Coffee Shop Helpers
"Ok. Moment of truth. Which coffee shop are you guys picking today?" AJ asked, leaving the house with the twins and Punk.
It was Saturday morning, which meant the twins accompanied them to work now they were a little older. The perks of being in charge of your own business meant they didn't need to worry too much about childcare, and their shops closed on Sundays, so it was a pretty good set up from their perspective.
The hard part… making the twins decide which parent they wanted to go with.
"I wanna go with daddy." Thomas nodded as AJ gasped dramatically.
"Thomas Philip Brooks… my poor heart." AJ exaggerated, holding her chest as Thomas grinned.
"You're silly, mommy." Thomas smiled.
"And what about you, miss?" Punk asked Rudy who was scratching her head.
"My hair is too tight." Rudy complained, "You pulled it too tight." She told her mother unhappily, pulling at her braids, taking the bands out.
"Oh, don't take them out." AJ sighed, watching Rudy dismantle her very neat and tidy braids, turning her hair into a frizzy mess.
"That's better." Rudy nodded as Thomas looked at her with concern.
"Your hair is big." Thomas said, "And messy."
"No it isn't." Rudy said, "I want to go with mommy, please." She decided.
"That's good. One each." Punk shrugged to AJ.
"Can we swap?" AJ whispered to him with a frown as he chuckled.
"You get your mini and I get mine. See you at 5pm." Punk saluted her, taking Thomas' hand and crossing the road to his coffee shop whilst AJ headed to hers with her now crazy looking daughter.
"Will you let me tie your hair up? I'll do it loose. Not tight." AJ nodded to Rudy.
"No thank you. I like it like this." Rudy said, "Did you pack my things?" She asked, taking her backpack from AJ and looking inside.
They always packed toys, books, and pens for the twins when they came to work with them. Anything to keep them occupied. She occasionally let them have some screen time on her phone where they would watch extremely loud videos to drown out the cosy coffee shop.
"Morning all." Punk walked into his shop where Finn and Shiv had already opened up for the day, "Ready for a busy Saturday?" He asked them whilst helping Thomas take his jacket off.
"Yeah, I got your special for today." Finn told him, immediately walking over and giving Thomas a high five.
"Tell me." Punk nodded with excitement.
"Mozzarella and red pesto focaccia." Finn nodded, "Working on a vegan sausage roll, too." He said as Punk smiled.
"Sounds and smells great." Punk nodded to Finn.
He'd gotten the privilege of watching Finn go from a quiet and naïve teen to an impressive, skilful, and extremely helpful young man. He felt grateful every day to work with him and have his ideas bring customers in. New and old.
"We might have already had a taste test." Shiv said, "What did we think of Finn's bread?" She asked Brianna who was sat over at a chair with some toys.
"Good. I like cheese." Brianna nodded.
"I impressed my toughest critic. Must be good." Finn nodded as Punk smiled.
"Go get a seat, buddy. Mommy packed some stuff in your bag." Punk told Thomas, handing him his backpack as he walked over and sat down at the table with Brianna.
"Where is Little Miss Sunshine?" Shiv asked Punk with a smile.
"Spreading her sunshine over at The Brewberry. She took out all her braids as we left the house so now, she looks like a lion." Punk nodded as Shiv chuckled, "She's got her mom's frizzy hair." He confirmed.
"Thank you for letting me bring Brianna here whilst I'm working." Shiv nodded to him as Punk walked behind the counter.
"I bring my own kid. How could I not let you?" Punk laughed a little, "Plus, you barely notice she's here." He said, looking over at Brianna who was sitting brushing the hair on her mini plastic pony's, lining them all up in a row in front of her.
"Still… I appreciate it." Shiv nodded.
"Hey, how was dinner at Carol's the other night? I forgot to ask you." Punk said, opening a cardboard box which had their delivery of take-away coffee cups.
"It was… like it usually is." Shiv said, "Awkward."
"Still?" Punk asked.
"She only really wants to see Brianna." Shiv shrugged, "I've been thinking maybe I should just drop her off and pick her up."
"C'mon. I'm sure she wants to see you too." Punk said.
"No. I really don't think she does." Shiv said, "And Sadie is becoming a raging teenager so… I don't get much conversation out of her either."
"It's difficult for them." Punk tried to be diplomatic.
"And it's not difficult for me?" Shiv questioned unhappily.
"I didn't mean it like that. You know I didn't." Punk said, "It's difficult for all of you. But… I'm sure Carol has no hard feelings towards you. She maybe just doesn't know what to say. In case you haven't noticed, not many people know what to say to you."
"I've noticed." Shiv assured him.
"You disappeared off the face of the earth for two years and then came back with a two year old, no money and no place to stay." He said.
