A Day Off

[Nesrin Aziz]

You could nearly always rely on the intervention of good samaritans. Which was fortunate since her own serviette quickly became little more than a sopping brown mess disintegrating between her fingers. The man from the adjacent table leaned over to add his efforts to the salvage, and Nesrin glanced at him in gratitude. 

“Yeah, just…” She bit her lip, concern pinching her eyes as she reached to press some buttons on the keyboard. The screen was frozen, and it was making a strained whirring noise. “All my work is on here.”

The woman returned with towels, and Nesrin accepted one, offering a thankful smile, though it faded into anxiety over the labouring laptop. They made short work of the spill.

“Ness,” she supplied, which wasn’t entirely a lie – no one ever pronounced her name right anyway, and she had reasons to be a little circumspect right now. “I’m okay,” she added, glancing down at the damp stain of coffee all down herself, which she began to blot with the towel. “It wasn’t too hot. Not a way I’d recommend anyone to warm up, though.” She laughed a little, eyes warm, and glanced between the two of them apologetically. “I’m sorry I ruined your date.”