Mid Day Cafe

The place was kinda buzzing with noise—clinking dishes, people talking, the usual restaurant hum. Rosie’s Bistro was... cozy? Yeah, cozy’s a good word. It wasn’t fancy or anything, but it felt nice. Like, the walls were this soft yellow color, and there were all these old photos on the wall, of trees and flowers and—what’s the word?—nature stuff. Yeah. Ella and Ben were sitting across from each other, barely touching their food now, just talking.

Ben was kinda staring at his wine glass, twirling it, like he was trying to figure out how to say something. “Uh... I went hiking last weekend,” he said, his voice a little quieter than usual.

Ella looked up, leaning in a bit. “Hiking? Oh, yeah? Where exactly?”

“Uh, Cornwood Trail,” he said, shrugging a little. “Not too far, I guess... like, about an hour outside of town. But... yeah, it’s worth it. The air there... It’s, like... different. You ever get that? Like, when you're out in nature, and everything else just... disappears, y’know? Kinda like... you can breathe easier?”

Ella paused, thinking about it. She swirled her water glass and then nodded. “Yeah... I get it. Like, when you're in the woods... everything just, like, falls away. You know what I mean? It’s like... you’re, uh... reminded of... what really matters? It’s like the trees, they’ve been there forever, and... I dunno, they make you feel small. But in a good way? Like... peaceful, I guess?”

Ben tilted his head, looking curious. “Yeah... I see that. But... what do you mean? How do the trees remind you of... what matters?”

She took a deep breath, her eyes looking away for a second. “I don’t know... it’s like, when you’re walking through the woods, the trees, they just... stand there, right? They’re so... old. They’ve seen everything. And when you walk through them, it’s like... you can almost hear... something? The wind, the leaves, the branches... like, nature’s got its own kinda language. But it’s not, like, words or anything... it’s just... the way the whole place feels.”

Ben chuckled a little, looking amused. “Nature’s got a language? Yeah, I get that. I mean, I guess it makes sense. The woods, they’re alive, but... not in the way we are, right?”

Ella smiled, looking out the window for a second. “Exactly. I think that’s why I love it. It’s like... being in the woods makes you realize just how... I don’t know... small we are. And how much we don’t know. Like, the world is... huge. Old. We forget that when we’re caught up in our lives. But, like, when you’re out there, you can feel how much time has passed, you know?”

Ben nodded, kinda looking thoughtful. “Yeah, I’ve felt that. It’s like, when you’re out in the woods, everything just... stops, you know? The clutter in your head just goes away. The trees, they’re not even doing anything, but... it’s like... they’re holding everything up. Like they’re standing guard or something.”

Ella’s expression softened, like she was lost in thought. “Yeah, it’s like the woods hold up a mirror. You don’t even notice it, but... you see everything clearer, y’know? It’s like... the peace, but... also life, all around you. Full of meaning, but... in its own way. It’s hard to explain.”

Ben leaned forward a bit, smiling at her. “I’d like to see that. Maybe... we could go together sometime?”

Ella’s smile widened, just a little. “Yeah... I’d really like that.”

They sat there for a second, kinda lost in their thoughts about the woods, when the waiter showed up with dessert. He placed the plates down, and Ben didn’t even really notice for a moment. He just sat there, feeling like... for a second, everything outside Rosie’s Bistro didn’t matter. It was just them, the quiet hum of the restaurant, and this... feeling of the woods. Like it was calling them both.