Jailbird Tango

Part 13 - Shift

Trudging into work. It felt like ages since I've been in, and to be honest, it was. I'm not sure how they hadn't given me a shift in over a month, but they hadn't. The place smelt like coffee with the undertone of detergent. I sauntered over to the back room, dropped my stuff down and took my embroidered apron off the hook. Laura had done that for me, when she had taken that textiles elective for some reason. The embroidery was the only way she passed it. It was just a simple coffee cup, but she had put so much work into it. It made the customers smile.

Taking my place behind the coffee machine I waited for the onslaught of school students to pile in. I worked almost in a mindless state as soon as the first orders went in, large cappuccino, flat white, a whole table of iced coffee for some rowdy teenage boys.

The next order, another iced coffee. I wiped off the machine and pressed down the coffee grounds. As the shot of coffee dripped into the glass, I took a glance around the cafe.

The rowdy teenaged boys were hogging their table, iced coffee in hand and school books spread across every other surface. There was a family of three; the mother keeping her two kids who couldn't be over the age of ten, under some semblance of control. An old couple, and then a few more groups of school students. Towards the back, closest to the toilet door was the most cramped back table. The table for one. Usually it was empty unless it was a full house, but though other tables were empty, there was a girl sitting in it. She was also in school uniform, but nursed her bag as if there was something incredibly precious inside.

Shaking my head, I poured the shot of coffee into the large glass, before filling it with milk and ice. One scoop of ice cream.

'Who's this iced coffee, extra vanilla, chocolate on top, for?'

'Uh, under the name Yan. Sat at table fifteen.' Table fifteen was the back corner table. Two scoops of icecream, chocolate on top.

There were no new customers flooding in, there wouldn't be for another fifteen minutes. I had worked this shift too many times.

I took the chilled glass, placed a straw in it and placed it on the counter. Skirting around the edge, I plucked the drink off on the other side and walked it over to the table.

'The have-here iced coffee with extra vanilla and chocolate for Yan?' I asked and she looked up, her eyes glassy and a stray tear streaming down her face. She smiled at the drink before looking down again. I checked to make sure no one was ordering and gave her a small smile. 'Is everything okay?'

She shook her head.

'It's alright if you don't want to tell me. I gave you an extra scoop of ice cream, you look like you need it.' I continued gently.

She shook her head again, looking down at her bag. She whispered ever so quietly, 'Those boys... said stuff, at school, that's all.' She waved a hand at the rowdy table of highschoolers.

'Okay. Have they said anything here?'

'Yeah, just as I walked in' She said quietly.

'Ah. Did you want me to ask them to leave? If it would mean you're more comfortable...'

'No. It's alright.' She whispered.

'If you're sure.' I nodded before heading back behind the coffee machine just as an order for a demanding table of four came in.

The usual group of overbearing parents. With a sigh I got to work on their order. Theirs blurred with the next five and the next stream of people grabbing a coffee or bite to eat after work. I glanced around the space every so often.

I handed the next couple of coffees to the main waitress and received dirty dishes in return. The table of rowdy boys packed up and cleared off, leaving a swamp of napkins and spilt coffee amongst used cups on their table. I turned to make another cappuccino. In robotic motions, I filled the cup with the shot of coffee, frothed the milk and splashed it into the cup. I placed it on the counter. Another almost-yell of who it was for, what table, before it was whisked off.

Glancing over my shoulder, I looked at the clock, almost five. Laura was probably doing some homework or relaxing on the couch, I had no idea what the people in the house were doing and frankly, it wasn't any of my business. Though, that did make my thoughts drift, only for a moment, to wonder what Yancy was doing. Was it dinner? Or was he in his cell for free time, snacking away on cookies? I didn't know the prison timetable well. Why did I need to know? What business of mine was it? It wasn't.

Shaking my head I turned to the next coffee order just as two people stepped up, standing just behind the machine. The waitress, sliding an empty iced coffee glass over the counter. The other was an impatient customer.

After taking the cup down, I looked up at the impatient woman. As soon as we made eye contact, she pursed her lips.

'The order for Lisa?' She demanded, her tone harsh.

'I'm terribly sorry, but it will be ready in a few more moments.' I claimed, my voice sickeningly sweet, 'Jules will bring it to your table when it is ready.' I added when she didn't move. With a sneer, the customer waltzed back to her table.

'Where's the order for Lisa? I've done the skinny cap, but where's the warmed H&C croissant?' I called out. Jules paled.

'I'll check in the back for the ham, I don't think we've run out yet.' She claimed, darting off to the back room.

I placed the glass on the sink, rescuing the paper and a small two dollar fifty tip, which I slid in my apron pocket before it could get covered in water. In neat handwriting it read, To the coffee person, thank you. Yan. I slid the note into my apron pocket also. At least she knew that someone cared, and that made me happy. The fact that I helped just a little.

Jules came out of the back room, shaking her head. She couldn't find any. I volunteered to go, as long as she dealt with Lisa who was marching over to the counter.

I ducked down to the back room. Closing the door, so that I could get to the fridge, I flicked on the light and opened the fridge door. There it was, how blind was Jules? I plucked the container of ham from the fridge, just as the lights flickered off and the door closed. Taking a deep breath, I tried to ignore the pounding of my heart. The ringing started.

'And, What time did we agree was suitable for your return to the house, so that you could KEEP Your everyday life?' Dark appeared from the corner of the room, their voice echoing.

'I-I'm sorry. I just -'

'ANSWER!' They yelled.

'Five thirty.' I whispered.

'And that would be the current time, wouldn't it? So hurry home. Because you're not leaving the HOUSE tomorrow! Do this again, and I will be all out of, choices, to give.' He snarled, the ringing growing louder.

The light flickered back on and he was gone. I set down the container and hung up my apron, shoving my tip and the note into my pocket. Pulling on my jacket, grabbing my bag and then picking up my container, I headed out of the kitchen.

Maria, who had just arrived, raised an eyebrow at my hurried tossing of the ham and attempt to speed walk out the door.

'Hey! You're not off till close!' She yelled.

'Sorry! Something's come up at home and I really have to get going! Sorry!'

'This is your last chance. Do this again and you're fired Evan.' She admonished.

'Sorry.' I called out as I bolted out onto the footpath.

There was no bus that went all the way out to raspy hill, in fact, no one knew that it was called that. The closest bus just went out to the edge of town, and I could run it faster. Even in my crappy work shoes.

I heaved as my feet slapped the pavement. The air grew colder and colder, I puffed out smoke. Pushing myself to go faster, ever faster, so I could make it back to the house in time. I paid no attention to the crumbling buildings in the dodgy part of town, ignoring those who even glanced at me. I tried to ignore the eerie rustling of trees that were bare and should be dead.

Bolting off the path and into the woods, I sprinted up to the front door of the house. I had no key, but I didn't even have to ring the doorbell as I gasped for air.

Dark opened the door with a wicked smirk.