You Never Know ♥

I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, trying to untangle my severe bedhead as I blinked away the sleep from my eyes. It was Monday morning, and I needed to get to Rejavanate as soon as I could. Christina had texted me that she was held up, and asked if I could make it to open in time to greet the delivery man and receive the pastry order for the day. I had thankfully heard the text come in, so I groggily replied that I could, and peeled myself out of bed. I would like to describe myself as a morning person, especially since I work in a coffee shop, but for some reason I felt extra exhausted today, and my body felt like it was made of lead. I was moving so slowly. 

I yawned widely and continued to wrestle with my hair before sighing and giving up. 

I’ll just wear a beanie, I thought as I squeezed toothpaste onto my toothbrush and scrubbed away, my brain trying its best to get up and running. I need cold brew today for sure. I’ll make myself an ‘Avery’ when I get to work. 

I smiled to myself at that, and spit out the frothy toothpaste before rinsing my mouth off and gathering up my shower caddy and towel, and heading back to my room. Jackson and Elliot were still asleep, so I was doing my best to be quiet as I made my way around the apartment, especially since I was up earlier than usual. I slipped into my room and hung up my wet towel, put my shower caddy away, and moved to put on my favorite black Converse. I quickly laced and tied them, and then tugged a black beanie over my unruly hair, fishing out a few pieces out to frame my face so I wouldn't look bald. I slung my book bag over my shoulder, slipped my car keys into the pocket of my jeans, and grabbed a jacket on my way out to the kitchen. I refilled my water bottle at the fridge, grabbed the apple slices and small tub of peanut butter I had prepared the night before for my break, and then headed out the door, closing it softly and locking it behind me. I knew I would have the breakfast sandwich that would come with the pastry order to eat, and I was looking forward to it.

I hopped up into the driver’s seat of my Jeep and dropped my book bag on the passenger seat before unlocking my phone and tapping out a quick text to Ave.

Good morning! I’m on my way to Rejavanate - Christina needed me to open today. Let me know what time you might come in today! I hope you slept well☺

I hit ‘send’ and turned the keys in the ignition, beginning my ten-minute journey off to the college campus. I listened to the radio broadcaster cheerily wish her listeners a good Monday morning, droning on about how it would be a nice sunny day, with the high hitting 80 degrees. I felt my eyebrows rise - it was going to be surprisingly warm for an April day. That would most likely mean I would be making more iced drinks than hot today at work, which meant it would be an easy day with me spending less time steaming milk at the espresso machine. It was much more simple just to scoop ice into cups and pour in the milk as it was: nice and cold. I pondered this and the potential day ahead as I pulled into the parking lot and swung into a spot near the middle of the lot. I liked walking a bit to the shop rather than parking right up front - it was nice to take in the campus and the sky as the sun lit up the world with the fresh gold of the morning. The glowing warmth touched my face, and I paused for a moment to feel it wash over my skin. It made me feel awake, and more alive. I smiled to myself as I started walking again, making my way up to the doors and unlocking them, slipping through the coffee shop and into the back. I turned the lights on, their yellow hue lighting up the small space and making the shop revert to its cozy atmosphere, paired with the sunlight filtering in through the windows. 

I deposited my things on the countertop and tied my apron on, setting about the usual opening routine as I waited for the pastry delivery, which came about fifteen minutes after I arrived. Today it was Ernie who brought the order and sandwiches for Christina and me, and we chatted for a little while before he had to take off to his next stop. I opened up one of the brown sandwich bags: today it was a fried egg sandwich with gooey cheddar cheese and turkey on a still-warm croissant. I felt my mouth water as I slid it out and took a massive bite, chewing slowly and letting the flavors coat my tongue. It was heavenly, so good that I felt my eyes flutter with ecstasy. I loved breakfast food. 

