The Hours We Have

chapter sixteen

I smiled and set a cup of coffee down in front of the police officer. 

"Thank you," He briefly smiled, he was always so nice. Out of the police force in the city, he was the only one who came in for coffee early in the morning, and most of the time I would let him have it for free. I guess it was the least I could do for his dedication to the city's safety. 

"You're welcome," I brushed my hands on my apron. "Quiet today?" 

He nodded, "I'll enjoy it while it lasts." 

"Well, have a good day!" I stepped back and left the table. He usually never sat down, he would just come in and grab his coffee, but I figured he had time today.

It was still too early for the place to be busy so I went back to dusting the shelves behind the front counter. I could hear Sandy running the dishwasher in the back, carrying on a conversation with our other coworkers. Nobody had really mentioned when I had left early the other day and I was glad because I doubted I would explain myself. 

There wasn't a lot of us during the morning shift and we had become our own little family. A term which I used lightly but sometimes, these girls really lifted my spirits when I was feeling weighed down by the world. Sometimes, moments mattered more than the whole picture because a moment is all we remember.

When I thought of the time Sandy had bought an entire bag of candy and shoved it in my locker, I smiled a little remembering the moment. I only got a few pieces of that candy because when I took it home, despite how well I hid it, my brothers discovered it and ate everything. 

I was still mad about that. I never touched the food that I knew was my brothers but they almost looked for my food on purpose just to eat it. I usually figured out who the culprit was. Mikeal had a sweet tooth and although he hadn't eaten all of my candy, he at least had the decency to apologize for it. Ezra never admitted to anything but I knew he was using my special coffee from the cabinet when I wasn't around in the morning. 

"What's your plan for tonight?" Sandy leaned against the counter beside me, drawing me from my thoughts. I noticed the police officer had left, a few dollar bills beneath his empty cup. 

"I have an exam in the morning," I sighed, placing another mug on the shelf. "So, I guess I have to study for that when I get home." 

Sandy pouted. "That sounds dreadful. Don't you ever get a day off?" 

I laughed. "Are you kidding me? Never." 

"Don't ever become a mother then," She joked lightly. I had heard plenty of stories about her sixteen-year-old son and his temper tantrums. "Oh my god," She then exclaimed and I looked at her with slight alarm, "I forget you're still a baby! You aren't even 21 yet and I was going to invite you for a drink with the girls and I tonight."  

I shrugged. "My birthday is in a few months and I am not a baby." I had grown up a long time ago and that was the saddest reality because my childhood was gone forever. I still remember telling my Dad I couldn't wait to grow up, he would only laugh and ruffle my hair. I guess he knew and then he never got the chance to tell me. 

"Yes, you are!" Sandy said and then she began cleaning the counter while we worked together, "You're so young, I would kill to be your age right about now. I'm in my late forties and I look like a cow."

I gasped, slapping her arm. "Sandy, don't say that about yourself." 

"What? It's true." 

"It is not," I protested, "You have your own beauty."