The Stars In Your Eyes ✩ Tim Shepard

Cheap Black Coffee

No one is home when I get back. Mom is at work and Megan and Paul are probably out shopping for baby stuff. Seizing the peace, I'm able to take a shower, nap, and get ready for work, by which time I'm feeling mostly normal. My head is still throbbing though.

I slip on my Converse and with that, I'm out the door before anyone has even entered the house. As always, the walk to work is nice. The sun is as blazing as ever, but the humid breeze does just enough to cool my skin.

Once I arrive at Angelo's, I clock in, swapping places with Sarah and Rachel— the day shift waitresses. Mira is already there, scrubbing the countertops as per usual. When she sees me, she beams.

"Thank God, you're alive." She says, only half joking. "I thought I was going to read about your body being found in a ditch."

I roll my eyes, tying my apron around my waist. "I told you Curly was an okay kid."

As I say his name, I cringe. God, I hope he doesn't remember last night either.

Mira shrugs, giving no more of her two cents. I know she hates arguing, especially with friends.

"C'mon. The dinner rush'll be rolling in soon." She swats me with her rag before tossing it into the small bucket under the counter.

Playfully shaking my head, I start refilling the ketchup bottles already on the counter, before placing them around the diner. Once I'm done, the booths start filling up. It's only a matter of time until the kitchen is slammed with orders and my coworker and I are getting harrassed from every angle.

The minutes slowly tick into hours and the sun begins to set over the city line. Behind the bar, Mira scrambles from person to person, refilling drinks and jotting down orders. I do the same, only I'm working the floor as is the case most nights.

Although I typically don't mind it, tonight is different. All the commotion is just making my hangover buzz worse. Nevertheless, I'm grateful when the rush begins to fade, the sun sinks lower in the sky, and the familiar faces of Milo and Otis appear at the counter. Just another hour closer to when I can finally go home.

The older gentlemen give Mira somber smiles as she strides up to pour their customary black coffees. Meanwhile, I finish parading the floor, picking up dishes, and scribbling the last few orders to hand into the kitchen. After this time, it gets quiet, with only a few people coming in for late dinners or a plate of french fries.

I sigh, running my fingers through my hair. I took it down after the rush ended because my brain was starting to ache terribly, but now I'm compelled to put it back up. As I do, the bell rings, and the sounds of several footsteps enter the diner.

"I'll be right with you!" I call over my shoulder, taking the Cobb salad from the window without looking back.

Before I can go, however, Angelo stops me and calls Mira over. He pokes his head out the window, looking mildly distressed.

"Listen, girls, I have to go home early." He starts. "The midnight shift already knows not to come in tonight. Can one of you girls close up?"

"Can't, I gotta make sure Max gets to bed."

"I can." I shrug. "Everyone's usually sleeping by the time I get back."

Angelo nods. "Thank you, girls." He gives us a smile before disappearing back into the kitchen.

Mira gives me an identical smile. "Thank you, Connie. Also, I'm pretty sure that table of boys wants your attention."

I chuckle. "Yeah, right," I say, turning around. Only I'm not surprised. Rolling my eyes, I drop the salad off at its table before stopping in front of the table filled with familiar faces.

"Why am I not surprised?" I ask, not needing a response.

Damien shrugs. "Hey, you told us where you worked."

"Yeah, it was only a matter of time before we bombarded you at your job," Gage adds.

My gaze drifts to Whales and Curly who both shake their heads. "If it makes you feel any better, I asked them not to." The latter speaks up.

I roll my eyes and suddenly slap Oliver with my order pad. "Get off the back of my booth." I scold. He does in an instant. "Anyway, you boys better be ordering," I pause. "Or at least tipping." My gaze moves to Curly. "I'm looking at you, Shepard."

"Ooh!" Gage jeers, slapping Curly's shoulder. His head falls.

"Hey, we'll have a large, large plate of fries," Damien says, "please." He adds as I glare at him from the corner of my eye.

"And a round of cokes, if you will?" Gage adds.

Whales looks up at me. "Coffee, please."

"Basket of fries, four cokes, and a coffee," I repeat, nodding as I jot it all down. "Coming right up."

I grab the useless menus off the table, making my way behind the counter. I hang the ticket in the window, rounding up glasses and a tray for the boys.

As I do, Mira comes to my side. "You know, Curly Shepard and that other boy have been in here twice now to see you. Something I should be worried about?"

I shake my head. "Nope. But avoid Gage. He's a flirt and he has a girlfriend."

Mira's gaze narrows. "Not what I meant."

Pulling the cokes onto the tray, I roll my eyes. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." I say, dragging myself away from the counter.

The boys grin at me as I walk back over with their drinks.

"I think you're the best waitress in the world, Connie." Oliver smiles, grabbing the coke I set in front of him and pounding his straw onto the table to get the wrapper off.

I roll my eyes at him. "If you blow that wrapper at me, I'll be the most pissed-off waitress in the world." I counter, much to the gang's amusement as they laugh at my joke.

Whales wraps a hand around the body of his coffee cup, not bothering to take a sip while D and Gage interest me in small talk. I can't help but laugh at their jokes. Meanwhile, Oliver looks way better than he did this morning and Curly is listening to our conversation.

I wish this time would last forever. Me and the boys. But then I guess time really does have a funny way of speeding up when you're enjoying yourself. Before I know it, Angelo and Mira are out the door and the neon sign in the window is flipped off.

Milo and Otis get up from their barstools and eventually, it's just me and the boys. But that changes in seconds.

"Well then," Whales says as he slips out of the booth after D, "thanks for your service, Miss Connie." With that, he places a handsome tip on the table and respectfully kisses my cheek. "We'll get out of your hair now before you get sick of us."

I laugh. "I could never get sick of you boys," I reply, tossing an arm around Curly's shoulders in a friendly gesture.

He shakes me off like a kid, grinning as he does, "Ha! You haven't been around us long enough!"

Gage snorts. "Don't sweat it, Shepard. Miss Connie, here, loves us!"

And he's right.

After the boys leave, I spend the rest of the time cleaning up, starting from the kitchen and moving up to the front of house. It's sometime past midnight now when I begin wiping down the vinyl tables and the bell suddenly rings.

"I'm sorry sir, we're closed," I say, looking over my shoulder just enough to know it's a man.

The footsteps cease in the middle of the diner. "Sign says twenty-four hours." He replies.

My hand freezes and my breath catches. I turn around, setting my face to glare at him.

Tim's cobalt eyes drill into me, his hands shoved in his pockets while a smirk teases his lips.

"What do you want, Shepard?" I sigh, crossing my arms. I'm in no way prepared to deal with him right now.