"Here we are," Wayne says, breaking Melinda from her thoughts.
He leads her inside a non-descript building, with a sign that reads "Peter's Coffee Hut" over the front door. The interior of the coffee shop is bright yet cozy. Wayne guides her to a small table by the window and then goes to the counter and orders them each a coffee and slice of cake.
They silently focus on their cake for a few moments, until Melinda finally breaks the silence. "Tell me what you've found, Wayne," she says quietly, toying with a cake crumb on the tablecloth.
Wayne puts down his fork and grins. He reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a folded piece of paper.
"I think this will mean the end of your search," he says, handing the paper to her.
She takes it, takes a deep breath, and then slowly unfolds it. She scans the written words quickly and swallows hard. Her heart is beating fast. The paper contains her father's address as of early last summer.
She looks up at Wayne, her eyes wide. "Where did you find this?"
He smiles. "I looked through the medical records at the hospital. I hadn't thought of it before and hadn't really expected to find anything. But then this came up. Melinda, I think that address is exactly what you have been looking for."
She nods, stunned. "I don't know what to say," she says softly. "Thank you. Thank you, Wayne."
He cocks his head to the side and smiles softly. "You're welcome, Melinda. I'm happy to have helped."
She looks at the paper again and shakes her head in disbelief. After hitting a dead end, she hadn't expected to get another solid lead so quickly. Then she looks at her watch.
"I should go," she says, her tone apologetic.
"Of course," Wayne says. "Can I drive you home?"
She shakes her head. "No, I'll take a cab."
She gets up to leave and then stops. "Thank you again, Wayne," she says. "You don't know how much you've helped me… Thank you."
He nods in response and she walks out of the café, her mind racing. She had never felt so close to finding her father.
 
|