The next time Eden and Annie saw Meg, she was with Park, and there was no trace of the crying, nearly cowering, shrinking woman that had accompanied the other man to the coffee shop on Meg’s previous visit. The coffee house employees watched the couple as they always did, and Meg and Park did what they always did. Leaned in. Made eyes at one another. Smiled constantly. Left with longing painfully painted into their expressions.

“How long would you give it?” Annie asked one day after Meg and Park had finally left after a lingering goodbye by the door that lasted a full ten minutes.

“Hard to say,” Eden said. “I mean, clearly, she was over that other man a long time ago. How, long has she been coming in here to see Park?”

“A year?” Annie said, her tone raised in a question.

Eden considered that. “So if a year ago, she as already thinking about an out, it might not be very long until they actually do get together.”

“If they aren’t together already,” Annie said.

 The next week when Park came in, he came to the counter immediately, instead of waiting for Meg like he normally did. He was smiling, but he was also shaking. Eden was briefly concerned until Park pulled a small black box from his pocket and popped it open for her to see. Without preamble, he asked, “Do you think she’ll like it?”

Annie was peering over Eden’s shoulder to see. The ring was an emerald cut diamond. Eden guessed it was a half carot. A simple solitaire in a white gold band. She imagined it sliding down Meg’s finger, and the shining smile she would have to match its sparkle.

“Yes, Park. I think she will like it.”

As soon as the words left her, Meg came through the door. Today she was looking as sharp as always, her slim fit blazer dressing up the blue jeans she wore. Her nubuck heels clicked against the tile floor, a crisp sound filling the stillness of the shop. Park was frozen in place as she approached him, and he didn’t hide the ring box. Eden was as stiff as stone, and Annie didn’t move as inch, both transfixed on the couple standing before them.

Meg noticed that everyone was staring at her. She slowed, and then noticed what Park was holding out for Eden and Annie to see. “Park, is that…?”

He didn’t wait for her to finish. He dropped to one knee in front of her, nervously holding up the ring box and sputtering, “I know, we’re not even really together, Meg, but I love you so much and I just thought that maybe we could skip right to the end.”

The coffee house went silent. Meg’s face betrayed no expression for an uncomfortable eternity. Then she began to cry. It was an ugly cry, but one that Eden could tell was born of relief and joy. Not at all the like crying she had seen from her when she and her ex-husband had been in together, arguing and signing papers. She didn’t wipe her face. She didn’t say anything. She just wept in front of God and everyone, until Park couldn’t take it, and rose to wrap her in his arms.

Eden stole a quick glance to Annie, who was also transfixed on the strange proposal and Meg’s response. He proposed to her, but they weren’t even dating? Eden wasn’t sure what to think, but she could hear Meg and Park whispering to one another as they embraced, and it didn’t sound like her answer was no. When they pulled apart, they were both smiling. There three other patrons in the coffee house were all watching too, as Park took the ring from the box and slipped it on Meg’s finger. Somebody whistled, and then there was clapping. Meg was still crying, but now she was also beaming. Park was also crying, and smiling, and Eden also felt like her eyes were too wet.

Park and Meg turned to face her, and before they could say anything, she blurted, “Whatever you want is on me today.”

Park tried to protest, but she insisted. She rang in their drinks and watched the couple as Annie started to make them. The rest of their time together was the same as it always was, although Eden was sure there was a glow coming off them.

When they left, Annie bumped her with an elbow. “Told ya,” she said.

“You didn’t tell me anything! I told you!” Eden said, laughing.

Annie sighed. “Who are we going to gossip about now?”

Eden wondered at that too. She felt like she was a part of Meg and Park’s story now. No longer an outsider. It wasn’t quite as fun to imagine what was happening, because now she didn’t need to imagine.

“There’s always people to watch,” she said, just as a patron she had never seen before came in the door.