Food Courting

Chapter 6: Breadwinner

Day eight of the Coup D'é-Tea

Cora trudged through the mall's empty grocery store, leaning on her cart as if she was a senior citizen in a twenty-eight-year-old's body. While she had yesterday off, it had been less of a break and more like a wrench in her momentum. Like an espresso machine, she needed time to warm up before performing at her best. Unlike the machine, she didn't have that luxury, and her shift earlier in the day had been a struggle. If it wasn't against company policy, she would work every day; it's not like she did much else on her days off. Alas, Darlene followed the bible of Cool Beans Employee Handbook, so Cora was forced to pause her charge as well.

She let out a long sigh as she entered another pitifully stocked aisle, most of the on-sale inventory gone. Moments like those made Cora wonder if she should do her shopping prior to work, but with Darlene occupying most of the personal fridge with her entire lunch bag, Cora had no place to store her perishable purchases, much less her own lunch. Thus, she was stuck with the slim pickings left over from the day, rifling through brown produce and calculating if she could splurge on regular-priced items.

In her cart, she already had some discounted produce, their bruises and rotten patches blessings to her wallet, and a jar of on-sale mayonnaise. If she remembered correctly, she had cold cuts in her freezer too. It looked like sandwiches were on the menu.

Cora continued down the aisle as she examined the sales ad in front of her, drawing stars by the items she needed rain checks for. The sight of the doodles made her unreasonably giddy, like she was a kid wishing on an actual shooting star. Not that hoping on a flaming ball of space rock ever got her anything.

Just before she reached the bread aisle, movement caught her eye. Normally, the only people around at that hour were the employees, drunk college students, and workers from nearby businesses just trying to get through their errands so they could return to their empty, lonely houses. Well, and Cora, of course.

Never had Cora expected to see Farron there too.

Farron must have thought similarly, judging by the way she froze and stared at Cora with wide eyes. They had last seen each other mere minutes ago after another vicious close-off. Since the first day, and excluding the times Cora and Farron didn't share the closing shift, the battle to lock up had become fiercer than ever. Maybe Farron really had gone to training during her extended absence.

Nevertheless, Cora had managed to close the security door at least fifteen seconds before Farron did, meaning Cora still held the title. As for the blend-offs... Well, the lack of demand for Cool Beans didn't encourage much competition, and Cora refused to be involved in any lunchtime antics after her embarrassment the first time.

But this was a new battleground. Now the question was, what would they be fighting for?

"Farron," Cora said, trying her best to not sound smug about her recent victory. She was unsuccessful, but at least she thought about the attempt.

Farron frowned. "It's actually Assistant Manager Farron Kam. But I suppose you don't have to practice memorizing names much, not when you hardly get any customers."

Cora pursed her lips. In her two years of knowing Farron—or rather, recognizing her and her terrible customer service—Cora had never formally met the woman. To have that introduction be paired with the reminder of Farron's undeserved promotion stung Cora more than it should have.

"Yeah?" Cora said, straightening her posture. "Well I'm..." don't say it, don't say it, "Bean Team Member Cora Chun to you." Shoot, she said it.

As soon as the job title left her mouth, Cora stifled her cringe. That was the official name, sure, but why couldn't she have said something that wasn't so...pathetic? Like "Barista"? Or "Coffee Connoisseur"? Even just "Coffee Maker" would've been better, even though it sounded like an appliance or a bad superhero name. Maybe she should submit a Beannovation to make one of those titles official...