Terrified

Chapter 14: Terrified (FINALE - Part 2 of 3)

The time ticks fast for the day until the late afternoon came and the sun is setting beautifully up in the sky. The cherry blossoms of the season are being kissed by the orange sun rays, the petals swaying along with the mild cold wind. It's a quiet afternoon for the town as the people go along with the peace that the season brings, relaxing and cozy even after a whole day of busy works.

As the business hours come to an end, the café has reached its closing time as well, just like their neighboring stores. As per usual goal of any business, the racks are emptied, the coffee supplies for the day are out and every goods they sell are wiped out. It's satisfying to look at, especially when the tables and chairs have already been fixed to formally end a day of endless works.

Yumi assembled her staffs and as she stands in front of them, she formally bows, "Everyone, thank you so much."

"Huh? What's with you today? You sound so too formal when you don't really have to." Chris asked, confused as to why the owner is suddenly lowering down her head before them.

Yumi straightened herself up and stares at them one by one, "I just feel like thanking all of you again and I will every single day. The café was closed down for such a long period of time and honestly, until now it hasn't sink in to me that you guys, everyone, came back to me without doubts as soon as I asked you to work with me once again. It's really an amazing feeling that after being terrified of the possible outcome, you guys are there to stand with me and make this business work better than before. Really, I can't thank you guys enough and I feel like words aren't enough to express how thankful I really am." She whole-heartedly spoke out what's been in her heart the entire time she couldn't take her eyes off them during works.

And before Yumi could even let a tear drop from her eye, Chris put a hand up to stop her, "Wait! Don't dare you cry right now because I won't let you!"

"Right!" Fatima agreed and stepped up to put an arm around her best friend. "If you really want to thank us, then be with us too every single day and work with us. I'm not saying that you should still come to work when you're sick or if you have more important errands to attend on. What I'm saying is that you should always be that Yumi that we love and support, the Yumi who is always genuine and true not only to the customers, but also to us, your staffs."

"Damn you're going to make me cry! How can I not cry when you guys are like this?" Yumi tried to fight for her emotions by acting tough and giggly after Fatima's heartfelt message.

"Shall we call it a day and come back again for tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, on the next days...? We have long way to go Yumi. You better stay strong as always." Chris winked and gave Yumi a pat to comfort her, whatever she's feeling at this moment.

Yumi nodded at him and returns a wide smile, "Yeah Kuya. Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow."

The best friends sent off the staffs, also Chris, as they watched them disappear from the crowded streets. Like how they used to be, they stayed behind and even without words Fatima grabbed cans of beers and tossed one to her best friends as they freely sit on the cleaned floor. The comfortable silence remains the same through the years they've always been together and in hush they enjoy the first sips of their drinks to ease their stiffed bodies from an entire day of work.

"You did it." Fatima said and expecting Yumi to know what she meant.

Yumi looked around her, the café that was once wrecked and looked so hopeless, now back on the roll once again, fully-equipped. "I didn't do it on my own. We did it, Fat. All of us together, we made it possible again." She acknowledged her best friends contributions for her business' success and offered another beer for her to enjoy and just be carefree for this after-work rest.