"Jess, we have a customer in table 2, can you take care of it please?" Fred stated as he welcomed the newly arrived guest.
Jess readily followed where Fred was pointing at. She heads towards the table and puts on her best smile. "What will you have for today?" She asked the customers politely.
Jess listed the orders quickly and after confirming it she moved back to the kitchen and relayed it to the head cook. She scanned the crowd; the diner is usually busy then. She remembered that this had been her favorite restaurant before when she moved to town. This place was peaceful regardless of the many patrons it caters to, they serve the most delicious food for an affordable price.
Jess remembered the first time she walked into the Diner she was amazed by the interior and the atmosphere it projects, she has been visiting the place since then. Fred, the Diner's owner has always been friendly his gentle eyes captivate his customers, and he has always been attentive to his guests that's probably why he also makes sure that his employees have comforting smiles plastered on their faces ready to greet their guests. The soft music in the background resonates, making the place relaxing. The uniquely textured walls produce a smooth yet flowing look. The viny plants that clasp the walls ever so freely give it a natural appearance. The marble-tiled floor beneath gives the restaurant a clean yet warm appearance. They have soft cushion seats that let any customer's body sink right down in them. But through this, she changed a lot and accepted reality. So, here we find a dramatic irony.
She smiled. She was lucky when one of the waitresses quit and landed her the job. She has been scouting for days to get some work and the city might offer that opportunity, but there has been stiff competition too. She left her hometown to pursue the dreams of the man she loves and that's why she decided to stop her schooling and focus her energy on servicing him but when she got a taste of reality, bills to pay and rent to fulfill she knew that she must find ways to support herself.
"Jess here's for table 2." Jose, the head cook uttered bringing her back to the present time.
She smiled and readily took the plates of food and carefully served it to the guest. Time had elapsed and Jess was exhausted when finally, they decided to close. She checked her watch, and it was almost eight in the evening.
"I'll just finish cleaning the tables and chairs and I'll be off to my other work Fred..." Jess said as she wiped the sweat from her forehead using her backhand.
Fred's brow crossed "You still have another job to do after this hour?" he asked, astonished.
Jess smiled "It's just a part-time job though, it would be a waste if I didn't grab it besides it's just house cleaning. The regular caretaker is sick, so she asked me to take her place instead." She explained as she continued wiping the tablecloth.
Fred looked at her with weary eyes. "Do not overdo yourself. I know you are young, and you might feel that you can do everything, but the body needs to be nourished too, abusing it won't do you any good." He advised.
"I won't. I promise after I clean the unit I will go straight to bed and rest. I'll be good as new by tomorrow." She assured the old man and even acted tough to give it a more convincing portrayal.
Fred shrugged and gave her a strange glance; she was too young to do much work; he didn't know the real reason for her hard work; but he believed she needed to make ends meet. He just hopes that she won't push herself too hard.
Jess sprinted her way out of the diner and headed towards the bus station. She contemplated riding a cab instead, but she decided against it. She needs to save every penny as much as she can. She has no luxury of prioritizing her comfort.
When she arrived at the address Mrs. Lee gave her, she was stunned by the house's exterior. Mrs. Lee was her neighbor on the fourth floor of their unit, a widow, and had no children. It was earlier that day when she decided to dispose of the trash and noticed a frame stumbled on the cold stairs. Jess went ahead and checked what happened and in those few moments of deliberation she witnessed how Mrs. Lee's consciousness ebbed away, Jess's thoughts were unclear, but she knew that she needed to ask for help. She tried to steady the woman with her strength, but she wasn't prepared for the strenuous effects of her attempts and she almost lost her balance.
"Mrs. Lee? Are you alright?" She asked.
She decided to move her away from the cold bricks and aided her towards her room. Jess went ahead and prepared some tea poured it into a cup and offered it to the woman. Her pale face earlier slowly painted some color back, Mrs. Lee suddenly opened her eyes and a gentle smile registered on her face.
"Thank you..." She whispered.
Jess breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed that the woman had gained her awareness.
