I have been going to the same coffee shop every time Robbie and I argued for a month now. And that's at least three times a week. So I've become somewhat of a regular now. Which is strange, I don't normally go to the same place a lot in case paps pick up on it and then it gets ruined for me. But the family-run business has become a safe haven from all of that. I have my usual table and my usual order.
"Thank you, Annabella," I say as she sets my tea and muffin down without even having to order it at this point. "Your welcome my dare." She says sweetly like she always did. "Do you have the recipe for these muffins? They've become a midnight craving of mine." I admit to her before she can walk off. Honestly, these muffins are the highlight of my day, they make everything in the world less shitty. Okay, maybe not everything but they're good. "Oh it's my daughter's recipe, I could ask her to write it out for you." She says pointing over her shoulder to the young women carrying trays of drinks and food around. She did it like a dance each movement was so clean and elegant, she never dropped anything. She was always carrying more than she probably should but it seemed so effortless to her. "Please, that would be great." I smiled back at her sweetly. She nodded before leaving. I don't think she knew who I was she was a little older than my typical fans which made it easier to hide here. Her daughter was sweet too she just acted like I was a normal person which was refreshing, though she avoided coming over it was normally Annabella who helped me.
"Nell, could you come here for a second." I hear her mum call out as she walked back, she nodded as she set the last coffee down and turned to her mother. I enjoyed my tea and muffin whilst doing some work on my computer. I might as well make use of my time whilst I'm here. As much as I love people watching it's just not the most effective use of my time when I have a ton of emails that need answering.
"Hi, Um, mum said you asked for this?" She handed me a card with a recipe on it for the muffins. I frowned. "Is this the original, I can take a picture of it?" "No it's okay, I have them all memorised by now and mum has laminated versions in the back for when I'm not in." She says softly. It's like she knew I had spent my morning being screamed at her voice was always delicate with me. "Thank you so much." "Your welcome." And she was off clearing tables again. It was lovely of them to give me this, it's a business after all.
"NELL!" The teenager ran in with a bag on her back, she jumped up on Nell who caught her. They shared a short embrace as the teenager slid down her older sister's body due to the fact she was still holding a tray of drinks in one hand. "Missed you, Bug." She ruffled her hair. An older man walked in, not old enough to be the teenager's dad unless he had her young that is. And another man followed close behind him. "Tony!" Annabella went over to greet them. I looked around the shop and found what I was looking for. A picture of the family, two older sons a daughter and a baby, Annabelle and a man... I assume their father, probably works elsewhere. So they must be her brothers.
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NELL'S POV
"How was she?" I asked my brother nervously. Cassie my sister went to stay with Tony my older brother for a week to help her cope with everything that was going on with our family right now. She seemed happier when she came in, though that could have been she was just happy to see mum and me who unfortunately couldn't go on the trip with her. My oldest brother Jr took the trip with her he wasn't working currently. He's a football coach at a high school so everyone's on summer break right now lucky for him.
"She was quiet. Very quiet." Tony tells me as he washed his hands to come and help out. "Did she eat?" He nodded. "Sleep?" "Kind of, I'd wake up and catch her downstairs a lot of the time but she seemed okay." I nodded chewing my lip. "Stop stressing okay." "She's our baby sister, I don't like her feeling like this." "We're all feeling like this our dad." I held my hand up stopping him from talking, I didn't want to hear it again. "Nell you have to accept it at some point." "Not today I don't," I say tossing his apron at him.
"All my babies back behind the counter." Mum gushed. Even Cassie was helping today, this would be her first time. "Get together so I can have a picture." Cassie climbed up on me and I held her on my hip like I would when she was a kid, she's 13 now so I should probably stop treating her like she's 5. She'll always be my baby sister I can't help it. Tony wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer to him and Jr did the same to him. "Smile." We smiled at the camera and mum took a picture. "Oh, my thumb was covering the lense." I laughed. "Come here," I say propping the phone up and setting it on a timer, mum wouldn't get a decent photo we'd be here all evening and we didn't have time for this, not when the afternoon rush was about to start.
"Ready." They all nodded. I pressed the button and went beside Tony again and smiled. It took the photo and mum went to examine it in her own world. It was very rare that we were all in the same state. Tony lives in Washington, he's a chef at this big-time restaurant he's doing amazing for himself I just hoped it lasts. Mum, Jr and Cassie live here in LA and I live in NYC so I get why she's gushing over it.
