Chapter 1
Before Everything Went to Shtako Prt.1
"Maria! Order number 3 ready for serving!" Exclaimed my papa from over the wooden counter in the kitchen. I gently laid the small pie and medium tea on my tray and made my way to the table who ordered it. Ever so gently, as my mother taught me, I laid the order on the table with a polite smile.
"Lemon pie with Chamomile herbal tea." I say.
"Yes thank you, Maria." The customer replies. A recurring Irath customer at my family's café. Her name is Aris, a sweet old woman with a kind smile. "Your chamomile tea always comes out fresh and puts me in a better mood for the day."
"I'm glad to hear it Aris. It's only the morning, but I hope your day gets to be more blessed." I say as I lay her utensils on the table.
"Ahiha (thank you) Maria." I smiled, nodded, and turned away to complete more orders my papa was shouting out.
Poor papa, his job would be a lot easier if mama was in better condition. Her illness has left her bed ridden. It's been about 3 years since my mama's declining health, but she has been fighting it. Her strength with the care of my younger twin siblings have been helping her, but we grow increasingly worried about how much time we have left with her. Our 3 bedroom apartment above our café isn't the space mama needs for her health.
Just in time to pull me out of my bitter thoughts, my childhood best friend walks into the café. Kehnta, an Irath who saved me from bullies when I was 7 has always stuck by my side. Even during the time of my mother's illness, he has taken it upon himself to help my family and work for us to help gain more money and customers to keep our business going. He understands our struggles and his father completely agrees with him helping my family. I smile upon seeing him. "I was wondering if you were going to make it today Kehnta!"
He puts on his apron and gave me his signature smolder smile, "What were you missing me?"
I couldn't help but chuckle and give him hug. Yes I have been, because my feelings for him have been growing stronger….. Just like his… Our feelings are mutual. Almost 10 years of friendship, we can't hold back our mutual care and shwei (love). We've grown closer with the years.
I helped him load more cups of tea and coffee on his tray for tables while I sorted away the empty cups.
"Andale amores (Hurry up, lovers)!" Shouted my papa in Spanish for everyone to hear, "Those tables need to be served!" Papa likes to tease us because he can see it. The way we look at each other, and he completely accepts Kehnta as not only an employee and my dearest friend, but as a son. My father has always been so grateful and welcoming to Kehnta since the day he found out what Kehnta did for me against my aggressors. It makes me blush every time papa teases us, but Kehnta just chuckles.
The morning was pretty smooth and productive. Miguel, my younger brother, joins my father in the kitchen to help with cleaning dishes. At only 10 the twins, Miguel and Jessica, are very mature for their age. Perhaps it's from seeing what mama is going through, or maybe they see the struggling our family does every day, but they know they have a role in the family business. Aside from taking care of mama, the twins will clean up the kitchen and help papa with baking. Occasionally I let them help me wait tables, but Miggy is not as smooth with laying the plates gently on the table and Jesse is so soft spoken and timid. They try and I will give them that.
If it's not me teaching them how to wait tables, then Kehnta will let them watch him as he takes orders for people at the counter. The twins really look up to him, they see him as an older brother. There is only so much an older sister can provide, but an older brother I seemed to notice provides more security and strength. There you go, another reason why my family appreciates Kehnta.
We usually close the café for our lunch break during the late morning so we can relax and catch up from the morning rush, then prepare for the afternoon. As Miggy was with papa in the kitchen, I leaned against the counter Kehnta was wiping down. The mid-day sun shines through beautifully through our wide windows. The stained-glass windows that were hand-crafted by papa, Kehnta, and Miggy add color to the interior. It makes me think about the churches papa would tell me about from his old faith. How the stained-glass windows will depict stories of hope and faith though belief. I never knew much about Catholicism or Christianity because my siblings and I were brought up by mama's earthly stories and natural upbringings, but papa would always talk about it despite having embraced mama's earth-worshipping views.
"Hey I'm gonna stop by the market square if you wanna go with me for a stroll?" Kehnta asks. Having finished wiping down the tables and watching me staring off into space.
"Hmm? Oh sure, give me a minute to head upstairs really quick." I replied with a soft voice, a calm smile still whispering on my lips. I ran quickly through the kitchen and up the iron winding stairs to the second floor. I went to my small room right next to the stairs and grabbed my red handmade hoodie. Before heading down the stairs, I went to my parent's room and went to my mama. "I'll be back mama." I whispered to her ear and gave her a kiss on her forehead. She was asleep, so I stayed quiet to not to wake her.
Kehnta and I left in a hurry so to be back in time for the afternoon shift. The market square of Defiance was only 10 minutes from the café. Most of the local businesses centered at the market square so to easily attain materials and groceries. Kehnta and I took to enjoy the walks to the market square even if it was just for groceries. It was a chance to be together and occasionally see some of our other friends in the area. "How's your father doing Kehnta?" I asked.
"He's getting through it. The mines are weighing down on his old body, but he stays busy. He always jokes and asks to switch bodies with me. He figures he could my strong girth to better use." Kehnta and I laughed. I like Kehnta's laugh, it's deep and warm with a dash of joy.
