by Cary Hart
“Nina, it’s Tuesday.” She sets down the mirror. “It’s June, school is out for the summer.”
“What?” I push myself up. “June?”
“You’ve been here for three weeks. Now, get your ass up.” She walks over to the dresser and starts grabbing some clothes, throwing them on the bed. “I gave you the time you needed. Today, your time is up.”
“Okay. You’re right.” I throw my legs over the side of the bed and stand.
“Of course, I am.” She stops to smile at me, hands on her hips. “Next time don’t doubt me. Now go shower.”
“Okay.”
A shower will do me some good. Sliding on my slippers I pad over to the chair where I left my towel yesterday. “Where’s my towel?”
“You mean the one from Saturday? It’s in the wash and if you are wondering what that smell is…it’s you!”
Walking past her, I stick my tongue out. I hate it when she is right. Mentally checking off the days, as I head to the bathroom, I realize it has been three days since I took one.
“New towel and washcloth are on the sink and your makeup is on the counter. Be ready in an hour,” she shouts after me.
Peeking out, I ask, “An hour?”
“We are going for coffee. Aubrey had to cancel and, well, you know how I get if I don’t get my fill. So, no excuses.” She looks down at her watch. “Make that fifty-five minutes. You’re moving too slow.”
Being a tad overdramatic, for the ultimate sister experience, I roll my eyes and let out a whoosh of a sigh. All in her line of vision. After all, that’s what little sisters are for.
After shutting the door, I reach my hand into the shower and turn on the water. As the steam begins to fill the room, I begin to undress, catching my reflection. How did I not notice? Three weeks of walking around numb to my surroundings. Somewhere down the road, I lost who I was.
Leaving was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. How do you say goodbye to someone you once loved, without it affecting you? It was supposed to set me free, not cage me in my own fears. If I continue like this, living a life in pain, I let him win and I refuse to believe my struggles were in vain.
The mirror begins to fog and my reflection vanishes. “Just like I did.” My voice barely audible. If I wouldn’t have spoken the words, I wouldn’t have known I said them. I didn’t get to say goodbye, I escaped from Brandon, but not the fears that followed me.
Niki is right. I need to talk to somebody. The past three years, I have been told who I can and can’t talk to. Today, I’m giving myself a choice. I may not be ready to talk today, but that is my choice, but what I am ready for.
Acceptance.
I can’t undo my past, but I can change my future.
Nina
“I can’t wait for you to try this place. The coffee here at Java Talk is orgasmic. Like seriously, Nina. Once you take a drink, you mouth will literally form an ‘O’,” Niki fires off another random thought.
All the way here she has talked about everything from school to the color of that car. Was it a midnight blue or navy blue? I still don’t know.
“I think you’re the only one who would orgasm over coffee.”
“You think? Cause I’m pretty sure this coffee would put the vibrator out of business.” Niki flashes me her perfect smile.
“I worry about you.” I reach for the door, holding it open, announcing her presence. “All hail the Queen of Coffee.”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” she chuckles.
“You totally just ruined the moment.” I bring my fist up and cough. “Greedy bitch.” I cough again.
“I heard that, but if I’m royalty you should bow.” She says as people walk around our little show.
“Your highness.” I hold out my arms and do a little curtsey, sticking my butt out a little more than necessary to keep the door open.
“Much better.” She walks through the door pointing to the barista working the counter. “Jen, coffee me!”
“You got it! The usual?” she hollers back.
“Give me two screaming O’s.” Niki winks everyone turns to look at her. She scans the crowd in disbelief. “Oh come on? Am I the only one who loves coffee that much?” she dares them to reply. “Oh well, you don’t know what you’re missing. This shit is the bomb dot com, yo!”
All this is too much. Everyone is staring. I back out of the doorway, letting the door fall shut, remaining outside so I can breathe.
In. Out. In. Out.
I watch through the glass, and things seem to be back to normal. The door opens and closes as customers leave with their to-go orders.
