Love comes knocking – Chapter 1

If you were to venture one day to the city of Carmago you would find at the heart of the many streets and intersections a coffee shop called Ben Dover’s Café. The café was never short of customers, was almost always filled to the brim with coffee/cappuccino-fuelled fanatics. The popularity of this little café has never ceased to be beaten but alas those that tried have failed and the reason? The man that was behind the establishment of such a fine institution was of course Ben Dover – a big guy with a big heart whose number one priority was his duty towards others. To everyone else a customer was money but to Ben they were royalty – the means to fund his living. And that is why a small coffee shop like Ben Dover’s Café really was the heart of the city.

Adorned with characteristics to suit all, Ben was never short of friends…but his love life that was a whole different story. A sorry one, a morbid, solitary tale that was doomed to failure. In fact it never got off the shelf. All girls ever saw was his almost laughable exterior, his slightly extravagant dress sense and most undoubtedly his weight. Although conditionally unsuccessful in finding someone to love, tonight was a night to romance- he had a date, and boy was he excited.

“So Ben, you’re rather chirpy today, who’s the lucky lady?” Jose, Ben’s best friend commented.

Ben glanced up from the box he was opening, an unrestrained smile imprinted on his face.

“That good huh?” Jose laughed.

“Well to answer your question Jose, I’d say yes she is. Quite a number really, something fancy to hang off my arm, you get my drift…?” Ben said.

Aiming to bombard Ben with questions, Jose hacked over them in his head.

“So what’s her name?”

Ben bit his lip.

“Um… Hayleigh I think.”

“You think? When did you meet this girl Ben?”

There was a small silence. Turning slightly scarlet, he uttered his reply.

“About a hour ago on my lunch break, I met her in McDonald’s, she looked a little, well, lost so I said my greetings and she was all over me like a rash… it was like I was a celebrity…”