Thanks for reading and please enjoy! This is one of my favorite chapters from the story, and it was a lot of fun writing. Jimley for the win! :D

Chapter Four: Unmistakably Wrong

Kayley ran up the stairs of her apartment building, skidded a right on the fifth floor, jiggled her key in the lock, pushed the door open and closed it behind her, and after locking it, ran to her room where she then dropped her backpack on her purple-adorned bed. Throwing open her closet, she searched for something nice, which was considerably difficult due to the fact 80% of her clothing attire consisted of checkered and plaid shirts and jeans. Another 15% consisted of t-shirts, sweaters, and pajamas. The remaining 5% were, well, church clothes and a denim jacket.

"Let's see..." she said to herself, "Sabbath best?" She tugged at her black blouse and tight-fitting black skirt. She grimaced. "Too formal." Her eyes swung to her t-shirts. One read, "I love London." She shook her head. "Too informal." Her gaze shifted to the pajamas. "Definitely too informal." Looking over her options, she finally decided upon a blue and black plaid shirt, her denim jacket, navy blue skinny jeans, and tan sandals with half-inch heels. Satisfied, she changed into her newly selected attire. Once that was done, she rushed into her sink area to fix her hair. Scrutinizing it, she exhaled a puff of air and looked for her hair curler. Not finding it, she realized it was in a box she still needed to unpack. Returning to the mirror above her sink, she pulled out her hair band, causing her auburn hair to cascade over her shoulders. She brushed her hair and fashioned it into an attractive, loose ponytail. Then she ventured to grade herself. Sighing, she said, "Well, this is as good as it's going to get." Grabbing her handbag, she left for Sarah's Café.

Mrs. Evans entered Sarah's Café and set her purse in a cubby behind the hostess desk.

Mrs. Hawkins shut the supply room door and made her way toward the kitchen. Seeing Mrs. Evans' head pop up from behind the desk, Sarah laughed, "Hello Julianna. Ready to start the night shift?"

Julianna looked up. Smiling, she replied, "Yes. Sarah, I can't thank you enough for letting me do this. It's been ages since I've been able to cook a gourmet meal for my daughter and myself." Then a horrible thought popped into her head. Hesitating, she plucked up the courage to ask, "Are you sure you can handle the evening shift by yourself? It's not a necessity to dine with my daughter, though it would be nice."

Leaning against the desk, Mrs. Hawkins replied, "Hun, I've done all right the past few weeks with just Jim and me. Enjoy your dinner."

Julianna's face lit in thoughtfulness. "Oh, that's right. I've never met your son."

Sarah chuckled. "He's here right now if you want to meet him."

"That would be wonderful!"

Sarah stepped toward the kitchen, calling, "Jim! Come out here and meet the new sous-chef." She returned her attention to Mrs. Evans. "So, how's your daughter liking the Big Apple?"

Julianna sighed resignedly and began tying her apron.

"Uh-oh, I know that look, I wore it yesterday. What's wrong?" Sarah asked in concern.

Julianna smiled wryly. "It's not so much that anything's wrong, per se. It's just that she misread somebody yesterday and got her dignity crushed. It's so hard for kids these days to start out in a new school." She pulled her apron strings into a tight knot.

Sarah nodded sympathetically. "Ain't that the truth."

"And she's so headstrong sometimes. The grudges that girl can hold." Mrs. Evans shook her head dolefully. "If only Kay—"

"Yes, Mom?" Jim answered as he emerged from the kitchen, drying his hands on a white towel.

"Jim, meet Mrs. Evans, our new sous-chef," Sarah said with a flourish.

"Oh, hello," he said half-heartedly as he shook Mrs. Evans hand.

"Hullo Jim," Julianna replied cheerily. "Nice to meet you."

Jim studied her with critical eyes. Something about Mrs. Evans struck Jim as familiar. Was it her hair? Face? Eyes? Just her in general? There was just something that he couldn't place and it nagged at him. It was frustrating. Whatever that something was, he didn't like it.

"Nice to meet you too," he finally replied glumly before returning to the kitchen.

The women watched as the boy left their company, and once he was beyond the swinging door, Sarah shook her head. "Sorry about that. Sometimes I just don't know what to do with that boy. Ever since his father left for the war, well, Jim's been an entirely different person. He used to be so lively and fun. Now he's moody and secretive and keeps to himself." She sighed. "I miss my little boy."

There was a respective silence that followed. After a moment, Julianna offered encouragingly, "I lost my husband in the war. It's been hard on Kayley and me, but somehow we've stumbled through it. I never thought Kayley would get over it, but she finally did. I'm sure Jim will too. It's just going to take some time."

