orphan↠muke

two

Michael heard a knock at his door.

"What do you want?" he snapped, looking up from his computer. Amanda opened the door slowly and stepped inside, shutting the door behind her.

"Michael, love, you've got a letter in the mail." Amanda smiled. He stood up and walked over to her, taking the paper from her hand. He read the front, making sure it was for him, as he never got mail. 

'Michael Clifford' it was printed in black ink. He looked up at Amanda. 

"Well open it then love," she chuckled. "What are you waiting for?" Michael sliced the top open with his finger and pulled the paper out. He began reading it. 

'Dear Michael, 

We are delighted to say that you have been accepted to work at Johnson's Cafe. We believe your interview went brilliantly and we would love to have you working with us. Please contact us about your working days and hours, or you may visit us if preferred. Any problems, feel free to ask.

Kind regards, 

Johnson's Cafe.' 

"I was accepted!" Michael squealed with delight. "I have the job!" Without thinking, he hugged Amanda tightly. 

"Oh that's great Michael!" He pulled away awkwardly, realising what he was doing. 

"Uh, thanks.." he muttered. Whenever Michael applied for a job, they would usually see that he was an orphan and skip his interview, thinking he would be useless. The few times he did have a job, he would only last a week or two and then get fired for doing a 'bad job' with whatever he was doing, when really, he was doing what he should have. 

"When are you going to see them?" Amanda asks. "I'll go up there now, its only a down the road." Michael looks around for his coat. 

"Are you sure you don't want a lift? I don't mind taking you." She smiles. "No," Michael puts his coat on. "I'm fine."

-

"Hello sir, my name is Ashton, may I take your order?" The young boy with curly hair at the front dest asks Michael.

"Um, hi I'm Michael, I applied for a job here and I got this letter." He passes him the letter. Ashton takes it and smiles. 

"Ah okay, hello Michael, if you'd please wait here for a moment I will get our manager." Ashton smiles again. 

"Thank you." Michael smiles back shyly. 

A few moments later, Ashton comes back with a woman, probably around forty years old with grey-blond hair. 

"Michael!" she says with excitement, as if she had known him for years. 

"I'm so glad you could come down so quickly, now if you would follow me, we can discuss your working hours and stuff." She smiles at him as he walks around the counter and into the back of the small building. 

"So," She begins. "We are very happy to have you here working with us," She points to a seat in front of a desk. "Please, sit" Michael sits down and the woman pulls out a piece of paper and writes a few things on it. 

"My name is Julie, and I am the manager here. Now, what hours would be ideal for you to work? I will take into consideration the fact that you will want time off to spend with family and friends so, what is best for you?" Michael swallows the lump that formed in his throat when she mentioned family and friends. 

"I, uh, don't have family, or friends really," he looks at the floor momentarily before carrying on. "So whenever is good." He looks at her. The happiness on her face is now replaced with sympathy. 

"Oh I am so sorry, I completely forgot! I am sure you will make lots of friends here, we have some lovely staff." She motions toward the picture on her desk of everyone that worked there. 

"So, how many days would you like to work? The minimum is three and maximum is six." Without hesitation Michael replies. "Six." He would do anything to get away from that house. 

"Lovely. Now the cafe opens at 9AM, and closes at 8PM, and at your age you are only allowed to work a maximum of six hours per day, but of course a shorter shift would be fine-" Michael cuts her off.

"No that's absolutely fine, can I start at eleven thirty until five thirty?" Julie writes a few things down on the paper. 

"Yes, that is perfect" She smiles. "Great!" Michael replies with a smile on his face. 

"Now, there are a few things we need to go over, like with the coffee machines and working equipment, but other than that everything is fine," Julie stands up to walk to the bar. "So, you'll be starting on Monday, yes?" Michael nods, he was strangely excited about starting a new job.