Bella's Job

The second time a customer ordered an impossible-to-make drink on Monday morning, Bella considered screaming right in her face. But that would be wrong. On principle. Because, although she never tipped and Bella didn't quite like her, Jessica was still a regular and regulars meant money.

She bit her lip. "Miss," she said, her voice as sugary sweet as the drink in front of Jessica. "I told you to wait. I'll have your order ready in just a moment.''

Jessica sulked. "But I've been waiting for a long time already.''

"You haven't finished your last drink yet,'' she replied, glancing down. Jessica followed her gaze, to the caramel macchiato, venti, skim, extra shot, extra-hot, extra-whip, sugar-free between her hands.

"But the next one is to go," Jessica pressed on.

"Don't worry, I'll get it," her colleague Eric told her. Bella mouthed a quick 'thank you' to him. There was a reason why he was one of her favourite colleagues after all.

While Eric prepared Jessica´s drink, Bella glanced around the coffeehouse. Esmasen was always bustling during the morning hours, and Monday was their busiest day. Many students and employees would stop by the small café for a quick cup of comfort and a bit of quiet before they went on with their day.

The group of students at the back of the café had been waiting the longest, so Bella quickly prepared their order. She nimbly carried several drinks to their table, keeping her head high and hoping she wouldn't trip as she maneuvers around her other customers.

"Sorry for the wait," she said with a polite smile.

"No worries." The one who spoke was a tall man with dark hair. "You look as though you could use a cup yourself.''

Bella smiled and ignored that remark. She wiped the sweat from her brow with her forearm and made sure her ponytail was still in place.

The air in Esmasen was thick with steam and the scent of coffee beans. And yes, Monday mornings were just hard. ´We're all working together at rush hour, that's our secret,´ Mike had once said. He was her friendly, perhaps a little too friendly, boss with pale blond hair and a too-young-to-match-his-job face. No one knew how he managed to take ownership of this busy Esmasen location, for it thrived and Mike didn't, but no one questioned him. For some reason, the café was still running smoothly and Bella was happy she earned a salary for another month.

Because lord knew she needed that. Her father Charlie might have been a police officer, but he didn't earn enough for Bella to keep studying literature at University. And even though Alice let her stay at their apartment for next to nothing, she needed a salary.

So she went to Esmasen for one coffee, a change of scenery. and maybe even for clarity as she had no idea where she wanted to work. She stayed for three before Mike noticed her and asked her if she wanted to work for him. She didn't answer, so he showed her how he made the double cappuccino she was drinking, and she never left.

Because truth to be told, she quite liked working at Esmasen. It was the perfect place for her; with its cosy wooden interior, green walls, plants and a bookcase filled to the brim. Even the customers were nice. Well, most of them.

Jessica tried to make eye contact with her, but Bella managed to ignore it, while simultaneously resisting the urge to… She didn't know what, but her boss wouldn't like it, that was for sure.

She grabbed a cloth and began wiping down the milk foamer, her gaze sweeping across the café. There was that group of students with the tall man in the right corner, all of them on laptops, working together on some project. There were a couple of middle-aged tourists clustered together on the comfortable leather couch, discussing where their next stop would be - and hey, they really liked Esmasen! And there were the young businessmen, suited up. quickly typing up an email on their phone while they secretly all took a photograph of the small heart Bella always made in their foam. Everyone had something to drink in front of them, and they all looked content. So she had a moment to catch her breath.

¨I´ll see what Angela´s making,¨ she told Eric, before she went into their tiny kitchen with a tray of dirty mugs.

A young woman stood in front of the oven, her sleeves rolled up around her elbows. Angela was her favourite co-worker by far, and she was one of the best bakers Bella had ever known.

¨What will it be today?¨ Bella said while putting the mugs in the dishwasher.

¨Just an apple pie,¨ Angela said. She picked up a new bowl full of butter and began mixing it. ¨Do you think they will sell?¨

¨Within ten minutes,¨ Bella assured her.

¨Wow, even your dates end quicker,¨ Angela winked.

Bella rolled her eyes. ¨I should have never told you about last weekend.¨

¨Yes, you should have. So you can tell me all about the next one. Do you know where you´re going?¨

¨No,¨ Bella shrugged. ¨Alice is searching for excuses to cancel it, so we will hopefully never know where Edward wanted to take me.¨

¨Pity.¨

¨We could always trade places?¨

Angela threw her a shy smile over her shoulder. ¨And miss all this fun? Never.¨

Bella grimaced at her and carried the tray of fresh apple pies into the café. At once, a few of their customers turned their heads towards the smell of warm apples, cinnamon and raisins. She walked towards the chalkboard where they wrote down their special menu items and their prices.

The door opened behind her. Bella felt it. There was a gust of cold air that carried the scent of the outdoors and the expensive cologne only one man she knew wore. But she must have imagined that in her hyperactive brain because that scent wasn't strong enough to reach her nostrils. Nevertheless, when she glanced up to see who the newcomer was and where he would sit, she knew she was right.

Her breath hitched.

The man who stood in the doorway was Edward.