Rescue | ✓

four ✦ despair

SCOTT:

When Kirstin and Carter were asleep, I walked downstairs and got the finance book out. I flipped through the pages. We are only making 2,800 a month. We sell less than 100 cups of coffee a day. The shop used to sell over 270 cups each day. We have already been threatened to be shut down if we didn't get more business. By the looks of it, that will probably happen. I hate to say it but, we are just hurting ourselves more than we should be. I have to tell the workers tomorrow. I will have to fire everyone. My heart dropped. That means I have to fire Kirstie. I can't do that to her. I mean, she doesn't have a home, her car got towed, and she has to raise her little brother by herself. She is going to hate me. What am I going to do?

- time skip -

Today is the day. I'm stressed out. I couldn't even sleep last night. This announcement is going to ruin everyone's day. Most of my workers are in rough positions and their paychecks are barely helping them. I wish I had another answer. I got up and put on my work clothes. Kirstie walk downstairs and looked at me.

"Hey, Scott.. I never got my stuff from my apartment so I don't have any work clothes to wear.." She looked down.

"Um. I have some old ones. They should fit you." I motioned her to follow me and I walked to the laundry room. I pulled out a box and set it on the ground. "I don't know about the pants but the shirts should fit." She nodded and took a shirt.

"I will just wear the pants I wore yesterday. Do you care if I wash them real quick?"

"Not at all." She smiled and went upstairs to get them.

-time skip-

It was 7:25 & employees started coming in at 8:15. I decided to go in the back and begin cleaning out my work locker. I sighed, I can't believe I have to do this. These people aren't just employees at my coffee shop, they're all my best friends. If they weren't my friends, I might not feel as bad. Time passed to 8:00 and I heard the ringing of the bells on the door. I stopped in my tracks. I immediately knew who it was. No one else gets here that early. It was Kirstie. She had to take Carter to Kevin's house and insisted on me going to the shop instead of me driving her to his house. I sighed. She didn't know what was going to happen today. I decided to walk back to the front and face her.

"Hey. How are you?" She walked behind the counter and put her apron on.

"Um. I'm good I guess." I shrugged and turned away.

She gave me a confused look. "Are you sure? You don't seem like yourself." She stood in-front of me.

I sighed. "No. I'm not okay. I can't tell you why just yet.." I went to the back of the shop.

Everyone eventually came in. I told them all to sit out in the lobby and wait for me. I was pacing back and forth, mentally cursing myself. Sighing, I walked to the front. They were all talking amongst themselves. The talking stopped when they saw me. I stood there, preparing myself for this speech. After a few moments of waiting, I finally started speaking.

"As you guys know, the shop hasn't been getting much business lately. The landowners said that if we don't start getting more business in 30 days, we would be shut down. That was a month ago and the 30 days end today. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to ask all of you to go clean out your lockers. You will no longer be working here."

They all gasped. I couldn't look at any of them. My eyes started to water. I can't believe I just did that. Tears started running down my face as they all walked to the back. I leaned over the counter with my head in my hands. A few minutes later, I felt someone hug me from behind.

"It's not your fault, Scott. This must have been so hard for you. We all understand."

I turned around and saw Kirstie standing there. Everyone else had already left. I broke down.

"I'm so sorry.. I didn't mean for this to happen to everyone. I worked to have this place since I graduated college and now that dream is gone.. I know i'm just being dramatic..I'm sorry..."

Kirstie hugged me tightly. "Scott. Don't be sorry. Also, you're not being dramatic. I don't know what I would do in that situation. You handled it very well and I'm proud of you for that." She continued to hug me.

"S-so no one is mad at me? I mean, you guys just lost your jobs.."

"Nobody is mad. We understand that this was out of your control. And yes, we lost our jobs but we can easily find new ones. We will all be fine." She rubbed my back and pulled away from the hug.

I nodded and didn't respond.

"Thank you for hiring me. I wouldn't have met you if you hadn't. You're amazing and I can't thank you enough for helping me. Now, let's go home and see if we can find jobs." She laughed softly.

I smiled a little and grabbed my things. Looking around the shop, I took everything in since it was the last time I would be in here. I got emotional again but held it together. I turned the lights on and locked the doors. Kirstie patted my back as I walked to the car, sadly. This has been my life for the past 2 years. I have no idea what I'm going to do now.

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so i was dumb and didn't re-read chapter 3 and i basically wrote the same thing so sorry.
<3
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