The Smell of Hot Chocolate

Outside, the sky is covered with grey clouds. The sun hasn’t appeared on the horizon for about two days. This winter is terribly unlike a proper winter: there’s no snow at all, and the frost shows no sign of coming. From time to time, it merely rains, turning everything into a disgusting slush. Most people are already feeling down. Some simply have aching knees, while others are suffering from migraines due to the change in weather. Meanwhile, nature is going about its own business. Some trees have mistakenly begun to awaken, slowly opening their buds. Others are still holding on with all their might and remain green. Only here and there do planted thujas, pines, and fir trees stand out—their bright, dark-green needles glistening, as if teasing all the other trees with the fact that they stand lush and magnificent year-round. Ducks swim back and forth across the lake, which was drained for the winter season, as if complaining about how much the water had receded, which is of no use right now. But, of course, they can’t do anything about it. A few late-migrating flocks of birds rush toward warmer lands. Those who remain look at them enviously. No one wants to linger here—in this mud and humidity. A woman with a dog strolls among the almost completely softened leaves, collecting plants for a herbarium from what’s left intact. The dog rejoices at every clean patch underfoot, tearing a stick into small pieces. A young mother with a pram covers her child with an extra blanket—Heaven forbid he catches a cold. A schoolboy runs nearby with a huge rucksack. He joyfully jumps from puddle to puddle—perhaps because of his A in math. But in the last one, he unexpectedly splashes into the mud. As a result, an adult immediately runs up to him and asks if everything is okay. A girl sits on a bench, enthusiastically drawing in her notebook, biting her lip and grinning widely. She’s wrapped in a coffee-coloured coat, which feels as warm as a cup of coffee early in the morning. A beret covers her head, revealing shoulder-length, straight, light-brown hair. She tucks a fallen strand behind her ear and resumes drawing. Her blue eyes follow the pencil marks very closely. She holds a rubber in her left hand, in case one of the lines gets crooked. Suddenly, the smell of hot chocolate reaches her, which seems to envelop her in warmth. She sits there, enjoying the weather and the atmosphere, although it must be very difficult. Even though everything is shrouded in gray and damp, there’s a certain charm to it. At first glance, her drawing is no different from all the previous ones. She’s once again drawing a guy from her imagination. The one she created herself and who occasionally comes to her in dreams. The girl carefully draws every strand of hair, then pays attention to the beautiful, sparkling eyes that stare back at her, captivated. Frankly, she’s fallen in love with her own hero. Of course, the hope of finding someone even vaguely resembling him seems impossible. No matter how much she scrutinizes the crowd, she never manages to find him. Suddenly, a drizzle begins to fall, and the girl reluctantly considers whether to head home or seek shelter somewhere under a roof. Having added the finishing touches, she admires her work. The first drop hits the drawing, and suddenly the music in her headphones fades. Daisy hears a rustling sound behind her, but before she can even turn around, an umbrella opens above her head. It protects her like a shield from the increasingly intense rain. Finally, turning around, her gaze freezes on a stranger who looks eerily similar to her drawing. She stares at him in surprise—the image before her is exactly as she imagined it in her mind. Exactly the same. She can’t believe it’s possible. She can only blink in confusion as he stares back at her warmly. “Sorry for invading your privacy,” he begins. “I just noticed it was about to rain and didn’t want it to spoil your mood.” He hesitates, then adds: “And… Sorry, I accidentally caught a glimpse of your drawing.” The blue-eyed boy smiles sheepishly. “It’s just that this drawing looks remarkably like me, and I’m a little shocked. I don’t even remember meeting you before.” The girl is still stunned, unable to move her lips. She can’t believe her eyes: the very man from her dreams is standing next to her, and he’s even talking. The same ocean-blue eyes, the same nose as in the drawing, the same slightly wavy hair. “I’d like to make it up to you a little,” he continues, his gaze never leaving her face. “There’s a café nearby. We could have some hot chocolate.” “I can’t believe you love hot chocolate as much as I do.” “I really love it,” he says warmly. “I think it’s the best drink to warm you up.” He pauses for a moment. “And… it’s especially delicious there. Just trust me. If you don’t like it, I’ll have to invite you to another café.” “Yes… of course, I wouldn’t mind joining you.” “Then let’s go.”

***

A few years later. They have been married for exactly two years. Daisy still can’t believe that fate had bestowed such a gift upon her, and Ben can’t quite grasp that he’d met his one and only. “Do you remember the first time we met?” “How could I forget! You didn’t even ask my name.” “I already explained to you that I was too surprised. And to be honest, subconsciously, I assumed you were Ben.” “Are we Bens really that easy to recognize?” “It’s just that I gave you that name before I met you.” “How much did you know about me before we met, when I knew absolutely nothing about you?” “Am I really not the girl from your dreams?” she asks, pouting slightly in mock offence. “You always were.” He notices his wife turn away from him, not believing his words. “Come on, come here, dear.”. He hugs her tightly and kisses the top of her head. “Want some hot chocolate tonight?”