When Marie had suggested making chocolate chip pancakes last Tuesday following Avery’s hospital adventure, I had nearly burst with excitement. Sitting there with them, eating pancakes and bacon and drinking orange juice, it had made me feel like I was ten years old again, eating that exact same breakfast and watching Avery’s mouth become smeared with chocolate as she babbled excitedly about what we should do that day. I always took longer to eat because I chewed slowly in order to savor the taste, but she would gobble hers down both because she wanted the flavor afresh in her mouth with each new bite and so she could finish her food fast so we could play sooner. Marie would always warn her that she would get a stomach ache eating that fast and that her body needed her to chew her food - that’s why she had teeth in the first place. Avery would heed her words for the first few bites after, but then go right back to scarfing her food down. I still had to remind her to eat more slowly. 

I shook myself out of my memory as I took another bite of the sandwich and looked around the workspace. I had gotten the register up and running, loaded it with the necessary bills, put the tip jar out, and the pastry boxes were waiting by the display case to be unloaded. I checked my watch: it was almost 8 AM, the official opening time for Rejavanate. Almost an hour had passed since I had arrived, and there was still no sign of Christina. I felt a small hint of worry twinge in my chest, but I shook it off. I’d give her until 8 before I tried to call her. 

I finished my sandwich and walked back out into the main area of the shop to take down the chairs from the taller tables and to fluff up the cushions and pillows we had scattered around on the couches and plush chairs. I also set up Avery’s blue pillows we kept in her own little corner of the shop, right below the big painting of the logo on the black wall: a coffee bean that had phoenix-like wings, the tagline Rise & Rejavanate spelled out in white below the cup. Elliot had actually been the one to design it - when he had shown it to me, he had acted like it was no big deal when I told him how much I loved it, but I knew he was secretly proud and happy. 

The sound of the front door opening made me turn, and I was greeted by a panting Christina, dressed in black leggings, a black skater skirt, and a white button-up blouse. Her near-black bob was half-up in a mini bun, and she looked a little disgruntled. 

“Hey Walker, sorry I’m late,” she said as she entered the shop, flying past me to the back to get ready for the day.

“Hey Christina, I’m glad you made it!” I said as she disappeared through the door. I followed behind her and pushed through the door. She was tugging on her apron and sweeping a few stray hairs from her face, her dark brown eyes looking slightly tired. I watched her for a few brief seconds, trying to get a pulse on how she was feeling. She looked a bit absent-minded as she fixed her hair and then spun on her heel to push through the double doors and out into the space behind the register. I poked my head through one of the doors and continued to observe her as she looked around the space, her eyes landing on the pastry boxes. 

“Oh, you still need to unload these? I’ll get started on that,” she said as she went back towards me and the doors to wash her hand at the sink behind me. She scooted around me and started up the faucet, scrubbing away at her hands, completely focused. It was so uncanny of her, so I decided to take the opportunity to check on her. 

“You okay, Salas?” I asked gently. I rarely ever called her by her last name, but I thought it might grab her attention, which it did. 

She looked up from drying her hands and to me. She looked a little startled but then broke into her trademark grin. 

“Yeah, I’m fine, thank you for asking,” she said, relaxing her shoulders and straightening up. Even when she was at her best posture, she was still only as tall to reach to just beneath my shoulder. Her spunkiness and sass gave her those last few inches she needed to have such a big attitude and presence. It was something I admired about her, which is why it was rare to see her seem so tired and hurried.

“I don’t want to pry, I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright. I was going to give you a call at 8 to make sure you were safe,” I said, searching her face for any hint of how she might be feeling. 

She sighed lightly and let out a short laugh, shaking her head.

“Okay, so it wasn’t a super big deal why I was late,” she giggled, looking embarrassed. “Long story short, I got up early to work out and hit the punching bag this morning, and Kyrie joined me. We were both taking turns with our kicks, and I accidentally missed and...I kind of kicked him super hard in his....between his legs,” she finished, flushing a bit red. 

I felt an odd mix of laughter and pain bubble up inside of me: laughter at imagining five-foot, three inches Christina managing to topple her six-foot, six inches brother with one kick, and pain as my own male instincts kicked me into sharing a moment of silence for Kyrie. 

“It was so bad that you were over an hour later than normal?” I asked, glancing down at Christina’s black combat boots. She really did pack a punch, both in her physical strength and sharp tongue.

