My alarm wakes me up at 6:30am. I hit the alarm and throw the covers on the ground. Climbing out of bed I walk over to the light switch and turn the light.
I open the closet and pull out a clean pair of shorts and the coffee shops t-shirt. I quickly change before heading out of my bedroom.
When I get to the kitchen I try to be quiet as I make breakfast. Looking over at the lounge I see Jody stir.
She sits up and looks at me. "Morning, Paige." She mumbles. She walks down the hall.
I hear the shower turn on and I continue to fix breakfast for myself.
Jay's hand moves across the bed. "Babe?" He says. Sitting up he sees me in the kitchen. "Hey, Paige. Have you seen, Jody?"
"Yeah, she's in the bathroom."
He sighs. "Of course. That's the only place she takes off too when she's not in my bed. At times I keep thinking she's going to take off on me."
"Have you had that happen to you before?"
"Yeah, my ex. She took off after we had sex and when I saw her the next time she broke up with me. I know I shouldn't worry about that when it comes to Jody, but..."
Jody stands in front of us with a towel wrapped around her. "But, what Jay?" She shakes his head.
He looks at her with pleading eyes as he says. "Please don't make me say it, Jod's."
Jody doesn't move from her spot. "You were fine talking to, Paige, about it. Why not me?"
Jay stands up and moves over to her. "Jody, you're the only woman that can break me. I don't think I'll ever heal of you left me.
She whispers something to him and then they start to kiss.
I take a bite from the toast that I just made.
Nick exits his bedroom and sees Jody and jay kissing. "Jody, put some god damn clothes on. I thought you would have grown out of this?"
She shakes her head. "In university, I get wolf whistled at, every time I step into the halls with a towel wrapped around me."
Things have changed in the last two and half months since I've seen her. She used to use a stall to change into and out of her clothes and now she's not ashamed of showing her body off to guys in her dorm.
Nick shakes his head. "You better have clothes on by the time I finish making breakfast." He turns his back to us and starts making his breakfast.
Jody laughs and says. "He should be used to me doing this. I haven't changed much since I left home."
Maybe, you don't see the changes, but I do and I don't really like what I'm seeing.
Walking down the hall I enter the bathroom and start brushing my teeth. Once they are cleaned I wipe off the excess toothpaste from my mouth with water and then dry it with a towel.
I exit the bathroom and head to the living room. Grabbing my purse off the stand I look at Jody and say. "I'll see you tonight. I'm sure, Nick, still wants to have dinner at the bar 'n' grill." I lower my voice so only she can hear me. "The poor guy hates is wrong alone when I work Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights." I exit the trailer and climb into my car.
I pull in front of the coffee shop. I step out of my car as Renee starts to unlock the door to the coffee shop. She holds the door open and I enter the coffee shop. "Thanks,"
She smiles. "Your welcome."
I walk behind the counter and put my things away.
Renee puts her things under the counter. She looks at me. "Grandma's not coming in today. She's come down with the flu and I don't have another employee to call."
Annabeth walks over to the counter. She looks at Renee. "I can help out?" She looks at me and then back at Renee.
Renee turns to me. "Can you work with her? I don't want my best employee to get into a fight with that girl."
I nod. "I'm willing to put everything she's done to me aside for now."
Annabeth squeals. "Thank you, Paige." She walks behind the counter and I show her how to use the till.
Renee walks into the office. "I have some things I need to do. Will you two be alright there alone?"
I smile. "We'll be fine."
Renee closes the door.
I walk over to the coffee machine. "Do you want a coffee, Annabeth?"
She turns to me. "No, thank you." She looks at the ground. "I want to apologize for being mean to you, Paige. You didn't deserve everything I did to you in High School. I was jealous that Damien wanted you and not me. I saw how serious he was about you. When school ended I started a rumor and Damien believed it."
I shrug. "Annabeth, why are you saying all of this now?"
She sighs. "Mom, died a couple weeks ago. I want to work until I go to UCLA in winter. The only way I thought I might get a job was by apologizing to you. I know you can't forgive me right away. Can we at least be friends?"
I look at the door as people come into the coffee shop. "I can't forgive you right away, Annabeth. But, I'm willing to try to be friends with you. Please, don't change when your friends come home."
She shakes her head. "All the girls stopped talking to me when they went to University. I got an e-mail from a few telling me that we can't be friends because I didn't get accepted to UCLA. But, that was a lie. I got a full ride. I turned it down to look after my sick mother. It was either let guilt eat me up if I left. Or put University on hold and spend however much time she had left with her. I chose my Mom and I don't regret that decision at all." She turns to the customers in front of the counter. "Welcome to Antonia's. What can I get you?"
