My fingers went to my tie again and Nikki's hand met them immediately, sweeping them downward and away from my clothes. 

"Stop picking at yourself," he said in a hushed way, as we both stared at the back of the handsome stranger who I'd bumped into this morning. I'd explained to him in whispers what had happened when we'd gotten behind the counter and well away from him. My fingers went to my shirt collar. "I said stop it," he said again in an even harsher whisper, throwing my hand back down. "You look fine."

The stranger had taken out his laptop, now working in here. He'd been here for about thirty minutes, and there was no sign he'd be leaving. The blush on my cheeks was terribly real. No way to hide it. Thank god he wasn't looking at us. The things I'd said to him. You broke my sugar animals. What had I been thinking?!

"Is my hat dumb?" I asked, suddenly self conscious. Should I have worn this today? My hands went up to it next, trying desperately to adjust it in my anxiety.

"Of course it is, but that isn't the point."

"Hey..."

The bell chimed above the door and we snapped right up, grinning together. "Welcome to French Cup!" We called out. 

"Oh, false alarm," Nikki said, still grinning and waving. Our friend Miyuki came inside wearing her usual handmade attire, a 1930's kind of dress in a bold red and white candy striped pattern, four large buttons on the front, the skirt of it going to her knees over dark nylons and red heels pulling it all together. Her short, black hair was of the time period also, in curled, neat waves. She could have stepped out of an American Sears catalog from about 1938. She waved to us, too, and I saw a matching red and white beaded bracelet on her wrist. 

She came over. "What are you hiding back here for?" She eyed my shirt and smiled. "I like your shirt."

"Thank you," I replied, looking at it like it was new to me. Was it really okay?

"We're hiding because of that." Nikki pointed his long arm at the stranger, who was clearly looking at some kind of listing program on his computer. He'd been staring at it for a while, clicking around, changing the screen every now and again. Both of us were too afraid to go fill his cup again.

"Oh, what's that?" Miyuki asked, her hand going up to her cheek upon seeing him. She pressed her back to our glass showcase, immediately seeing how handsome he is even from behind.

"We don't know, he just came in here," Nikki tried to explain. "Kazu said he bumped into him this morning in the dark."

"Reeeally," Miyuki sighed dreamily. 

"Yes, really, and I'm mad at him. I had some sugar animals from Yuko, and when he bumped into me I dropped them and they shattered. I have no idea what to do. Now he's here. Why is he here?" My thoughts were now on the shattered animals still in their cellophane, shamefully laid on my work counter in the back. There was no way I could display them. They were a terrible loss.

"Give them to Julia and Colette. They'll love them. They'll pay you for them, too. They like broken things."

"Wow, that's genius." Oh, I could smile again. Miyuki was much smarter than me. She was completely right. Julia and Colette. They owned a magick store in our neighborhood. Both were witches, and adored old and abandoned things. Their shop was full of dolls with missing arms and legs, hand painted tarot cards, antique anatomical models, mannequin heads from the 50's, unique taxidermy, and beautiful boxes that once were musical but no longer worked and might just be haunted. They'd love my broken sugar creatures.

Miyuki nodded like she'd known even before I told her. She was just that smart. 

The handsome stranger went for another sip of coffee, and all of our heads moved with him, straining to see. He put the cup down, clearly staring into it. It was empty.

"You're going to have to go over there some day, you know," Miyuki said. She grabbed a purple macaron off of the pile on a three tier porcelain serving tray next to her. She bit into it. "I'm glad it's not me," she continued, through her chewing.

My blush only increased, spreading to my ears. My hand went to the back of my hair, going through it over and over again, trying to look like I was about an inch tall.

In the end, Nikki was the brave one who served him. He gave him his trademark French Cup smile, learning that he liked black coffee with two creamers and one real sugar cube. He'd shown him the small white dish in the middle of the table which held them, and the stranger started to adorably eat them every now and again. He ended up staying for three hours, snapping his laptop closed finally and gathering his things. 

All three of us watched as he did this, and finally the bell chimed and he was gone. His seat looked so empty.

"Bye, cutie," Miyuki sighed after him. She smiled at me from the side, leaning on her elbows with her back still on our showcase. "I like your beret. I should make one for my outfit. It's really just the thing. Like a missing piece."

"Thank you," I said, so appreciative of her. "I was hoping someone would like it."

"Yeah, it's pretty classic." She took another macaron, a red one, and nibbled on it.

"How many of those have you eaten?" Nikki asked. I could see the numbers tabulating in his head already. 

"I don't know. Maybe six."

"That will be twenty-four hundred yen." 

"Friend discount says it's free."

"It so is not."

"Yes, it is."

I could only giggle. So glad that stranger was gone, finally freedom. "I can make more," I interrupted them. "You can have them. You like them, anyway. That's what counts."

She put her hands on her hips as she broke into a smile. "That's what I'm talking about. That's friendship."

I giggled, my hand going up to cover my mouth. Much too happy now. 