She laughed genuinely this time, and slightly covered her face with her hands.

“Yeah, I hit him hard and head-on,” she explained with a light groan, possibly regretting her choice of words that almost made me laugh out loud before she continued. “I felt so bad, he went down like a bag of bricks. He kept saying he was fine, but you know how Kyrie is with his silent-and-tough-guy act. He had tears literally streaming down his face and he still tried to look deadpan. I had to help him get up and into the house, and of course, he’s freaking tall and heavy, so it was difficult. And then I demanded that he make sure he was okay and that he didn’t need to go to the emergency room, and when he said he didn’t, I rushed to shower and get over here.”

She suddenly burst out in loud laughter, bending over and putting her hands on her knees as she shook with giggles. 

“I’m sorry, I have no clue why I’m laughing,” she managed to say, straightening back up and wiping away a few stray tears. “I was mad at myself and still feel bad, and I absolutely hated feeling rushed. So I was feeling stressed as I was trying to get ready and get out the door, and I hate being late. But I made it!” she finished triumphantly, pumping her hands in the air. 

“You did!” I mimicked her air punch, happy to see her back to her normal self. 

“Thanks a million for covering for me,” she said, looking at me gratefully.

“It wasn’t a problem at all,” I replied, smiling at her. “I was just going to go put the pastries in the case and then make myself an ‘Avery’ - what do you feel like drinking today?” I asked as I turned back towards the double doors, looking over my shoulder at Christina with a quizzical look. 

She thought for a moment before she looked back up at me with a breezy smile.

“I’ll do an ‘Avery,’ too!” she crowed. “I need that cold brew kick today for sure,” she said, pushing her way out to the main area of the shop in order to flip the sign to OPEN and make sure the doors were unlocked. 

“Sounds good!” I replied as I began taking the croissants, donuts, and various other bready bits of goodness out of their boxes and putting them into the display case. It was now 8 AM, so we were officially open for the day. For some reason, though it was just a regular Monday, I felt eager to see what the day would hold. I rubbed my hands on a towel to get the powdered sugar off of my fingers and set about scooping ice into two cups, mixing oat milk, mocha, and vanilla sauce together, and then pouring cold brew from the tap into the cups. For extra flair, I added a bit of cinnamon and then poured the milk and sauce mixture into the cups on top of the cold brew. I topped the cups with lids, swirled them in circles for a final mix, and poked straws into the tops. I handed Christina her drink, who was back behind the counter munching away at her sandwich, and she eagerly accepted it.

“Cheers to Monday! And to normalcy!” she exclaimed, tapping my cup with hers before taking a long sip.

“To normalcy?” I asked curiously, watching her nose scrunch with joy. 

“This is soooo good, Walker, thank you,” she said, sighing with ease. “Yes, normalcy. You never know what a day could hold. We should always be thankful for the days we have, even the boring ones where everything is normal. Like today,” she said, gesturing around the coffeeshop. “It’s Monday, and everyone complains about Mondays. You get up early, you go to work, you do your routine, you maybe throw some little fun things in there, and then you go to bed and do it all over again. You don’t actively think about it because it’s all just normal motions, but you never know what could happen,” she said, arching an eyebrow. “You could get fired, you could get into a car accident, you could receive some horrible news, you could even die.” She suddenly paused for a moment. A sly smile crept onto her face. “Or,” she said, stopping once more for dramatic effect, looking into my eyes with a serious expression. “Or you could kick your brother in the nuts and nearly destroy any chance he ever had at having kids.”

I let out a laugh, tossing my head back and shaking it as I lowered it back down to look at her.

“You’re too much sometimes, Salas,” I chuckled, taking a sip of my own drink. It was super good today. 

“Thank you, I’d rather be too much than boring,” she quipped, her eyes sliding past me to the front door of the shop. “Looks like we’ve got company,” she said.

I turned and saw our first few customers walking towards the shop from the parking lot, coming to get their pick-me-ups and crumbly morning rolls and sweet treats. 

