Song of a Nightingale

Mpov

''Millie, please, don't do this, I'll change...It will get better this time around..if you'd only gimme one more chan...'', I slammed my palm on the answering machine unable to hear another drunken word in that whiny voice of his. Wiping the tears from my face I looked out of the window, it was warm and sunny, not so common for the last day of September. The weather seemed to be mocking me right now, after being betrayed for the umpteenth time by the man I kept coming back to because I had no courage to leave him for good before yesterday and thinking if I managed to get the job I interviewed for 5 days ago, one would think it would at least have the courtesy to rain. I went into the bathroom to wash the dried tears from my face when I stopped in front of the mirror. I was red and puffy and as I fought back the new, fresh wave of tears I said out loud ''Happy birthday to me.'' I wondered if I should bake myself a cupcake and make a small number 29 with frosting on it, but decided against it because as much as cooking was a real passion of mine, my wallet wasn't sharing the same passionate sentiment with me. After I exited the bathroom I steeled myself to go back to the answering machine and see if I had any more messages.
*Beep* ''Good afternoon Miss Nightingale, Mr. Walters speaking, I'm calling about the job interview, please get back to me as soon as you get this message. Goodbye.'' I picked up the phone quickly, my heart racing and I couldn't enter the numbers fast enough as I dialed Mr. Walters. -''Hello?'' - ''Good afternoon Mr. Walters, Miriam Nightingale speaking, you told me to call you about the job?'' –''Ah yes, can you start tomorrow Miss Nightingale? I know it's a short notice but the waitress that was supposed to be working for another week couldn't stay due to personal obligatio..'' –''No, no, I can start tomorrow, it's not a problem. What time should I be there?'' I rushed the words out of my mouth as an irrational fear, that he might change his mind about the offer, gripped me. I really needed the job. I was aware that I won't make much money waitressing but it would pay the bills. And...I could always hope for tips. –''Six o'clock. AM.'' –''I'll be there. Goodbye Mr. Walters.'' He hung up the phone and I breathed a sigh of relief. It happened so fast that my mind was just starting to process what happened. At least one good thing to happen today. Maybe this birthday wasn't so bad after all, I smiled to myself as I changed my mind about that cupcake, I had a reason to celebrate now. Sorry, wallet. I put on my favourite oversized brown suede jacket, pulled my hair into a ponytail and rushed outside to buy the ingredients.
I no longer hated the sun today, it wasn't mocking me, it maybe knew in advance that the day won't continue to be as foul as it started out. Once outside, I slowed my pace, letting my eyes wander around the run down neighbourhood. I was already used to it, the old buildings, leaky pipes and squeeky floors. But now, I thought, I had the chance to change my life slowly. I started by getting free of Brandon yesterday and maybe I could save some money from tips at work, so I could invest in myself, maybe open my own bakery one day...As I looked up I saw I was already in front of the grocery store and that, thankfully pulled me out of my thoughts, because I was getting a bit ahead of myself. The bell above the door chimed as I entered and picked up a cart. I started pacing around the aisles putting the groceries in the cart. Everything I would need to survive the next 5 days, until I can save some tips to fully stock the fridge, and of course, cupcake ingredients. I walked towards the register, my mind filled with delicious frosting as I heard the beeping of the products being scanned. ''That'll be 30 bucks.'' the cashier with bleach blonde hair and heavy makeup said loudly through the gum she was chewing. I got my wallet out, looked inside and my face turned the same blanched color of the cashier's hair. I had only 20 dollars in my wallet. ''I- I...can I return some t-things..?'' I started stuttering and pulling out a 20 dollar bill while she was looking at me annoyed that I was starting to hold up the line. When suddenly an arm came up from behind me, holding the amount I needed to pay and I heard a deep husky voice say ''Here, take it.'' He was giving the money directly to the cashier denying me the chance to protest, I turned around and was about to say something but then I saw his face and the words died in my throat. He had an intense gaze, which was even more intimidating because his eye color was almost black, and his eyes had an exotic shape to them. Long straight nose and a beard. Very prominent features all framed with chin length black hair in stark contrast with his pale tan. The cashier cleared her throat and as I turned to her she held out the bags for me, she already packed my stuff, while I was staring at the man who was at that moment walking past me without even buying anything and leaving the store. Quickly regaining my composure I realised that I didn't even thank the man and I hurried out of the store just in time to see him speeding off in a black muscle car. Then, I was flooded with embarrassment. Why didn't I check the wallet and the prices before I went up to the register? Why did that man have to pay for everything? Why didn't he say anything to me? And why did he leave the store like that? I kept getting more and more mortified the longer I thought about all of that, so I decided to hurry back to my apartment and bake the blasted cupcakes. I didn't crave them now as I was ealier because when I thought about it, I was transported back to the moment at the grocery store. As I started baking I realised that not thinking about it was impossible. The next thing I was embarrassed about was the way I looked. Oversized jacket, plainly tied hair, no makeup whatsoever and face still slightly puffy from all the crying. I must have been a true sight to behold. No wonder he had run off like that. I snorted. Hours later, I washed all the dishes, took a shower and washed my hair. I figured I should wear jeans and a jumper tomorrow for work because it didn't really matter. It was the kind of place where all the waitresses got generic pink uniforms and a white apron. As I got into bed and closed my eyes another set of eyes appeared in front of my closed eyelids. Dark, intense contemplative eyes, and I felt the surge of embarrassment again but I pushed it down telling myself it didn't matter since I will never have to face him again.

Tomorrow morning I was at work, hair tied, uniform on, as I was going through everything I needed to know for the fifth time with another waitress in my shift, Anette. I liked her, she was warm, kind and approachable and very helpful. Just as we fnished talking which one of us waited which tables, the bell on the door chimed as the door opened and in walked a tall man, with chin length black hair, impeccably dressed, and sat down in one of the booths. ,,Your first customer!'' Anette exclaimed cheerfully, while I was begging internally the earth to open up and swallow me whole. It was him. The man from the grocery store. Was this a joke? I approached the table, my hands trembling slightly, he looked up from the menu and just said ''Coffee. Black.'' and then returning focus to breakfast choices. I was trying not to gape at him. He didn't even acknowledge what happened yesterday. ''I owe you thirty dollars.'' I said. ''No, you don't.'' He told me calmly and once again repeated his order. I went to get him coffee completely puzzled by his casual, cold, I-always-do-that-so-I'm-unfazed kind of attitude. ''Hey Anette, I was wondering if you could lend me 10 dollars, I'll return them at the end of the shift?'' I asked and was relieved as she said ''Sure, no problem. Has that something to do with our brooding sexy regular over there?'' ''What?'' I paled ''A regular? You mean he comes here often?'' She smiled. ''Yeah, every morning, has a coffee, sometimes eats breakfast. Doesn't talk much though. You know him?'' she asked. ''Sort of'' I said and quickly filled her in on what happened yesterday at the store. She said nothing but pulled out ten dollars and gave them to me. ''Go, return to your saviour'' she teased ''along with the order.'' I took the last 20 bucks from my wallet and her 10, and placed the money next to the cup of coffee as I brought it to him. He drank the coffee, got up and left without a word. When I came to the table, I saw he left the money I gave him untouched, plus he paid for the coffee and on top of it all, left me a tip. The day after that got really busy, I had a lot of work so I could only think about what happend as I plopped down on the couch when I got home from work exausted. What is the deal with that man? No one has ever left me as confused and unsure what to think as he has. Anette said he's a regular. Maybe I'll get the chance to find out or at the very least return him the goddamned money.