In the cool breeze, my navy blue trench style coat was protecting me. My nose went up to the air, hoping for snow again. It felt like it'd never snow this year. It was the beginning of December. We'd start decorating for Christmas soon, one of the last holdouts in the neighborhood. Nikki didn't like the decorations cluttering the shop, so we always waited until the last second. It just wasn't fair. 

In my hand were my five sugar animals, waiting to go to their new owners. The Salem's Sister shop was around the corner from us, so it wasn't too far. The perfect owners had been a stone's throw away this whole time. It was about two o' clock, so I knew they'd be open. They opened a little later than the rest of us, at 1PM most days. They were open late into the night, though, to suit their usual customers. 

The old door clattered as I went through it, and somewhere in the shop an owl hooted. Antique clocks were making their noises. Somewhere was the sound of bubbling. It was as if I'd entered another world. Even the smells in here were different. Sage, basil, something spicy in the air. 

Behind the glass counter full of real skulls, surely enchanted rings, colorful candles, and incense stood Julia, wearing a long black hooded robe and a deathly white pallor, with black lipstick and thick black liner around their eyes that reminded me of ancient Egypt. They only stared at me as I walked in, not moving an inch. Clearly they were in a meditative state, something intense happening in their body that would forever be unknown to me. 

"Where's Colette?" I asked, not wanting to bother them. They only pointed to the long staircase behind them, which led to the upstairs attic. "Thank you," I smiled to them, and Julia nodded to acknowledge me. 

I clopped up the stairs, my dress shoes making way too much noise on this old staircase. Small plants lined each step, each one surely for a different purpose. I wanted to know about each and every one.

I heard her before I saw her.

"You fucking bitch!" She yelled, slamming something down. "I bet you're fucking eleven! Go away, you noob! Ughhh! I hate kids on this server! I'm going to boot you!"

As I got closer, I saw a telltale glow coming from behind a door that was slightly ajar. The door creaked open with my finger, and inside I saw the familiar sight of Colette, wearing a pretty gothic dress with a black lacey collar and matching black velvet. A red corset was around her middle, cinched way too tight. Pink headphones with glowing cat ears were on her black ringletted head, and a microphone attachment had the honor of relaying her trash talk to whoever she was up against on her three enormous screens. A gaming controller was in her hands. 

I tapped on her puff sleeved shoulder, and she jumped hugely. Upon seeing me, she threw off her headphones. 

"Kazuuu!" She squealed, her arms going out to me. Too adorable. My arms went out, too, and we embraced like we hadn't seen each other in years, even though she and Julia had spent two hours in our shop yesterday ranting to us about Fortnite. Well, really, they were ranting to each other, but Nikki and I had been involved.

"I have a gift for you," I said, grinning just as much as she was.

"What is it? Give it to me, give it to me," she said, making grabbing motions at me. She swiveled her gaming chair so that she was completely facing me now. 

I could only giggle to her. I loved my friends. They were definitely cheering me up today. "Are you sure you want them? Really sure?" I hid my candies behind my back, drawing the waiting out, her enthusiasm too adorable.

"Yes, yes, yes!" 

I laughed. "Okay. They're not really a gift, more like an offer. I know you'll want them, though. Miyuki said."

"Miyuki would be right."

I nodded, knowingly. Finally, I brought them out and showed them to her. Her long squeal was all I needed. She took them one by one, admiring them, twirling them by their sticks between her fingers, her long black nails in contrast to their colorful designs. "These are Yuko's," she said, recognizing them of course. "What happened to them? Poor little things. They're all broken."

"I accidentally dropped them." A blush was twinging the tips of my ears. I wouldn't tell her the full story.

"A shame," she said, particularly staring at the calico cat. It's front legs were broken off, the come hither of the most front paw now just a memory. "They still have purpose, though. They're still beautiful, even if they're flawed."

This was Colette and Julia's entire philosophy in one phrase. It was the most perfect situation.

"So, you'll take them? Will you sell them for Yuko? I took them from her this morning, wanting to sell them at French Cup, but they got broken along the way. I think you're the only ones who can save them."

She nodded at them, mesmerized just like me. I breathed an internal sigh of relief, though not needed. So, they'd found a home. Finally. "My customers will love them," she said. "I'll pay you right now. Go give the money to Yuko. She works so hard. Even her broken art deserves to be sold and treasured."

I clapped my hands together. "Thank you! She'll be so happy. You're such a life saver."

She shook her head, still staring at a particularly lovely blue and green fish with the top fin and part of its tail missing, the shattered pieces filling the bottom of its bag. She ripped her eyes away, and smiled at me again. Behind her in her game, I could see characters being slaughtered in a big bloody battle, magic users casting spells, walking and flying around. I had no idea what the game was. She got up and started puttering around. 

A creaking startled me, the door opening more by itself. My eyes widened, but then I saw a gray trail on the ground coming toward me. Sneakily, Colette's fat gray cat twisted around my ankles, wanting to be held. I obliged, straining to pick him up. I held him as he purred against my body, petting his back in long strokes, as Colette located her carpetbag looking purse and fished around for the long awaited money that I'd hoped for.

Such a good feeling was going through me. So happy. So thankful. So glad for everyone I knew.