"Just… living the dream." Shiv nodded, "I just… couldn't be here. Not after everything that happened."
"I know. But we were all really worried about you. You didn't text or call. I think that's why the girls across the road always bombard you with questions. They were just upset they couldn't help you." Punk said.
He'd become the go-between for Shiv and The Brewberry girls ever since she had returned to the town. Their friendship wasn't broken, but it certainly had a small fracture in it that needed repaired somehow.
"It was better I just left." Shiv said.
"Can you just answer me one thing?" Punk asked.
"We're not talking about him." Shiv said firmly, taking the empty cardboard box and heading into the back to take out to the garbage.
"Chai latte and a cherry and almond bake slice." AJ sitting down the coffee and cake at a table.
"Thank you, April." Joe, a regular Saturday morning customer said, sitting by the window with his newspaper.
"Hope you like it." AJ smiled.
"Anything by you is bound to be a treat." Joe smiled, "I see you have your part-time worker with you today." He nodded over to Rudy who was sitting at a table, drawing some pictures.
"Yes, my hardest worker." AJ nodded.
"Learning from the best." Joe nodded as AJ smiled, making her way over to another table which needed cleared, piling the empty coffee cups onto her tray and taking them back to the counter.
It had been a busy morning and afternoon with lots of sit-ins and take-aways. She'd barely had a chance to check on Rudy.
"You ok, babe?" AJ asked, handing the tray of dirty dishes to Becca who took it through to the back.
"Yeah." Rudy nodded, "I think I want to see daddy." She admitted.
"Mommy's busy just now. But I can take you over in an hour or so." AJ nodded.
"When is an hour?" Rudy asked.
"A little while." AJ nodded, "That's a great drawing." She observed.
"Thank you." Rudy nodded as AJ walked back behind the counter.
"Do you get used to that?" Becca asked.
"Used to what?" AJ turned to her.
"Lying." Becca said, "That is not a good drawing."
"Becca." AJ scoffed.
"What?" Becca laughed, "When I have kids I'll be telling them they're drawing is terrible. I can't lie."
"Your poor kids." AJ shook her head.
"I am not about that gentle parenting shit." Becca said.
"We're not gentle parenting. We're just not cruel." AJ said, "Where is Lyla?" She asked.
"Vape break, I think." Becca said, "Anyway, I have an invitation for you."
"For what?" AJ asked curiously.
"We're having a new house party next Saturday." Becca smiled.
"You… already live there." AJ said.
"Yes, but it's officially ours now." Becca snapped as AJ just smiled, "Just friends and family. You can bring the children, I suppose."
"Oh, thanks." AJ scoffed sarcastically.
"Do you think Shiv will come?" Becca asked.
"Are you going to invite her?" AJ asked.
"Of course I am." Becca said, "I just… have a feeling she might not come."
"Then that's her decision to make." AJ said.
"If you see Nico before me, tell her she's invited. Finn can come too. But we don't want to make it a big thing. Just our closest friends and family." Becca nodded.
"Your mom going?" AJ wondered.
"No, my mother is solving world hunger next week." Becca said, "Well… that's what she told me when I visited her yesterday and invited her."
"Still in hospital?" AJ asked.
"Yeah." Becca nodded, "It's fine. She'd only cause a scene, anyway." She said as AJ placed her hand on her shoulder supportively.
"Well can we bring anything? I can bake if you want." AJ said.
"Only if you want to." Becca said, "Patrick is going to do burgers on the grill."
"Ahh yes, eating your pets." AJ nodded.
"How many times do I have to tell you? We don't eat the animals. Chickens are for eggs. Cows and goats are for milk. And we send the pigs away…" She mumbled as AJ turned to her.
"Send them away… for someone else to kill?" AJ figured.
"I don't know. I forbid Patrick from telling me those details." Becca said.
"Ok, my little farmer." AJ nodded, "We'll be there."
"Good." Becca nodded.
"Mommy, can I go see daddy now? Has it been an hour?" Rudy asked from over at the table she was sitting at.
"You can go take her over whilst we're quiet." Becca suggested.
"Is that ok? I'll be ten minutes." AJ told her.
"You're literally the boss. Do what you want." Becca chuckled as AJ took her apron off and hung it up.
"Ok, baby. Let's go see daddy." AJ told Rudy as the four-year-old stuffed all her things in her backpack.
"You're like a little travelling hobo, Rudy." Becca chuckled.
"What's a hobo?" Rudy asked.
"It's a princess." AJ interrupted before Becca could reply.
"I am a hobo." Rudy confirmed, putting her bag on her back before taking AJ's hand and leading the way out of the shop.
