Too Young

FOUR

The rain fell against the pavement like shards of glass. I covered my head as I entered the diner.

My hair had been caught by the rain and my curls were now frizzy all over my head. My hands fell to my sides as I let out a loud sigh of relief and also anger.

My chest heaved as I wrang out the hem of my shirt and walked up to the counter where an oriental woman stood collecting cash from the cash register.

   "Excuse me..." I said and tapped my fingers on the counter wood. "I'm looking for someone."

   "What's their name?"

   "Umm... Thomas. His name is Thomas and he said that if I wanted a job that I'd meet him here today."

She gave me a look. A look of uncertainty and skeptism. A look that I've received from people almost all of my life, especially my mother. She turned her body a little and directed her head towards the kitchen behind her, but her eyes still were locked on me.

   "Thomas! Some girl out here lookin for you!"

There's a loud clanging noise that emits from behind her. As if some pots and pans fell but she doesn't seem fazed by the racket. Maybe because it's nothing new.

He came out, his hands wet and arms covered in suds. He sweats profusely and his jet black hair which is usually combed back is stuck to his forehead. But, still he smiles when he sees me. A smile that hardly showed any of his teeth.

   "I was sure that you weren't gonna come."

   "Well, surprise." I shrugged. "What made you think that?"

   "You seem like the type of girl who doesn't depend on anyone."

   "Well you're not mistaken."

   "Thomas..." The woman leaned on the counter. "Mind introducing me?"

   "Oh Eileen, this is..." He gestured to me and made an attempt to guess my name until I stopped him.

   "Judith."

   "This is Judith." He finished. "Judith, this is Eileen, my co worker and friend."

   "Nice to meet you, Judith." She nodded to me. Secretly, I was glad that she didn't try to give me a handshake.

   "Well, let me show you around, Judith." He held out his hand as a motion for me to stop. "But, first I need to finish doing what I was doing."

   "Okay." I nodded.

. . .

   There's a loud thud and my granddaughter and I lifted our heads to the sudden commotion that came from the foyer.

   A small figure covered in splotches of mud and soaked with rain stood in the doorway.

   "Can I help you...?"

He frowned at me and poked out his bottom lip.

   "How did the swamp monster get into the house?" Mai played along.

   "Sobo!" He exclaimed. "Don't act like that!"

   "You need to get cleaned up," I chuckled.

   "No! I'm going back outside once it stops raining." He wiped his face with his muddy hands only to get more mud on his face.

   "Mai, go get him a towel." I said and she gets up to get a towel out of the linen closet.

   "Nobody told me that it was going to rain!"

   "Nah ah!" I shook my head at him and he stops all movement. "You'd better take off those shoes."

He quickly kicks them off and hurries towards me. Mai comes back with the towel and places it over her brother's head.

   "Shut up, I want sobo to continue the story."

   "What story?" He asks in a higher tone, his head cocks to the side.

   "Nana was telling the story of how she met, sobo. Then you barged into the house and interrupted!"

   "Well, I'm sorry for existing, Mai!"

   "You should be!" She snapped back.

   "Hey! Stop it!" I raised my voice over them. "All of this is not necessary. I will continue the story. No need to wring your brother's neck."

   "I'll do it without a reason," she mumbled.

   "Nana!" He points to Mai.

   "Both of you quiet." I sat back in my chair and sighed. "Now where was I?"

   "Wait! I don't even know what happened." He interrupted.

   "Sobo goes to a party her so called friend sexually assaults her, she meets this guy who is sofu he rescues her and takes her back home then a week later they meet again and he works at this asian cuisine restaurant, which he offered her a job at now she's talking to him about the job. Got it, Sora?" She said all without taking a breath or placing a period between any of her words.

   "Got it."

   "Okay," I nodded before continuing on.

. . .

   "So what do you think?" He asked when he finished showing me around. "Would you take the opening here?"

   "Yeah, this place don't seem too shabby." I smiled a little as I looked around. "Who do I see for the interview?" I folded my arms. "I do get an interview right?"

   "Consider yourself hired," he smiled.

   "But, don't I have to talk to the manager?"

   "I am the manager... Well, as long as my father is out."

   "Oh."

   "You sound a bit disappointed."

   "I'm not... Just surprised, is all." I sighed and slid my hands into my back pockets. "Well, I'd better skidadle."

I slowly walk off but swiftly turn around as question pops into my head. "Oh, when do I start?"

   "You can start as soon as possible."

   "How about tomorrow?"

   "Noon?"

   "That'll work." I nodded and turned away. I felt his eyes burning into the back of my head as I left.