activity, it made her heart sink as she remembered how active she had been when with her, documenting everything they did together, posting an “I love you” almost every day, as if she could ever forget her. Her profile photo was a few years old, standing outside her firm, inauguration day or some sort of event, the picture was rather professional, her purple suit and white shirt, hair up and makeup so light it highlighted her features in the most delicate way possible, a sapphire necklace she had given to her hanging from her neck. The old phone beeped as it turned on, Rio immediately grabbed it was she typed the passcode, the home screen was a picture of both younger women smiling in what seemed to be Christmas scenery. This is everything she had kept of her, a gallery of moments and memories where they had been happy together.
“I can´t believe you tricked me into coming here again.”
“Oh, come on, you secretly love this place since you met me.”
“That´s exactly my point.” She laughed lightly as she placed her hand on Rio´s back entering their regular coffee shop. “We´ve met here twice already.”
“But not as a date.” As they entered, Agatha kept walking behind Rio, her hand still tight on her upper back, the gesture made Rio beam in excitement. They had been texting non-stop all week, subtle flirting every here and there, a couple selfies exchanged, shared playlists, and small details that screamed they both felt it, whatever it was, it was mutual.
“We´re not staying, though. I told you, right?”
“About your super incredible secret planned date you have? Might´ve heard something about it.”
Agatha ordered and paid for both drinks, leaning incredibly close to Rio as she did, her hand grazing her lightly, taunting, Rio´s breath hitched as she felt Agatha intertwine both of their fingers, keeping her close to her body, close enough she could almost feel the warmth from Rio´s coat. Each one held their drinks in their unoccupied hands as they walked outside the shop, feeling the light autumn breeze hit their faces, her smile was bigger than ever, the electrifying feeling in her chest hadn´t left her body once since she met the captivating woman that was Agatha Harkness. It was so unlike her to feel like this so soon, but it was something about her she couldn´t quite describe but was making her heart flutter with the thought of her.
“Hey, before we leave, let´s snap a quick pic, ´kay?” Agatha asked softly, her voice was quieter than usual as she let go of Rio´s hand to grab her phone, Rio´s gaze soft on her.
“Oh, my god, Agatha Harkness, you´re secretly a softie aren´t you?” She teased her, leaning her face closer to her head, letting Agatha lean on hers.
“Don´t be so flattered, you´re going to want to remember the day your life changed forever.” Her arm extended just enough so both women would fit on the frame, both with toothy grins and shiny eyes, she snapped a couple of selfies and was about to retract her phone when she felt Rio´s lips on her cheek, soft, delicate. She took one more before putting her phone back in her pocket, her face clearly flustered. This was the first time they shared such close and intimate contact, the gesture just reassured the feelings surfacing between them, both unable to conceal it for any longer.
“Ms. I don´t blush is actually blushing.” Rio´s amusement and pride could be sensed from miles away, since Agatha had portrayed herself as this hard-shell of a woman, she couldn´t help but feel somehow special.
“Shut up and come here.” Agatha whispered in a husky voice as her hand traveled to cup her cheek, caressing it lightly with her thump, her eyes shifting between her lips and back to her eyes. Between shaky inhales, their lips finally pressed together, melting into each other as if they knew their way already.
Rio curled up on her bed, scrolling through the photos on her old phone. Each image reflected moments of happiness, endearment, love, their candid photos concealing every feeling that had grown between them. Films without sound where Rio could still hear her laughter, her voice, she could feel the ghost of her touch lingering on her skin after eight years. They used to laugh, held each other close, cry, each photo with it´s own particular story, she couldn´t help but smile behind her soft cries. Tears welled up in her eyes and began to fall uncontrollably, soft sobs shaking her shoulders. She hadn´t cried like this in years, she had spent so long avoiding Agatha at all costs, wrongly thinking that would shake away the memory of her. Knowing of her again had reopened wounds that were never healed, just buried deep in her.
Caught up in her feelings, Rio didn’t notice when Alice quietly entered her apartment. She moved with a silent grace, quickly slipping off her shoes and crossing the room to join Rio on the bed. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around her, pulling Rio into a warm, comforting embrace. Rio welcomed her, burying her face in Alice’s chest as she cried softly.
“It’s okay” Alice whispered, gently stroking her hair. “Everything will be okay.”