“Miss, you coming or going?” The deep timbre of a man’s voice causes me to jump. Looking up, I see part of his reflection in the glass, taller than me by half a person. Okay maybe I’m exaggerating, but he’s way over six foot.
“Uhhh…”
“Well, I’m grabbing some orders to go, but first, I really need to use the facilities.” He responds to my inability to talk and takes a step forward, reaching over me to open the door. “So, if you could…”
“Oh, yeah of course. I-I…I’m going in, thanks.” I keep my head down and walk in and straight over to where Niki is sitting.
“It’s about time. What were you doing over there?” Niki looks down at her phone.
“Switch me sides.” I’m bouncing from foot to foot, needing to be out of sight. What happened out there was embarrassing. I couldn’t even speak.
“Sure.” She gets up and plops down on the other side of the table and I fall into her previous seat.
“Thanks. I was zoning out outside and, well, this guy walked up…” I reach for one of the cups of coffee.
“Hey!” She smacks my hand. “Get your own. These are mine.” She reaches out and pulls both cups closer to her.
Rubbing my hand, I give her my best screw you look.
“I’m serious. I’ve already paid. Just go up to the counter and Jen will hook you up with a coffee and danish. They are to die for.” She takes a huge gulp, making an “O” face. Probably for my benefit. “That reminds me…a bakery down the road has these hazelnut glazed croissants that are panty-melting delicious.”
“Seriously, do you have to make sexual comparisons?”
“I totally don’t.” She stops herself. “Okay, so maybe I do. But if you just tried them you would get what I was saying.” She shoos me off. “You better hurry, they only had a couple left.”
“Fine.” I edge out of my seat, scanning the counter for Mr. Tall Guy.
Coast is clear.
“Only two!” Niki calls out.
Stopping, I look over my shoulder and mouth. “Okay.”
“Hurry,” she mouths back, her eyes wide.
I make my way to the counter.
“You must be Nina. Hey girl.” The barista beams behind the counter.
“Yep. And you must be Jen.” I have no choice but to mirror her smile.
“That’s me.” She reaches for a cup and a Sharpie, writing my name down. “What can I get you?
“I’ll just take what my sister had plus a cream-cheese danish.”
“Good choice.” She begins to fiddle with the machine. “So how long are you here for?”
Deciding Jen isn’t so bad, I lean my hip on the counter, welcoming the conversation. “I’m here to stay.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful.” She reaches for the milk. “Non-fat?”
“Sure.”
Filling the small metal pitcher with the skim milk, she holds it under the steamer, pressing the button. “Dang it.” Her face begins to flush as she presses the button repeatedly and mutters curses.
“Need some help?” I lean over the counter just as the machine kicks on and a big burst of steam comes out, spraying the milk all over the front of her.
“Ugh! I swear, why does this stuff always happen to me?” She slams the pitcher down and removes her apron. “I must have kicked a puppy in my younger years because stuff like this only
happens to assholes who are mean to puppies. Right?” Jen reaches into a drawer behind her and pulls a new apron on over her head and grabs a new cup.
I can’t help it. A laugh rolls out. “Kick a puppy?”
“Well, yeah.” She looks up as she pours the milk for a second time. “What’s worse than that?”
“You got me there.” I watch her go for the machine for a second time. “Wait! You need to clean that.”
“I got a new pitcher.” She holds it up. “See? Clean.”
“No, the duct in the spout needs cleaned.” I’m practically sitting on the counter now, but still can’t reach. “Can I come around?”
“Sure.” She flips the counter up. “By all means, help yourself.”
“See, the trick to having a successful day is to not have the milk touch the opening of the spout. Let the pressure push the steam throughout the pitcher, warming the milk.” I unscrew the parts and examine each one.
“You look like you know what you’re doing.” Jen stands behind me, looking over my shoulder.
“I used to work at a Starbucks when I was in nursing school.”
