“Susan!” I heard her yell again before I reached the door of the café.
When I looked back the lights were on in both Sapphire and Sage’s rooms. So much for staying quiet so they wouldn’t wake.
I shook my head, but the small act of defiance against my mother felt revitalizing. As long as she stayed away from the restaurant, then I might even survive the day.
Previously I had to open the restaurant every day. I hated getting up that early. We didn’t open until seven, but the kitchen staff arrived between six and six-thirty to prep before opening. It had taken some time, but I now have a staff I could fully count on for that.
When I let myself in, locking the door behind me, the place was already bustling with energy.
“Good morning, Jimmy,” I hollered out to my head cook and trusted friend. My mother thought I was irresponsible for entrusting him with opening each morning, but he was the best and had never let me down.
“Hey doll. Everything looks good and we’re a go. If you want to open a little early today it’s all good,” he yelled through the food warming window.
“Are you sure? I saw Mr. Ross sitting in his truck out front already.”
“Kitchen’s ready. Might as well start the day.”
“Rosie? Candace? Are you ready?”
“Yes ma’am,” they both responded.
“Ed, how are you this morning?” I asked our busboy and dishwasher.
“I’m great, Susan. Let’s do this.”
I was thankful to see them all alert and ready, because I certainly wasn’t.
I walked over and flipped on the open sign and unlocked the front door. I could already see Mr. Ross scurrying from his truck ready to come in from the crisp morning air and join us inside.
My morning staff was small but efficient. Rosie and Jimmy manned the kitchen filling orders as quickly as possible. Ed pitched in with refills on top of bussing tables and keeping the kitchen clean as needed. While Candace and I interacted with the customers playing both waitress and cashier as well as anything else needed along the way.
The breakfast shift was always busy which I preferred as it made the day pass by. The next several hours passed by in a blur. Once the lull between breakfast and lunch had set in, I was beyond exhausted. I hadn’t even had a drink yet, let alone food. My plan for caffeine survival had failed when we had gotten busier than usual, and I simply hadn’t had time to take even the slightest break.
A stray hair hung in my face and I could feel my bun wasn’t holding any longer. I knew I was a hot mess when Jimmy came out of the kitchen and demanded I sit down. He had a steaming cup of coffee and a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast for me too.
“You look terrible. Are you okay?” he asked, genuinely looking worried for me.
“Couldn’t sleep. I’m fine. Just tired,” I assure him.
“You should go home and take a nap before the lunch crowd arrives.”
“You know Shay would love that. It’s not worth it, but thanks for the offer and the coffee.”
“You’re going to eat too,” he insisted.
“I will. Promise.”
“Alright. I’m gonna get back there and start prepping lunch then. If you need anything else, just ask. You know we’re all here for you.”
“Thanks, Jimmy.”
I grabbed for the coffee first taking a long sip and welcoming the heat and jolt of energy it provided. My head was pounding but I knew the caffeine would help with that too.
I had just started devouring the eggs when the door opened. I stilled when I heard the click of heals across the tiled floor. I closed my eyes praying it wasn’t her. When I slowly opened them and looked up Shay was standing there with her hands on her hips.
“I’m not paying you to eat all the food, Susan.”
“You aren’t paying me at all,” I muttered under my breath.
“You look terrible.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I said trying to pull back on the sarcasm in my voice.
“You know employees aren’t to be seen eating out here like this. What are you thinking?”
“My mistake,” I said gathering my plate and coffee, hellbent on moving to the small staff table in the kitchen to finish my meal.
“Where are you going? Get back here. I was talking to you.”
“I’m tired. Just tell me what you want.”
She huffed. “You’re such an ungrateful wench sometimes. I give you all of this and this is how you talk to me?”
“I’m sorry. What can I do for you?” I asked with little effort to change my tone.
“The power bill bounced. You aren’t bringing in enough money to make ends meet,” she insisted. She thrust the bill into my hands.
I looked down, noting it was a disconnection notice and it hadn’t been paid in three months. I was furious.
“You told me you were paying the bills. Do I need to start taking care of this again?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. If the funds were in my account, then I could pay the bill.”
I bit my lip. A third of the business income went into her account. She had more than enough money to pay the household bills and still splurge on whatever she wanted.
“It was the week at the spa, wasn’t it?”
“Don’t sass me, Susan. You have no idea how hard I work and how stressful it is to run a business like this and take care of you girls. You should be more grateful for everything I do for you.”
My blood was boiling, and I could see Jimmy holding Rosie back and begging her not to get involved.
“Thank you. Don’t worry about the bill. I’ll take care of it,” I managed through gritted teeth just praying that would appease her so she would leave.
She gave me a sly smile. “And right you should.”
She turned and walked back out. The clicking of her heals did nothing to quell the anger I was feeling. Somehow that small annoying sign only made the fire burn within me even hotter.
Halfway to the door she turned back to me with one of her scrutinizing looks that reminded me that no matter what I did I would never live up to that woman’s expectations.
“You look like hell, Susan. Fix it before the lunch crowd rolls in. Wouldn’t want to scare off my customers.” She pursed her lips as she turned back and walked away.
As soon as she left, I sank back down into the booth and set my food back down. I took another drink of coffee and then pulled out my phone. I immediately went to her account, I doubted she even realized I had access to it. Just as I suspected there was more than ten thousand dollars in her account. There was no way the power bill had bounced.
I sighed and paid the bill through my emergency account.
I didn’t think she knew about those funds, but when she pulled shit like this it made me wonder.
Rosie came out to join me. “I swear to God I just want to bash that woman’s head in sometimes. You don’t deserve that, Susan.”
I genuinely smiled. I loved that even if my family would never have my back, my café family absolutely would.
“Thanks, Rosie.”
She left me to finish eating in peace. I wasn’t really hungry, but I knew if I didn’t at least eat something the others would worry.
I had two more people arriving for the lunch team. Before they did, I nibbled enough to at least appease Jimmy, finished my coffee, and went back to the staff bathroom to clean myself up.