The next morning when Edmond went to the coffee shop he found Rika there working on her paper. She looked up from her laptop when he came to the table and sat down next to her.
"Hello Edmond, good morning," she said.
"Good morning. Can I get you anything?"
"I could use a cup of coffee. I have been working here for hours and I need a break. A cup of coffee would be good."
Edmond walked to the counter and ordered two cups of coffee and a bagel with cream cheese for himself. Taking the coffee back to the table where Rika was working, he set the two paper cups of coffee down on the table. He walked back to the counter and got his bagel and then went and sat down next to her.
Rika picked up the coffee cup and took a sip. "Mmm, thank you for the coffee," she said smiling, her green eyes sparkling.
"Your welcome. How is your paper coming?"
"I'm almost done."
"What are you writing it on?"
"It is about T-cells."
"What are T-cells?"
"They are a type of lymphocyte that helps the body's immune system fight infections"
Edmond did not know anything about immunology; he was majoring in literature and found science to hard for him to understand. Rika could tell from the look on his face that he was not going to be able to follow her description of what T-cells did so she cut it short, just telling him, "that they were necessary for the body to mount an immune response." He smiled as if he understood what they did. After they had talked about the sunny weather for a few minutes, she went back to working on her paper. He opened the book he had been reading. The action in the book had progressed and now the protagonist of the novel had gone to a priest to have the demon that was haunting him exorcised. The priest told him that before he could perform an exorcism that he would need to have a psychological exam to show that he was truly possessed. The hero then went to a psychologist who first asked him about his childhood. The man was telling the psychologist about his youth, when Rika screamed out.
"I'm done," she cried.
Edmond looked up from his book and smiled at her.
"Finally," she exalted as she saved her work. "Want to go get a beer?"
Edmond looked at his watch. "It's not even noon."
"I don't care. I want to celebrate."
"Sure, why not."
Edmond stood by and watched as Rika packed up her things and they left the coffee shop together. Right next-door to the coffee shop was the bar where they had seen the blues group two nights before. It was just opening for the day as they went in and sat down at a table they were the only customers in the bar. The man that was opening the bar said that none of the wait staff was due for another hour so he would take their order. Rika ordered a pair of beers for the both of them and the man brought them to them a few minutes later.
"I am so happy to be done with my paper," she said.
"When is it due?"
"It was due yesterday. I was able to get an extension from my instructor. I will proofread it tonight and email it to him. Do you want to read it?"
"No that's all right. I am sure I wouldn't understand it anyway."
"Does it bother you to be with a woman who is smarter than you?" she said, teasing him.
He was a little taken aback by her brashness, but thought it best to play it cool. "No I like smart women."