"Mrs. Lee, you got me worried back there. What happened?" She asked.
The woman moved in a sitting position and Jess aided her to be comfortable. "I was heading down when I suddenly felt the world turned and I felt dizzy so before I hit the solid floor I decided to just lay there momentarily."
Jess nodded. "Do you want me to call 911?"
The older woman vehemently shook her head indicating no.
Jess fell silent, she then added. "I hope you are feeling better now... If there's anything I can do to help you just let me know..." She offered.
*******************************
Jess suddenly roamed her eyes around the house and noticed the flicker of light in the garage, her thoughts about the Mrs. Lee incident were interrupted. She wondered if the owner was already home. Mrs. Lee suggested that she take her place for now considering her recent state. The older woman also said that the owner barely comes home so there's a lesser chance that she would bump into him, but you'll never know. She made her way to the porch and then entered the house completely.
All the newest features were built into the house with no sentimentality for the old ways. The windows were large to let in maximum light but fashioned so well that the home stayed warm in the wintertime. Every line was clean and straight, and the color scheme was brown and silver. The roof line didn't peak in the center as was the fashion in the previous decade, but instead sloped to the left peaking a couple of meters from the edge. Inside was largely open plan, a floating stairway leading to the upper floor, and every floor was smooth polished concrete.
Jess's eyes scanned around the area; her curiosity got the best of her. She couldn't help but admire its interior, she knew it was carefully planned and thought through. The house was huge, she wondered if the owner lived alone and that would be a waste of space. The vast curving staircase captivated her eyes, it was made of polished wood floors and a graceful banister that curved up toward a soaring second-floor gallery which was covered by Persian rug covered a shopworn carpet that looked so comfortable. She then checked the prints of gentlemen riding to hounds decorated the walls crumbling rock walls that give out a unique sense.
She had no idea who owned the house, but Jess knew that he must be someone with a good paycheck. She began to dust the walls and table; the house is practically clean so there's not much that she needs to do. Her mind wandered how it would feel if they lived in a house like this, together with the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with and their two children.
She blushed at the mere thought. She touched her flushed face and giggled. If Shaun knew her exclusive thoughts about them together, she would receive a good nag from him. Even when she was younger, she didn't have any fancy desire other than to become Shaun's better half, she had prepared herself to be the best in that role. She suddenly felt the urge to see him. They hardly see each other now because of his schedule and though she understood the reason that it was unavoidable she couldn't help but miss him terribly.
Shaun was an amateur musician that has been blessed with talents and good looks. He has the kind of face that stops you in your tracks the moment he passes by. Jess knew that he must have gotten used to the attention by now, the women's sudden pause of admiration in Shaun's natural expression when they looked his way was sometimes overbearing, Shaun has always been aware of his effects on the female race he even overcompensates with a nonchalant gaze and a weak smile knowing that this has been his asset. The girls around him could blush uncontrollably and they didn't even try to hide it anymore, it was a dead giveaway. It didn't help that he attempted to be modest with it, it made the girls fall for him more. His eyes- they were deep and catastrophic, a vivid baby blue as a great body of water that softly melted into a milky green. If you look closer, anyone could see the flecks of silver in his eyes. He had distinct cheekbones and an angular jaw; his pale skin made him look devilishly handsome. No wonder he gains popularity even for a short while. He was someone who had talent and personality.
Her smile weakened as she suddenly felt sad at the thought. Shaun has been with her even when she was younger; they have grown up together and are inseparable. He has always been someone she chases but he was there for her too, however, lately, she can't help but feel that she has become a stranger to him.
She shook her head.
"Shaun will never change his treatment towards me. Never. The pressure must have gotten into him that's why he's always been distracted but once his career becomes stable, he will get by..." She uttered.
She clasped her hands in her chest, she hoped it was true. She hopes that this phase will be over soon enough.
She sighed once again and with a heavy heart, she carefully traced the rest of the house and tried to distract herself from the bothering thought.
As the night progresses and as the silence resonates in the outside world, Jess wonders what life waits for her in this strange city with only one determination in mind. She just hopes that she won't regret it...