Love me once more

Chapter four: Fate?

It had been nearly a month since I started working at Palmer's Café and my payment would be due on Saturday. I had been working hard, day and night, taking on extra shifts to earn extra money, as my rent was long over due. I slowly opened my front door and looked to check if the renter was waiting. Phewwww.....I whispered and opened the door to quickly rush to work. "HEY! Where do you think you are going?" he rushed out of his apartment, opposite mine. I stood up straight. "You see......I will be getting paid this weekend....SATURDAY. This Saturday, I promise. This time, I am for real. You know I got a job and I have been working day and night...." I folded my hands and put on a sad face. "Pretty please." I begged. He sighed. "This is your last and final chance." he said and went back into his apartment. Yes! I whispered.

"Goooooood morning! And guess who's been on time ever since day one?" The Café was still closed and only Zoe, two kitchen staffs and I were present. Zoe was sitting at a table, holding a cigarette on her left and making a phone call with her right hand. At this point, she and I had become somewhat friends....somewhat. Basically, we didn't like or dislike each other. I dropped my bag on the counter are sighed. "It will be raining money on Saturday. FINALLY!" I sighed. Zoe stood up from her sit and walked towards me. "Yes. Yes. I understand. Thank you for calling. Yes. Thank you. Bye." she sighed and looked at me. "What's the 'happy' entrance? And who was on time since day one? You?" she asked and went behind the counter. "I'll be getting paid in a day. Who wouldn't be happy? And okay, I might not have been on time, but I have been for quite a while now." I turned towards her. The Café entrance opened and a young man entered." Sorry, we're not opened yet. Can't you read the sign?" Zoe said, without looking up. I looked to see who it was. "I'm sorry, but I left a bag here yesterday and would like to claim it back." he said. His voice was deep, but soothing. He was three feet away from me, so I took the chance to observe him closer. His appearance seemed like that of an average man, he must've not shaved his beard. They were left stubbles, his hair, a simple mess. "That can't be. We did the last shift yesterday and no bags were left behind." she finally looked up. "You again! Oh c'mon, aren't you getting bored of this?" she smiled. "Bored of what?" he asked. "I just need my bag returned. Look, could you at least attempt to look for it?" he came a bit closer. I stepped back, thinking he would need some extra space. He then looked at me. "Have you seen my bag?" he asked. I slowly shook my head. "S-s-sor-sorry...I haven't seen...it." I went to the toilet. I washed my hands and my face. "What I am doing." I looked into the mirror and fixed my hair. Zoe entered the room. "What an idiot." she said, standing next to me with her arms crossed. I straightened my posture. "What are you talking about?" I asked. She sighed, then began washing her hands. "I know him. He is an asshole. As simple as that." I was confused. "He used to date my sister, but broke up with her a few months ago. That poor girl still has traumas of him." she laughed then made a sudden stop. I took some papers from the dispenser and dried my hands. "All I can do is make sure he never enters this Café. My sister can't even come visit me, because she is afraid of bumping into him. Rare, but still." she too took some papers and dried her hands. "I wonder what he did." I said. She looked at me for a split second, then left. I fixed my hair once more, before I too went back to work. As I arrived, the young man an Zoe were having an argument again, because of her sister, I assumed. "I don't want you in this Café. If you don't listen, I will have to file a restraining order." she yelled into his face. He seemed amused by her. "you can't retrain me from anything. This is a public building and besides, I didn't do you any 'harm' did I?" he smiled. I walked towards Zoe and held her back. "Zoe, he's right. You have nothing to press charges with. Let him be." I tried to calm her. She looked at me, her eyes pierced with anger, her face almost as red as tomatoes. Then she slowly calmed down. "Whatever." she said and went into the kitchen. "I am sorry about that. Could I ask you to leave now, we are about to open up." I smiled. "I need my bag, that's it. I won't set foot in here ever again, so just give me my damn bag already." I could tell by his tone of voice, he was getting angry. I looked at the tables and floors if there was any sign of any bag left behind. "If something was left behind, I was told to leave it in the staff room. So I will go and check, please wait." I quickly rushed to the staff room. Found it! I whispered in exhaustion. "This must be it." I said, a few meters away from him, waving the bag in the air. He smiled as he received it. "At least someone who is trying to help." he said and walked out without looking back. Zoe came out as he left and stood next to me. "We done?" she asked. I looked at her. "Can we open now? We're nearly 15 minutes late."