Trust In Love

You're Fired

When Tom had kissed her goodnight at her door, it had promised so much. Now, barely a few days later, her world had turned upside down....

"Susie, I PROMISE I had nothing to do with it... I don't know why he's involved me.  I dont know him..."

Susie hardened her heart and her expression.

"You're fired, Jennie. Collect your things and go. Now. Just be thankful Tom's not pressing charges. I can't believe you did this. After all this time? Stealing from our customers is just so low. If you were in trouble, you only needed to say. Now please, go." Susie stood, arms crossed at the front door.  

Jennie sobbed on the doorstep.  She clung onto Susie's arm, her face a picture of despair.  "I knew him at school. That's ALL. I PROMISE. Please, let me at least come in and talk to you.  I've lost Tom, I can't lose you too." her voice cracked, and she sobbed, hands over her face.

As Susie watched, her heart melted just a little along with her resolve.  Was this really all a huge mistake? Surely Jennie really was the woman she always thought.  Against her better judgement, she took a step back. "Ok. We can talk. And have a cup of tea, YOU'RE paying. Come in until I shut the store and get my bag." she walked away, and Jennie followed, still crying but now more silently.

"I PROMISE.."

"Not now.  Please, Jennie.  Wait, ok?  I'll hear you out, but not here. But don't think for one minute this changes anything.  Not yet." Susie looked at her with a hard stare that Jennie had never seen before.  She nodded silently, looking down at the floor.

It only took a couple of minutes to gather the contents of her little locker into her bag. "Ready?" Susie asked, not unkindly.  She could see the pain Jennie was in, guilty or not. She was being punished on every level.  She didn't need Susie adding to the misery.

Jennie looked around the little room.  Their "den" when they swapped stories and secrets, it had seen and heard more of her adult life than she would care to admit.  She'd hoped it would see more.  The noticeboard was covered in photos of nights out, shop events, and all the stuff work "families" were made of. 

Even a piece of ribbon from Susie's 60th birthday cake was pinned, the remnants of the icing still clinging to it.  There was one photo, however, that took pride of place and which she now just wanted to tear to pieces.  Susie, on one side, Jennie on the other and in the middle?  Tom.  The first time he'd visited.  They'd asked for a selfie as a memento, never imagining that he would become such a part of their lives.

With a sigh, she walked back out.  A few moments later, Susie followed her.  "Oh Jennie?" she turned, and Susie handed her something in an envelope. "Open it later."

"Ok." she popped it into her bag, and they locked the store.  Walking away to the café, they didn't speak.  There was so much to say, and neither could actually think of a thing that wouldn't just make things worse.

The last time Jennie had been in here, it was an oasis of comfort with a warmth that had seeped into her soul.  This time, however, it was a cold and unfriendly place.  

"We're closed."  The voice from across the café made Susie and Jennie stop in their tracks.  

"I'm sorry?" Susie squinted and looked around at the tables filled with people eating and drinking and generally doing café-type things.  "These people might want to disagree."

"We're closed to your kind." The manager stood, arms folded in just the same manner Susie had. 

"MY KIND? My money has been your kind of money for almost twenty years. What do you mean by my KIND?!" Susie retorted and stared him out.  He swallowed and relented.  "Fine, we'll serve YOU, but SHE isn't welcome here."

The manager pointed across at Jennie.  "You can have a takeaway, but SHE isn't staying.  I don't want my customers exposed to... her. "  he turned and looked at the girl behind the counter, whom neither Jennie nor Susie recognised.  "Serve them and then close up.  We're done for today." he glared at Jennie and went to the back shop.

"I'm sorry." the young girl on the till whispered. "I don't like what he said, I don't think it's right to judge in public if someone is guilty or not.  Especially when there's not even been a trial yet." she was trying to be kind, but it came out sounding slightly odd.  She smiled at Susie and glanced over at Jennie. "You don't think she is... do you?

Susie couldn't, in all honesty, answer.  Had she been asked, even just 48 hours previously, it would have been cut and dried.  Now?  Now, she didn't know WHAT to believe. Instead, she just looked up at the blackboard menus.  By way of avoiding the issue, she ordered two cappuccinos to go.

Jennie walked back outside and leaned against the wall, her face scarlet with shame. Was this the life she was condemned to until the trial? She covered her face, and the tears flooded down again. 

How had her life come to this.  No job - probably no house when the money ran out - no friends and now?  No reputation, whatever the outcome.  Mud, as they said, sticks.  She was, quite simply screwed and she had absolutely no idea why.

As she stood, letting the misery wash over her, she didn't see the man walk up to her.  Wasn't aware when he took the cups from the hands of a very surprised Susie who had just appeared. And she definitely wasn't prepared for the person to speak to her.

"Come on, these will get cold if we stand around.  I think we need to speak, you and I.  Sort a few things out?"

Jennie's hands slowly uncovered her face, from her eyes downwards, settling over her mouth.  Her open and gaping mouth. Susie nodded, unsmiling, and walked away, saying to Jennie, "Call me later when you're done, we still need that talk, ok?" 

"So, as I said darling, I think we need to talk. Come on." The hand that was extended to her was large and soft and welcoming . A hand that belonged to the last person Jennie ever expected to see again.

Tom.