Fear

Chapter One

Mairi parked her white Kia Sportage in the first empty parking space she could see. Turning the engine off, she wasted no time in unbuckling her seat belt and slipping out of her car. Keeping her eyes fixated on the building in front of her with a large smile adorned on her lips. She pulled in a deep breath before exhaling loudly in satisfaction. Pulled the brown leather strap of her handbag further up her shoulder before taking steps towards the building. 

Once Mairi reached to glass doors, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a bundle of keys to which she used to open the lock. Closing the door behind her, she turned around to flip the closed sign to show open as her fingers traced the logo above. A small smile raised on her lips again before she turned and walked to the back of the building where there was another locked door. Behind it, was a pristine new white office space for her to work in along with any manager working there. 

Her leather bag made a loud thud as Mairi dropped it onto the white desk with her new computer, which had just started up. She dropped down into the chair before signing in to the computer and opening up her emails. Today was the opening day, and she had to make sure everything was ready so that it would run smoothly. She had her staff and her stock so now it was just the case of getting the customers. After running through all her emails and putting what she needed to into the diary for today, Mairi stood up and walked out the front to start preparing the counter. 

"Good morning, Mairi." A deep voice called as the door opened to reveal a tall man with blond hair and sea blue eyes. He had a boyish grin as he walked to the counter where Mairi stood behind. "Justin, nice to see ya again." Mairi smiled back at him. "And you boss," Justin said as he walked through two silver, metal swinging doors. Which led to the large newly refurbished kitchen. Justin was the new chef that Mairi had hired along with a few other new staff members. 

Just as Justin had made his way into the kitchen, the door swung open again with two women walking in. Mairi smiled at them as she turned on the tap to wash her hands after finishing cutting limes. "Mornin' ladies," Mairi called to them as they echoed good morning back before disappearing to the staff room to change into their work clothes. Mairi looked at the clock to see it was ten minutes to nine in the morning. Ten minutes to opening time. 

Mairi finished off the opening routine by switching on the last of the TVs. just as the two women walked out of the staff room. They both had large smiles and looked ready and exciting for their first shift. "Okay, so you guys are happy with how everything works?"

"Yes, oh look!" The blond-haired woman called Lizzy smiled broadly as she pointed at the door to see the first customer push open the door. Lizzy floated over with a soft smile to welcome the customer. She took him to a seat at one of the booths with a window. 

"Sharon, I have some paperwork I need to do in the office. Can you watch over the front?" Mairi asked the other women who smiled in return with a soft nod. Mairi walked through to the office area in the back where she sat down at her desk again. Mairi had no idea how long she had been sat at her desk receiving and replying to emails, making sure the stock orders were ready to send away for next week. 

"Mairi, can we get some help out front? It's getting busy." Sharon smiled to her through the open door. Mairi stood up front her chair feeling slightly stiff before swiftly moving around the desk and out the door. What she saw next was definitely not what she was expecting. The diner was packed with waiting customers and already seated customer. Mairi instantly went into a server mode and began to rush around taking orders and serving food and drinks from the menu. 

Within three hours the mad rush as quietened down enough for Mairi to send Lizzy home for the day. Sharon and Mairi concentrated on the cleanup as well as serving the last of the customers before it was time to shut up shop for the day. Once Mairi had finished counting the till and finished filling out the account books, she pulled on her coat and pulled her bag onto her shoulder. She walked around the diner switching off the lights and equipment before locking the doors. 

Driving home, she thought back on how the first day of her new diner had gone. The town seemed to take well to the new opening and already had left several good reviews on social platforms. All in all, it seemed to be a good day's work. Mairi's Diner was a big gamble for Mairi, one that seems to have paid off already. 

Mairi pulled out of her parking space and onto the main road, she drove in the quiet streets, lit by only the street lights and traffic signals. A soft tune playing over the radio that she tapped her steering wheel with. She drove for only ten minutes before pulling off the main road and into a residential parking area for her apartment. She parked up before searching for her keys in her bag. Once she found them, she jumped out of her Kia and made her way to the main entrance of her apartment block. She tapped the fob against the small black cube to open up the main door. Mairi made her way to the lift and made her way up to floor number four. She turned left out the lift and come to the second door which then led to her apartment.

It was just a comfortable one-bedroom apartment with a large 'L' shaped open plan living space. A small balcony was the perfect size for her to enjoy the sunshine in the summertime. She hung her bag and coat onto the hangers next to the main door before walking through to her bedroom. A large king-size double bed was the centrepiece with a thin black metal cube frame with thin mesh sheets hooked up on each side. 

Mairi switched on the TV before kicking off her shoes and flopping down onto the thick sheets. This was her new start. Away from her previous life.