"Tables." I point to Cassie giving her an easy job of clearing tables. "Counter." I point to Jr he'll take the take away orders. "Drinks and food," I tell Tony, he'd make the orders up. "And I'll do table service," I say giving myself the harder job they get to stand in one place. Given they have been travelling a lot so they'd be tired. "And Mum?" She looked up from the picture. "Yes, sweetie." "Why don't you go take a break. We got this." I tell her confidently. We've been working here our entire lives I'm sure we can fall back into the flow of it, plus we have an extra pair of hands now Cassie is old enough to actually do something. She smiled at me and thanked us before going into the back.
"Ready?" "You bet." And the rush began.
I took orders handed them in and had to help Tony organise them at first, eventually, I began making my own orders up as Tony was getting confused about what was for take-out and what was for table service this way it was easier and I knew everything was right.
"Excuse me," Lizzie called I turned around to face her trying not to look stressed. "What can I get you?" "Another lavender tea please when you have a minute." I nodded. Lizzie Olsen has become a regular in our shop it was odd at first I tried not to make a big deal about it mum had no clue who she was and that helped with keeping it low key. My sister freaked out when she realised but we swiftly ushered her home, she was more chill today but that was probably because we were keeping her busy. "Anything else?" "No thank you." She says with a smile I nodded and went to go make her the tea. "Cass?" I called out to her and she came over. "Clear table 7 for me, I'm getting them a fresh tea now," I tell her and she nods leaving me.
The rush was over now and I was glad it made the time go faster but it was hectic in here and I didn't enjoy that it ruined the tranquil vibe we had going on, it was meant to be peaceful in here and in the work rushes it felt like I was in a busy Starbucks in New York. "You didn't warn me that it was Elizabeth Olsen!" Cassie scolded as she appeared at my side, I chuckled. "Chill okay, she's a normal person." "Elizabeth Olsen is not a normal person she is a goddess, she is the literal queen Okay." "You need to dial your fangirl back by like 100," I say pushing my palm in her face and she giggled pushing it away. "You want to take her tea over." "What if I spill it?" "Just hold the tray, Cassie." I laughed placing the tea on a tray and placing it on my hand showing her. she copied my arm and I laid the tray on her flat palm. "I'm going to mess up." "Cassie it's walking and holding a tray it's not rocket science." I pushed her to go.
I nudged Tony and Jr and we watched her all smiling softly, this was her first table service, a big deal. And her first table service was to a celebrity that story will stay with her forever. "She looks so shy," Tony says. "Is that Wanda Maximoff?" Jr says shocked. "No, it's Elizabeth Olsen the actor who plays Wanda." I correct him. "Pick your jaw up." Tony teases. we all turn away quickly as Cassie came back over pretending to be busy.
"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."
She stayed a little longer than 9. Leaving a big tip as she always did and paying her tab as always. She was a good customer some people have forgotten to pay their tab a few times. We don't mind with the regulars because they always come back but for the one-off people, it was annoying to have to chase them out to get them to come back in.
I had locked the front of the coffee shop up, I warned Lizzie so she didn't think I was keeping her hostage. "You ready?" I asked her and she nodded we left through the back, walking through the patio, I unlocked the gate and let her slip out first and then went out after locking up and setting the alarm. "Are you parked around front?" I asked. "No, I walked." I looked up at the sky, it was dark. "My cars here, if you want a lift? Or I could call you a cab?" "I can walk." "It's 10 at night in LA on Friday night... you sure you want to walk?" I asked unsurely. it got hectic and we weren't far from the nightlife at all and I didn't know where she lived so maybe she had to walk through the nightlife to get to her home.
"I don't mind." She followed me to my car. "You're not going to kidnap me are you?" She asked chuckling slightly nervous as I unlocked the car. "Um wasn't planning on it but now you've mentioned it." I joked back and it seemed to put her at ease. "Which way am I going?" I asked as I settled into the car. "Beverly park." She says in a small voice. "Not far then." "No, I did say I could walk." "I know you're like a little older than me but I hate walking alone in LA at night, there are far too many people," I say starting the car and heading towards the area she lives in.
I put the radio on. "Where do you live?" She asked. "Malibu," I say casually. "Stop the car." We hadn't even pulled out of the parking lot yet but I did as she asked. "That's like an hour away from where I live." "Okay?" I say not following. "You can't drive all that way." "I drive all that way to get to work, you live like 5 minutes from here. It's fine." I assured her. "I feel bad." "It's chill. I'll probably stop by the clean kitchen in your area to grab dinner. If it makes you feel better." "No." "Can I start driving now?" She nodded slowly. I continue the journey.
