"Hello, I'm called My Only Sunshine,"
"Hi, My Only Sunshine,"
"And I'm here because, well, because I'm a fanfic-aholic and because I don't own Daine or Numair,"
By noon, Daine was walking slower, her heart, so full of confidence only hours ago, was wilted like a plant with too little sunlight.
I thought the cabby said something about jobs being easy to find downtown. She thought. Well, that's the last time I believe him or any other cabdriver. I mean, didn't he call it a 10-minute walk downtown from my apartment? More like ten minutes short of an hour! And I don't have enough to pay to catch a taxi every day.
Dejected, she entered the nearest building, a small part of her mind praying that she was not about to embarrass herself by walking into a top-secret government meeting. Had she been her usual self, she would have been inspired to run all one-and-a-half miles back to her apartment at the sight of the picturesque cottage tucked so comfortably between skyscrapers.
The place was deserted inside, save for the commotion of noise from the kitchen. Even the space behind the cash register was vacant. Daine took a moment to let the indoors of the café settle into her mind. She loved it. The back was entirely windows, with a colorful carpet and huge armchairs. To the left was a display of various baked goods and pastries. The counter served also for the ancient cash register to relax on. The floor was tiled with small tables and matching chairs. The place had and atmosphere of poetry. Gentle music played in the background. Daine couldn't quite put her finger on it; it was elusive and haunting, melancholy and lonely, beautiful.
"Honey, did you want to stand in my doorway all day, or did you want something?"
Daine jumped out of her reverie. Momentarily puzzled, she spun her head side to side to locate where the deep, throaty voice was coming from.
A short, plump woman stood in the entrance to the kitchen. She wiped her floury hands on her stained apron, revealing their tan color. Dark curls fell to her shoulders, framing a face with deep-set, mysterious eyes, red lips and full cheeks.
"Um, well, I was, uh, walking and I, um, well I just kinda walked in here, not really paying mind to where I was headed."
The woman's sharp glare softened. "Listen, honey, I just put the pie in the oven. Come on into the kitchen, we'll talk."
Daine, not knowing exactly why she trusted this motherly figure, followed.
- - - - - - - -
Daine sat on the counter, sandals discarded in a small heap below her swinging legs. Owner/cook/cashier of the Sunshine Café Felicia was a charismatic woman who wouldn't let things stand in her way or people leave her kitchen without food.
"So, baby doll, you been here long?"
"Naw. I just got in last night. Checked into this motel on the other side of town. The cabby told me it was a 10-minute walk. Last time I trust one of them." Daine grinned broadly. Though she would admit it to no one, including herself, she secretly admired the way the cabby turned exaggeration into a form of art.
Felicia laughed, a rich sound in her belly, head thrown back, shoulders shaking. "You musta gotten ole Solomon. Never met an outta-towner he didn't lie to. Tell me, girlie, did you need a short walk to downtown for a reason?"
"Yeah, actually. I was hoping to get a job here that I could walk to. I don't want to pay to hear Solomon's lies every day."
"You got a job yet?"
Daine shakily smiled, a shadow of her grin. "Not yet. But I've only been looking since this morning. I mean, some places got plenty of spaces available, but I'm just that particular. I want something that I have fun doing."
"What do you like, dearie?"
"Something where I meet people, maybe a kind of job that has built-in breaks, you know, slow times, so I can write or something,"
"Would a job as a, say, cashier-slash-cook-slash-pantry-stocker do it for you?"
Daine crossed one ankle over the other, oblivious to where the conversation was headed. "Yeah, that'd about do it."
"Honey? You're hired. Good thing, too. Only person on staff ever is me."
"Oh Felicia, thank you thank you thank you. Wait, you're serious, right?"
"Sweetie, I never been more serious in my life. I need you here."
"Thank you so much. This is just the place I'd love to work at. What exactly will I be doing?"
"Minding the cash register, baking a bit on in-between times, making sure the pantry is full. Now, I'm a picky person. The only place I ever buy any food is a two mile walk. See, it's organic, and that's always the best. And I buy it fresh, everyday. You know what I'm saying, honey?"
"Lord, Felicia, you are a lifesaver."
"Baby cakes, you're gonna be walking three miles to work and back everyday? Plus two miles both ways to that grocery place I like?"
"Yeah," Daine hadn't thought of this. Lord, I'll be walking seven miles every day. I don't think I'm up for that. "That's exactly what I'll be doing."
"Listen, girlie. I live just upstairs, and this place is a whole lot bigger than it looks. You can move into the back apartment. I usually rent it out to college kids, but here's my deal. You put in a few extra minutes, sweeping, wiping down tables, locking up and the suchlike, and the place is yours."
"Felicia, I couldn't do that to you. I mean, don't you need the money from the apartment?"
"Sugar, if it was money I cared about, I woulda sold this place as soon as I inherited it. Tell you what: you start today and I'll pay ole Solomon to help you move your stuff from there to here."
Daine leapt off the counter and smothered Felicia in a bear hug.
Okay, the next chapter will be longer (I think). Also, I'm on break right now, so once school starts again, I won't update as often. Annnnnnnd, to GSCer, what I intended was that Daine's Grandda and Ma died in the fire. I'm not sure if that's kinda how it goes in the books. Anyone want to check? And to Tortall's Resident Wildchild, no, I haven't commented yet. but I plan on it. I almost never comment.