Before You

Chapter 56

"Thank you, sir. Is there anything else I can get for you?" I ask the older man.

"No that'll be all." He says politely.

With that, I give him a small smile and make my way back into the kitchen. I glance up at the clock hanging above the kitchen door. My shift is almost over. My first day back to work was a busy one. I wouldn't expect anything less. However, Peyton never showed up. I pull my cell phone out of my apron and check it for any new calls or text messages. Nothing. I sent her a text this morning asking where she was, but she has yet to respond. This isn't like her at all. She never misses work and she always responds to my text messages.

I walk back over to the kitchen door and glance through the glass. The tables are empty and have been cleared. Finally. I'm so ready to go home. My feet are killing me. My mind wanders to Peyton. If she were here she would be making fun of me complaining about my feet. Quickly, I get all my things and head to my car. As soon as I exit the building my phone rings. It's Peyton.

"Hello?" I say into the phone.

"Hey Evy." Peyton says. "I figured you would be off of work by now."

"Yeah. I'm leaving the building now. Where are you? I thought you were supposed to work today." I say quickly.

"Um, yeah." She replies. "Do you have plans? Want to meet for coffee?"

I can sense that something's wrong. She sounds like she needs a friend. "Of course. Text me the address."

Twenty minutes later I pull up to a nearby Starbucks. As I approach the door, I can see through the glass to the counter. Peyton is standing before it, staring down at two cups of coffee. I feel the need to walk faster. Peyton's gaze is broken as I swing the door open and head in her direction. Forcefully, a smile grows on her face as she sees me.

"Evy!" she says, taking a few steps towards me and wrapping her arms around me for a hug.

"Hey Peyton." I say smiling.

Peyton points to a nearby table. "Come on. Let's sit down."

Peyton hands me one of the cups of coffee and I take a quick sip. "Wow Peyton, this is strong."

She laughs. "That's what coffee is for. It's supposed to be strong so it wakes you up."

"Well, I'm definitely awake now." I say with a laugh.

I watch as Peyton's smile leaves her face. She glances down at her coffee and back up at me. "So, how was your trip home?"

"Oh no." I reply. "This isn't about me. What's going on with you? I texted you this morning and you never responded."

"I know." She sighs. "I knew you were at work and I didn't want to bother you with my issues while you were there."

"You wouldn't be bothering me, Peyton." I respond. "I hope you know that."

Peyton glances over at the counter and back to me. "Well, I guess you should know that I won't be back at work. I quit."

I can feel my eyes grow large as I take in each of her words. "What? Why?"

Peyton focuses on me as she continues to speak. "Susan told me I had to choose. She wasn't going to do anything to Davis for his actions. She made that crystal clear. There's no way I could stay around there and deal with him anymore, not after him following me like that. So, my only option was to quit."

I lean back against the booth and slam my coffee cup down onto the table. Coffee shoots up into the air and onto the table before us. I could care less. I don't break my focus on Peyton. She looks around the tabletop unsure of what to say next.

Finally, I lean forward and speak. "You shouldn't have to quit. That jerk should be the one that's forbidden to come back."

Peyton shrugs her shoulders. "I know. Trust me, I couldn't agree more, but there's nothing I can do. If I try to go against Susan I'm going to lose. You know that people like Davis always get what they want. There are no consequences for him. Someone will always come to his rescue. It's just better this way. I don't have to deal with him anymore."

The thought of Peyton not being at work anymore doesn't sit well with me. I can't imagine working through those long days without her there. She always made work fun, even when we had to deal with customers similar to Davis. She's upbeat, positive, and a genuine person. She's become such a great friend to me and she doesn't deserve this. Peyton works hard for every single dollar she makes. I wish there was something I could do, but I'm not sure where to even start. The more I think about this, the higher I can feel my blood pressure rise. This is beyond unfair.

I find Peyton's eyes again and try to remain calm. "What are you going to do?"

Peyton shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know. I have some money saved up. I was pretty smart about saving everything I could while working there. You know how good the tips are. I think I'll be okay until I can find another job. I may have to get a roommate. I hate to do that, but it'll help with the bills."

I hope Peyton's right. I hope she has enough money to last until she can find another job. I gaze out of the window as a vision of Peyton's future crosses my mind. Peyton, broke and miserable, leaving the city to go back to her hometown. My eyes squint together and I quickly shake my head as if I just had a bad taste in my mouth.

"Are you okay?" Peyton asks.

"Yeah. I just... there has to be something that I can do." I reply.

"You're doing it now." She responds.

I look around the table. "What?"

"Just you being here for me." She says. "You're the only person I really talk to, other than Nolan." Peyton lets out a small laugh. "He wants to show up there and punch Davis in the face."

"Nolan and I have more in common than I thought." I say plainly.

Peyton's head tilts to the side. "I'll be okay, Evy." She stands up from the table. "I'll be right back, I'm going to the restroom."

I turn back to the window and look through the glass. My mind starts to wonder again. Poor Peyton. I'm not sure what to do right now, but I know I have to do something. Davis can't keep getting away with this. There's no telling how many other girls this has happened to. I'm sure there's a folded up piece of paper holding the names of multiple women tucked away in Susan's desk. The fact that she told Peyton to quit or continue to deal with Davis makes me think that this is definitely not the first incident with him. This speaks volumes as to what kind of person she is. I would never conceal someone's awful behavior just to keep a job. It's pathetic. I wonder if Davis purposely seeks out women like Peyton. Women that seems timid and quiet. Women that try their very best to avoid confrontation at all costs. I believe that it could be true. Peyton and I definitely have some differences in our personalities. I on the other hand am not timid or afraid of confrontation. One thing is for sure; he probably didn't expect her to have a friend like me.