“You’re a nurse? Niki didn’t mention that.”
“I dropped out.”
“That sucks. Why?” She asks a simple question, but in all reality, I have no clue what I should say. “My boyfriend thought it would save us money?” “He was a controlling asshole who didn’t want me to make a living for myself, afraid I may leave?” Yeah, those don’t go over well so I stick with the norm.
“It wasn’t for me.” I find the clogged filter. “See, dried milk is clogging the spout.” I bang it against the counter to rid it of the crud and hand it over. “Wash this out, screw it back on and you will be good to go.”
“Huh. Well looky there, learn something new every day.” She reaches over to turn on the sink to let it fill. “You know, we are looking for help.” She points to a handcrafted sign made out of coffee beans. “You would be the perfect fit, plus you get to work with lil’ ol’ me.” She bats her eyelashes as she sticks her hands in the water. “Crap, I forgot the hot water is broke. The plumber won’t be in till tonight.” She looks around. “I’m just going to run to the back to clean this out and grab more whip. You stay there and think about the job offer.”
Flipping up the counter, I head back to the other side to wait. “I’ll be here.”
Taking a step back, I rest against the half wall, taking in my surroundings. There is a high-schooler sitting alone, staring out the window. I can’t help but wonder why. Did she have a fight with her parents? Is she waiting for her boyfriend? Maybe she is applying for a job and is waiting on the manager?
Then a couple tables down there are two girls in their early twenties, probably my age, and a guy. The blonde who is sitting next to the guy is being really affectionate. Holding his hand with one hand while reaching over with the other to rub his arm. The brunette sitting across the table looks in every direction but at them, until the blonde reaches to answer her phone and I swear the brunette mouths, “Tell her.”
I guess I never really paid attention before, but as I stand here observing these customers, it really makes me wonder, did anybody know? Could they see what I was going through? Were they watching me, like I’m watching these people?
My eyes land on Niki and she holds up her hands. I signal it will only be a few more minutes when something familiar grabs my attention.
In the booth behind Niki sits a woman, facing away from the window, and a guy, probably her husband, sits beside her. Her hands pull at the arms of her long-sleeved shirt, a shirt that is too warm for early summer. Probably hiding bruises from last night. Out of the corner of her eye, she notices me.
As she turns we make eye contact, a silent conversation, her pleading for me to help. It’s an SOS I have signaled so many times, but always left unsaved. Her husband notices, and looks between us. He whispers something in her ear. I shake my head for her not to go and nod toward the bathroom. Maybe I couldn’t be saved, but I’ll be damned if she walks out of here with him. He stands, hand on her elbow, pulling her with him.
The sound of a palm connecting to the counter causes me to jump.
“Jen, I got one hell of an order for you.”
It’s him.
I freeze, startled like a deer in headlights, paralyzed.
“You okay?” Mr. Tall Guy reaches for my arm.
“Don’t touch me.” I jerk away, not seeing Jen holding out my coffee. “Shit!” The coffee drops to the floor and splatters all over my legs.
“I didn’t mean to…” he utters.
“Nina! You okay?” Niki is by myside. “Kyle, what did you do to her?” Great. Niki knows Mr. Tall Guy.
“Absoluting nothing, Niki, so, you can leave my balls intact. Got it?” He laughs, smiling over at me, but I’m not in the mood to return it.
“I’m just going to the bathroom to clean up.” I turn and notice the empty booth.
They’re gone. I run to the bathroom and check under all the stalls hoping she is hiding out, waiting for me. With each empty stall, my hope fades. She’s gone.
Taking a handful of towels, I clean up my legs and head back out to see Jen, who is mopping up the floor, while Niki puts out Wet Floor signs. I may not have been able to save her today, but maybe, just maybe, she will be back tomorrow.
“The job offer still stand?” I blurt out, shocking both Jen and Niki.
“Sure does.” Jen stops, placing the mop back in the bucket.
“Good, I need an application.”
