flower. h.s ✔️

sixty one.

I smiled as the man in front of me tried to decide on what kind of muffin he wanted, it wasn't that big of a deal; we only had three different flavours left.

"Coconut."

Bad choice.

"Sure thing, and that's to go?" I asked, just to clarify as he nodded and I added an extra twenty pence onto his order for the to go charge. "Six thirty please."

I smiled as he handed me a ten pound note just as I caught Meredith, the manager and Tara the owners, younger sister, heading back towards me with a bowl full of dirty dishes for the dishwasher.

"Still on?" She asked pointing at the said appliance and I nodded as I carefully counted his change out and let him know it shouldn't be too long.

"Last run?" I asked, as I started on the drink, this was like riding a bike I had found out.

Until I'd started back here almost two weeks ago now, I hadn't used a proper café/barista style coffee machine in months, arguably, almost a year.

But Tara had believed in me and waved me back without hesitation, although that might have partly been because all her part time Christmas hires had gone back to uni.

Apparently I was the only one psychotic enough to juggle a university degree and a job!

"Yeah." Meredith agreed in a hum, "Once you're done there you can head off."

I smiled at her just as I fitted the lid on perfectly and grabbed the bag containing the frankly, disgusting, coconut muffin and took it over to the man just as he loosened his tie.

"Have a nice night." I smiled politely, a nod of his head was all the response I got but I shook it off as I made one last sweeping check of the café before I headed out to the stockroom.

It hadn't changed and funnily enough I was pretty happy about that, the stockroom was a mess, but it was a mess where everyone could find whatever they were looking for without too much stress and it doubled as the changing room.

Not that I ever found the need to change considering the uniform here was hardly a uniform, as long it was black then it didn't matter if it was a skirt and a blouse or a dress or jeans and a tshirt, Tara was laid back.

But also because I had the evidence of Harry's mouth and hands everywhere.

And I couldn't risk someone seeing all the bruising, they might get the wrong idea. Whereas I loved it.

Tara always had been laid back and I'm glad I made the effort to stay in contact with her once my Mum died, I knew she missed Lisa just as much as I missed my Mum. And I knew Marble Arch Panini held a special place in Mum's heart too.

Just like when I'd worked at Primrose Bakery, for exactly one summer, turns out I'm much better at coffees than pastries, I felt like I was closer to her and holding a piece of her in my heart every time I went to work.

"Sorry we're closed!"

I stuck my head out the door just as I heard Meredith call out and my frown instantly disappeared as I spotted a tall brunette man waiting awkwardly.

"He's with me." I spoke up as I pulled the stockroom door shut behind me, aware of Harry relaxing as he spotted me.

"Sorry should have said. Meredith this is Harry, Harry this is Meredith my manager."

"Nice to meet you Harry, been wondering when you'd be in. Would you like anything to go?" Meredith chatted away pleasantly, where Tara was lovely to the people she knew, Meredith was an all round people person.