Brewed to Perfection

Part 4

On that fateful day, where Benjamin revealed himself to be the newest barista at Brewtiful, I stood glued in my spot by the front door.

Looking back I was glad the door didn't have that little bell alarm that other independent coffee shops often did, that would alert everyone when someone entered.

I was glad i had a few moments to work out, what the fuck to do.

Brewtiful was quiet, and Jerry and Benjamin were standing behind the till. It looked like Jerry was explaining the 'complex' till system, and Benjamin was trying to absorb all the information Jerry was throwing at him.

If it was anything like how he taught me, Jerry would be showing him functions of the till and ridiculous scenarios that would never ever happen.

On my first day, Jerry had shown me how to alert management who may be at the back of the shop, about police requesting CCTV. In five years, this scenario is yet to happen, and I'm doubtful it ever will, since Brewtiful is located in a tiny village, where 99% of the population are elderly and the last scandalous crime reported was a bag of Percy Pigs being stolen from the local M&S.

Seeing Benjamin just standing there, in my spot, wearing the same apron I did, and talking to MY manager, just felt wrong. All of it was wrong.

I didn't know how to act. The thought of even walking back out of the door and phoning Jerry to tell him I was ill, crossed my mind. But I'd have to face him eventually. And I couldn't just quit. I had bills to pay.

I didn't even know whether to acknowledge him or just pretend I forgot his existence.

When I finally decided I needed to move towards the impending doom, I swallowed down the bile that had risen in my throat, and almost as if on autopilot my legs moved forward.

-

"Ah Maeve, there you are" Jerry stated, as I tried to slip through the staff entry way without bringing too much attention to myself. Obviously, i hadnt achieved this very well.

"Hi Jerry" I replied in what couldnt even be considered a whisper.

I kept my head down and tired to scuttle through.

Jerry cleared his throat, and i prayed quickly that he wasnt about to do what i thought he was going to do. My prayer was not answered.

"Maeve, this is Benny." Jerry reached towards me, and scooted me over so i was almost face to face with the demon, or should i say 'Benny'. People at high school had called him that nickname but I had always thought it never suited him. Benny sounds like a cool guy. Benny is the name you give a nice friendly dog. Not the name of an evil man child, If he thought for one second i was ever going to call him Benny he could kiss my ass.

I still kept looking at the ground. I refused to look into Benjamin's eyes and acknowledge him in any way.

I heard a cough, but was unsure whether it was from Jerry or Benjamin. I didnt care either way.

"Uh, well, Benny this is Maeve" Jerry managed to get out awkwardly. I don't know why he felt awkward, he wasn't about to be reunited with his childhood bully.

"Maeve's been working here for nearly five years, isn't that right Maeve?"

I could tell Jerry was trying to fill the awkward silence but I wasn't in a particularly chatty mood.

I was just about to turn around, and inhale the breath I'd been holding for approximately five minutes, when I noticed Benjamins hand reach out in between both of us.

What the-

"Hi Maeve, nice to meet you." The words rang in my ears. I was surprised after all this time his voice sounded exactly the same as I remembered it. Deep, slightly raspy and completely devoid of any emotion. Cold.

So cold, I felt a chill run down my spine.

So this was how he was playing it. Like he hadn't harassed me for years.

To be honest, i wouldn't be surprised if he genuinely didn't remember me at all, just like he had once said "I was absolutely nothing to him."

I noticed his hand was still outstretched and it looked like he was about to pull it back to where it belonged, when all of a sudden, Jerry felt like butting in.

"Don't be so rude Maeve, shake Benny's hand." Jerry tried to make light of me blatantly ignoring and refusing to shake Benjamin's hoof, or should I say hand? But at that moment I decided the only way I was going to be able to deal with this situation was if I completely detached myself from everyone and everything. Including myself.

I would be a shell of myself at work, go home and then turn my emotions back on. Just like the 'off switch' in the Vampire Diaries.

Well if Jerry wanted me to play along with this farce, then what better time to switch off than right then.

So that's what I did. I moved my eyes to Benjamin's face. I didn't look into his eyes, his stupid hair, or ridiculously symmetrical features. I looked through him, as I reached for his slightly retracted hand and shook it.

"Benjamin is it? Nice to meet you too."