WHEN I NEEDED YOU. ( Lesbian Slow Updates.)

16

After her initial shock, frustration and anger subsided, Anele realised that there was no way she could quit. There was no other job currently available that was flexible with her shifts and her children's school schedule. Jobs that met those needs were either lower in pay or too far from her current place of residence, her school and the twin's school. Anele abandoned the thought of resigning with hope that Kyoko would not be around the restaurant a lot. The previous owner rarely showed his face at the restaurant, hence most of the staff never knew him.

" Yeah. I can do this."

She gave herself a pep talk as she slid on her work shoes.

" Talking to yourself is the first sign of going crazy."

She thought she was alone in the locker room and the sound of somebody else's voice behind her startled her, she turned around so fast she almost fell but managed to brace herself with the lockers.

" I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you. Are you okay?"

For a second she stood frozen, unable to speak while wondering when the last time was she saw such a good looking woman. Not that there were no good looking women in her city but there were not many like her.

" Uhmm_ sorry. I'm fine. Not to be rude but this is the staff locker rooms. If you're looking for the toilets-"

The stranger smiled.

" I'm actually the new employee. My name is Ayana but friends call me Yani, that's what I prefer too."

Ayana held a hand out for Anele to shake it. She took it. Ayana could see she had an affect on her and held her hand a minute longer than necessary before letting go.

Anele gave Ayana a small smile and nodded.

"Nice to meet you, Yani. I'm Anele, one of the waitresses here. Sorry for the confusion earlier, it's just that we rarely have new employees join, so seeing a stranger in the locker room threw me off a bit."

Ayana chuckled softly.

"No worries, Anele. I can understand your confusion. It's great to know I'll be working with someone so observant and attentive."

Feeling a warmth spread across her cheeks, Anele looked away briefly before regaining her composure.

"Thank you, that's very kind of you to say. If you need any help settling in or finding your way around, feel free to ask. I've been here for quite some time, so I'm familiar with the ins and outs of the place."

Ayana's eyes sparkled with gratitude.

" I might take you up on that offer sometime. It's always comforting to have someone friendly to rely on when starting a new job."

Anele smiled genuinely this time, feeling a sense of connection forming with Ayana.

" We're all here to support one another."

Ayana nodded appreciatively.

"Thank you, Anele. I'll remember that. Is there anything I should know specifically about this place? Any unwritten rules or secrets that only the veterans are aware of?"

Anele chuckled, leaning against one of the lockers.

"Well, there are a few unwritten rules, like not eating in the staff lounge before your shift is over. As for secrets, well, I guess you'll have to stick around and discover them for yourself."

Intrigued, Ayana tilted her head slightly.

"Sounds exciting. I can't wait to explore and unravel the mysteries of this place. And who knows, maybe we'll even stumble upon some together, Anele."

A playful smirk formed on Anele's lips.

" Maybe."

As they shared a brief laugh, Anele couldn't help but feel a newfound sense of enthusiasm for her job. That was until Kyoko walked in, the last person she wanted to see. Anele quickly put her items back into her locker then locked it before attempting to walk past Kyoko.