As the small flurries fell from the sky onto the streets of Compton, Ciante grinned to herself, as she couldn't believe it.

It was snowing in Southern California! and everybody was in amazement that a place that is so known for sunshine and warmth is actually experiencing winter during December. 

Ciante helped herself to clean up the coffee station, making sure to refill the creamers and flavor pump bottles while the afternoon rush had died down. 

She was 28 years old with 3 kids ages, 10, 5, and 3 to feed, this coffee shop cashier job was hardly making ends meet.

It was harsh being a single mother but that's the price she had to pay when dealing with guys who were more concerned about their SET than taking care of their responsibility and be a father when its convenient for him, leaving her to play mom and dad 99.9 percent of the time.

Ciante was a mocha-caramel coated honey, with almond-shaped hazel green eyes and bouncy paprika colored hair with black streaks.

Standing at 5-foot-five, curvaceous and a little tummy as a badge of honor for being a mother, she was beautiful and well mannered, despite her upbringing.

Living in Compton California wasn't easy, especially when the crack epidemic started, losing her mother and father to the highly addictive drug. 

They were still alive but the sensation of getting high had them so far gone that Ciante ended up moving with her grandmother.

Her grandmother was her heart but she knew that with old age, she wouldn't be around too much longer. 

Sadly, Ciante missed graduation because her ten-year-old son, Cashmere was born, then losing her grandmother the day after at the age of 18.  

While Ciante had dreams of going to college to become a nurse practitioner, she knew that it would only be a dream because she couldn't afford it. 

Paying bills, providing for her children, and receiving welfare and public assistance checks of $200 enough wasn't enough and it damn sure wasn't something Ciante was proud of, but like her grandmother always told her "do what you can til' ya do betta baby".

Her thoughts were interrupted as the door from the shop opened, causing the bell to ring and the gusts of wind to whistle before the bell "dinged" again. 

She wiped her hands on her green apron that read "Patria Coffee Shop" in cursive- white letters as she looked up at her customer.

"The same dude for the past week" she muttered to herself.

He had striking brown eyes and was light-skinned with a short, Caesar hair cut that was covered by a Raiders' beanie hat.

He was about six feet even and wore a satin Raiders jacket, black Guess jeans and a pair of black and white Adidas.

"How you doin" he acknowledged Ciante as he stood in front of the counter, looking up at the red and green menu surrounded by handmade snowflakes that the staff created for Christmas theme.

"Hello...welcome to Patria Coffee shop" Ciante replied, standing in front of the register with a delicate smile.

"Our special today is a Toasted white mocha latte with whip cream and a sugar cookie with vanilla icing"

"Mmm...that sounds good. I'll take a large one and the cookie" he responded, nodding his head.

"Okay." She said before calculating his total. " $6.52 and it'll be about 5 minutes"

"Coo" he slid her a $10 bill.

Ciante looked at him before hitting the tender to give him his change. Placing the change into his hand, he thanked her before dropping the $3.48 into the Tips jar and sitting at one of the tables in the corner of the small shop.

She began making his latte as she glimpsed at him periodically. 

This guy comes in every day and buys a latte, read a paper, and some times leave 30 minutes before closing, she thought to herself. He doesn't even seem like the type of cat to do such things, but I shouldn't judge a book by its cover either.

Grabbing the can of whipped cream, she tops his latte off before taking the cookie out of the warmer and wrapping it in silver foil for Christmas-like presentation.

She walked from behind the counter and walked over to his table, sat his drink down in front of him gently.

"Here you go sir, one Toasted white Mocha and a sugar cookie"

"Thanks"

She nodded before turning on her heels and walking away back towards the counter.

"You know, you real nice every time I come in here," he said, turning around in his seat.

Ciante stopped before turning around and staring at her regular customer. "Thank you, I try to be good to people"

"More people should have that trait", he answered back before smiling softly.

Ciante smiled too. "I guess your right" she replied, nodding her head as she kept walking towards the counter.

"What's your name?" he asked, sipping on his latte and now facing the front of the store, back facing the window that showed the passing cars on the street and a few people walking past with huge bags filled with gifts for their loved ones.

"I do have a name tag ya know"

"Oh yeah?" he asked, nodding. "Yo boss must be pretty dope to get you guys invisible tags so the customers can't properly greet their oh-so-nice employees"

"Huh?" Ciante was puzzled as she looked down at her shirt to see no nametag.  "Oh..." her face turned red.