I took my place at the register as Christina polished off her sandwich and went to throw away the wrapper and wash her hands one more time. I greeted the customers, took their orders, and worked the register as Christina pulled espresso, steamed milk, scooped ice, and handed out pastries in their little crinkly baggies at the pickup bar.

We worked well and in tandem for the next few hours, the day slipping by easily as customers came and went, some settling into the chairs and couches for study sessions and some leaving as soon as they picked up their drinks. I was correct in my prediction that there would be many more iced drinks ordered than hot, especially as nearly every customer commented on how warm it was that day. It also turned out to be a much busier day than usual, and the next thing I knew, it was 1 PM and time for my break. I had let Christina go first today, so when she returned and took over for me behind the register, I slipped into the back and checked my phone. There was a reply from Ave:

Hey, I won’t be able to make it in today. Can you come over to my house after you get off?

I felt a little disappointed when I read her words, but sent back a quick text:

Of course, I’ll be there! Are you feeling okay?

I pulled out the apple slices and peanut butter from my bag and popped off the lid, dipping a slice into the smooth, brown goodness before popping it into my mouth. My phone pinged and I read Avery’s response:

I’m feeling great, don’t worry. I just have to take care of some things today. Let me know when you’re gonna come over! I hope you are having a great day. ♥

I smiled and finished chewing as I tapped out a reply:

I am! It’s hotter and busier than normal, but all is well. I’m glad you’re feeling good, I’ll text you as soon as I am on my way. 

She answered in the affirmative and I continued texting a bit with her, talking about Christina’s blunder with Kyrie, knowing it would make her laugh, and asked what she was up to. She was vague in her response, so I just let it go, letting her have her privacy. I finished my apple and peanut butter, drank a bunch of water, used the restroom, and then rejoined Christina behind the register. 

Another steady stream of customers came in the last few hours of the day, making the time once again pass rapidly. Christina and I chatted in the little pockets of downtime, and before we knew it, it was 5 PM, all of our patrons were gone, and it was time to close and lock up. We wiped down the counters, cleaned the espresso machine, made sure the dishes were dry and put away, and put the chairs back up on the tables. 

“Today went really fast,” I said as I flipped the sign to CLOSED and made my way to the back once more to take off my apron and gather my things. 

“Yeah, it did! And I’m thankful it was relatively chill and normal following my crazy morning,” Christina replied, taking her own apron off. “Like I said this morning, I’m grateful for the normal days, too. There weren’t any crazy customers, things went smoothly, I’m happy. Now I better get home and make sure Kyrie is alive and well,” she finished, laughing to herself as she slung her tote bag onto her shoulder. 

We walked out together, taking one last scan around the shop to make sure nothing was amiss, and then Christina locked the doors and slipped her set of keys into her bag.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Walker! You’re doing the afternoon shift because Jade needs it off, right?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at me. 

“Yeah, she asked if I could do her afternoon because she had something she needed to do,” I affirmed, nodding. “So I’ll be in around 1 or so.”

“I gotta open with her?” she groaned, shaking her head slightly. “It’s not as fun as it is with you.” 

“Aw, thanks,” I said with a grin. “It’ll be fine, I know Jade wants to get closer with you and make sure it’s all good between her and you. And like you said, you never know what a day can hold. Maybe you two will become best friends.”

“I wouldn't jump there quite yet, but yes, you never know,” Christina sighed. Jade had talked with Christina the day following opening up to me and apologizing about blowing up at Avery. I had heard it went well, though with Christina being Christina, she was still a bit on the fence towards Jade. I knew she would get over it and be her usual bubbly, yet sassy, self - even towards Jade. Christina was good like that. 

“Update me on Kyrie tomorrow!” I called after her as she went off to her car.

“I will!” she yelled back, letting out one last laugh.

I went off back to my Jeep and pulled out my phone once I was settled in the driver’s seat.

Hey, I’m on my way over! I should be there in about 15 minutes, I tapped out. 

I waited a few minutes before a text popped up.

Ave said that she was in her treehouse, waiting for me. 

She wanted to talk. 

(To be continued…)

♥

Image source: Batou Shoujo manga by mebae