And She Flew

Chapter... 1

"Remind me again how we met."

Brin walked barefoot to work that morning. The ground had still been cold but she hadn't been bothered: it was almost soothing when she thought about the long day ahead. She had needed to take on more shifts and today was the day she would start. Not only would she wait the tables in the morning, but she would be going past lunch and towards the end of the afternoon.

She was going to be there all day.

Sherrie, Brin's boss, had seemed surprised when the young lady had asked for more work.

"I don't really understand," came her confused yet discerning response. "You work the longest. You're my hardest worker. If you need a raise, just let me know."

Brin had blushed. "I would never ask. I'm hardly a permanent worker."

"I would hope you would be. You're the best I have right now, even if you are 'not' permanent." Sherrie pouted, obviously hinting.

Now the younger woman smiled shyly. "You know I would love to. But... I don't know-"

"Don't know if you would like a raise?"

"Haha," Brin laughed lightly, "of course I would; I just don't know what the future holds."

Sherrie had quieted for a little bit. Her eyes stayed on the girl wiping off the counter in front of her. When Brin looked up to meet her gaze she was surprised to see a tinge of emotion there - what it was she wouldn't know.

"Alright." Sherrie had spoken after that heavy pause. "I've decided. I'm giving you the time and the raise. You deserve it and I pay my workers what they deserve. Whether or not you'll stay... that's up to you, but I'll give you the time."

Brin accepted Sherrie's offer with a thankful smile but with the back of her mind tingling with that one word. Stay. How could she when that would imply that she would be there from here on out? Who knew what the future held? Who knew where she or Tallulah would be a week from now?

Still, even as she walked barefoot to work at 6am in the morning she realized that she had to get her mind on track. For that she stopped walking, resting in the frigid shade of the houses beside her, and chilling her toes on the cobble of the narrow street. She closed her eyes to feel the coolness of the breeze and let her mind clear.

When she opened them she was greeted by a cloudless blue sky. It was peaceful.

Later, she would remember deciding this morning that she would stay for as long as she possibly could in this blessed place.

At 6:05 she arrived at the corner cafe. The edifice was simple but in the older style of the 1920's parlors. The rustic wood of the hip times matched the interior, cafe couches, rounded coffee tables, and cool stone counter. Little, colorful baubles were hidden among the matching bookshelves covered with the classics of literature.