"I hope you're right, Julianna," Sarah replied, smiling wanly. Sarah gave Julianna a small hug, then glanced at the clock. "My goodness, it's five!" she exclaimed. Eying Julianna, she asked, "Does your daughter know how to get here? Does she need a ride? Because I could have Jim pick her up."

Julianna grinned. "I wrote out the instructions and put them in her handbag. She knows she has them because I told her over her mobile where I put them."

"Great. Now, let's get cookin'!" Sarah exclaimed enthusiastically as she rubbed her hands together. She marched up to the entrance door and reversed the sign from CLOSED to OPEN, and together the two women prepared for the evening shift.

O~o~O~o~O

Kayley stood before a family restaurant. She studied the handwritten instructions once more before returning her gaze to the small, New England style building. It was cute, and Kayley liked it. "You did well, Mum," she said to herself. Then, tucking her instructions in her handbag, she walked up to the door and pushed it open.

Pleasant aromas wafting through the air welcomed her. Looking around, she could see a few waiters bustling about the packed quarters. Smiling, she made her way to the hostess desk, where stood a sign that read, "We'll be with you in a minute. Thank you.~"

As Kayley admired the sign, her thoughts were interrupted by a brisk, friendly, "Hello! Welcome to Sarah's Café."

Kayley glanced up in surprise. "Hullo," she said. "I'm—"

"Kayley Evans!" the woman exclaimed in sudden realization. She quickly offered her hand. "Nice to meet you."

Shell-shocked, Kayley shook the woman's hand, stammering, "Nice to meet you too... How...how do you know my name?"

The woman laughed warmly. Though some of the chestnut-brown hairs of her head were awry from a hard day's work, Kayley could see this woman had nothing but good intentions.

"I'm Sarah. I told your mother she could have a special dinner with you. Let me tell her you're here." Sarah hustled into the kitchen, and soon enough Mrs. Evans emerged.

After their embrace, Julianna directed her daughter to a table near the door. Walking over, Kayley thought she caught glimpse of a skateboard near the door. Making a double-take, she saw that her eyes had not deceived her. "Peculiar," she thought. Mentally shrugging it off, she sat down in a chair of pastel white with a red-cushioned seat.

Handing her a menu, her mother asked, "What would you like to drink, dear?"

Kayley laughed. Her mother was acting so formal, yet...so informal. "Water."

"Terrific. Now, while I fetch your water, skim through the menu. There are so many tantalizing choices from which to choose!" Kayley did as told. A few minutes later, her mother returned. "Have you decided?"

Kayley tapped her menu to her chin. "Everything seems so scrumptious... I'll have the garlic chicken," she proclaimed after a moment's thought.

Mrs. Evans folded her hands in delight. "Fabulous; that's my specialty."

Kayley smiled up at her mother. "This is absolutely the greatest, Mum."

On Cloud 9 Mrs. Evans returned to the kitchen. Their new life in America was going splendidly.

O~o~O

Kayley stared at her empty plate. "Mother, that was...unbelievable."

Mrs. Evans nodded. "I hate to blow my own horn, but I am inclined to agree with you."

Meanwhile, from the kitchen door Sarah peeked out at the Evans' table. Spotting their empty plates, she said, "Jim dear, could you please act as bus boy for Mrs. Evans and her daughter." It was not a question.

He lifted his head from his pile of dirty plates, silverware, and glasses. "Mom, my hands are soaked from scrubbing the dishes."

"Well dry them off and get over there."

"Why can't Devon?" he asked, referring to one of the waiters.

"Taking orders. And so is Christine," she answered promptly.

"Why can't you?"

Sarah shot a withering glance at her son. "Jim! I'm cooking!" She walked up to a pot of boiling lobster and stirred it to prove her point.

"Oh all right," he grumbled as he slammed shut the dishwasher and set it to begin washing. He reached for a towel and wiped his hands dry.

"Honestly, Jim, I don't see what the big deal is."

Not entirely sure himself, he threw down the towel and pushed through the swinging door. And hesitated.

"Well, don't just stand there," she chided, "Get their dishes."

But. He couldn't. Because. The other Evans was Kayley.

Leaving her lobster, Mrs. Hawkins approached Jim. Being shoved from behind, reluctantly Jim's legs carried him toward the Evans' table.

