Raleigh felt more jittery than the time he'd tried every kind of coffee in the shop.
He could look at the engine again without wanting to tear out his insides, and go home without feeling empty, but he liked working the counter himself. It occupied this weird place between solitude and the buzz of people around him.
So he watched and waited for Stacker's daughter, nervous and fidgety. He didn't even know what she looked like, but the minute she walked in the door, he knew it was her.
She was short, Asian, dressed in black, long wool coat and a scarf. It had started raining out side earlier and she shook off her umbrella before closing it. Just from the way she walked and the way she carried herself, Raleigh knew.
"Are you Stacker's daughter?" Raleigh didn't even really have to ask, but he was extremely nervous for absolutely no reason.
"Yes, I'm Mako Mori." She said, in accented English. "Pleased to meet you."
"It's good to meet you, I-I'm Raleigh." He said, holding out his hand. She shook it hesitantly, but with a firm grip. He noticed the blue streaks in her hair, seemingly the only bright color in her ensemble at the moment.
"Um, shall we, uh, get to work?" He gestured to one of the empty tables.
"Sure" She said, opening up the messenger bag, pulling a couple files.
"So do you go to the college?" Raleigh was verbally stepping on his own feet at this point.
"Yes, I'm majoring in engineering." She said, polite, but also business like. Clearly this was going to go fast.
"That's cool." Raleigh decided now would be a good time to shut up.
"I've been asked to review some potential employees for you, it's partly homework for one of my classes, but I'm aware of your situation, and I need to ask, do you feel comfortable with new help? Mako said it fast, like ripping off a band-aid.
Mako's gaze averted. Raleigh's hands clasped together in his lap. Neither really wanted to break this weird silence.
"I know how it can be. Dealing with loss." She said, quietly, a softness creeping into her voice.
"Thank you, but...I mean, you've got a job to do, and it gets busy. I don't want to mess everything up, especially if it's for a class." Raleigh kept breathing deeply, trying to not slip into the memories that crept up on him when he really didn't need them.
The phone ringing.
Smoke everywhere.
Bad infomercials on TV, the only thing getting through in a haze of insomnia.
"Raleigh?" Mako's voice had become authoritative again, another trait picked up from Stacker.
"What?" It worked. He snapped out of it.
"I know it's a lot. Do you wish to do this later?" Mako's stare was unwavering once again.
"That would be fantastic." Raleigh said, getting up unsteadily from his chair. Mako caught his arm and righted him.
"Please feel free to stick around. Coffee's on the house. Sorry about...all that." He tried his best to make up for what he'd felt was as close as he'd come to a meltdown in a while.
"It's okay." Mako said, and it felt like she meant it. It wasn't like after it had happened, and everyone's condolences and sincerely's and all that felt fake. Raleigh knew right then and there that she really did understand, honestly and truly.