"I'm sorry for being rude...I thought...-"

He laughed lightly. "None taken. I figured you didn't know.  You cool"

"Yeah, it's Ciante. Like, See- ohn- Tae" she expressed every syllable in her name.

"That's different" he replied, sipping from his cup again. "I like it.  You don't hear that name every day"

"It's different, now that I can admit" Ciante chuckled as she continues to clean up the station.

"Yours?"

"Antoine"

"Antoine huh?" she stated, in thought. "That's typical"

"Dang" he laughed as he placed his hand on his chest as if he was hurt. "Typical name...not as extravagant as see-ohnn-taeeeeee huh?"

"Guess not" she giggled. "So you don't really strike me as a coffee lover unless that's one of your guilty pleasures"

"Nah. I like it and it's the only decent shop we have round here in Compton.  No one wants to be driving all over the city for a cup of sweet stuff ya know?"

"I guess. So, Antoine, you've been coming in here a lot" Ciante began.

"It's a free country, right?" Antoine quizzed.

"I mean why? It's the holidays and you always seem to come in alone" Ciante responded, making herself a sweet drink.

Might as well. It was downtime at the shop and who would turn down a caramel mocha latte with chocolate drizzle?

It was one of Ciante's favorites.

"I mean since the tour doesn't pick back up until after the holiday's, I thought I'd just find something to do"

"Tour?"

"Yeah, I'm a DJ"

"DJ for who?" Ciante questioned, walking over with her cup and having a seat across from him.

"You kidding right?" he said with a smile, staring at Ciante.

She squinted her eyes before sipping her drink again, shrugging her shoulders.

"I'm not kidding...who do you DJ for?"

"You ever heard of NWA?" he quizzed, still smiling.

"Yeah I've heard of them" she paused. "Niggas...with...attitude...they cuss a lot about nothing and degrade woman big-time" Ciante replied, as she looked up at him, waiting for an answer.

"That's what you think bout us?"

Ciante sipped her drink before she realized whom she was speaking to and talking junk about his group.  She hurried and sat her cup down on the wooden coffee table and cupped her hand over her mouth.

"I am so sorry-"

"It's fine." Antoine interrupted as he laughed, leaning back in the cherry wood chair, biting his cookie. 

"It's not every day you get someone who truly voices their opinion about an artist".

Still embarrassed, she sipped her latte before licking the whipped cream off her lips.  The smell of the caramel put her nerves at ease while Antoine dusted his lap of the cookie crumbs that fell upon it.

"You guys are from Compton but I sure didn't expect to see anyone of you guys sitting in a coffee shop. I thought you'd guys would be with your family, throwing parties of skimpily dressed woman parading around you and shakin' their asses"

"Nah not this year" he said, shrugging his shoulders.

Ciante quickly glanced up at Antoine, causing him to laugh while chewing his cookie. He placed his fist up to his mouth, swallowing before replying.

"I'm just kidding girl", he teased with a smile.

Ciante sucked her teeth.

"You sure do play a lot", she giggled, still staring into his eyes.

"Yeah, big kid at heart.  But Nah, I have family but we aren't that close-knit, but I don't have no kids or nothing.  The holidays are just another day to me.  I'm just thankful to be alive"

"Amen"

"What bout you?"

"What bout me?" Ciante responded, raising a brow.

"You seem like a nice lady, pretty, always being sweet when I come in here. How're the holidays for you, you ready for Christmas?"

Ciante looked down, now playing wit her thumbs.  Something she does when she gets nervous, sad, or agitated.

In this case, she was depressed.

"Not really" she sighed, twisting her lips.

"Why is that?" Antoine inquired, genuinely concerned.

"It's a long story, and I'm sure someone like you is not interested in a regular person's like myself story so it's cool" Ciante assumed, standing up to excuse herself from the table.

Antoine swiftly touched her hand gently, causing her to stop and glance down at his hand resting on top of hers.

"My bad" he quickly pulled his hand back. "I have time. Please, sit down" he extended a hand for her to sit back down.

Ciante gazed at Antoine for a second, unsure if he's really being honest but he was glad to listen and talk to her.

It's not like no one else was here to listen and talk with.