Katie's Cafe

19

After the interview, I decided to hire the young male barista Kian, starting immediately. Turns out, that similar to Hannah, he's currently saving up for university as well.

It didn't take her long to notice him at all, and he'd definitely noticed her too. It was bound to happen eventually, but I hope they can keep things professional.

All throughout the day there's an obvious, unspoken flirtation between the two of them that is quite sweet really, but also annoyingly distracting in the work place.

I keep constantly catching them staring at each other while I'm trying to organise the new work rota. It may be a dick move but I decide to wind Hannah up about it.

"So are you two ever actually going to talk, or are you just going to keep eye fucking each other all day? People here are trying to eat you know," I laugh at how embarrassed they both look.

The rest of the day passes pretty quickly with Hannah barely speaking a word to me after what I said before. I'm pretty sure she's plotting to kill me later.

After Gemma and Kian leave for the day, I'm relieved. I needed to get Hannah alone so I could speak with her privately. At closing time when we're cleaning up, I say what I need to say.

"I need to talk to you, it's really important".

"If it's an apology for earlier, then I'm all ears, bitch," she says, clearly still pissed off at me with a mop in hand.

"I'm done, Hannah. I can't do this anymore, and I'm not going through with it," I tell her, but I'm not sure what her reaction will be.

"Are you being serious right now?"

"I'd say deadly serious, but let's take away the deadly bit just to be on the safe side," I make a pathetic attempt to lighten the mood.

She runs over and wraps her arms so tightly around me that I can hardly breath anymore. I can feel her tears dampening my shirt as I stroke her hair.

"Thank you".

"For what?" I start crying myself once I realise how small she feels in my arms right now.

"Ever since you've met Tom, it's like I've finally started to get the old you back".

"I never really left".

"I've really missed you, Katie".

She finally looks up at me and I wipe her tears away. I hadn't been called by that name in so many years now, that it felt completely alien to me.

"Hannah, I'm so sorry I couldn't finish this for both of us, but I can't keep living in the past anymore".

"Sara wouldn't have wanted that for you, but you've been the best big sister I could've asked for".

"I just wish she was still here to see what a beautiful young woman you grew up to be. She always said she knew that her baby sister was going to accomplish great things, and I know it too".

"You'll always be my big sister too you know?"

"Of course I will. You can't get rid of me that easily".

Once we've finish our emotional sisterly moment, I think back to the day I had to tell a fourteen year old Hannah what happened to Sara, the real Sara Thomas that is.

She had been on a week long school trip when Sara had died, and I was just a terrified twenty one year old with no idea what to do for the best.

The day she came back, I had to tell her, but I couldn't find it in my heart to lie to her about it and sugarcoat the events that had lead up to her sister's death.