BXBX NOVEL Chapter 66 Interval
In response, Adalia merely flashed something that looked like an official seal or insignia. Whatever it was, it sure got the attention of the young chap at the door. He seemed to recognize it as something meaningful and authoritative.
Instantly, the young chap called on another one of his colleagues to lead them as he opened the large bronze gates and ushered them in.
The city hall had the ambience of a magnificent cathedral. It had all the qualities of an official place of business. Policemen in their shiny pointy hats patrolled in pairs with her sharp eyes scanning back and forth, watching for any sign of acts of misdemeanor. They carried batons, some were tucked under their arms, others hung on their belts the more proactive officers had them ready in hand, poised for action of any kind.
Asides from the enforcers of the law, government officials, clothed in cotton white shirts and frock like accessories hanging from their necks, exited and entered the building at frequent intervals. Walking briskly with that emergency mentality. Hoarding leaves and leaves of official documents. The ground was tarred neatly with glowing white concrete tiles. Everyone was busy, but one didn\'t have to look too deep to see the underlying coordination and coherence.
The Government official led them through the otherwise busy lobby. Xzavier expected the whole processing thing to be done at a counter where they could fill in some forms and be on their way. But as the government personnel led them through a door in the hall, and further down a series of complex corridors, Xzavier began to wonder if their guide wasn\'t lost.
Xzavier\'s fears were soon abated when they finally arrived at their destination. All the twists and turns had led them to a beautiful, well decorated, swanky room. The Government personnel who had led them this far gestured and pointed towards the seats. The ever cautious Xzavier wasn\'t is hurry to seat. Adalia on the other took up the offer with gratitude and rushed to sit down immediately.
Xzavier stood for a moment, admiring and taking in the entire well laid out office space. The marble brilliant white stone statues caught his eye. The exquisite furniture, the artworks, the books and the overall outlook of the room suggested that the owner was a person of class and culture. After a few seconds of observation, Xzavier eventually sat down beside Adalia. They both said nothing to each other. The fatigue of their journey seemed to have put a temporary lock on their tongues.
It has often been said that olfactory triggered memories hit the hardest, this proved to be particularly true in Xzavier\'s case. While they waited, Xzavier\'s sharp nose caught the distinct smell of fresh coffee. He fought the instinct to twirl around in search of the source. It was a delicious rich smell that brought back memories. Within a short period, a neatly dressed attendant swaggered in gracefully with a tray of the fine smelling beverage.
He set it down gracefully with a smile on his face and unloaded its contents before both of them. The tray touched the table with a soft clang, and the aromatic steam of the freshly boiled coffee filled the room. Xzavier stole a side glance at Adalia, hoping that he wasn\'t the only one who was captivated by the inviting aroma of the hot beverage. He wasn\'t disappointed. Imprinted boldly on Adalia\'s face was the same longing look that mirrored her own yearning desire for the drink.
Sharp as a bird, Adalia\'s eye also caught Xzavier looking at her and she smiled mischievously as a kind of silent agreement passed between them.
The attendant who served them was completely oblivious of the duplicitous intentions of both guests seated before him. Outwardly, they seemed to have a bored faraway look in their eyes. But if the attendant had been a little bit more attentive, a closer look at their fingers tapping nervously and their breathing increasing by the second would have revealed a different story altogether.
After serving them, the inattentive attendant bowed and excused himself.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Adalia descended upon the fancy cups that had been arraigned before them. The white ceramic cups were typical of this period. They had golden handles and were overlaid with a decent covering. The trays matched the brilliant white and gold colors. And as if the attendant was aware of their need for more, he left a moderate sized jug in the tray and beside it, another smaller glass jar containing warm milk to compliment the coffee. Of course, a few cubes of sugar had been set aside for them. It truly was the whole package.
Not being the type to shy away from a decent beverage, Adalia took one look inside the jug and whistled softly;
Wheeeeww!
Surprised at her behavior, Xzavier shot her a cautioning look. She shrugged her shoulders with an indifferent look and asked him playfully;
"What?! Don\'t act like you can\'t perceive the strong inviting aroma. We deserve this after such a tedious journey!"
Xzavier wanted to point out to her that riding for days on end inside a comfortable horse drawn carriage didn\'t count as a tedious journey at all. He wanted to tell her that an example of a tedious journey was having to trek through an unknown terrain for days and night on end, without food, water or shelter. He wanted to educate her on the topic and tell her that she had in fact had it so easy, but wisely, he decided to keep mum. Instead he let her have her day.
Adalia reached out to the first cup and gingerly lifted it to her lips to taste it. As soon as she took a sip of the moderately hot drink, Xzavier could have sworn that a fresh fire was ignited in her eyes. After the first sip, she brought the cup down with both hands, and with a huge smile on her face, she reported back to Xzavier enthusiastically;
"Heavens!!!" she blasted out.
"This has got to be the best coffee I have ever had! Oh Xzavier, you need to try this! Please try it!"
Xzavier watched her with pleasure as she praised the coffee. Without even asking his permission, Adalia reached out to the second cup with her free hand. She carefully picked it up and handed it to Xzavier eagerly, spurring him on as she encouraged him to try it.
Without any atom of resistance left in his being, Xzavier accepted the offering from her and brought the cup to his lips. He took the first customary sip and immediately, the richness of the tasty beverage went straight to his head, coursing through his body, setting alight and resurrecting every dead thing in him.
"Damn! What the hell is this thing?!" he wondered aloud.
Adalia giggled excitedly.
"See! I told you it was good!"
Xzavier couldn\'t agree more. He was certain that this was the Gucci of coffees. The richness was undeniable. It had been heated to the perfect degree. Not too warm that it was borderline cold, and not overly hot such that it didn\'t scald his tongue. It was simply perfect. The taste rolled over his tongue with the teasing and yet strong biting taste of a well brewed cup.
Xzavier couldn\'t help but smile.
"Indeed, there is coffee, and there is coffee!"
Confirming its deliciousness, Xzavier\'s next sip turned out to be more than a sip- it was a huge gulp! Adalia smirked elatedly as she delved in to the milk and poured a generous helping into her already half empty coffee cup. The two of them had found a guilty pleasure together and they reveled in the moment. The atmosphere was a bit livelier now, so they chatted away as they sipped their delicious beverage.
"Well, well, Mister Xzavier, who knew coffee could get you on like this? It is certainly a sight for sore eyes!"
"Aye, no need to be so smug about it. I\'m not the one who\'s had three cups already!"
Adalia\'s eyes blazed defiantly as she retorted with a mischievous grin;
"Hey don\'t judge!"
Xzavier laughed at just how quickly she had gone from being on the attack to being defensive.
"I can\'t deny it Adalia. This is some of the best coffee I\'ve ever had."
"How come you won\'t take it with milk or sugar? You should really try some with it. If you\'re worried about losing its original taste, don\'t worry, the milk actually complements the flavor."
Xzavier shook his head just as Adalia reached for the jug to pour out another cup.
"It\'s not that Adalia, I have always preferred it straight black."
Adalia mimicked his last statement in her best impression of his voice;
"*It\'s not that Adalia, I have always preferred it straight black.* Wow! That is such a corny thing to say! Have you even tried it? Or is it some macho thing?"