Rio’s sobs gradually subsided, her body trembling as she clung to Alice, feeling the familiar warmth and support. “I thought I was done with her,” she murmured, her voice breaking. “But she´s getting married, Alice.”
Of all possible reasons for Rio´s feelings to resurface, this was the least expected, and just then she realized how serious it was this time, because Rio never wanted to design engagement rings, nor get married, not until she met Agatha. Alice continued to hold her, her touch tender and reassuring. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. Just know that I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
Rio nodded, taking deep breaths to steady herself. The tears slowed as she leaned into Alice, feeling the rhythm of her heartbeat. “I´m afraid I´m always going to love her.”
“Love is never wrong,” Alice replied softly. “But don´t waste it on someone who didn´t have the courage to keep it.”
They stayed like that for a while, Alice’s soothing words and gentle touch helping Rio find some semblance of peace. The weight of her grief felt a little lighter with each passing moment, as if Alice’s presence was slowly mending the cracks in her heart.
“How did you find out?” Alice asked quietly, her voice a soft murmur in the dim light of the room.
Rio hesitated, then nodded. “Her girlfriend came looking for a ring. I didn´t know who she was, until she said her name.”
Alice listened, her hand still gently stroking Rio’s hair. “You don´t have to do anything you don´t want to.”
“The ring was always meant to be hers, anyway.”
Alice held her tighter, understanding the depth of her pain. “Okay.”
Rio took a deep breath, the memories swirling in her mind. “I´m sorry for still bothering with all this non sense.”
“Grief has its own timeline. It doesn’t follow any rules. But you’re not alone. You don´t have to be alone.”
Rio felt a sense of relief wash over her, knowing she didn’t have to face her pain alone. She let herself relax in Alice’s embrace, the steady beat of her heart a calming presence. The tears began to slow, and she closed her eyes, feeling the exhaustion sink in. Rio’s breathing evened out, her body finally giving in to the exhaustion. For the first time in what seemed like forever, she allowed herself to be vulnerable. The room was quiet, the only sound the soft rhythm of Rio’s breathing and the gentle whisper of Alice’s reassurances.
The next morning, Rio woke up alone. Her eyes were swollen from crying the previous night, and her heart still clenched painfully in her chest. Alice had left earlier to go to work, but she had left a note on the bedside table: "Left earlier for work. Text me if you need anything. I'll be here when you're ready to talk." Rio smiled as she saw the note, feeling a rush of gratitude for having someone as gentle and patient as Alice in her life.
She got out of bed and started her morning routine. The hot shower was a welcome comfort, the water washing away some of the previous night’s sorrow. She changed into her clothes, opting for a warm sweater and comfortable jeans, and made herself a simple breakfast. The familiar motions of her routine helped to ground her, offering a small sense of normalcy amid the emotional turmoil.
Before she left the house, Rio made sure to dress appropriately this time, not wanting to freeze herself to death again, wrapping herself in a thick coat, scarf, and gloves. She decided to take the subway to work, hoping a change of routine would be able to keep her mind from drifting into Agatha again. As she walked to the station, she glanced around at the shops, the people bustling about, and the Christmas decors overpowering the city, she secretly loved it.
The subway ride was uneventful, crowded as always, which gave Rio the opportunity to really take in the views that the holiday´s brought, the delightful signs and lights, the fading carols melting into background noise, excessively happy people. She watched the scenery blur past the windows, her thoughts drifting, until she saw a napkin on the floor with the “Coven Café” logo, she sighed. When the subway reached her stop, she felt a sudden urge to take a longer route to work, one that would pass by the Coven Café.
It had been years since she had been there. As she approached the café, she couldn't resist taking a glance inside. The warm glow of the lights and the familiar setup brought a wave of nostalgia crashing over her. It looked pretty much the same as she remembered, and the sight made a warm feeling bloom in her chest. But Rio knew better than to dwell on the past. She took a deep breath before continuing her way, stopping abruptly when she heard a distant laugh approaching the entrance. It couldn´t be her. She turned her face back to the Café, spotting the long dark curls that once made her squirm, she stared for longer than she should have, and as Agatha opened the door for her soon-to-be wife, their eyes met for a brief second, enough to make Rio´s pulse quicken and her breath hitch in her throat as she left.