Day Off

"How did it go with the donuts?" Daryl asked the next morning after the busy morning rush serving take-away coffees and pastries to people on their way to work. It had now quietened down with just a few customers sitting at tables.

"Uh… it went ok." Punk nodded, which he knew was definitely a lie. He was pretty sure he knew the tips and tricks on how to perfect making donuts, but how it went with AJ was a whole other conversation. He couldn't get her out of his head. How stricken she'd looked after he'd mentioned he was a criminal defence lawyer.

He knew it was a hard job for people to wrap their head around. It was intense and it times feel completely immoral, but someone had to do the job. Everyone was entitled to a lawyer. And some people he had defended truly were innocent. It had been obvious. He was just taken back by her sudden change after she found out. Like she wanted him as far away as possible from her.

"So you know how to make them?" Daryl clarified.

"I think so." Punk said, "I'll give them another go tonight just to be sure."

"And AJ was receptive to you showing up at her apartment?" Daryl asked.

"I think so." Punk said, "Although now I realise how weird it was."

"I tried to tell you." Daryl nodded.

"I thought it would be better than going over to her coffee shop with the girls standing around listening in." Punk rolled his eyes, "It was fine up until I mentioned I was a criminal defence lawyer. She… basically threw me out after."

"Shit. Really?" Daryl raised his brows as Punk nodded, "I mean… it is a shitty job."

"Didn't make my bank account shitty." Punk assured him, "And not everyone was guilty. I helped some people who were just at the wrong place at the wrong time." Punk said.

"And you probably let legit criminals go free?" Daryl asked.

"If they told me they were innocent, I believed them." Punk said.

"Surely there were people you defended that you knew were guilty. I mean… you got disbarred for Christ sake." Daryl said, "Which you still haven't told me why."

"It's none of your business." Punk grumbled.

"Well at least AJ let you stay long enough for you to see how donuts are made." Daryl said, "You got what you went for."

"I didn't want to upset her, though." Punk said.

"I'm sure she's fine." Daryl shook his head, "Since when have you cared how she feels anyway?" He asked as Punk just nodded along.

That was the problem, he realised. He did care. For some reason he cared deeply about how she felt, especially about him.

"It's just us today, girls. AJ is taking the day off." Lyla told Becca and Shiv.

"What?" Becca stood up straight from leaning over the counter, "She never takes a day off. Not unless her aunt is here. Is she here?"

"Aunt Nico is here?" Shiv asked excitedly.

"No." Lyla said, "She just needs a day off, that's all."

"Weird." Becca said, massaging her jaw.

"If your mouth is still sore you should really go back to the dentist." Lyla said, "It could be infected."

"They told me it would be sore for a while. I can barely eat anything." Becca groaned.

"Is AJ ok? Is she sick?" Shiv asked. It was unlike their boss to take the day off for no other reason than she just felt like it.

"She's fine." Lyla said, "Just needs to recharge her batteries. Which means I'm in charge today. And you know what that means?" She grinned.

"No, please don't play your Alanis Morrisette CD." Becca sighed, "AJ banned it from the shop."

"Well, she's not here today which means it's coming back out!" Lyla cheered.

"What's our plans for the Summer Fair this year?" Shiv asked Lyla who crouched down by the CD player to put her CD on.

"That's not for another couple of months." Lyla shook her head.

"I know but I thought AJ would be thinking about ideas. Especially if we want to keep those two dummies across the road from upstaging us." Shiv nodded.

"She's got a point." Becca agreed.

"AJ was thinking about doing some new smoothies and iced teas actually." Lyla told them, "If we're quiet today we could maybe start brainstorming other ideas for when AJ is back tomorrow. I'm sure she'd appreciate it."

"That's a good idea." Shiv nodded, always eager to please.

"I came across mini peach cheesecakes on Pinterest last night." Becca told them, "They looked insane."

"Oh, that sounds good." Lyla nodded, "Will you even be here for the Summer Fair? When do you go to college?" She turned to Shiv.

"I'm here until September." Shiv said.

"Won't it be too much for you to still work here? Considering you're going to college in the city." Lyla said.

"I still need to make money. And I love working here." Shiv said, "I'll make it work."

"You're not allowed to leave anyway." Becca scoffed, "I won't let you."