"Why do you work all the way out here?" "We originally lived here," I say concentrating on the road. "And we moved to Malibu when I was in high school, my parents opened a second location but we continued to work at this one." "Why?" "It's like home," I say softly as I wave someone to go. "Cute." I nodded still concentrating. I could not mess up whilst driving Elizabeth Olsen. My sister would personally kill me. "So how many locations do you have?" "Um like 6 I think." "Wow, impressive." "My parents have worked so hard for them. Been working since they were 19." "Wow." She seemed shocked. "Are they all LA-based?" "No, there's one New York. And two in Washington." "And three here?" I nodded. "How have I never noticed them... your coffee shop is so peaceful it's like my idea of heaven." I chuckled. "Your heaven is pretty simple, Elizabeth," I say in a teasing tone. "What yours isn't a family-run coffee shop?" "Nope." I chuckle. "It's a left here." She points out and I took a left pulling up to some gates.
"Hello, Matty." She smiled kindly at the man sticking his head in my car beside me. "Miss Olsen." "This is Nell." "ID miss." "Oh um." I twist in my seat to grab my purse from the back and hand him my licence. "Nell is a nickname," I confirm when he looked confused. "Go ahead." He waved us through after passing me my ID back.
I drove through with my purse still on my lap. "Thrid right." I looked around the gated community it was beautiful here, the gardens were perfectly groomed and the houses were huge. Like bigger than my high school.
"And it's this one." She pointed. I rolled the car to a stop outside of her house. "Thank you, let me give you some gas money." "It's fine," I tell her. "No please you've got to drive in the complete opposite direction out of the city." "Elizabeth, it's okay. Really. Clean kitchen is out of here, third exit right?" I asked her she nodded slowly, biting her lip. "I swear it's fine. Now please, as politely and respectfully as possible can you exit my car I need to get home to my family." I chuckle and she scrabbles words out but it wasn't a sentence. "Thank you again." "It's Okay, anytime." I wave as she walked up to her gate. She punched in a code and it slid open she turned to wave and I waved back not sure if she could see me or not. I waited for the gate to close so I knew she was safe before leaving. I wave to 'Matty' and he smiled back and let me out. I drove to grab some dinner which I ate on my drive home which I probably shouldn't have done but I've only had a muffin and coffee all day and I was starving.
I arrive home at 10:55 and mum looked at me questioningly. She was waiting up for me. "Hey," I say casually hanging the keys up. "Where have you been?" I'm 20 almost 21 but still get questioned about my whereabouts. Get me home! "I drove someone home." She raised her eyebrows. "You know that woman that's been coming by regularly the one you keep pushing me to talk to?" She nodded. "Well her." "Did you speak to her?" She asked perking up. "Yeah, she's fine." "Nell. She is not fine." I sighed. "No she's not but she's not the type to pour her heart to a stranger. But I made the safe space like you said, she stayed until 10 and I drove her home." "You're a good girl aren't you." I smiled.
"You drove Elizabeth Olsen home!" Cassie shouted from the top of the stairs. "Yep," I say. "Elizabeth Olsen has been in our car. Our car! I could sit where she sat." "Remember what I told you about dialling the fangirl back?" She nodded. "Dail back by like 2000," I say and mum chuckled. "Right up to bed." "Yes, mum." We answered in unison. "Where are the boys?" "They went out." "Out, out? Without me?" "They thought you'd be tired after work." I rolled my eyes and sighed texting them annoyed. I could have partied tonight.
I climbed into my old bed and pulled the sheets up not bothering to change. I'll do it in the morning. It's been a long day, it's been a long two months in all honesty. "Night dad," I whispered kissing my fingers and pushing it to the photo on my bedside before rolling over so I wasn't tempted to look at it and break down.
There was weight at the bottom of my bed and I lifted my covers knowing what was to follow. "night bug." I pecked her head as she cuddled into my chest. This has been a nightly thing for us since I came home. "Night Nell." I ran my fingers through her hair until I knew she had fallen asleep her sniffles stopping. I closed my eyes and let my body fall into a dreamless slumber waiting to be disturbed by my alarm at 5 in the morning ready for work.