Mr. Prince Perfect

(4) That Smile

As the usual I went to the cafe with Ally after school. And today was my day to do the shift. Alone.

 

There was already people with laptops and friends, chatting away while drinking a coffee. Ally grabs a paper cup at the front of the door, along with sugar and cream. I leave my bag with Ally as she makes her way to sit at one of the booths near the big glass windows.

 

Scurrying to the back of the counter and putting on a black skirt-kinda-like apron. Which held my notepad and pen. And I also had to put on my pin-on-shirt name tag that read: EMMA: At Your Service.

 

I could hear a loud chatter in Mr. Lee’s office.

 

“Emma, you know the drill!” Mr. Lee came out of his office, with a tight smile.

 

“Yup. Take care of the cafe while your gone to get Holly” I say with an understanding smile.

 

“Exactly” he thumbs me up and leaves out the door. Making the bell ring, above the door.

 

As soon as Mr. Lee is out, I turn the coffee maker on. Looking back at the cafe, I see Carlos walk out of Mr. Lee’s office with an angry face. What happened?

 

“What happen Carlos?” I ask.

 

“I saw it coming, Emma. Mr. Lee fired me for not coming everyday when I needed to” Carlos says looking at his hands.

 

Carlos was the cafe’s chef. He was suppose to cook breakfast or bake sweets, like cake or eggs in a sandwich. Lately, there wasn’t much of Carlos’ appearance at the cafe, so we stopped the meal making at the cafe. Mr. Lee said he would re-open the meal making when he found ‘the right person’ to hire again for the position. But, Carlos was a good guy. Just lazy.

 

“So, what are you going to do now?” I asked worried for him.

 

“Probably look for a job somewhere else. Somewhere, part time only” Carlos said honestly.

 

“Good Luck” I said giving him my condolences.

 

Carlos nodded walking out the door. Soon after I heard the bell ring again. I quickly grab the plastic handle of the coffee pot and out the back of the counter.

 

“Miss” I heard a man. His holding his mug out, reading a newspaper.

 

“Here you go” I say as I fill his mug up.

 

I put his table number in my notepad and write: black coffee. $2.00.

 

“Excuse me?” I see a woman in front of a laptop, holding out her empty paper coffee cup.