Rainbow Café - Chapter 1

Rainbow Café is a series of short stories set in the city of Heidelberg, Germany by various authors. It revolves around a small café owned by two couples: Lukas and Tom, and Didi and Francesca. I am also looking for contributors and editors, if you are interested, send me an email at mojojoe2003@yahoo.com

Chapter 1 - The owners

Heidelberg -- an enigmatic University town in the Baden-Württemberg region of Germany, comes to life as students come back from the Christmas holidays.

Trams trudging the main thoroughfares carry young students and adults alike as they begin to start a new. In a small corner in Bergheimerstrasse lies a newly opened Café, the Rainbow Café. Lukas, a man in his mid 30s ties his apron over his shirt and jeans, behind the counter of Rainbow Café. He's about 175 cm tall and  75 kg, with dark brown hair. He used to work at the University Mensa when he was studying Chemistry, but his love for coffee prompted him to eventually try working for some well-known coffee chains in his mid-20s and eventually with the help of his friends setup their own café. As he was finishing up, another man came out of the kitchen. He stands around 185 cm and weighs about 80 kg, his short blond hair falling neatly to the side of his face and his eyes fixed on his lover.  Dressed a little more formal with a button down shirt and slacks, he walks over to Lukas and gives him a hug and a quick kiss

"This is it!" said the blond guy to Lukas, "I need to go to work briefly, and you need to start business."

"Can't you stay for the opening?" asked Lukas sounding a little bit disappointed.

"Unfortunately, the division head had to move the afternoon meeting to this morning, he has prospective collaborators visiting today but they had a train schedule mix up so they had to leave directly after lunch" he replied with puppy dog eyes to appease his lover, "But I'll try to pass by before lunch."

Suddenly, two women came into the Café. One was small of southeast asian descent, standing 160 cm, and quite less than 45 kg, and another one was an Italian girl with brown, curly hair, almost as tall as Lukas but weighs a few kilos more. The Italian greeted the two men at the top of her voice, "Buon Giorno! Guten Morgen an Alle!"

"Hallo, Francesca! Hallo, Didi!" greeted the two men back.

"Francesca, do you have to be so hyperactive this morning?" asked the Asian girl, Didi, sarcastically.

"Of course, la mia cara! It's opening day of our Café and I'm super excited!" replied Francesca.

"Well, don't be too perky. You might drive away customers," remarked Didi as she rolled her eyes. She then noticed Tom, "Oh Tom, you're dressed to impress! Don't tell me you're bringing a date to the opening when you're partner is working behind the counter."

"Don't be silly, Didi. I have my eyes only on Lukas," he replied, "I just need to run for a 9:00 o'clock meeting and then come back here before---"

"You're not staying?!" interrupted Francesca.

"Well, a little schedule mix up at work, so yeah, I'm missing it," Tom explained.

"But everyone will be here!" exclaimed Francesca, "All our friends are coming today for the ribbon cutting ceremony."

"Well then, just leave some cake for me," said Tom,"I really have to go, see you in a few hours, Tschüss! Bis später!"

Tom went out of the door and ran to the bus stop a few seconds before the bus that goes to the university passed by. Didi went to the back of the Café to check that all the administrative books are in order. Having finished her MBA in Mannheim (a bigger city 18 km from Heidelberg) a few years back, she worked in the finance department of a marketing firm in Mannheim where she met Francesca who was in Human Resources. Through common friends, Didi and Francesca got to know Lukas and they went to the same clubs and parties: Himbeer Party and the Altefeuerwache, the Heaven Party in Club Ludwiq, and the Gaywerk Party at the MS Connexion.

Ten years ago, Lukas and Tom were working in neighbor research groups at the Physical Chemistry Institute in the Neuenheim Campus of Heidelberg University, but they never knew that the other one was gay. Tom was already a PhD Student then, and Lukas was finishing his Masters Thesis. While Lukas was very active on the gay scene in Mannheim with Didi and Francesca, Tom was in a long distance relationship with his boyfriend from University, who lived in London. Tom eventually moved away to do his Postdoc at a group in Cambridge and Lukas started working in the coffee business. Lukas and Tom, met each other seven years later at one of the Heaven parties where Tom admitted he was single and ready to mingle. It was quite a romance for those two as they reminisced their time together in the lab. After dating for 2 years, they eventually moved in together.

Rainbow Café was one of Lukas' dreams. He was a coffee lover and his experience with working at coffee shops seeded his idea to open a coffee place near the city center. He wanted his coffee shop to have a little more flair and character. It shouldn't just be a coffee shop. The lack of gay-themed establishments in Heidelberg, prompted him to draw up plans of a gay-friendly cafe. There would be theme nights and performance area at the back where one can enjoy some form of art (Poetry Slams, Stand up comedy by drag queens, and or live music)and up front would be a place for people who just enjoys good coffee and good company.

Lukas pitched his ideas to Francesca and Didi, who were at that time looking to venture into their own business.  Being Italian, Francesca loved the idea immediately. It also helped that Didi was raised in Manila where she spent most of her time studying at the Starbucks branch across her University. Francesca was a firebrand of ideas as she was interested in the design and artistic side of the venture, Didi was more business-minded and practical, she came from a family of business tycoons who owned several shopping centers in major cities of the Philippines.

"You're Tom is such a workaholic, Lukas," said Francesca to Lukas, "It's a good thing that Didi and I work together, so we never have to leave each other's side."

"Well, that's Tom," said Lukas, "always on the go."