Then she looked directly at Becca.
“And honestly?” she said softly. “Seeing you here today helps.”
Becca blinked in surprise.
“Me?”
The barista nodded immediately.
“Yes. A lot, actually.”
For a second she searched for the right words.
“You look comfortable,” the girl explained warmly. “Not perfect. Not trying to perform. Just… real.”
Becca glanced down at the coffee stains running down the sleeve of her oversized black knit dress.
“Very elegant realism.”
The barista laughed so hard she had to steady herself against the chair.
And a few seconds later, Becca started laughing too — mostly through her eyes again.
The girl noticed immediately.
“There it is again,” she said, pointing gently at Becca’s face. “You really do communicate entirely through your eyes.”
“I have no choice anymore,” Becca replied dramatically. “My eyebrows now have full-time employment.” ...