The Shape of Love

#4 Saturday Morning "X"

As Lacey scanned the crowd of waiting customers she was sure that someone could easily get lost in the sea of faces.

A two foot wide rug lay a path between the door and the counter, usually just wide enough for a modest line to wait within its bounds and loose enough where already served customers could slip through.

Today it was much different. The mass of patrons spilled well beyond the manicured appearance of the rug forming a mosh pit rather than an orderly line.

All that was missing was to change the regular 'cafe mix' to metal and the Split Bean would hold it's very first concert. Lacey wondered if a band could play on the counter, they probably wouldn't fit. Plus the pastry case was much to fragile for a drum set let alone a human to stand on.

She laughed to herself as she entertained the thought. Seconds later she was pulled back into the scene before her as the next customer approached to place an order.

Lacey was alone at the register, there were two of the modern machines for times like this. However earlier in the day her coworker had gone home with the flu leaving the shop understaffed during the mid morning rush.

As fast as she could Lacey punched in order after order, shouting them over her shoulder as she swiped credit card after credit card. The task was routine enough and she thanked a higher power that she hadn't been placed on bar today. There was no way her sleep heavy mind could comprehend the orders at the rate they were being thrown around.

Lately Lacey had been having trouble sleeping. She'd had that trouble before, after July 17th she hardly slept more than three hours. It wasn't until a month after she was able to return to a semi regular schedule.

This time it wasn't that - at least not wholly. It was the money, or rather lack of it.

Lacey had stayed up late into the night crunching numbers, trying in vain to figure out how she would pay May's rent. She'd already designated this month's coffee shop check to the last half of April's payment. But May? It seemed to slip through her fingers, and after running idea after idea through her exhausted calculator she let it fall.

There was no way she could make the cut.

In two weeks Lacey would be homeless.

When she graduated she'd planned it out so well. The amount she'd spend on groceries, movies, eating out, she'd gotten it down to the dollar. Then the unthinkable happened and the money she thought would last her until May burned out.

She'd tried to be positive about it, reconfigure her budget, tighten her wallet. Like a belt she carved new holes into the fabric to squeeze her money, anything that could make it last longer.

Eventually she gave up crunching the numbers, she didn't want to know anymore. Until last night she'd tried to keep her impending eviction out of sight and out of mind. That, sadly, was no longer possible as she woke earlier and earlier every morning to the distinct fear of not knowing.

Lacey turned to grab a coffee sleeve for a customer whose drink proved too hot for their bare hands and when she returned a new person had taken their place. One she immediately recognized.

The woman Lacey had yet to ask the name of leaned across the counter. She looked serene in an off white button down, and a simple braid leading her thick hair away from her full lashes where Lacey had noticed the loose strands liked to cling.

Surely Lacey looked nothing close to picturesque as the morning had hit her like a tornado. Baby hairs clung to her face in sweat and fine grounds of coffee had no doubt made their way to her face as they camouflaged themselves as freckles.

"Do they ever let you out of here? Or are you just a workaholic? " The woman with coffee colored eyes leaned forward to whisper.

Her close proximity to Lacey's face was a welcome surprise and she relaxed her shoulders that held the mornings tension like a marble between her blades.

The blob of customers had since been helped and dispersed to their homes and office cubicles. Those still waiting numbered under five, but Lacey could read their impatiens.

Reluctantly she resisted the urge to participate in her companies playful banter. "What can I get you?"

"Surprise me."

Lacey sighed and looked to her side. Spying the dozens of trays of baked goods she posed a question. "Pick a letter."

There was no hesitation in the dark haired womans voice. "X."

Lacey frowned, that did not go in the direction she'd wanted. "Pick another one."

"I rather like X, I don't think I can part with it."

Lacey resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Instead a small smile spread ot her face as she reached into the pastry case.

"There," Lacey set down a bear claw wrapped in wax paper. "It's sort of an X shape."

"Doesn't resemble much of a bear's claw either." The woman turned it over, but nonetheless handed Lacey a wad of ones.

"Maybe if you use your imagination."

"I'll take your word for it." She winked. 

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This one's a little short, but hope you enjoy ! 

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