Shambles

"Does your wife know we are here and that you are drinking coffee with me?"

"Yes, she knows. She is your friend after all. Does your boyfriend know?"

"No, not really."

"The monkey decoration is gone."

"Yes, I gifted the owner these new skulls and kind of more dark decoration."

"I don't like it. But hey, I didn't like the monkey decoration either. This is maybe an upgrade."

"How are you holding up?"

"I wake up and I drink much coffee. My body then jumps and kinda shakes from coffee. Then I drink some cocktails, and I will order one now."

"Sure."

"Is Smith supportive? Is he there for you?"

"He is. He is really sweet. How is Sabina?"

"She is great. We are soon gonna have that baby. It is scary."

"You know, we could have had a baby. We could have been together. My dad arranged a date for us once."

"Yes, he did." Wilson smiled slightly.

Sophia's hands and legs were a little shaky. Her stomach was filled only with fluids that eat the stomach from the inside.

"Do you ever think 'what if'?"

"Not really. I think we are exactly where we need to be."

Sophia smiled slightly. "I feel like I leveled up all my exes, you know what I mean? All my exes and friends kinda have their life figured out after me. But I feel like I didn't move on. I feel like I didn't figure it out for myself even though I act like I have answers for others."

"You will figure it out."

"Sure."

"Pendulum swings from one to the other side. Our lives are kinda like perpendicular lines right now."

"Me and Sabina, you and Smith. We can all go in some direction and have no connection at all. We are connected by this one dot, but I feel like we break in and out of this 90-degree angle."

Sophia was looking at Wilson, confused as ever. "I feel like people around me are lately more boring than usual. Also, everyone is talking so cryptic. Why say many words when few words do the trick, right? Just be direct, be clear. Smith can be cryptic sometimes. I really hate it."

"You can tell him."

"I don't want to."

Wilson leaned in. "That is the issue. It was nice seeing you, Soph. Take care. Sorry about your father. You can always call me if you need something. I shall go."

"Cool. See you whenever."

"Cool, bye."

They both stood up, tried an awkward hug. Wilson went to pay the bill and left while Sophia stayed a little longer.

Smith was at work talking to Mark. Smith's assessment of Mark was not good.

"You are in shambles, Mark."

"What? No, I am good, really." Mark's right eye was almost watery.

"You are going to cry. You can't do nothing. Just cry. It is fine. We can't save your country. It is far too late."

"But, but I want to help people so bad. There must be a way. The people didn't give up. They are fighting on the street. Millions of them are fighting and putting their life on the line."

"I know, Mark, but the state corroded from top to bottom. The people are fighting the system that is fully corroded. What is even worse, even the outside of the system is problematic. They are surrounded by the lowest of the low. They are fighting against mafia, gangs, government, police, army, and so much more."

"Smith, I don't know what to do then. If I can't help, if we can't help. Can't we just help them a little bit? I can't look at the tears, the blood, and broken bones of my fellow countrymen."

"There is nothing we can do. We can only observe and hope our state doesn't go into the same bad direction."

Smith slapped Mark. "Let's get coffee."

"Can I also have ice cream?"

"Of course not. You are a grown adult."

"But, bossman, I am sad. How can you deny ice cream?"

"We will get it another time. Let's go and get that coffee first."

"You know we can grab ice cream and then pour coffee over it. It is really delicious."

"Hmm, I guess so. I am sold. Let's go."

Mark took his jacket and went. He was looking at Smith's back, but thinking about how many innocent people have been beaten for some politician to eat his ice cream.

Mark and Smith were walking down the street and ran into Wilson. He saw them and went for a handshake.

"How is Sophia?" he asked, looking at Smith.

Smith took his sunglasses off, and with a painful look on his face, he said, "She is in shambles, mate. I am giving my best though. If you want, you could talk to her. Maybe you have some human touch or some human advice."

"Hmm, maybe Sabina and I will come over some day."

"Sure. We need to go now. Me and this fellow here are in a rush to try this new thing."

"Great seeing you."

"Likewise."

"Sir Smith, who was that?" Mark asked with sadness in his eyes.

Smith's eyes looked empty as always. "That guy is no one important. Just one string of grass in the field of flowers."

"You can't describe people like that, bossman. You know, recently I see that people are all flowers."

"Even the ones that are beating pregnant women and farmers in your country for just existing?"

"Yes, they are also flowers, but flowers that went bad."

They bought ice cream and arrived at their usual coffee spot. "Can you pour it in these ice cream cups, bossman?" Smith asked.

"Sir Smith, you used my term."

"I kinda like it."

"Cool, cool, cool. We are like 2 peas in a capsule."

"What now?"

"You know, the fruit, the vegetable, green one, round one. I don't like it, but there is like a thing with it. You know."

"I don't have the slightest idea what you are talking about. You don't like me and I am round and green now?"

"Ha ha ha, no, Sir Smith." Mark laughed. "I just mean we are a team. We are like lemon and lime."

"Shut up, Mark."

"Yes, sir."

Smith drank his coffee with ice cream. It felt nice. The sweetness from ice cream and creamy texture made the coffee delicious.

"You know what would be great, Mark?"

"If we had spoons, sir?"

"Spoons."

"Yes."

"Yes."