Luckily, when he got there the two women were so absorbed in their conversation that they didn't notice him at first. Surprised by his luck, he stacked their dishes, all the while keeping his face low. But sure enough Mrs. Evans recognized the top of his...interesting, to say the least, medium-length, brown-haired head. The boy wore a small, gold hoop earring in his left ear. His head was shaved about a half-inch from the base of his skull up on the sides, allowing the hair growing on the rest of his scalp to fall freely over both sides of his head. His bangs hung in his eyes, and he had a short ponytail at the base of his skull. With his beyond interesting hairdo, the boy was unmistakably Jim.

"Jim!" Mrs. Evans chirped brightly.

"Darn." Frowning, Jim mustered up feigned happiness, and, faking a smile, he raised his face. "Hello Mrs. Evans. I'll just be taking these plates..."

If Kayley had looked shell-shocked when Sarah had "recognized" her, one can only imagine her face at this moment. Wide-eyed, mouth gaping, she wore the unbelieving face of one who had just seen a ghost or unidentified flying object, or even one who was just proposed to by a complete stranger. She was truly dumbfounded.

"Wait, Jim," Mrs. Evans said, grabbing his arm, "I'd like to introduce you to my daughter Kay—" Mrs. Evans made a grand gesture toward her daughter, who was still wearing her look of complete disbelief. ". . .ley..." she trailed off. Kayley continued to stare straight ahead, transfixed on a vast void of nothingness. Mrs. Evans titled her head, complete befuddlement filling her. "Kayley... Kayley? Kayley, blink!" she commanded, snapping her fingers a few inches from Kayley's motionless eyes. But instead of blinking, Kayley only roved her stunned hazels from the vast nothingness to her mother. "Kayley, what's wrong with you?" Mrs. Evans half-yelled in concern, shaking her daughter by the shoulders.

Kayley finally blinked, much to the relief of her mother. Standing abruptly, she began her way toward the door. Raising her hand in a backward wave she called, "Bye, Mum. I just remembered that I have a lot of homework to do."

"Kayley!" her mother cried, jumping up from the table and grabbing her daughter's upraised arm, "This is our special night together. You can do it later."

Kayley exhaled. "Gee, I don't know, Mum."

"You can and you will," Mrs. Evans fiercely commanded as she dragged her daughter back to the table. Sitting down, she motioned for her daughter to do the same.

"Kayley, this is Jim, Sarah's son."

Kayley nodded curtly before turning a scornful gaze at the door.

Kayley's obvious aggravation stirred something within Jim. Now he wanted to talk to her. "Did you enjoy your dinner?" he asked politely, not that he really cared to know. It was more of a taunt-Kayley-out-of-her-wits idea that popped into his head. Maybe he could get her to shoot him a glare of disgust. That would be funny.

"Yes," she said, looking lovingly at her mother, not falling for the bait, "My mother made my favourite. It was absolutely delicious."

Hmmm, plan failed. So far anyway. "Let me guess. Fish and chips?" Bingo.

Kayley's face burned with rage. "Okay, that's it." Kayley's eyes were blazing as she pushed back her chair, making a horrid nails-on-chalkboard sound.

Jim bore into her with his own challenging stare, completely unfazed by the ice daggers and laser beams she was shooting him.

Julianna's eyes flew from Kayley to Jim and back to Kayley, a trifle surprised at the spark she saw between them. "Do you two know each other?"

Exhaling sharply, Kayley, handbag in her vice-like grasp, about-faced and began marching off.

Much to the dismay of Jim. Wait, so she was just...giving up? That wasn't right... Jim's mind was working fast. Noticing her hair band was loose, for it sat right above the tops of her shoulders, Jim concocted another evil scheme and smiled wickedly. Leaping up next to her, he stuck a finger in her hair band and pulled.

Taking a step forward, Kayley felt a slight tug and suddenly saw her now loose hair dangling over her shoulders. She stopped dead in her tracks. Narrowing her eyes, she turned ever so slowly. Two steps in front of her stood the culprit, proudly holding up a black hair band between his right thumb and forefinger. A smug look was present on his face.

Scowling, she stomped forward, snatched her hair band from his fingers, and whipped around, purposely flipping her head in a way that resulted in him getting lashed in the face by her long hair. Head held high, she stormed out of Sarah's Café with Mrs. Evans hot on her heels.

Closing the door behind them, her mother hissed, "What's gotten into you? Kayley Evans, you owe me an explanation."

Kayley hesitated. Seeing her mother's furious expression, she caved. Shoulders sagging, Kayley announced, "That's Skateboard Boy."

"Who?"

"The boy who blew me off yesterday."

"Jim?" Julianna asked in shock.

Kayley shrugged, and with a hand to her forehead, she muttered, "Apparently."