19 Coffee Encounter: 221B

JOCIE'S POV

I jerk my head towards the noise to see a guy had knocked over his drink. The liquid had splashed onto the front of his shirt and spread across the table dampening the pages he had laid out.

Out of the corner of my eye. I caught movement. Ahh Mindi? She had a dish towel and some nappkins in hand. As she passed the guy the dish towel. I watched as she laid out some nappkins on the nearby unoccupied table. Looking over her shoulder she stated, "Just pick up the pages and set them on the napkins here" she said indicating with her hand.

I watched as the two worked in sync picking up the pages then placing them on the napkins.

Standing up, I strung mine and Mindi's bag over my right shoulder, holding the strap securely with my right hand and carrying my latte in my left.

I was just making my way over as Mindi began placing other napkins on top of the pages. Then pressing down on them with her hands.

I looked back at the guy as he watched Mindi. Then quickly looked down at his clothing, picking up the abandoned dish towel. He had strung across the back of his chair earlier. He began to wip frantically at the liquid on his clothing.

Setting down my coffee beside Mindi's. I adjusted the straps to my left shoulder allowing the weight to be distributed evenly across my body. Then I began assisting Mindi with blotting the pages with the napkins.

*Tug

Jerking my head to my right side. Mindi was searching through her bag that I had strung across on my shoulder.

"What are you doing? Now is not the time for that." I said

"I need a safety pin." she said looking up at me then proceeding to continue with her search.

"Pardon?"

Without looking up she stated, "That guy. He's just like me. If he didn't have bad luck, he wouldn't have luck at all".

I looked back over my left shoulder at the guy whom was looking dejectedly at his shirt. Which was slightly stained, wet and now missing a button.

"Ha found them" Jerking my head back then following Mindi's movement as she walked over to the guy.

"Hey. I know its not much but I can at least solve the missing button" she said. I watched as the guy's eyes expanded underneath his ball cap as he took in Mindi's face. Then nodded. Taking the initiative, Mindi step forward towards the guy. Whom was immediately shook at her close proximity that he attempted to take a step back. Unfortunately, Mindi had quick reflexes and a grabbed onto his flannel top.

"Well if you flinch away. I can't fix it" she said looking up at the guy with a slight smile.

He seemed to relax a bit but immediately stiffened at the sight of the safety pin.

"Relax. I can say without a doubt, you will not be pricked" She said. Then stepping back shortly afterwards. "I would have most likely been the one getting stuck".

"Ah thank you. I have a friend that normal fixes my blunders but as I'm here by myself. I'm glad you happened to be a bystander.

"No problem" She turned towards me. "Jocie, how's the pages?".

Looking closely at the pages which had a coffee stain to them and slightly smudged but definitely legible.

"okay considering".

They both made their way over to me as I took a step to the side.

"Ah... They're not ruined, Thanks to you". He said with enthusiasm.

"To be honest. I winged it". She said with a shy smile.

I rilled my eyes and glancing above Mindi's head. Catching a glimpse of the clock, "almost 7. I wonder if anyone at the hotel wants us to pick something up while we're out".

Moving my eyes downward to my right hip. I lifted the two bags and reached into my pocket with my right hand, pulling out my phone.

Going to recent contacts I selected the first one, Jordyn.

__________________

Waiting for the hotel elevator... ADREANNA'S POV

"You think Mindi and Jocie are making their way back" I asked subtly.

"Hmm... It is a little past 7" Meghan said glancing at the time on her phone.

"You should call them" I said

*To myself... "I wish I could see Mindi's face when that ringtone plays" I thought.

"Ring Jocie" Val said nonchalantly.

"No!...Ah you know Jocie rarely answers"

Meghan raised an eyebrow but actually didn't say anything. For she appeared to be contemplating what I said. "Yeah you're right" She said while selecting Mindi's contact on her phone.

"ehh!?!" I was elbowed in the side and looked towards Val.

She tilted her head, "spill"***

"So.... I might have changed Mindi's ringtone...."

"Either you did or didn't" Val said cutting me off.

"Ok. Ok. I did... Thriller... The Halloween version"

"Oh, You're dead" Val said flatly.

*******

211B-cafe in Gangnam in the theme of Sherlock Holmes. Address: 3 Nonhyeon-ro 128-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea