Eight days until the meteor crashed and wiped-out human existence. Clergymen were preaching it was a time for kindness and compassion. In reality, people were fighting, liquor stores and supermarkets had all been looted, and toilet paper was being hoarded.

While most abandoned their jobs to spend their final days with family, Paula decided to stay put and keep her café open. People still needed to eat and she wanted to help. That's just the kind of person she was.

When she heard the front door jingle, Paula stopped cleaning tables and looked up. She eyed her lone customer as he wandered in. He was forty-ish, haggard-looking and wore a wrinkled suit. Out of habit, she checked his ring finger and noticed it was bare. "Stupid," she scolded herself. "Eight days left and I'm still trying to meet someone."

She motioned for the gentlemen to sit down and brought him a large coffee and a croissant. She poured herself a cup and joined him at the table.

"Hi, I'm Paula," she said.

"Lloyd," he grumbled.

"Well, Lloyd, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with loved ones or something?"

"Yeah," he scowled. "I would, if I had any."

Paula shook her head, "You're wearing a suit that cost more than I earn in a month. You must have someone."

"Had," he said. "I had someone."

"Okay," Paula said, getting comfortable, "let's hear it."

Lloyd stared at Paula, debating what to do. He hated discussing what happened, but he felt an odd connection to her that made him want to talk. He sighed deeply and said, "About a year ago, I left work early to surprise my fiancé. She often complained work was more important to me than she was, and I wanted to prove her wrong. Anyway, to make a long story short, when I got home, I discovered her in bed with my brother."

"So, now I hate people, a meteor is about to kill me, and I'm confessing my worst nightmare to a stranger."

Paula got up and went behind the counter. She brought back a bottle of whisky and poured a shot into each of their cups.

On a whim, she walked behind Lloyd and hugged him. "Is this okay? I don't think there are any rules anymore."

"It's okay," he murmured. "And you? What's your story."

"Paula sat back down. "Well, Lloyd, after fifteen years of dating, I finally realized I was never going to meet 'the one,' so I gave up. Now, I'm alone, I haven't been kissed in five years and sometimes I'm so lonely I can't breathe.

Lloyd leaned across the table and kissed Paula on the mouth. As she reached over to kiss him back, the door burst open and a woman wandered in with her two children. Paula recognized them as the unhoused family that often sat on the corner pleading for money. She smiled. "What can I get you? No charge, of course."

Lloyd got up and joined her behind the counter. "I want to help too," he whispered.

She grinned and tossed him an apron.

Eight days later, Paula and Lloyd lay in bed holding each other as they braced for the meteor's impact. They were exactly where they wanted to be.

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