High Hopes|✔

Chapter 15

O P H E L I A ' S     P O V

"Thanks, Ophelia." Ted shouted just as I sent him a smile as I manoeuvred my way around the diner.

Just as I walked balancing the three trays in my hand, a mother and her son who looked about five years old, spilled his milkshake right in front of my foot.

"Oopsie." I smiled down at him as his mother scolded him.

Quickly placing the trays with orders on the counter, I grabbed the mop and in a swift movement, I swiped the mop over the floor and poured some disinfectant on it.

"I told you to hold it properly." She sighed as she tried to balance his bag, her bag and their jackets all in one hand. "I'm so sorry about him." She apologised to me.

The little boy just looked sadly at the floor with a sad expression on his face. "I'm sorry, mommy." He whispered as he looked down at the ground.

A frown grew on my face. The mother rubbed her forehead tiredly and only then do I realise the bags beneath her eyes.

"It's really okay." I said.

The lady looked at me and smiled gratefully but we both looked at the little boy when he spoke.

"C-Can I have a new one pwease?" He asked shyly.

She sighed, "I'm sorry, bud. Mommy has to go to work and doesn't have the money for that." She tried whispering the last part. "Thanks again." She waved at me as she grabbed his arm when he continued to look at the spot where his milkshake threw away.

"U-Um, wait." I bit my lip before I could stop myself.

She looked at me with an eyebrow raised.

"Just— wait here, please." I said as I scurried off to the back room.

Trying to make myself look busy in the kitchen, I watched as everyone exited to serve tables.

I quickly took up a cup remembering that it was a vanilla milkshake that he had spilled.

Pushing it under the machine to mix, I quickly go for a straw and a plastic cover before removing it and assembling the cup together.

I peeked out the window to make sure no one saw me or was looking before quickly hurrying and placing the cup in his hands.

The mother's eyes widened before she looked at me, "Thank you b-but---" I stopped her.

"It's okay, really. I know you're probably late for work now." I smiled.

She looked down at her little boy with a bright smile on his face as he slurped his shake.

"Thank you, again." She smiled hesitantly.

She grabbed his hand to leave but not before he looked back and waves frantically saying, "Thankou!" He giggled.

Waving, I grabbed my purse with a small sigh and then went behind the counter.

I typed in the code to open the cash register before rummaging through my purse looking for loose change.

Let's see...

One of the things that Levi had bought for me was tons of new purses but I only ever used this light blue one. Not only does it match my working outfit, but I loved the colour blue.

Although I had insisted, I kept my old worn out purse since all I had was a few pennies, (I didn't tell him this to embarrass myself anymore) he insisted that I not.

Now here I am trying to scrape together any money I could to pay for the milkshake.

"Aha!" I said in triumph when I found the last nickel to make up for the milkshake.