'California's Lot

1. Monday morning

I felt a soft tap on my shoulder. 

"Yeah?" I asked, turning my head to see, below my eye-level, a wide-eyed blonde girl who couldn't be more than five years old. Softening at her two pig-tails, I corrected myself, "Hey, you!" 

"Hi...." she said shyly, fidgeting and looking at her feet. Her shoes were the kinds Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz  would've worn. "Um, I like your hair.... When I... grow up I want to have your hair!" she announced. 

"Oh." I said, feeling well, a bit embarrassed, myself. But, it felt pretty cool, too. So, "Why, thank you so much! I feel pretty honoured that you like my hair!"

"...I like green."

I beamed at her, "Yeah. I do too."

Her eyes widened and she grinned in glee. 

"Hey, you wanna sit with me? I'll have to go school in a while, kid."

"Okay!"

Okay? I was honestly just being nice. Well, then. 

"My name is Camille," I introduced. "You could just call me Cam." 

She looked up at me shyly and played with the hem of her frock, across the table, at the Diner I was at, this Monday morning. "Camille is a pretty name." 

I smiled. "Why, thank you. What's yours?"

"Catherine... but, you could... call me Cat...."

I laughed a bit. I've no idea what I did for this kid to like me to the point of imitation. Cool. I'd always felt that way as a kid; and I'd rather be good to her. It kinda sucked when some of those older kids were mean to me. "Catherine is such a gorgeous name!"

Here eyes lit up and I had all of her attention. 

I smiled and continued, "I always wanted to have that name. As  matter of fact, I wanted to change my name to Catherine, Cat."

"Really?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay! We could exchange names, then!"

I smiled and took a sip of my coffee and straighten my spine. "Okay! So I get to be Catherine, huh, Cat?"

"And I could be Camille! Like, Cam!" She said, appearing to be proud of herself. 

"Okay, Cam." Man, that's weird. "Tell me, who are you with?"

"Oh! Granny owns the place! So, I'm just here... I get free cookies! I could get you some!"

"Oh. Well, ki-- Cam, maybe later? I have to go to school now." I said, only to see her face drop a bit. 

"Please, can you stay? I could tell Granny to give you free cookies...."

"Oh, kid. I'll be back tomorrow."

"Promise?"

"Yup, I come almost every morning, before school." 

"Okay!"

"I see you've met my niece, Camille." 

I looked to to find Stacy, a brunette with sharp featured, pink lips and long lashes. I scoffed, "Niece, eh?"

"Yeah. Well, the regular amount, though." Then, to the girl, "Catherine, why don't you help out with the cakes?"

"Oh! Okay!" she exclaimed. "Bye-bye Camille!"

"Bye-bye Catherine" I responded. 

So, she left. 

"Cute kid" I commented. 

She shrugged, "I have to baby-sit her." 

"Oh." Stacey was two years older to me, balancing a job and university. "If you'd like, I could fill in."

"You sure? I mean, maybe I should say no, but she seemed to like you and we've spoken a few times... and I could use help. You sure, Cam?"

"Definitely."

She smiled. "Thank you. The check, by the way."

"Sure thing." I said and after paying, got up. "See you later." I said and took my bag and left.