LAYERS

Strawberry Shortcake

The walk to the maid cafe was quiet, decorated with a restlessness energy, parked just below skin. It stayed quiet, the world holding their thoughts close to themselves.

Mint enjoyed the silence for once, mind looping around the dream that was slipping away like sand between the cracks of fingers. There was a desperation in the way it spilled away.

The silence dug at Ashley, pressing against him until, finally, he let out a sigh. Concern played on a poorly veiled expression, fingers twisting around the folded application, wondering how he could convince her to speak of her problems. He took another breath.

"Hey, uhm." The words felt out of place in the silence, but Ashley barrelled right on. "Are you-are you okay?"

Ashley thought Mint might not even reply, when eventually she let a sigh. "I had a dream about Gene."

"Oh." When Mint didn't elaborate, Ashley thought the grand idea to ask, "What-um. What about?"

"Just how we met, I guess. Some of the details are fuzzy, some are more vivid than others." The bloodied splits of her ex lover's arm flashed in Mint's mind, and she felt a shudder shake her spine.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Mint said, her voice only an octave above nothing. It was exhausted, hoarse in a way Ashley had never heard before.

It was a dismissal if Ashley ever heard one, and he allowed the rest of the walk to swell with silence. Not long did they have to spend before they had arrived to the café, walking in with the ring of the bell.

"Hello, Mint!" One of the employees greeted with a smile. "Table for two, I assume?" She asked politely, looking at Ashley.

"Oh, actually-" Ashley unfolded the application with anxious fingers, and pushed it in the employee's face without thinking. "-I'd like to apply for a job here?"

When he finally caught up to his hands, he quickly pulled the application away, revealing the shocked expression the employee. It wasn't clear if it was because of the blatant rudeness of his gesture, or because he didn't quite fit the aesthetic of the café. Something lead him to think it might be the latter.

"Oh, a table would be nice too," Mint interjected before the awkwardness persisted, and before Ashley could apologise, or her coworker voice an opinion.

"Okay!" The employee said, quickly regaining her composure. "I'll take the application, and-uh-your table is right this way."

After being handed the application, she lead them to the back of the café, seating them at a table in front of one of the large window panes. When they sat across one another, the employee handed them their menus.

"Your waitress will be right with you," She said, turning on her heel and towards the kitchen.

Minutes passed with the pair turning through their menus when another employee appeared before their table, equipped with a notepad and a pen. "Hello, my name is Dani. What can I get you two today?"

"I'll have a water and a peach scone, please," Mint requested politely, handing the menu to the waitress.

Dani turned her attention to Ashley, and he scrambled to hand her his menu. "I'd like a tea and slice of strawberry shortcake, please," Ashley rushed to get out, noticing Mint's eyebrows flex through his peripheral.

"Okay," She said, scribbling down their orders. "Your orders will be ready soon," she chirped, and walked off.

"Gene likes strawberry shortcake," Mint mumbled, turning her lost gaze to the window. Perhaps her eyes saw something past the poor view. "He used to order it every time he picked me up from work."

"Oh, I'm-I'm sorry." He looked off for Dani, something of guilt buzzing at his fingertips. "I can get something else instead."

"No, you're fine," Mint assured, looking away from the window. "It's just-been thinking of him a lot lately."

"Do you... wanna talk about it?" Ashley offered. The relucant look in Mint's eyes told him that she didn't, but he asserted the offer by maintaining eye contact.

Mint fiddled with her fingers on the table, contemplating answering. She took a breath.

"Gene was..." Mint trailed off, trying to find the best word. "Abusive, to say the least. Not to blame him, he had a lot going on, so." She trailed off again, and balled her hands into fists, fingernails digging into her palms. "He never laid a hand on me, just-" Her voice caught, lip trembling. "I wish I never brought him into our home."

Silence reigned once again as tears welled in Mint's eyes, threatening to spill forth on her cheeks. There wasn't anything Ashley could say to make that better. Nothing at all, so instead he reached across the table, holding her fumbling hands in his own.

The quiet was shattered by the sound of a plate being set down on the table. Ashley flinched away from Mint as Dani began speaking.

"Alright, here are your drinks and your food," she said awkwardly, pulling the dishes off her tray. "I'll be right back with your tab." They couldn't even utter their thanks before Dani had sped off as fast as she could, professional in the way she nearly jogged.

"I'll pay," Ming said, already reaching for her wallet.

"Yeah, sorry," Ashley replied sheepishly, taking a sip of his tea. "I'll have to get my things back from Spice today. I'll pay you back when I'm able to."

"Oh, no, you really don't need to. You're my-"

"Guest," Ashley cut off, as patiently as he could. "I know. But you've already done so much for me, at least allow me to repay you." When a second ticked by without a response, Ashley added a small, "Please?"

Flowers bloomed beneath smiles as warm as the one Mint gave him. She nodded her agreement.

A comfortable silence followed, for the first time that day. Mint started on her scone, and Ashley drank his tea.

"Thank you."

Ashley looked up from where he'd began focusing on his food, and smiled despite his confusion. "For what?"

The look in Mint's eyes were incomprehensible, though genuine in its barest layer.

"Just, thank you."