Unexpected

Alone

"I need your help at the store before you go to the restaurant. Hannah's home taking care of her daughter." Millie's mom told her when she had her breakfast. 

"Sure, what do you need me to do?" Millie asked. She was used to help both her mother and brother, and they paid her for it.

"I need you to open up the store for me. I need to go to Hollmark and get the new seasonal ornaments that we're selling this summer."

"Okay. I'm on it."

"Thanks hun." her mother kissed the top of her head.

Millie's tired eyes stuck to the wall where the family photos were.  Nate and Millie's mother and Nate's dad had grown up together. The two of them were locals and their parents had been very close. They had been meant to end up together. When they were 20 years old, Millie's mom had gotten pregnant and when Nate was five months old his dad had died in a diving accident. It had taken Millie's mom a long time to move on, but having Nate had helped a lot. They both shared a special bond. 

How Millie's mom met Millie's dad was different. Millie's dad had been a seasonal summer guest. He had arrived with some friends and they stayed in the guy's family beach house. The guy had spent an unusual amount of time around Millie's mom's store. He had come in at least once a day, buying something new. One day he had asked Millie's mom out and they had gone on a picnic on the beach together. The two hung out a few more days and he had brought her to his beach house and one night they had "created" Millie. Then he had gone home and Millie's mom had learned that she was pregnant. She had asked around for his contact information, but without any luck. The following summer, when Millie was just a few weeks old, Millie's mom had found out that the guy's family had sold their house and that they were most likely to never come back. Millie was a name running in the guy's family and therefore, Millie's mom had named her Millie.

But regardless of having no fathers around, Nate and Millie had had the best childhoods with their mom. Millie's mom had taught them everything. She also had two very close friends: Grace and Peter, so they had had a male figure to look up to. Nate and Peter had grown very close when Nate had began acting out when he was a teen. Peter had picked Nate up from places and talked sense into him. When Nate was 18, Peter had helped him opening up his restaurant, and Peter was still the taking care of the economic part of the restaurant. Nate was head of the kitchen and Becca was head of the service staff. Millie mainly worked in the restaurant, but helped her mother in her ornament store every now and then. 

People who came here for vacation during the summer loved buying summery ornament. Millie's mom collaborated with a woman in Hollmark who made the seasonal ornaments, so Millie's mom could have something new for the returning guests. The ornaments were mainly seashells, stones in different colors, and ropes made into braids or knots. 

Millie locked up the store and closed the door behind her. She walked over to the cash register and prepared it. Then she took a quick scan of the store to make sure everything looked like it should. She then walked over to the door and flipped the sign form closed to open.

Mrs. Ever was always the first costumer. She always came to the store to support the business by buying flowers. When she had left the store, there was an hour where nothing happened. Millie took a walk around the store and decided that she could bring out some more candles, just to get herself something to do. 

She went to the back and looked for the candles. When she was back there, she heard the door bell, signaling a new costumer. She put the candles back and hurried back to the main part of the store. She stopped in her tracks when her eyes landed on Andrew. She narrowed her eyes. What was he doing here? She remembered the night before and felt her face turn red. She decided that she had to let it go and move on. He hadn't seemed to care last night, so why should she today? Then she heard a female voice belonging to his mother. Oh...

"I don't know what to do about that, Andrew. I can't help it if you're bored. You have to do something."

"But no one's here. I have no one to hang with." Andrew whined.

"What had you been expecting? It's March." Camille stated.

Millie rolled her eyes. Then she stepped out into the store. "Welcome, can I help you with something?"

Camille and Andrew turned their heads in her direction.

"You work here too?" Camille asked.

"This is my mother's store. I'm just helping her." Camille nodded slowly and Andrew just looked at her. 

"I am actually looking for the seasonal ornaments." Camille said and pointed at the shelf where last year's ornaments still were.

"My mom is actually out getting them right now. They will be in store in two days, so if you come back then."

Camille nodded and the atmosphere changed. It was a very tense situation. Camille quietly looked around the store. Andrew looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. Millie tried to make herself look busy by trying to reorganize some ornaments on a shelf. 

"I want this one." Camille suddenly said and walked over to the counter. Millie hurried over there to assist her. She grabbed the white, glittery stone from Camille and wrapped it in paper before giving it back to Camille. Camille paid and Millie couldn't wait for Camille and Andrew to get out, so they could take the tense atmosphere with them. But Camille didn't seem to be ready to leave just yet.

"About last night." she began.

Oh no! Millie thought and tried her best not to show her reaction.

"I understand that the whole thing was an accident." Camille sent Millie a small yet friendly smile. "However, there is one thing you can to to repay."

"How much do you want?" Millie asked and regretted her question just as she had asked.

"I don't want money. I want you to spend a day with my son here. He is bored and in need of something to do."

Silence.

Wait, what?

"Mrs. St James-" Millie began at the same time as Andrew whined. "Mom."

"Tomorrow." Camille continued.

"I work tomorrow." Millie tried.

"Well, in that case. I'll take 300 dollars for the shirt you ruined." Camille smirked. "And you," she turned to Andrew. "I've got some chores lined up for you back at the house."

Millie looked at Camille. Then at Andrew. His eyes told her that his mother was fully serious and that Millie didn't have a choice. She turned back to Camille. "Fine." Millie finally agreed. 

Camille smiled. "Nice doing business with you." She grabbed her bag and left the store. 

Andrew lingered a few seconds longer. He looked like he was about to say something but changed his mind. Then he brought his hand to his neck and began to scratch it. "Meet you outside this store at 10 am tomorrow then?" he mumbled. 

"Sure." Millie answered, suddenly uncomfortable. 

Andrew glanced back at Millie again, before he turned around and left. 

Millie's mom came back two hours later. Millie then had two hours off before she had to be at the restaurant. She went to the beach and took a much needed, yet very cold, swim in the ocean and then she walked in the direction of the restaurant. 

"I'll take the St James' if they're back tonight." Becca chuckled when Millie entered.

"Thanks." Millie mumbled as she tied her apron around her waist.