Sorry, I forgot to put a disclaimer at the beginning of the first chapter. Since this is the first fan-fic I've posted here, I would appreciate any pointers anyone can give me, so please read & review. Thank you!
Disclaimer: The only people I own in this fic are the ones I created (Rhiannon, Kiara, Kylie, Imogen, Megan...sorry if I left any out.) I am in no way affiliated with the WWE or any other organisation that may be mentioned in the story in the future.
"I know, I'm late, I'm sorry!" Kylie looked up from her task to see Rhiannon confronted by the Megan, the manager of the café they worked in.
"Rhiannon, this is just not good enough! You've been late at least once, sometimes twice, a week for the past month! If you continue to ignore my request to get to work at a decent time, I suggest you find a store with more flexible working hours. Understand?" Rhiannon turned to face the tall, sour woman, of the mind to tell her where to stick her job when Kylie cleared her throat to get her attention. She glanced briefly at her friend before smiling sweetly at Megan.
"Of course. I understand completely." She then turned and walked over to Kylie with a look that could kill plastered on her face. "God, I hate that woman." She snapped throwing her bag behind the counter after Megan was out of earshot.
"I know Rhian, but you need this job. Don't let her get to you." Kylie replied firmly as she started to make a couple of cappuccinos, cautiously eyeing Megan, who was serving a customer at the front of the store.
"Well, it's not like I don't have enough on my plate right now. My job might as well suck too." Rhiannon caught the amused glance that Kylie gave her and sighed. "Sorry. It's not really that bad, I'm just really worried about Kiara. She's so miserable. She blames herself for her mother traipsing across the countryside like a bloody circus performer." Kylie stifled a giggle and Rhian hit her lightly on the arm.
"Sorry, I just had a mental image of your sister in a circus. I promise, I'll be serious now." Rhian laughed softly then nodded.
"Okay, maybe I am a bit jealous that she's living her dream. I'll admit that, but she has responsibilities that she doesn't seem aware of. She's thirty years old and a mother, yet she doesn't seem to take it seriously. She's barely around for Kiara at all!"
"I know, but you shouldn't be telling me this. Your sister needs to hear it, and preferably from her daughter."
"It's a little bit difficult when her daughter clams up as soon as the subject is raised. When Imogen is here, Kiara's fine, she really comes out of her shell. But as soon as she leaves, bam! She just closes up again. It's like she's two different people and I'm not sure how I'm supposed to be handling it."
"You're not! Imogen should be, and we both know it. You aren't that girl's mother, although, you are the closest thing she's got to one." Kylie admitted and a helpless look appeared on Rhiannon's face.
"So what do I do? I want to take care of Kiara, for her sake, not her mother's. But she needs Imogen there. It doesn't matter how much I'm there for her; I'm not her mother. I'm not enough for her."
"Rhian, that girl adores you. You may not be her mother, but she looks up to you in a different way. And anyway, things just can't keep going on like this. You have to talk to your sister before it's too late. Kiara's almost thirteen years old now. It's a confusing time for the parents as well as the child. Kiara doesn't need more confusion added on to that and you don't need to be the surrogate parent during that time. It's Imogen's responsibility and she needs to know that, no matter how hard it is to tell her." Kylie told her friend firmly. As much as she sympathised with Rhiannon, she also knew that she had a tendency to martyr herself and had to be set straight before she started with the self-pitying.
"You're right Ky, as always!" Rhian laughed, realising she knew what she'd have to do all along. She'd just hoped for a different answer.
"Of course I am. Now, onto more important matters, are we up for drinks after work?" She grinned and Rhiannon shook her head regretfully.
"I'd love to, but Imogen isn't back 'till next week."
"Well, why don't you get Mrs. Santiago to watch Kiara for a couple of hours?" She suggested before Rhiannon gave her a look and she remembered the rules. "Of course! No one bar you and the after-school care people are to watch Kiara at any time. You never know what strange, unnatural things people are into!" She mimicked Imogen's Irish lilt perfectly and Rhiannon laughed loudly.
"Yes, exactly. Shame on you for even thinking of such a thing!" She grinned before catching Megan's disapproving glare. "Sprung!" She giggled and Kylie rolled her eyes. "How about you come over for a video night? I'm sure Kiara would love it, we can still have a couple of drinks."
"Sure. Sounds like fun, as long as you don't pick the movies." Kylie compromised and Rhiannon looked hurt.
"Why not? I pick great movies thank you very much!" She replied indignantly and Kylie laughed at the memory of the last movie night they had.
"Oh yes! Blood and guts all the way! You told me Kiara didn't sleep for a week after last time." Rhiannon nodded thoughtfully after that reminder.
"On second thoughts, you pick the movies, I'll do the food."
"Thank you very much. Now, why don't you see to that customer before Megan blows a blood vessel?" Kylie pointed to a striking man who had sat down alone a few moments ago and was reading the paper. Rhiannon raised an eyebrow and, with a grin, grabbed her pen and pad as she moved to comply.
"Good morning, sir. Are you ready to order?" She asked pleasantly and the man looked up startled and flicked his multi-coloured hair out of his green- hazel eyes to view her better. A slow smile spread over his face as he looked her over.
"Actually, maybe you can. You wouldn't be Rhiannon O'Connor would you?" He asked in a smooth southern drawl and Rhian frowned warily, knowing that she'd seen this rainbow haired man somewhere before, but not being able to place him.
"Yes I am. Who's asking?" He grinned broadly and leaned back in his chair, looking pleased with himself.
"My name is Jeff Hardy. You don't recognise me do you?" Rhiannon's eyes widened briefly as she suddenly realised who he was.
"Oh, of course. The wrestler. You work with my sister, yeah?" As Jeff nodded, Rhiannon's smile became slightly strained. "Hmmm...well, nice to meet you. What would you like to order?"
"Um, I haven't quite decided yet..."
"Well, just give me a yell when you're ready, okay?" She said with forced cheerfulness and began to walk away. Jeff half rose from his seat, and reached out a hand to stop her.
"Please wait, I was just hoping that we could talk for a minute." He pleaded, somewhat confused by the girl's cold demeanor. She rolled her eyes in frustration and turned back to give him the brush off, once and for all.
"Look, Jeff, I'm not actually supposed to socialise with customers, especially when we're so busy." She gestured around the almost full café impatiently. "So why don't you tell me what it is you want. That way we can say goodbye and you can go back to Imogen and tell her all about the wonderful experience you had here today...hmmm?" He raised an eyebrow at her restless tone and tried to bite back the smile that was threatening to form on his face.
"Actually, I was hoping we could have lunch?" He asked hopefully and Rhiannon placed her hands on her hips, her green eyes flashing with irritation.
"You just don't take a damn hint, do you?"
"Never. So what do you say?"
"I know what I'd like to say." She mumbled and he burst out laughing.
"Do you treat all your customers this way?" He asked in amusement, admiring her straightforward manner, as she turned to walk away.
"Only the ones who use my job as an excuse to hang around and make a nuisance of themselves."
"Well, I didn't exactly mean to make a nuisance of myself, but I did want to talk to you. I'm a bit worried about Imogen." He admitted quietly and Rhiannon smiled in victory.
"So now the truth comes out." She nodded and he shrugged helplessly. "Fine, I'll have lunch with you. I break at 1.30. Don't be late, I only have half an hour." She warned and Jeff smiled gratefully.
"Thanks a lot. You really make a guy work hard, don't you?" He joked and she raised an eyebrow.
"You think that was hard, just try getting me out on a date." She informed him, before going back to the counter. Jeff shook his head with a laugh and nodded to Kylie, who was looking him over curiously as he rose and walked out the door.