"Well I'm not." Shiv assured them, even though she did have concerns about spreading herself to thin when the time came for her to go to college.

"Hey, Aunt Nico." AJ smiled, sitting on the floor in the living room with her laptop on the coffee table, Skyping with her aunt who was an avid traveller, in a different country almost every month.

"Hi, baby girl." Nico smile lit up the laptop screen, "How have you been?"

"I've been ok." AJ said, "Just having a bit of a rough day, I guess."

"Tell me all about it. What's going on over there? How are my girls at the coffee shop?" Nico asked.

"They're all fine." AJ smiled, "The coffee shop has been fine. Well… a new coffee shop has opened up across the road. This older guy owns it. He's been up to all sorts of no good… he stole the specials from my menu. And he now proudly boasts about using local produce as if that wasn't my thing." AJ said, "And just when I thought we were squashing things… becoming a little friendly… I find out he was a criminal defence lawyer." AJ shook her head.

"Oh, baby." Nico sighed.

"And he got disbarred." AJ added.

"Shouldn't he be in prison then?" Nico questioned.

"Apparently you can get disbarred without going to prison in some cases." AJ shrugged, "And guess what? I tried to go on a date last week and it went to shit. He kissed me and I had a panic attack, started crying in front of him." She shook her head, running her hand through her hair.

The past week had built up inside her to the point where she knew she needed to take a day off from work and call her Aunt. She could vent to Lyla all day long, but her Aunt was like her mother. She listened and consoled like no one else she knew.

"Oh, sweet girl. I wish I could give you the biggest hug." Nico sighed sadly, "Sounds like you've been having a tough time."

"I have." AJ nodded, "And the worst part? I actually think I was starting to like the guy across the road. I enjoyed talking to him which is rare. I felt comfortable with him and… safe." She said, "Then I found out he probably defended rapists."

"Does he know what happened to you?" Nico asked.

"No." AJ shook her head, "It's not something I shout from the rooftops." She scoffed.

"I know, sweetheart." Nico nodded.

"It just reminded me of being on that stand and… being torn to shreds by the defence. Having them twist my words and… make out like I was crazy and dramatic." AJ shook her head.

"And guess what? That defence lost." Nico reminded her, "Chiquita, that whole court room believed you. And that bastard is in prison. He'll be there for the next thirty years for what he did to you." She nodded, "You won."

"How did I win?" AJ shook her head with tears filling in her eyes, "I haven't been able to have a normal relationship with a guy in six years. I can't put myself out there without the fear and paranoia." She said, wiping the tears running down her cheeks, "I'm missing out on so much and it's because of him." She said with frustration.

"Listen to me." Nico said as AJ looked at her Aunt on the laptop screen, "You are a warrior, April. Look at the life you have built for yourself. The success of your business and the beautiful friendships you have. You carried on when most would have refused. I've been to visit you there. I've saw how much your little town loves you. I only wish you'd see how much you're cherished." Nico sighed, "And this man across the road…"

"Phil." AJ said.

"Why has he gotten under your skin so much?" Nico asked, "Because you like him?" She assumed, "You like him and you're disappointed by his past? The same way you fear others will think of you?"

"I wouldn't say I like him." AJ rolled her eyes.

"Chiquita…" Nico hummed with a suspicious look in her eyes.

"He's actually really annoying." AJ cared to let her know, "And he's really old."

"What age?" Nico asked.

"Thirty-seven." AJ said.

"That's cruel, April." Nico tutted, "If he's annoying then why are you so upset by him right now?"

"I enjoyed talking to him. Pushing aside all our silly drama with the coffee shops… the past few conversations we've had have been nice and… I've felt comfortable. Not like how I usually do with guys." AJ shrugged, "But it doesn't matter because he's probably done exactly what that defence lawyer did to me." She shook her head, "That's why I'm upset."

"Then you ignore him. No man is worth your tears. Not a single one." Nico said fiercely, "You are a successful, powerful woman. My proudest achievement." She reminded her as AJ smiled, wiping under her eyes, "I can see you're lonely. I know it's difficult for you to put yourself out there with men. But the right one will come along, and it will make you question everything. Test you real hard. But then it will all fall into place." Nico nodded.

"What happens if I can't let them in when they come along, though?" AJ sighed.

"If it's meant to be, you'll find a way to let them in. Eventually." Nico nodded.