Coffee Shop | Elizabeth Olsen

2: Safe Space

"I saw you watching me." She says handing me the tray back. "Do I do good?" She asked and I inspect the tray. "Well, the tea made it to the table and considering that's all you had to do yeah." She shoved me and I laughed. "Quit teasing." She scolded pouting. "You did amazing baby girl." I kissed the top of her head. "Your first table service was Elizabeth Olsen." "Or Wanda as Jr calls her." Tony teased. "Cool," Cassie said doing a little excited jump. 

After the rush Tony, Jr, Cassie and mum went home. I'm used to doing the close on my own so today was no different but I wanted to go home to be with my siblings that I haven't seen in a while. I clean up the remaining tables. And check on the customers to see if they wanted anything else. 

"Can I get you anything?" I asked Lizzie she was my last table to stop in on. "No, I'm good thank you." She says smiling at me, she wasn't okay. Her eyes were telling me she was exhausted her smile wasn't real and the amount of times I've seen her tear up over this past month is unreal. I wanted to wrap her in a warm blanket and cuddle her until she felt better about whatever she was going through but I didn't know her so I couldn't do that. I may get arrested if I did that considering who she is. "Your sister is really sweet." She compliments. "Thanks, she's a big fan," I say and she smiled in amusement. "So you do know who I am?" I nodded slowly. "You act like I'm just a normal person." "Well you are aren't you? Unless my brother was right and you really are Wanda." I began to whisper. "Are you really a witch?" She laughed at my silliness. "You're like the only person to just see me like a normal person and not Wanda." She joked. "I could treat you like... what was it my sister said a literal queen a goddess." I mimick my teenage sister and Lizzie blushed and giggled. "But it's not really my thing." "I appreciate it." I smiled nodded slightly fidgeting with the tray. 

"May I?" I asked pointing to the empty chair, she kicked it out and nodded. I sat down. "Tell me to go away if I overstep," I tell her. I couldn't stand people being sad and it was bugging me that she was it has been bugging me since she first came in. Mum sent me over with her order to try and get me to see if she was okay knowing she wasn't but when I saw who it was I couldn't ask her personal questions she might have thought I was fishing for a story. She sat up straight looking nervous. "Are you okay?" I asked looking into her eyes wanting to know the truth wanting her to know I really cared. "Yeah. I'm good, just tired from work." "drop the bullshit media training," I say. "I'm really asking, are you okay?" I say again. She looked away from me before looking back her eyes glazed with salty tears. "Not so hot right now, no." "If you want to talk I'm here until the end of summer... I'm a really good listener." I boast and she chuckles clearly knowing I was jokingly praising myself. "No one should be sad alone." A tear fell from her eyes and I handed her a napkin, if that was Cassie crying I would have wiped it away with the pad of my thumb but I didn't know Elizabeth and I didn't fancy getting arrested for trying to do that either. She probably had a bodyguard lurking in the corner waiting to pounce. "Thanks. I'm sorry." "Don't apologise it invalidates your feelings and everyone's feelings are valid no matter how big or small," I say what my dad told me as I was growing up. She seemed to like it too and smile sadly. 

"We close at 9 but if you want to hang around a little longer, escape whatever it is that's on your mind you're welcome to," Mum said to create a safe space for people so they don't feel alone and they're comfortable to express themselves. But also a safe space so they don't have to face what they're hiding from. We had a woman who used our coffee shop as an escape from her abusive husband when I was growing up and mum stayed open two hours after closing just so she could stay out of the house longer. We got her the help she needed and she stops by sometimes with her new attentive partner it's amazing to see the safe space mum created for her really did help. I'm not saying Elizabeth is going through that ut it's something, she's here all the time. I'm sure there are better places she could spend her time. "Thank you." She smiled. "Anytime."