Willa

Chapter Thirteen: Fresh Start

Mary and Erica had a cute little house in the suburbs of their town, it was beautiful, and everything about it felt warm and homely. Neither Mary or Erica were about extravagance, their home was big enough for them, and one spare, that spare was now me. We three fell into a smooth rhythm of figuring out our life together pretty quickly, they were easy to get on with, supportive and kind. I loved to sit and watch them go about their days, two people who had been together over a decade, and they clearly were each other's right hand, they just flowed effortlessly together in their space. Erica had mostly retired from her landscaping business, she was older than Mary, she now volunteered part time to drive the elderly to appointments and help them clean or tidy etc. Mary worked at the hospital full time, she was a nurse and she loved it. 

Both had made it clear to me that they were here to get my life back on the track it should have been on, before my father had put up the road blocks. Mary called the local university, it was one of the few I had gotten into with my scholarship. It was not the one I had chosen however. I had to let go of that one. She had set up a meeting about getting me in the year after, she had to fight for it but of course we came out of that meeting with an assurance of my place. The only requirements were that I had to keep my skills up, and come and train with the team until I joined the spring after, which I of course did. With my parents withdrawing all financial support it was clear that it was on me to support my life from that moment on, and even though Mary assured me I wasn't a drain on their income, I couldn't have her pay my way. So I got a job, my first proper job at a little Greek restaurant in town, Stygos... where I would meet Calliope Nomikos.

***
"First shift huh" came the voice beside me as I tied my white apron around my waist. It was a girl who looked about my age with thick dark hair and brown eyes, she was naturally pretty, didn't wear much makeup and had a lovely complexion.

"Yes my first day" i say shyly.

"My first day was eight years ago" she muses gathering the menus and shuffling them neatly into a pile.

"How old are you" I ask with a frown.

She looks to me and laughs "eighteen" she returns "my family own the restaurant" she adds with a flicker of amusement "I started when I was ten... basically a form of slave labour at this point"

"Callie" a small voice calls as a little girl runs through the tables, her wild curly hair seen above the tables before you caught sight of her large brown eyes and dimples.

"This" she says reaching down and picking up the little girl who had thrown herself at her legs "is my little sister Teddy" she says turning back to me.

I can't help but grin at the little thing looking back at me, she is adorable.

"don't be fooled" Callie says "Theodora is quite the menace" she adds, tickling her.

"Am Not" the little girl returns with a cute raspy voice.

"You are Teddy... you're a menace. She's three years old going on sixteen" she says, with an eyebrow raised at the cheeky grin on the little ones face.

"And what's your name?" I ask her "Callie is it"

She shakes her head "Calliope" she returns "but yes you may call me Callie... it's what I go with at school"

I nod "nice to meet you Callie...and Theodora"

"Teddy" the little girl corrects.

"Teddy of course" I add reaching out and shaking her little hand.

"Theodora Nomikos" came a voice with a thick Greek accent "Get your little butt back here" she called out.

"My momma" Callie informed me, placing Teddy back down on her feet.