Extra Honey
Something fun featuring Jalissa + Kylan…no plans for them right now…enjoy!
Jalissa pushed through the doors of her favorite coffee shop, Milk & Honey to order her usual. Today was a big day for her, and she needed a soothing cup of chai tea with extra honey to help calm her nerves. This evening, she would be finding out the results of the LSAT exam she took in February. The past eight weeks had been torturous. Jalissa’s parents and all three of her older brothers were well into their careers as lawyers and judges, and she was wasting time and money.
Having failed the LSAT twice, she knew this would be the final straw before her parents cut her off financially. Since she was in undergrad, her father happily paid her tuition and bills so she could focus solely on her education. There was no other choice but to pass the LSAT and continue the family tradition.
Absentmindedly, she walked to the counter where she was greeted by the barista, Kylan. Kylan smiled as he watched a nervous Jalissa approach the counter. Last fall and winter he watched her come in order a large chai tea with extra honey and a slice of cinnamon crumble cake. During the spring months, she came in less frequently, but her order remained the same. She always seemed to be in a rush never taking the time to enjoy her cake and tea.
Today, he noticed she didn’t come in with her usual bag filled with LSAT prep books, just her MacBook and a small notepad. He also noticed she had bitten down her fingernails that were usually painted in a variation of nude nail polish. Jalissa’s honey-colored skin was flushed as she frantically moved her hand through her purse. Kylan watched intently as her two front teeth dug into her bottom lip.
“Welcome to Milk & Honey, how may I help you?” Kylan asked with a smile.
A smile he couldn’t help whenever she came to the counter. From day one he was attracted to her without having any conversation past her order. He admired her work ethic seeing how she came every day at nine and left around three, to him that showed discipline. During that time she studied nonstop only stopping when she received a call from her father.
Kylan overheard their conversations on occasion, mostly Jalissa promising to be focused this time around. He assumed passing the LSAT was very important to her and never wanted to be a bother, so he kept his distance. Jalissa continued to fumble through her purse looking for her wallet. She never looked up at Kylan not even after he greeted her.
“Shit, I left my wallet in my car,” Jalissa mumbled to herself. “I forgot my wallet. I’ll just have a cup of water for now,” she said while finally locking eyes with Kylan.
“It’s no problem. A large chai tea with extra honey and a slice of cinnamon crumb cake? Right?” Kylan said, as he punched in her order onto the monitor in front of him.
For the first time today, Jalissa smiled. “Right.”
“This one’s on me.” He winked before reaching into the cake display to get her slice of cake. “I’ll bring over your tea once it’s ready.”
Jalissa let out a sigh of relief as she walked to the table in the right corner of the coffee shop. She chose this seat because it was quiet, but she could still see who enters and exits the cafe’, something her father instilled in her. Although it was relatively early and the coffee shop was empty, she still wanted to be cautious. After opening her MacBook and notepad, she said a silent prayer asking for strength and favor. When she opened her eyes, Kylan was standing in front of her with her cup of tea.
“Here you go.” He placed her cup on the table.
“Thank you,” she replied with a smile.
Kylan stood at her table for a second too long while battling whether he should try his luck and have a conversation with her. After looking around and seeing traffic was slow for now, he took a seat across from her.
“No LSAT books today?” he inquired.
Jalissa looked up from her computer screen and laughed. “Nope, not today.”
Today was the first time she’d ever paid this much attention to Kylan. She never realized how breathtakingly handsome he was. His almond-colored skin and low cut beard sparked her interest first. His dark brown hair was pulled back into a wild ponytail that stopped in the middle of his back. Although he was wearing a visor, she could still see into his big round cognac-colored eyes that were adorned by his thick brows.
“Damn, he’s fine. How did I miss this every day? “ She asked herself.
After taking a moment to appreciate the handsome man before her, Jalissa took a sip of her tea. She moaned letting Kylan know she was pleased with the tea he prepared for her.
“I added almond milk with honey. I had a feeling you would like that,” he boasted. She crossed her legs and settled into her seat.
“You were right.” Again, she smiled wide enough for Kylan to get a glimpse of her perfect teeth. The reaction Jalissa was having to Kylan caught her off guard in more ways than one. Jalissa knew nothing serious would come from this. So, she decided to enjoy his company while she could.
“What type of law are you going to practice?” he asked.
“Child welfare,” she answered unenthusiastically. Jalissa shoulders slumped as she soon remembered the reality of her situation. She was being forced into being a lawyer to keep the financial assistance from her parents until she could get on her feet and settled into her career. Kylan noticed the change in her demeanor. He noticed everything about her.
“You don’t seem too excited about that?” He grabbed her chin making her look him in the eye. Her dark-brown eyes widened at his touch. The pensive look in his eyes made her core tighten and breaths quicken. She sighed audibly and moved her chin from his grasp before taking another sip of her tea. Unfortunately, the tea did nothing to calm her racing heart from his touch and intense gaze.
“Long story,” she offered after a few quiet seconds.
Kylan finally tore his eyes from her to look around the cafe’ at the three customers he had, including Jalissa. He had about another hour before the afternoon rush started. “I have time,” he said casually.
