Meeting
Gabi's POV
“GABRIELLA GET YOUR ASS BACK TO WORK.” My boss, Kevin, yelled from behind the corner.
I ran back behind the corner after my short 5-minute break,
I’m supposed to have a 30-minute but my boss hardly ever lets me get the fully 30. I cant say anything back to him or he'll fire me and I cant really loose this job.
I went to the register and began taking orders, two women walked up, one tall with black hair and green eyes, and the other slightly shorter with blonde hair and brown eyes.
“Hi, what can I get you guys?” I said smiling at them.
“Can we get a chai latte and an americano?” The shorter of the two asked. The taller one was looking down at her phone. She was intimidating.
“Yep, that’ll be 10.34”
She handed me the money and I went to make their drinks. As I was turning to pour the espresso into the cup someone bumped into me making me spill the espresso onto myself.
“Move, you are in my way.” Amanda my coworker said as she walked away.
Without thinking I ran to the bathroom and started crying. The coffee was really starting to burn.
I rushed to the bathroom, tears streaming down my face as the burning sensation from the hot espresso spread across my skin. The pain was unbearable, and I knew my boss would be furious if he found out I had left my station.
As I dabbed at the coffee stain with cold water, I heard the bathroom door creak open. I tried to compose myself, hoping it was just another customer who wouldn’t pay me any mind.
“Are you okay?” a gentle voice asked.
I looked up to see the shorter woman standing in the doorway. Behind her, the taller woman with black hair and green eyes peered in, her intimidating demeanor softened by concern.
“I’m fine,” I lied, trying to muster a smile. “Just had a little accident.”
“That looked pretty bad,” the blonde woman said, stepping closer. “Do you need any help?”
Before I could respond, the taller woman walked in and handed me a napkin. “Here,” she said, her voice firm yet kind. “Use this. It might help with the burn.”
“Thank you,” I said, taking the napkin. “I really appreciate it.”
The blonde woman glanced back toward the café. “Does your boss always treat you like that?” she asked her tone a mix of curiosity and concern.
I hesitated, not wanting to get into trouble. “He’s just... stressed,” I replied, choosing my words carefully.
The taller woman raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t give him the right to treat you poorly,” she said. “You deserve better.”
I was touched by their kindness, but I knew I couldn’t stay in the bathroom forever. “I should get back to work,” I said, forcing myself to stand up straight despite the pain.
“Wait,” the blonde woman said, reaching into her bag. She pulled out a small tube of burn cream. “Here, take this. It should help with the burn.”
I took the cream, my eyes welling up again, this time from gratitude. “Thank you so much,” I said. “You didn’t have to do this.”
The blonde woman smiled warmly as she handed me the burn cream. “It’s no problem at all,” she said. “By the way, my name’s Isabelle, and this is Noëlle” she added, nodding towards the taller woman.
“Hi,” I managed to say, still feeling a bit overwhelmed. “I’m Gabriella, but everyone calls me Gabi.”
“Nice to meet you, Gabi,” Isabelle said with a nod. “Noëlle and I are just concerned about you. No one should have to deal with that kind of treatment at work.”
Isabelle reached into her bag again and pulled out a small, elegant business card. “If you ever need anything, or just want someone to talk to, give us a call,” she said, handing me the card. “Our numbers are on there.”
I took the card, feeling a surge of gratitude. “Thank you so much,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “I really appreciate it.”
Isabelle placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “Take care of yourself, Gabi,” she said. “And remember, you’re not alone. If things get too tough, don’t hesitate to reach out.”
Noëlle gave me one last encouraging look before they both turned to leave. As the door closed behind them, I looked down at the card in my hand. It felt like a lifeline, a small piece of hope on an otherwise bleak day.
I tucked the card safely into my pocket, took a deep breath, and tried to compose myself. With the burn cream soothing my skin, I felt a little better and ready to face the rest of my shift.
I returned to the café, where Amanda was still bustling around. She shot me a quick, disdainful glance but said nothing. Kevin, thankfully, was nowhere in sight.
As I continued to take orders and make drinks, I couldn’t help but think about Emily and Claire. Their kindness had made a world of difference, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like maybe, just maybe, things could get better.
After my shift, I went home and decided to skip dinner and watch some TV. My show of choice was My Little Pony. I had my favorite stuffy lamby with me and started to slip.
“Lamby I met the prettiest women today. and they were so nice to me when everyone else was mean to me. They would be the best mommies.”
I started getting upset as it was the first time in a long time that someone had showed me any kindness.
I remembered they had given me a business card and told me to call whenever, but I could call this soon. I had to wait at least a couple days.
“Lamby I can't cawl yet,” I murmured, slipping further into my headspace like I usually do when I am particularly upset. The urge to call them was strong, but I didn’t want to seem too desperate or clingy. What if they regretted giving me their numbers? What if they thought I was a burden?
Pushing those thoughts aside, I tried to focus on the show. I imagined what it would be like to have friends like that, people who genuinely cared and wanted to help.
As the evening wore on, I decided to distract myself by drawing to drown out some of my thoughts. Drawing always helped me clear my mind and sort through my emotions.
“I hope I get to see them again,” I whispered. “They seemed like they really cared. Maybe things can get better.”
With that, I closed my sketchbook, feeling a little lighter. I knew I had to take things one step at a time. For now, I would hold onto the business card and the hope it represented. Maybe, just maybe, there was a way out of this mess.
I turned off the TV and crawled into bed, Lamby still clutched in my arms. As I drifted off to sleep, I found myself dreaming of a world where Isabelle and Noëlle were my mommies and we were a happy family.