"I bet he feels as if he is looking through a mirror when he looks at you." I chimed in.
"Yeah a mirror that is 25 years past due." Kehnta jokes.
"You should hold your tongue because that will be you one day when you look at your kid and think the same thing." I say, but I didn't realize what I said until it was too late. My cheeks redden with embarrassment. We are two best friends with deep emotions for each other but haven't acted or said anything on them. You shouldn't joke about stuff like this.
"I sure hope so." Is all Kehnta says with a smile and distant gaze. I sneaked a glanced at him and smiled and continued walking with him.
We made it to the market and decided to split to find get groceries faster. On my way to find fruit and seeds I ran into my friend Samantha with a basket of groceries. She's a beautiful human girl with straight black hair, grass green eyes, and heart shaped face. "Why hello there Hun!" she yells out towards me. I rush towards her "Hey Sammy!" I give her a hug.
"What brings you out into the world?" she says.
"Just came with Kehnta to get groceries. He's somewhere around here." I say looking around searching for him through the mass of people.
"That's nice. It's been a few days since you've been out the house." She says concerning. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just had trouble with you know who." Sammy knows of my life long tormentor, Valik, and his goons of Castithans. "Besides, mama has been needing more help in care. So, it isn't all that bad." I continued with a smile. Sammy and I continued shopping through the stands and catching up on the latest gossip.
"So, I heard that Valik and his henchmen have busted out with a new drug." Sammy says, "It's like an intense liquid drug that is so strong that even the steam coming from it when boiled will get you strung."
"It's so wrong how they do all that underground stuff and still come out on top while the rest of us work our butts off just to provide ends meet." I say with a furrowed brow and frown.
"Aww Maria you're so innocent. This world is completely wrong. We just have to learn how to survive it." Sammy says with a bubbly chuckle.
"Completely innocent outside, and in, I might add." Sammy and I jump and turned startled at the familiar voice. It was Valik with a smirk and surrounding him was his Casti bodyguard eyeing us like treats. A cold chill goes down my spine when I see Valik watching me intently. His porcelain skin and equally white shoulder length hair glowing. His light purple eyes staring into my dark brown doe ones. Another shiver runs through me and I hang onto Sammy who shows indifference.
"Speak of the monster." Says Sammy, "We don't want trouble, it would be preferred if you guys moved on." Sam with a calm yet stern voice tells the men. Her face of stone solemnity. I wish I can be that straightforward with Valik and his goons when they come near me, but I only can when it's just Valik in the café. Yes, he will go as far as to go into our café to intimidate me, but that is because his family owns the block we live on. Real estate can be a pain when your land lord harasses you and your family.
"And what makes you think we will listen to you, lowly pink flesh." Growls Raylix, one of Valik's muscle. "We have to have some fun every now and again." Just as Raylix was gonna make a step towards us, Valik holds up a hand to stop him and looks at us solemnly.
"I simply overheard you two talking about me and it is only natural for someone to investigate what others are saying about them." Valik explains as he steps towards us. "Now what lies are you feeding Maria now, Sammy?" Valik comes closer to me and even raps an arm around my waist casually. The scent of his musk and cloves overpower me and I get a little dizzy. Afraid I just stiffen under his touch.
"Just common knowledge that Maria has missed out on because of your constant harassment." Sam spits back, Gods she is gonna get us killed. Valik is not someone to piss off. Not only does he own about half of the real estate business, but his family has ties to illegal trade. Let's just say that Valik has too much power for comfort. And for some unfortunate reason I am the target for his teasing and advances. He gives off the vibe of superiority, but he doesn't abuse his station, or Liro, he is responsible. It's as if he knows just how intimidating he is and doesn't need to threaten anyone.
"Oh really? Please do tell what that is." He provokes with a smirk. Sammy hesitates to say something, calculating where her words will get her since Valik's men close in on her.
Nobody around us pays attention, because they know better to interfere with Valik's business. Most of the people here live on the land he owns and rents to him.
All but one. "How about we discuss that another time, Valik." Booms Kehnta's voice. He stands tall and broad with a dead serious expression. "Besides, no one has the time for your games right now. Some of us do work for a living." Kehnta advances on us and Valik grabs hold of me.
"And who says I don't work?" Valik incites.
Kehnta sees the tight hold Valik has on my waist and becomes even more aggravated. The tension was becoming too intense for me, so I shoved away from the middle of them out into open space. A slight panic attack grabbing hold of me, but I suck in the air and square my shoulders, pushing a loose strand of my curly chocolate hair out of my face. "Please, we should get going. Or else my father will become too worried. Sammy, Kehnta, let's go!" I say as I turn around abruptly, letting my long, thick braid sway behind me. I only caught a glimpse of all the shocked faces from everyone as I defied Valik in public. I can't even believe it myself. Please don't let it bite me in the ass.
I feel Sammy to my right and Kehnta comes to my left and grabs hold of my hand for support. I'm so grateful that he has my back.
"I'm so proud of you, Maria." Kehnta whispers. I look up into his yellow eyes, messy orange hair in a loose bun, and smile at him.
We made our way to send Sam home safely, then rushed back to the café.