Why was he being so nice to her? Jalissa tilted her head to the side and squinted her eyes. Since this is the most attention she has gotten from the opposite sex in a while, she was willing to appreciate his attentiveness.
“Promise not to judge me?” she asked with uncertainty in her eyes.
Kylan smiled and sat back in his seat preparing for her story. “Promise.”
Jalissa’s eyes moved slowly from his eyes to his lips where his heartstopping smile remained. After taking another sip of her tea, Jalissa began telling Kylan the agreement she arranged with her parents.
“Everyone in my family is or was a lawyer. My parents are both judges for the state of Maryland and my three older brothers practice law in Maryland and D.C. My father promised to pay bills and support me financially if I become a lawyer too. He pulled some strings to get me into Georgetown Law, the only stipulation is I must score a 170 or higher. My grades, recommendations, and internships will mean nothing if I can’t get that score. My whole family went there for law school and I can’t ruin our legacy.”
Kylan nodded as he listened to Jalissa. “What would you rather be doing?” he asked.
Jalissa’s eyes widened no one has ever asked what her life aspirations were.
She smiled as she responded, “I want to be a teacher.” Jalissa covered her face in embarrassment at her revelation. “I love children. In high school, I volunteered at the local community center and worked as a camp counselor during the summers.”
“Why can’t you be a teacher?” Kylan asked with a troubled brow.
“What? I can’t, they don’t make half as much as lawyers and my parents would literally shun me.”
“So you’re willing to neglect your happiness to satisfy your parents? Life’s too short to live someone else’s dream.” The concern in Kylan’s tone made her heart rate slow down. She could tell Kylan’s questions were coming from a genuine place.
“Choosing to practice child welfare was the compromise I made with my parents. You make it sound so bad,” she said, with a light laugh. “Is working here what you wanted to do?”
“No, I wanted to play pro-soccer, but a torn ACL ended that dream for me. So, I came home to help my mother run this place after my grandfather was diagnosed with dementia. I also coach soccer at a high school not too far from here.” Kylan leaned back in his seat, and Jalissa’s face became bright red in embarrassment.
“Wow, I’m so sorry.” Jalissa covered her mouth.
Kylan smiled. “It’s cool. Now back to you after this exam what’s next?”
“I’ll get my J.D., take the bar, and start lawyering?” Jalissa said unsure of herself. After receiving less than favorable scores twice, she hadn’t put much thought into what would happen after she got into law school. “My father has a few connections with some very prestigious firms. Hopefully, I will have a job within a few months after graduating.”
The sound of the door chime interrupted their conversation. Kylan jumped from his seat to assist the new group of customers that had just arrived. Jalissa watched him for a few minutes before she went back to enjoying her cake and tea. Every now and then, she’d look up from her laptop and catch Kylan glancing at her. The pleasant and eye-opening conversation made her feel less nervous going to her parents' house for brunch. But on the flipside, she was intrigued and wanted to know more about him. Kylan was nothing like any man she’d met before. Most of the men she knew were connected to her family in some way and it turned her off the instant they spoke of her father or brothers. Kylan was a breath of fresh air, something she needed at such an unsettled point in her life.
After checking the time, Jalissa gathered her things and went to the counter to say bye to Kylan. She didn’t know why she felt the need to let him know she was leaving, but she did it anyway. Jalissa stood off to the side as she waited for Kylan to finish up with his last customer. A smile crept on her face at the site of Kylan getting a slice of cinnamon crumb cake from the display. After bagging the cake, he walked around the counter to give it to Jalissa.
“Good luck today. When you find out that you passed call me so I can take you out to celebrate.” He reached in his apron and handed her a card. “My number is on the back.”
Jalissa took the card from Kylan’s hand and graced him with her beautiful smile. She was certain her cheeks were bright red from blushing so hard. The entire car ride to her parent's house she thought about whether or not it was too late for a career change. Her bachelor’s degree in social work did leave her with options, but still, would it be worth it in the end? Once she pulled up her parents mini-mansion located in the affluent community of Potomac, Maryland. She shook all thoughts of being anything other than a lawyer. Her parent’s had spent a pretty penny on her education, and the least she could do is become a lawyer in their honor.
After parking her black 2018 BMW X5, a Christmas gift or bribe from her father, she let out a long hard breath. Jalissa’s parents have always been private about their family affairs. They wanted the results of her LSAT exam to be an intimate moment between them, especially after failing two times already. Her mother thought a nice meal with the family would ease the tension of finding out her test results.
Slowly, she walked up the cobblestone driveway to the front door, as the tall wooden doors opened Jalissa was greeted by their butler, Mr. Robinson.
“Ms. Jalissa, welcome. Your parents and brothers are in the sunroom waiting for you. Chef Tim made a hearty brunch for you all.”
Jalissa hugged Mr. Robinson. “I’m not very hungry right now.”
“I’m sure. Don’t let your nerves get the best of you. I have a feeling you got that 170. You know what they say, third time’s the charm,” he said with a wink.
Jalissa smiled haphazardly. “Thanks, Mr. Robinson.”
