Fake It Till You Make It

eat, sleep work and repeat

"Eve, will you come over here for a moment" Andrea, my boss called from the back, tiredly. I looked over at one of my colleague's and gave them a pleading look. They nodded, putting their notebook in their apron and took over my till while I rushed into the back room.

"Don't look so worried, Evie." she chuckled, pointing to the seat across her desk.

"I called you in because I have had some news.. news about your birth family"

I froze in my seat, feeling a bunch of shivers violently tumble down my spine. I swallowed the lump in my throat before replying.

"please don't kid with me, I don't need this right now mam" I stood up, brushing the wrinkles from my apron.

Andrea frowned and sat up straight, leaning her elbows on her desk and looking up through the spotless glasses lenses perched on her face.

"i do not 'kid' my dear. I had a call about one hour ago to tell me that the social services would like to speak to you. I asked them to call me this afternoon to arrange an appointment with you." she stood up and hobbled over to my side, putting a hand on my shoulder and sighed sympathetically.

"mam, I wasn't adopted. my parents live in Winnfield in America.. they imagrated six months ago. I stayed in the uk so I can attend the university in Aberdeen. I'm just trying to earn enough cash so I don't have to take student loans out that's all." I sighed, closing my eyes before looking up at Andrea.

"They have the wrong girl, I'm not her. I cant be"

Andrea's phone started to ring. she leaned over her desk and pulled at the cable so it was long enough to hold to ear in comfort.

"Hello, ABC Barista, Andrea speaking" she sang in a customer friendly voice. A couple of 'uhm' and uh hum' rumbled out of her frowned face before her eyes met mine.

"sorry?" I swallowed, shuffling in my board stiff chair.

"they'd like to come and talk personally, can you stay and do that?"

I nodded, folding my arms for comfort. Andrea's hand found mine, giving it a light squeeze before putting the phone down.

"it'll be fine darlin'. I'm sure there's a perfect reason for all this. maybe they have you mixed up or maybe your parents haven't been all that honest to you. its a hard situation for you, i'm here if you need me. right here..day or night." she smiled, squeezing my hand once more before hobbling to the door.

"don't worry about your shift, its still paid and ill get one of the girls to cover, the social people wont be long"

I nodded, looking out of the window, trying to digest it all.