They waited to cross the road and arrived in Punk's shop thirty seconds later.
"Daddy, I'm here!" Rudy announced, running over to the counter, her little bag bouncing side to side as she gazed up at Punk happily.
"What took you so long?" Punk huffed dramatically.
"Was helping mommy." Rudy said, "But now I'm here."
"Thomas and Brianna are playing connect four over there. Go join in." Punk told her with a smile as she nodded, running over and joining her brother and Brianna at their table.
"How come I always end up with both of them come the end of the day?" Punk asked suspiciously as AJ just smiled.
"Cause you're just the best daddy." AJ shrugged, "Can I smell pizza?" She asked.
"No. Well yeah, sort of. Finn is doing a fancy version of a pizza for our special today." Punk nodded, "It's going down a treat. Linda even liked it."
"God, that old crow doesn't like anything that isn't sweet." AJ said with surprise.
"April. Behave yourself." Punk tutted as AJ just grinned at him, leaning over the counter and giving him a sweet kiss.
"We're invited to a party next Saturday." She told him.
"Who?" Punk asked.
"Becca and Patrick's new house party. Even though they already live there." AJ nodded.
"Ok." Punk laughed a little, "Kids too?"
"Yes, to Becca's reluctance." AJ said, "It's just friends and family. Nothing fancy. But it'll be nice to dress up and go out for the night."
"Well if you're dressing up then I already can't wait." Punk said, "Wear that black dress you wore for my birthday." He encouraged eagerly as she smirked.
"Maybe." She hummed, "Tommy been ok?" She asked, looking over at her son who was concentrating on his game.
"Yeah, he's great. He was teaching Brianna how to make paper aeroplanes. Good old fashioned kid fun." Punk nodded proudly as AJ smiled, looking on at Brianna.
"God, she's so like him." She said quietly, turning back to Punk who nodded in agreement.
"Hey." Shiv smiled, noticing AJ as she came out from the kitchen, "You guys trading kids?" She asked.
"No, I think I'm getting both of them." Punk said as AJ smiled.
"How are you?" AJ asked Shiv.
"Yeah, I'm alright." Shiv nodded as AJ smiled.
"Oh, Becca is having a party next Saturday. Since I'm over here I may as well let you know. She was going to text you about it. You and Brianna, of course." AJ nodded.
"Oh." Shiv nodded, "I… I might just give it a miss. Carol sometimes sees Brianna on a Saturday night. But I'll give Becca a call and let her know." Shiv nodded.
"Ok. It's up to you." AJ nodded, "They make a cute trio, don't you think?" She asked, turning back to the twins and Brianna. She never would have thought that her journey into motherhood would sync up with Shiv's. It was a complete shock when she returned to the town with a child on her hip.
"Yeah, they really do." Shiv smiled, heading back through to the kitchen to run more dishes.
"I thought she might want to come. To the party." AJ sighed.
"Just give her some time." Punk nodded.
"I'm worried about her." AJ shook her head. She'd lost many nights of sleep worrying about Shiv. When she had disappeared, and even still now. She was so changed. So closed off. So not the bubbly little girl she hired when she was sixteen.
"I know." Punk said, "But she'll talk when she's ready. Pushing her will only make it more difficult." He said as AJ nodded.
"Does she… ever talk about him? Even just a little?" AJ asked quietly.
"No." Punk shook his head, "Not at all. Finn has tried a few times, but she just walks away. I mean… it's a lot. She watched him shoot a guy. Lost him to prison. Had his kid. Parents threw her out." He said, "I don't blame her for not wanting to talk."
"Do you know if he even knows? About Brianna?" AJ asked, "We can't tiptoe around her forever."
"I've not asked. She never gives me the chance." Punk said, "But… I don't think he knows." He estimated.
"Shouldn't we tell him?" AJ asked.
"No. That is not our story to tell. Shiv wouldn't forgive us." Punk said as AJ nodded in agreement.
"If she doesn't talk about it, she'll breakdown at some point. And I don't wanna see that." AJ said, "Trust me, I know what happens when you don't talk about stuff. It starts eating away at you until you don't recognise yourself."
"We can't force her to talk. It's gotta be her choice." Punk shrugged. He knew it sounded cruel, leaving Shiv to her loneliness, but he knew forcing her to speak on something she clearly wasn't ready to speak of, wasn't the answer.
"I better get back." AJ said, "Hey, you two." She called over to the twins as they turned around in sync to look at her, "Be good for daddy." She said sternly.
"You're not taking her back with you?" Thomas asked, looking at his sister with disapproval.
"Hey, not nice." Rudy said to him as Punk chuckled.
"I'll see you later." He nodded to AJ as she left his shop, heading back over to The Brewberry.