The couple order there drinks and I make the coffee. The guy wraps his arms around the girl. "I'm glad we came home for the weekend."
I place the coffee on the table. "Here's your drinks. Have a nice day."
They take their drinks and walk out of the coffee shop. Annabeth walks into the dining area and she cleans the tables.
Walking into the kitchen I see Renee icing the donuts. She turns in my direction and says. "Do you want to ice these while I show Annabeth the ropes?"
"Sure, when I'm done icing these. Can I go on a break? I'm not feeling too well."
"Yes, you can, but if you still feel bad, let me know and I'll let you do go home."
"I will. Thanks Renee." I put the icing on the dozen donuts that's sitting on the counter.
Once they're all iced I take them to the front and put them in the display case.
A little girl runs over and she points at the fresh donuts. "Mommy can I get one of those please?"
The mother looks at me. "Give her whatever she wants." She puts the phone back up to her ear and starts talking to whoever is on the other end.
The girl turns towards her Mother and then back to me. "She's always on the phone."
Lowering my voice I say. "What donut do you want?"
"Chocolate please." She looks at the candy in the jar. "Can I have the skittles and nerds, please?"
I grab the stuff for the girl and put it in a bag paper bag. I tell the mother the price and she pulls her purse out of bag.
She gives me the correct change and then walks out the door with her daughter.
Before the girl walks out she yells. "Thanks, Paige."
I wave at her as the door closes behind them.
Renee looks at me from where she's standing. "You're really good with kids."
A smile spreads across my face. "It helps having younger twin sisters. That girl is a couple years older than my sisters." Looking at her I say. "I'm going to take my break now."
Grabbing my bag from under the counter I walk into the kitchen and then out the back door. I sit on the ground and pull a sandwich out.
My phone starts to vibrate and I pull it out of my bag. Seeing Dad's name on the message I open it.
Dad: Hey, kiddo. How's everything going?
Me: Good,
Dad: The twins want to know when you're coming home. They want you to meet their new pet.
Me: Did you get the girls a dog?
Dad: You'll have to come home and see for yourself.
Knowing Dad he brought them a dog.
Growing up he told me if he got a business deal where he could live in a proper house he would get a dog and teach us how to take care of it. He said that it's good to have responsibilities at a young age. It will shape you to be the person you are meant to be."
When the twins came along Mom got me to help her out and then she asked me to babysit them when she went to work.
I loved every moment of looking after them. It also lead me to getting jobs looking after other kids in the trailer park.
After my break I head back into the coffee shop and stand behind the counter.
A group of girls walk into the coffee shop. One of them looks at Annabeth, who is cleaning a table after a couple vacated it. She smiles. "Annie?"
Annabeth looks at her old friends. "Hi, girls. Can I get you something, Jenny?"
Jenny shakes her head. "Nah, I prefer to get served by someone that knows where they belong. I can't believe our Queen fell and she now works with the help."
I really hate this girl. But, she's got nothing on Annabeth when it comes to being Queen of mean.
Annabeth walks behind the counter. She whispers. "Do you have rat poison?"
"Let me check under the sink."
Annabeth laughs.
I cross my arms and look at the girls. "What can I get you to drink?"
She looks at the board and taps her chin. "I'll have the hot chocolate with skim milk. Can you make it extra hot?" The other girls order after her.
I look at Jenny. "Do you want anything else?"
She shakes her head. "No, thank you."
I make the coffees for the other girls and I place it on the table in front of them.
Jenny looks at the coffees. "What's taking you so long with mine?"
I put the lid on the hot chocolate and place it on the table. "It's extra hot like you asked."
She puts the cup up to her mouth and she drinks. She drops the cup and screams. "That was too hot, you crazy bitch."
I look at her. "I did what you asked me to do. If you didn't want it made that way you should have kept your mouth shut."
Renee exits the office and she looks at Jenny. "What's going on here?"
Jenny points at Annabeth. "That bitch made my drink extra hot."
Annabeth looks at the ground. She looks at me as I touch her arm. She shakes her head. "I'll pack my stuff."
Renee looks at Annabeth. "I know that's a lie. You don't know how to use the coffee machine. Even if you did you would have done the order the way the girl asked you to." She looks at me. "Paige, get your stuff. You're going home. I don't want to get in any trouble because of this girl."
I walk into the office and pick up my handbag. I look at the table and see a note on the desk. Come back in ten minutes when the girl is gone. I want her to think she won. – Renee.
I exit the office and walk around the back of the building.
If I was a smoker this would be the perfect opportunity to pull one out.