Mary Jane walked down the sidewalk towards The Moon. She smiled in spite
of the constant feeling of depression that had been weighing down on her
for the past week. She shielded her eyes from the sun and smiled at the
thought of walking to The Moon.
Three days ago, Mary Jane had been hired at The Moon, a beautiful, quiet coffee house and bar. Five days ago, she had been fired from the greasy- spoon dive where she was waiting tables. Seven days ago, she had opened her heart to Peter and been told that they could "just be friends".
MJ sighed heavily as she remembered the events of the past week. She stayed in her room for the next two days after Peter rejected her. She just couldn't find the will to go anywhere, much less the crappy diner where she was treated like a piece of trash. It was almost a relief when she received the call telling her not to bother showing up again. It motivated her to get out of bed and clean herself up, and go out and find another job.
She had no game plan when she set out - she just wandered around the city, looking for "Help Wanted" signs. Many places had such signs in their windows, but MJ couldn't bring herself to go into any of them until she had happened upon a window that was mostly covered with vines. There was a small sign in the window bearing the words "Hostess Needed" in beautiful handwriting.
The delicious scent of coffee snapped her back to reality as she opened the door. The door closed behind her and Mary Jane stood in place for a moment while her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Slowly the deep blues and greens of the bar came into focus, and she made her way to the backroom, stepping carefully in case Kisa was wandering about. Kisa was the bar owner's regal Siamese cat.
MJ noticed Sidra, the bar owner, and her new boss, stirring something on the small stove top tucked in the corner behind the bar.
"Hey Sid," she called out softly.
Sidra turned and smiled at MJ, then turned back to the paraffin she was stirring slowly. She reached up and took down a small jar from among the many dozen on the shelf. She opened it, took out a pinch of the lavender it contained and let the bits fall gently into the paraffin. "That smells great, Sid. What is it?"
Sidra let the last of the wax flow into the mold and set the pan back on the stovetop before turning around. "It's for you, actually."
"Me?" MJ asked with surprise. "What for?"
Sid smiled sympathetically. "I was going to ask if you were feeling any better, but I can see that you're not. The candle has lavender and some other stuff in it to help you relax. Tonight after work you can draw a hot bath, turn off the lights, and let this candle burn - and just clear your mind of everything."
Mary Jane cast her eyes downward. "That might not be such a bad idea," she said quietly, almost to herself.
"Um, MJ, I have to ask you something," Sid paused, but MJ didn't say anything. "Do you know who that guy is over there?"
"Where?" she inquired hopefully, glancing around the dimly lit tables and booths. It wasn't inconceivable that Peter would be here. Several times over the past week she had felt as though he were watching her.
Her hopes were dashed, though, when Sid directed her attention towards a corner booth and Mary Jane saw the familiar features of Harry Osborn.
Three days ago, Mary Jane had been hired at The Moon, a beautiful, quiet coffee house and bar. Five days ago, she had been fired from the greasy- spoon dive where she was waiting tables. Seven days ago, she had opened her heart to Peter and been told that they could "just be friends".
MJ sighed heavily as she remembered the events of the past week. She stayed in her room for the next two days after Peter rejected her. She just couldn't find the will to go anywhere, much less the crappy diner where she was treated like a piece of trash. It was almost a relief when she received the call telling her not to bother showing up again. It motivated her to get out of bed and clean herself up, and go out and find another job.
She had no game plan when she set out - she just wandered around the city, looking for "Help Wanted" signs. Many places had such signs in their windows, but MJ couldn't bring herself to go into any of them until she had happened upon a window that was mostly covered with vines. There was a small sign in the window bearing the words "Hostess Needed" in beautiful handwriting.
The delicious scent of coffee snapped her back to reality as she opened the door. The door closed behind her and Mary Jane stood in place for a moment while her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Slowly the deep blues and greens of the bar came into focus, and she made her way to the backroom, stepping carefully in case Kisa was wandering about. Kisa was the bar owner's regal Siamese cat.
MJ noticed Sidra, the bar owner, and her new boss, stirring something on the small stove top tucked in the corner behind the bar.
"Hey Sid," she called out softly.
Sidra turned and smiled at MJ, then turned back to the paraffin she was stirring slowly. She reached up and took down a small jar from among the many dozen on the shelf. She opened it, took out a pinch of the lavender it contained and let the bits fall gently into the paraffin. "That smells great, Sid. What is it?"
Sidra let the last of the wax flow into the mold and set the pan back on the stovetop before turning around. "It's for you, actually."
"Me?" MJ asked with surprise. "What for?"
Sid smiled sympathetically. "I was going to ask if you were feeling any better, but I can see that you're not. The candle has lavender and some other stuff in it to help you relax. Tonight after work you can draw a hot bath, turn off the lights, and let this candle burn - and just clear your mind of everything."
Mary Jane cast her eyes downward. "That might not be such a bad idea," she said quietly, almost to herself.
"Um, MJ, I have to ask you something," Sid paused, but MJ didn't say anything. "Do you know who that guy is over there?"
"Where?" she inquired hopefully, glancing around the dimly lit tables and booths. It wasn't inconceivable that Peter would be here. Several times over the past week she had felt as though he were watching her.
Her hopes were dashed, though, when Sid directed her attention towards a corner booth and Mary Jane saw the familiar features of Harry Osborn.