The Apartment Above the Café
Listen To The Following Reading
It had been three months ago since Clara moved into the small apartment above the corner café. At first, she thought the smell of roasted coffee drifting through the floorboards would feel comforting. Now, it mostly reminded her how quiet her evenings had become.
Every morning, at 6:45 a.m., she could hear the barista downstairs dragging metal chairs across the tile floor. The sound marked the start of another routine day. Clara dressed neatly, as if someone were watching—navy blouse, tan trousers, hair pinned back. Old habits were hard to shake. She had once worked in that same café years ago, back when she and Ethan still shared the same space, laughter, and plans.
Tonight, the air smelled of cinnamon and rain. She leaned against the window, watching people hurry along the narrow street below. When her phone buzzed, she hesitated. The message was from Ethan.
“Still think of you sometimes when I pass the old café.”
Clara exhaled slowly, trying to hold back the rush of memories. She typed and deleted three replies before finally writing, “I’m doing fine.”
She stared at the screen, then deleted it too. There was nothing fine about feeling stuck between past and present.
She decided to step out for a walk, the kind that clears the mind but changes nothing. As she closed the door, she whispered, “Maybe it’s time to let bygones be bygones.” Yet even as she said it, she knew some things don’t fade—they only hit close to home when the smell of coffee rises through the floor.
How Would You Use The Following
Idioms
let bygones be bygones – to forgive or move on from the past
hit close to home – to affect someone personally
Phrasal Verbs
hold back – to control emotions
step out – to leave briefly
Relative Time Expression
three months ago
Inference & Discussion Questions
What clues suggest that Clara’s routine feels both comforting and isolating?
How does the setting above the café symbolize Clara’s emotional state?
What does her hesitation to reply reveal about unfinished feelings?
How do the idioms help express Clara’s internal conflict?
What might her decision to “step out” imply about change or avoidance?
How does the sensory detail—smells, sounds, and timing—add to the story’s tone of reflection?
