The next morning on my way to work I went by and paid the electric and water bills for my mother’s house. I called her when I got to work and told her she could go home. I wasn’t even mad anymore, I was numb. It was over a week until payday and I now had ten dollars and forty-two cents in my account. Thank you, Mother. I hope that was some good vodka and I hope the tips are good the rest of the week so I can pay my own bills.
I went about my work, trying to keep my mind off of my mother. I pretended to talk and laugh with Rose and Myra but my heart wasn’t in it. At about ten-thirty after we’d gotten the breakfast rush cleaned up, Rose pulled me to the side and asked, “What’s wrong, girlie?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” I told her, forcing a smile.
“You’re a terrible liar,” she said.
“Thank you,” I said with a real smile. I had promised myself growing up with my mother that I wasn’t going to be one of those people who had issues with the truth. “I’m okay though, really. My mother’s acting up a bit, but nothing I can’t handle.”
“Aw, I’m so
rry, honey. You deserve a lot better than the hand you’ve been dealt.”
I shrugged. Rose had an autistic son and a husband who cheated regularly. I knew this because she told me, but I never heard her complain even though she was in her late forties and still working more than me. We all have our crosses to bear and I just thank God that I have a job and good friends like Rose who genuinely care.
“Thank you,” I told her. “But it really will be okay. You don’t need to worry about me; you have enough of your own issues to worry about.” She gave me a motherly look that said I couldn’t make her not worry about me even if I wanted to.
“Well, why don’t you go take a little break anyways before the lunch rush starts up,” she said.
“I will take you up on that,” I told her. I went into the back and sat down on the old couch Joe put back there for us to relax on during our breaks. I leaned back and closed my eyes; I hadn’t really slept much the night before. A few seconds, or maybe it was minutes went by and I heard the door open. I didn’t open my eyes, I just said, “Sorry Joe, I’m coming.”
“Did I keep you out too late last night?” I opened my eyes to see Aiden standing there looking at me. He looked delicious in a pair of designer jeans and a red, long-sleeved polo shirt.
I sat up quickly and said, “Oh, Aiden. I thought you were Joe. No, I just didn’t sleep very well last night.”
“I’m sorry, was it because of me?” he asked. It was, partially. I looked at him and sighed.
“Maybe a little. I have a lot to think about. What are you doing back here anyways? Do you own this place too?”
He laughed, “Not hardly. Joe would never sell to me. I asked your friend Rose if you were working this morning and she told me you were back here. I didn’t ask she just sent me on back.”
“I believe that, Rose likes to fancy herself a matchmaker,” I told him.
“I have a meeting to run off to, but I wanted to see what time you’re off today and if you’d like to spend some more time together? I let you get away without getting your number last night.”
“Oh,” I said. It was a brilliant response, I know. “Um, yeah…I get off at three. What are we going to do?”
“I’d rather it be a surprise,” he said.
“I’m just a little self-conscious in my uniform,” I told him.
“I’ll tell you what, I’ll have my driver pick you up at three and take you home to change. Then he can bring you to me.”
“I can take a cab…”
“Nate will be here with the car at three,” he said. “Give me your cell number.” I called it out to him as he put the numbers in his phone. “I have to run now. Have a good day.”
“Sure, you too…” he was already gone. The man has a way with authority, that’s for sure.
When I went back out to work, Rose and Myra were both waiting to pounce.
“You’re meeting in secret with Mr. Dreamy pants aren’t you?” Rose said.
I laughed and put on my apron, “No, he came in last night as I was closing and ejected a drunk for me. Then he invited me out to dinner…”
Their squeals interrupted me, “Where did he take you?” Myra asked.
“An Italian place called Giuseppe’s.”
They squealed again, “Oh my God, girl! Do you know the waiting list for that place is months long? Only the elite go there!” Rose who kept up on these types of things delighted in telling me.
“Did he drive? What kind of car does he have?” Myra asked. “I bet it’s something low, fast and Italian.” Joe rang the bell behind us.
“Orders up! I hope whatever kind of car he has can carry all three of you because none of you will be able to make your own car payment when I fire you for all that gabbing.”
“Speaking of low, fast and Italian,” Rose said. All of the girls giggled. Joe was Italian and it was a very fitting name all the way around. Rose picked up two plates off the warmer and turned back towards me, “Not a word until I get back, I want details.” I laughed and shook my head. I went over to check on my customers and greet one new one. When I came back they were both still dying to hear.
“He called his driver and had him pick us up,” I told them, vaguely.
“Pick you up in what?” Myra asked.
“A limousine,” I said.
“Are you kidding? Damn girl! You hit the mother lode!”
“It’s not like that,” I told them. “Now stop it and let’s get back to work.”
They did, but I could tell by their looks and giggles that they were still talking about me and Aiden. That was okay; let them have fun with it. It wasn’t going to last long whether I decided to have his baby or not. He’d already told me I’d have to basically disappear when the deed was done, and if I said no, I had a feeling he wouldn’t be coming back to the café.
I made it through the day and when it was time to leave, I was really glad that I’d had the early shift. I love getting out when there’s at least some daylight left. After saying good-bye to the girls and Joe, I tried to slip out unnoticed. It wasn’t like limousines were unheard of in this neighborhood. I worked in a much nicer neighborhood than I lived in. I wasn’t that lucky however, as Aiden’s driver held open the door and I turned to slide in, I saw Rose and Myra’s faces in the window, gawking. My next time on shift was going to be fraught with questions. I smiled and shook my head while Myra was giving me a thumbs up. Explaining the surrogacy deal to those two if I decided to accept was going to be fun. They were both very devoted mothers and it makes me wonder what they might think of me for bringing a life into the world and then just walking away.