Page 106 of To Go
“It’s okay,” soothes Hazel, “We’re here now. We’ve got you.”
Chapter 39
Stella
It’s strange, walking intoBooze & Brewsfor the last time.
Well, the last time for the foreseeable future anyway.
I texted Beck my notice last night. He was a bit sad, even if he wasn’t surprised. He told me he figured this was coming sooner rather than later, and that if and when I came back, my job would be waiting for me. I moved my few paltry boxes of belongings into storage last night, aside from what I was able to fit in my beat up suitcase. It was my mother’s; older than I would have liked, but with enough life left in it that I would feel incomplete without it. It deserves to see the world as it was promised, as it wasn’t able to during my mother’s lifetime.
I’m going to miss my apartment, but luckily the landlord had no issue letting me out of my lease. Apparently, he was undercharging me and is thrilled to make more money off of it. Besides, it’s Toronto, it’ll get snatched up quickly.
My last shift is an opening shift. I stored my suitcase in the back for now, ready to head straight to the airport after this. Sofar, Beck’s the only one who knows. I’m going to tell Hazel when she gets in, and Nessa when she comes in for her flip shift.
I already miss them.
Whenever I pictured this trip in the past, I ran off into the sunset with me, myself, and I, ready to take on the world and never come back. I never pictured friends at home waiting for me, a job that I love, leaving a place that felt like home. I didn’t expect it to feel like a loss.
I slap a smile on my face, opening the front doors for our early-bird regulars. A line forms swiftly, and I’m pulled into the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It’s a nice distraction, keeping me from fixating on the slowly escalating anxiety.
Hazel comes in later, working on some social media stuff for the shop. I can’t keep it in, telling her that today is my last day.
“Oh my god! Stella!” she cries, pulling me into a bear hug. “I’m going to miss you, but holy shit, this is so exciting!” She’s tearing up a little, but her smile is so wide it might break her face. Her warm embrace surrounds me entirely. I was expecting anger, sadness, annoyance, anything but joy.
She’s excited for me.I was so worried about what people would think, that they would drop me for leaving, that I didn’t expect her to be so supportive and happy for me.
“Are you keeping your apartment?” she asks, always one to get right down to business.
“No, I got out of my lease. I’m keeping everything in storage.”
“Good. If you can’t keep it in storage for any reason, tell us, we can keep your things at our place, and of course, when you get back the guest room is yours if you need somewhere to land.” She wraps me up again, pressing my head into her shoulder. I soak up the love. “Oh my god, you’re going to have so much fun” she squeals. That lures Beck out of his office.
“You told her?” he asks, arms crossed, leaning on the back wall. I nod my affirmation. “Told you she’d be happy for you,” hesmirks. “We all are.” It’s true, he did tell me. Beck’s head is big enough though, we don’t need to tell him he’s right out loud.
Hazel pulls me aside. “Did you tell James?” she asks, lowering her voice, looking conspiratorially at Beck.
“No,” I admit. “We haven’t talked since… well, since everything went down at my apartment. I thought about texting. I wasn’t sure if it would be weird?”
“I get it,” she says, nodding thoughtfully. “Sorry, I was just curious.”
I brush it off. I know she meant well, checking up on me. I’m excited to have the distance from the situation though. If I really took the time to reflect, I would probably realize that I’m going to miss him most of all.
It would never work though. You’re too different, going in opposite directions. Why bother if it would never last? It’s better this way. A clean break.
The rest of my shift is notably lighter, although there’s one other person I’m keeping my eye out for.
The one person I told besides Beck was Miriam. She had given me her phone number a while back, wanting to know when the caramel muffins were back in stock. I sent her a text letting her know that this was my last shift, but as the sun starts to settle into the horizon and the end of my shift looms, I begin to worry that she won’t come.
It’s not the end of the world. I know she’s older and has trouble getting around. Still, I’m going to miss her. She means a lot to me.
I’m wiping the sticky coffee-syrup mixture off the counters from the day’s various spills when the bell on the door jingles. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a tall, blonde figure approaching the till.
He came.I whirl around with a hopeful smile on my face to see…
Not James?The man is definitely tall, and undeniably blonde, but he’s a little bit older, wrinkles weaving through his face, a slight hunch to his shoulders, and a spindly frame. He’s holding a folded piece of paper as he looks around, uncertain.
“Are you Stella?” he asks. I’m scared to nod. He’s in a suit, holding papers, and looking for me. Am I getting sued? Is this Nessa’s family coming to exact their revenge for keeping the money? I tremble as I tell him.
