The Soot Princess [Hiatus]

45- Rabbit Ears Cafe

Um... Happy holidays! It's a Christmas miracle. I updated.

Eevon

She kept running until her breath came in short deep gasps. "I hate that place. It's so stuffy and suffocating, ya' know?"

I gave her a simple nod in response. I understood what she meant.

We were in a part of the city I had never ventured into. The street was lined with tall, ornate brick houses. Many windows were two and three stories high. White columns lined each house front. Kate walked as if this was normal, maybe it was for her. I caught myself ogling at the houses, no they aren't houses these were mansions. Does only one family really live in one of these? Some seemed like they could have the whole city over for brunch!

"Come on!" I hadn't realized I had stopped.

The houses start to get smaller and turn into boutiques. Kate pulled me into a cafe, Rabbit Ears Cafe. The aroma of fresh ground coffee and vanilla filled the air as I slowly made my way into the room. On the bar, sat a plate of grilled cheese sandwiches; and the cheese was still melting.

Kate sat down in front of the plate and bit into one of them. I stood back, unclear of what I should do.

Kate finished off one and about to grab another, when she said, "Are you waiting for an invitation?" And gestures to the plate. "They will cool off soon and the won't be as good. Hurry up."

So I grabbed one of the hot sandwiches and took a bit, it stung my tongue with the heat and the flavor.

"Oops, sorry," is what Kate said to my reaction to the unexplained burning sensation in my mouth. "I forgot to tell you this cafe puts Jalapeños in the melted cheese. Let me get you a glass of water!" She walked around behind the counter top and pulled a shiny glass down from the rack and filled it from a tap. "Here ya' go!"

"Should you have done that?" I questioned her actions.

"Gran Gran owns the place, so it's fine. I help out here and when the new school year starts, we hire an extra worker or two, to help, because it's busier with student commuting to school and stopping on their way to and from."

"Oh," I simply stated.

"Do you want to come over here more often?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I know what you are asking."

"To say it plainly, if you want a job, you've got it. Okay?"

"Ah, I don't really know wha-"

"Doesn't matter, just keep me company after school twice a week, that is all I am asking!"

"Okay, I will. I was going to look for a job soon anyway."

"Thanks, you just saved my ass!" she replied exasperated. Kate hopped around to the other side of the clean bar counter and popped her hair up I to a bun. "We go by three rules. Rule number one: Hair in bun and uniform spotless. Rule number two: If you wouldn't eat it, don't serve it. Rule number three: smile! Rule number three is the most important. Got that?"

"I think I can handle that," I nodded.

"Do you want to start now?"

"Now, now?"

"Yeah, that is what now means. Most schools just let out and we are going to get a big rush. Come on!" Kate, being her impulsive self, took me by the arm, again, and threw a black v-neck and apron at me. "Your school pants will work for today."

Back on the break room there was a line of lockers, Kate had told me, I could put my "junk" as she called it, in a random empty locker. I placed my school bag at the bottom and started to unbutton the over-sized shirt that I had worn throughout the day. The black v-neck, as it turned out, was just my size. It looked nice. I slipped the apron over my head and tied the bow in the back.

When I walked out Kate looked me over and said, "That'll do."

I didn't have a spare moment between Kate helping me take orders and cleaning up messes left behind by others, mainly patrons, some by Kate. Kate knew everyone by name and most of their orders and when they switched it on her. She was amazing. There was a man making most of the food orders. I found out that he made the wonderful grilled cheese. We slowed down at about six and Kate told Masan to take his break. (I found out his name that way.) She sat down on one of the bar stools and took a breather, while I whipped down the remaining counter space.

"Really, thanks for doing this."

"No problem, I will get paid correct?"

"Every two weeks on Tuesday."

"Tuesday?"

"Yep, Tuesday," she repeated. "While we are slow, let's fill out some paper work."

"Okay."

"Watch frontline for me while I go back and get it." She disappeared into the kitchen.

The bell that had been ringing all afternoon rang again as an older gentleman walked in.

"Hello," I greeted him with a smile.

"Hello, dear. I'll have the special."

"Yes sir," I replied not knowing what he was taking about. I'll ask Kate. "I'll be right back with it."

I walked through the swinging doors and saw her coming back up with the papers she had said she would pull for me. "What is the special?" I asked.

"Oh, that's just Mr. Barns way of saying the usual. It's a large coffee, extra caffeine, with a quarter cup of sugar and two creams."

"Aye, aye, boss," I replied jokingly. So I put a cup of coffee up and Kate added everything else. How do you even add pure caffeine? But Kate did it. Left on the counter for me was the paper work to fill out, where do I live, which bank to send my paycheck to, any medical issues, stuff like that. By the end of the hour, we shook on it and I was employed.

When my shift ended at seven, I walked back along the route I took to get to the cafe. I walked slowly. My feet had never been so tired. They automatically pointed me in the direction of the orphanage, but my mind was still awake enough to say, "You don't live there anymore." Instead I managed my way through a side door in the palace and on up to my room, to dream of their grilled cheese.

I was woken by a sharp slap to the face an hour after I had crawled into bed, still fully dressed. I hadn't even realized that I had fallen asleep.

"Where were you?" Someone questioned me.

"Out," I replied.

"Yeah, we know." I finally managed to get a hold of my drowsy self and made some sense out of who I was speaking with. Two of the princes, the older two.

"You will be punished for not attending supper."

"Fine, whatever, I'll deal with it later."

"No, Father wants you now," Mason replied.
........................

Again, don't kill me please.