“No need. Can you start tomorrow?” She grabs a business card and writes down some information.
“Yep.”
“Good. My uncle owns Java Talk. So, if I say you’re hired, you’re hired.” She hands over the card. “Here is my number and your hours for the week.”
I look down at the card. “Dang, that’s early.”
“In early, leave early. Plus, you get free coffee.” She winks.
“Free coffee? Jen, you holding out on me?” Niki interrupts, and we all laugh.
Waving the card in the air, I say, “I’m glad I met you. See you tomorrow.”
“Me too. Till tomorrow.”
“You ready to go?” Niki asks. “Gavin wants us to come to Spotlight for lunch.”
“Show me the way.”
Kyle
“Damn, man. Forget the coffee, it’s almost time for lunch,” Drew blurts out over the Bluetooth.
I mentally flip off my best friend and boss, owner of WilliamSon Construction. I’m more than just the lead foreman. Hell, he’s asked me time and time again if I want to be partners, but this job, it’s just that: a job that keeps me busy during the day. My personal projects, well, they get worked on during the night.
“Blame your wife,” I fire back as I drive down the rock road of our new remodel. “Her, and Niki’s sister.”
“What’s Aubrey have to do with this?” I know curiosity is getting the best of him. “Oh, and stay away from Niki’s sister. Niki texted Aubrey to have her text me to remind you to stay away. What’s up with that?”
“Aubrey’s fault for that new protein drink. Let’s just say my wait time at Java Talk was a little longer than expected.” I know he knows what I’m talking about. Ever since she found out she was pregnant with their son, she has been on this healthy kick making Drew drink these healthy shakes and since I gave him hell, he had her send a case to my house too. Not cool, bro.
“Say no more.” He cracks up on the other end of the line. “But what about Niki’s sister?”
“I ran into her at Java Talk.” I recall the before and after. “Something happened and she freaked out. Niki came over and thought it was me, but before I could say too much, she ran to the bathroom and didn’t come back out. But don’t worry. Niki informed me that was her sister and to keep my hands off.”
“Good. Then consider this talk my warning.” His laughter fades. “I’m serious, Lewis.”
“I’m pulling in.
Send those twerps down to get their girly lattes.” I press end, ignoring his “warning.” Truth be told, something about that girl intrigues me.
Putting my truck into park, I open the door and hop down, looking around for Lee and the rest of the guys to show up, but none of them come. Thanks, Drew. I may have gotten stuck getting their coffee for the week because of one little hazing prank, but I’ll be damned if I hand deliver each and every one.
Heading to the back of the truck, I open up the steel toolbox and pull out my belt, along with my safety equipment.
Grabbing a box of nails, I throw on my hardhat and head to find Drew to get the rundown.
“Hey, Lewis, it’s about time you got here.” He looks around. “Where’s the coffee?”
“Out in the truck. I only have so many hands, man. They can get it—”
Before I can finish, Drew brings his fingers to his lips, letting out a whistle, signaling for the crew to take a break.
“Hey, boss.” Lee is the first to enter. “Where’s the—”
“Out in the truck,” I cut him off.
Lee is an eager employee. Always the first one here and ready to work, volunteering on the weekends to prep the site. Drew really lucked out in finding him, but sometimes I like to give him a hard time and it doesn’t sit well with Drew. So, that is how I ended up buying six-dollar coffees for Lee and his crew for a whole week.
“Got it.” He walks past me, hardhat off.
“Hey, Lee? Where’s your hat?” I call after him.
“On the second level,” he shouts back.
“Hat stays on till you get in your truck. You got it? I have one in the back.”
“Got it, boss.” He opens the truck, grabs the hat, puts it on and comes back with the coffee. The others come running out to grab theirs.
“Man…” Drew walks up behind me and places his hand on my shoulder. “Take it easy. The crew know all about safety. They have watched the videos. They’re good.” He gives me a little pat. “I promise.”
