Forgetting Mellaine (COMPLETED)

Chapter I

It doesn’t take much time to call a dead for help, yet they seem not to care, neither the ones who are still living. Sometimes, fate will play the chess and you need to be alert before you see a devil. The dead don’t need such things anymore – fancy dresses, security codes, a pile of money, and even luxurious things to brag to anybody. It was a special gift for you to see the unseen and know others’ deepest secrets smelling inside their bodies. With a warm smile and a given amount of time, I accepted the gift.

It’s been quite some time since I last visited here. Fresh baked cookies, chirping birds flying above, the dogs walking cheerfully with their trainers and the streets filled with cars, as their owners kept waiting for the traffic lights, are still the things that make up the small town of Valencia. Perhaps that’s why I like it much here and the fact of having a perfect setting to start anew.

Dealing with the warm day, a shop caught my attention. A blind was sitting on the wooden porch with his dog busily barking at the stray cats enjoying their meal they got from those garbage bins. A couple of minutes after, an old beautiful lady clothed with her lacy blue dress came out of the shop bringing some fresh flowers and sat beside the man. She patted the dog as it wags its tail swiftly and gave the man a kiss on his cheek. Afterwards, they decided to walk and headed to the train station from afar.

For some reasons, I think it’s a lucky day for me. On the shop’s main door, posted the words, Urgent Hiring! Cashier. I walked directly to it and see what’s inside the shop. As what I expected, it was filled with different scented flowers. They are also selling pastries and milkshakes. Behind the counter, a lady in her young 40s noticed my presence and slowly opened the door for me. She smiled, showing off her white teeth and her wrinkles beside her hazel brown eyes. The fugitive smell of vanilla, coffee and freshly baked cookies also caught my interest.

“Good morning. Do you want some cookies?” the lady asked while holding the knob firm.

“Hi. I’m Mellaine. Mellaine West. I just want to ask if you’re still in need of a cashier here.” I say. I needed to use my maiden last name for a reason.

With a wide smile she held my hand. “Oh thank, God. Are you looking for a job, honey? I really need someone to help me in here.”

I nodded and took my feet inside the shop. The lady offered me a brewed coffee and cinnamon. Beside me, two women were eating their red velvet cakes and a pair of buttered garlic bread while the lady was busy entertaining the other customers.

Over the counter, you can see trays of different pastries with their name tags and prices. Beyond the bookshelves, a young man caught my eye. He waved his hand and slowly smiled at me, showing that he had seen me looking at him. With a bit of embarrassment, I waved back at him. After a while, the lady joined me and offered her company and was delighted to see me. She sat next from my position, having her mango shake put in a long bottled container.

“I’m Francine Vaile, but they prefer to call me France. These couple of weeks was really on peak. Most of them are buying here for the upcoming Valentine’s celebration here. I’m looking someone to help me here, since the last person assigned over the counter got herself a resignation for her to be able to move to Los Angeles.” She said.

I sipped the hot coffee she gave me. “I just got here and I also need a job for me to feed myself.”

She laughed so loud, which made the others looked upon our direction. She shook my hands. “Well, you’re in the right place, Mellaine. You’re hired. You can start by next week if you want.” She uttered while still keeping those smiles on her face.

Francine was a happy lady. She talked about her life and how she managed the shop by her own. She also recommended me to someone’s apartment and called her for me to settle in tonight. She’s radiant and full of experience. Before I left the shop, she gave me some of her delicious donuts filled with caramel and dark chocolate with her calling card put above the box. It was almost 6 pm in the evening. I turned away, happy, and recognized the same guy inside the shop standing under the post light.