While you were Sleeping

1. Show time

Okay... so this is my first attempt at writing ANYTHING by myself... so be nice! I was planning to keep it all until I finished writing but as Watty said, I'm gonna keep poking at it if I don't release it into the wild... sooo here we go!!

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Juliana took a deep breath and tried to relax; she was about to begin her first shift in a new pop-up barista bar in Mexico City.

Juliana had seen the ad for a barista in the local job centre, and although she wasn't confident, she applied and somehow managed to get the job. The fact that she also spoke English may have tipped the scales in her favour because many people had shown up interested in the position.

Juliana was then invited to a workshop, the franchise had decided to set up a few pop-up cafés around Mexico City and to save resources, invited all the applicants to one workshop. Possibly to weed out the useless applicants. But Juliana was a quick learner, she listened carefully and followed all the instructions given. Only asking questions when absolutely necessary. A few of the fumbling recruits were asked to leave while a handful were asked to stay on for an interview.

When she had been asked the dreaded question, "And what qualities do you feel you could bring to this job?" Juliana had frozen. Qualities? She had no idea! She quickly wracked her brain trying to think of something.

"Erm, well I'm originally from the states, so I can speak English. I am a fast learner and I'm not afraid to ask questions. I also worked part time in a small shop before moving here, so I'm familiar with using a till."

The words had spewed from her mouth, her hands clasped tightly in her lap as her right foot shook nervously, causing her entire leg to bounce. When she noticed one of the interview panel looking at her leg, she quickly placed her right hand on her knee to stop the movement, earning a smile from the woman. They had politely thanked her for coming in and assured her they would be in touch but Juliana hadn't really expected anything from it.

Thankfully, that evening she had received a call to congratulate her and welcome her to the team. Juliana was a little stunned and could only answer in monosyllabic words. "Yes", "Great", "Thank you".

Lupe, Juliana's mother, had been over the moon at the news. Juliana's steady income would get their landlady, Milagros, off their backs while Lupe also looked for a steady job. Which unfortunately, was proving to be quite difficult.

It had been a difficult few months since their move to the capital and both women had been trying to find their place in this huge city.

Lupe was born in Mexico but her parents immigrated to the states when she was a teenager. She met Juliana's father right after high school, got married and pregnant and that was it, her life had been mapped out at a very young age. Macario, her husband, worked as a mechanic in a small garage while Lupe was a stay-at-home mum, caring for their young daughter in a little house in Texas.

But the American dream didn't last long and tragedy struck the Valdés family. While working under a car one evening, the hydraulic lift failed, Macario had been killed instantly.

So, with a young daughter and no income, Lupe had to move in with her parents, who had welcomed the pair with open arms. They loved having Juliana in the house, minding her when Lupe got a job in a local supermarket.

They had lived a fairly normal life in Texas but Lupe had always talked about returning to Mexico. After Juliana's grandparents passed away, they decided it was a good time to return. Lupe hadn't kept in touch with any of her childhood friends, so moving here was a new start for both women. They just needed to find their feet. After acquiring a small flat, with a reasonable rent, jobs were next on their list.