Page 22 of Last Letters to Ara
How Dad knew exactly what I would need to hear this month, I have no idea, but he is right. I have been so focused on how I have nothing figured out, that I stopped aiming to figure them out. About two-thirds of the way into the tissue box, I come to terms with the fact that I can’t keep living my life this way.
My thoughts drift to Theo and his grand gesture to be my friend. Underneath my trepidation and trust issues, I’m convinced that he’s genuine. Although his cryptic explanations give me nothing but reason to doubt his motivations, he has experienced the kind of trauma which alters you for life, making damn sure you never put another person through that.
I still can’t shake the look on Theo’s face after he told me what happened between his ex-girlfriend and his father, as if he was leached of all his joy and charm for a moment. People are sick. I’d be hard pressed to admit it, but Theo’s charisma has started to grow on me, and I don’t like the idea of it being replaced by that detached look.
Moving for my phone before I even know the decision has been made, I shoot a text.
Meet me after my shift. Wear all black.
Just like that, I’m going to help Theo find something to be happy about.
• • •
“What did you do?” Joel asks me as soon as I walk in for my shift. I won’t lie, I barely had the courage to show up, so this question has me putting my tail between my legs.
“What do you mean?” I ask nervously. “Dan, what is he talking about?”
They pause, having a silent conversation about how much they should say.
Finally, Joel is the one to speak. “We overheard Karen in the office. Something...wasn’t pleasing. We heard your name followed by a string of curses, and we’ve been dealing with her extra foul mood ever since.”
“Yeah, thanks for that,” Dan tacks on with a teasing grin.
I lean against the counter and put my face in my hands. “I knew I shouldn’t have done it.”
“What did you do?” Joel asks.
“I sent in my resignation letter this morning, and she must have seen it when she got in. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“Ara, we’ve never understood why you are working here in the first place. You’re so young with so much potential. It shouldn’t be wasted in this café.”
Joel thinks I have potential? A little fissure begins to form in my rock-solid, arm’s-length wall.
Dan continues where Joel left off, as usual. “You should be out there discovering what you want to do, what youlove.”
Joel opens his mouth to go on, but is interrupted by a screeching, acidic voice on approach from the seating area. “Have you been served yet? No? Let me get someone for you.”
The three of us have never moved faster. I throw my bag into the break room, not caring where it lands. Joel launches back to the grill, Dave back to the industrial sink that’s half the size of my living room. I desperately search for something to do to look busy, and come up empty, leaving my only option to stand up straight and weather the storm.
Karen’s eyes instantly narrow when she finds me standing there. “Your shift has already begun, and I expect you to do something with yourself for the next fourteen days, or so help me God, I will make sure nobody hires you again.”
“Sorry, Karen,” I say as I grab a spare apron and chuck it over my head.
It’s rare that Dan and Joel witness the full extent of the verbal abuse I receive from Karen. Both of them stare at her, hell in their eyes and steam coming out of their ears. I shake my head slightly to warn them off saying anything, I won’t be here much longer, and it doesn’t feel right for them to endanger their own positions on my behalf.
I plaster a grin on my face and walk out to serve our customers, noticing it wasn’t as hard to do as it usually is.
Tonight’s shift goes quickly, being a busy night, and by the time I’m locking up, a foreign feeling has taken over. It has my heart pumping and limbs feeling jittery as I look over my all-black outfit I’ve just changed into.
“Oh, now I see what’s had you acting all keyed up tonight,” Joel says with a smile.
“What do you mean?” I ask while I jiggle the door to make sure it’s properly locked.
“I guess I should saywho’sgot you all keyed up.”
I whip around to find Theo, leaned up against a pillar, in all black.
I thought deep green had been complementing, but Theo in all black? Fuck. My. Life.
