Deli-rium: The Two Readers

There's a couple that come into the deli sometimes. They order a latte each, sometimes a croissant. And then they sit down on adjacent sides of a table, take their books out and read.

They don't say anything to one another. They rarely even look up from their respective literature. But they smile at what they're reading, and once or twice I've seen them reach out to squeeze each other's hand. They linger, long after their coffee is finished, just reading in happy silence.

There was a time when I'd have sought more from a relationship. More than sitting in silence, submerged in separate worlds, over lattes left to grow cold.

Now, I just think it would be nice.
To have someone to read with.