Upon walking into the sunroom, she was greeted warmly by her mother. Mrs. Stephens is as gentle and nurturing as they come, but in the courtroom, she is a force to be reckoned with.
“Don’t worry, baby,” Mrs. Stephens whispered in Jalissa’s ear.
After ending their embrace, Jalissa greeted her brothers, Justin, Anthony, and Kelvin. Kelvin stood to give his baby sister a tight hug, out of the siblings they were the closest. They were also the closest in age just two years apart. Justin, the oldest was ten years older than Jalissa at 35, and Anthony was seven years older at 32. Justin didn’t respond to Jalissa’s greeting he simply nodded his head before continuing his conversation with their father. Jalissa rolled her eyes, they’ve always had a weird relationship. She suspects it's because she was the baby and only girl, which means got away with a lot of things he couldn’t. Anthony was the most diplomatic one of the four, he wanted everyone to get along and always stayed neutral.
When Jalissa took her seat next to Anthony, he bumped her lightly with his shoulder then whispered, “You got this, kid.”
The conversation during their brunch consisted mostly of Justin bragging about making senior partner and Anthony talking about the surprise engagement he planned for his girlfriend of three years. Kelvin kept his eye on Jalissa the entire time their brothers spoke. He saw the look of relief on her face as their older brothers took the lead during the brunch.
Jalissa called him last night on the verge of tears about the results of this exam. He did all he could to reassure her that everything would be okay. There was no doubt in his mind or anyone else in this family that their father, Mr. Stephens, would cut off his princess if she didn’t get into Georgetown. The sound of Mr. Stephens stern tone interrupted Kelvin’s thoughts.
“Jalissa, let’s see what you scored this time.” Everyone at the table looked at Jalissa, she swallowed the lump that formed in her throat before nodding her head.
Justin checked the time on his watch.“I have to leave in about thirty minutes.” He gave his sister a devilish smirk.
Secretly, Justin wanted her to fail so their father can she wasn’t perfect or worthy of continuing the family legacy. Since childhood, he was jealous of the attention Jalissa received in comparison to him, no matter how often he’d point it out no one else saw it.
Jalissa cleared her throat grabbing everyone’s attention. “Let’s all go to the study so I can pull up my email.”
Everyone crowded around the computer, Jalissa took a deep breath trying to calm her racing heart. Her hand shook as she clicked the mouse. She opened the email with her LSAT scoring information. As her father read her score aloud time stood still. The feeling of being shaken brought her back to reality as she realized she scored a 170. The floodgates opened, she bawled her eyes out as Kelvin hugged her from behind.
“I knew you could do it, Lisa,” He said proudly.
Everyone took turns congratulating her, except Justin. He left the room to make a call. Jalissa wanted to call him out on his jealousy, but instead, she basked at the moment. All the while, she was thinking about calling Kylan and sharing the news. She quickly checked herself for thinking about a man she’d just shared a short conversation with.
Still, that didn’t stop her from tossing and turning all night with thoughts of Kylan filling her mental. Giving in, she jumped from her bed and went to her purse desperately searching for the card he’d given her yesterday. With the card in hand, she contemplated taking his offer and going out to celebrate getting into Georgetown. But what is there to celebrate? She would soon be starting a career she wasn’t interested in all to satisfy her parents.
“You’re willing to neglect your happiness to satisfy your parents?” The question that ultimately piqued her interest in Kylan kept playing in her head.
No one had ever questioned her willingness to neglect herself for her parents. She assumed that was the only option, her brothers did it with no problem, so it was expected for her to do the same. Sitting on the edge of her bed Jalissa watched the sunrise through her window since her thoughts robbed her of a good night's sleep. She knew the only way she’d be able to get through this day is with her chai tea and seeing Kylan. Hurriedly, she dressed for the day and headed to Milk & Honey.
When she walked through the doors, she smiled at the sight of Kylan behind the counter. On her way there, she hoped he’d be working so she could share the good news with him.
“I’ll be with you in one moment,” he tossed over his shoulder. Jalissa’s eyes brightened as she bit her lip with anticipation. While he prepared an iced coffee for the customer in front of her, Jalissa watched attentively admiring his every movement. When he turned around to give the customer their drink, he locked eyes with Jalissa and smiled. After she left yesterday, he regretted not asking for her number. Deep down he thought she’d lose his number, and he would never see her again, but seeing her today made all the doubt go away.
“Hi, Kylan,” Jalissa purred.
He licked his lips at the sound of his name leaving hers. She looks even more beautiful than before, her hair was in a low ponytail with a middle part, and she wore a pink hoodie and grey leggings. There was something different about her, and he couldn’t put his finger on what it was.
“Good morning, beauty,” he said before turning to make her regular order.
“Wait, I came to talk to you.”
Kylan looked behind her to see no customers were waiting to be served. He followed behind her to her usual table and sat down. They stared at one another for a brief moment, both wondering what the other was thinking.
“I got the score I needed to get in Georgetown,” Jalissa said, breaking Kylan’s train of thought.
“Congratulations,” he said with a smile. “What now?”
“Dinner with you. We have to celebrate me following my heart and becoming a teacher.”