Chapter 29


    Chapter 29


    Sophie’s pov


    I parked on the side of the curb, my old caring to a stop with a loud screech and a shud der.


    “Dammit.” I snarled as I jab at the seatbelt to free myself.


    M burst into fits ofughter as she watches me struggle with the seatbelt.


    “Ha ha. Of course you’re all giddy and amused because at least you’re not stuck.” | groaned, jamming


    my fingers on the red release button on the seatbelt.


    M taps her hand on the dashboard. “Mary is really about to give up on us.” She snorted.


    I bought that car when I knew I needed my own transportation to bring Ash around. It was al ready old


    and looked ready to copse, but it was at a reasonable price and that was all I could budget. It did the


    job anyway, even though half the time it’s a struggle to get out or startit.


    “You’d think that naming her Mary she’d be lucky.” Thuffed, rejoicing silently when the release button


    finally works.


    I was already contemting if to grab a hold of the scissors I had in thepartment and just snip the


    entire seatbelt around me.


    M giggled and then suddenly goes silent. “Uh oh.”


    I snapped my head to her in confusion. “What?”


    She nudged her chin slightly at the opening of the diner where I could see Ressa, M’s aunt and also


    Ria’s mom, bounding over here. Her ck hair wipes behind her.


    “Oh shit.” I winced when she knocks her knuckles on the passenger’s window. M rolls the ss down


    and it makes an awful screeching sound.


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    Ressa’s dark ring eyes are more visible now as the dirty ss goes lower. “You two arete.” She


    snaps. “I’m here running this thing on my own. You know how busy this shit gets in the morning.”


    “You know we have to drop off Ash first at daycare Ressa. We’re here now.” I said while look ing at the


    road behind me to be sure that a car wasn’ting. When it was clear I opened the car quickly and got


    out.


    “Oh right. How’s that little bugger? I haven’t seen him in a while.” Ressa chuckled, “I miss his cute face.


    You have to bring him here more often Soph, he attracts me more customers.”


    “Leave it to you to still talk about getting more customers. You’re a living bank aunty Ressa.” M


    snorted as she got out of the car. The door screeches when she closes it.


    Ressa scoffs. “If I was a bank child I’d already own a mansion. You don’t see mansion print ed on my


    forehead now do you?”


    .


    “I don’t see stick up the ass printed on your forehead either, but you sure walk like you have one.” M


    retorted with augh.


    I snorted out a giggle when Ressa sent M a death stare that had her throwing her hands on her


    knees andughing even louder.


    were significa “Just get inside you two.” She grumbles, walking away from us. My eyes fall to her legs.


    kali pertama. “Hmmm. What do you know? She actually walks like she has one lodged up there.” I


    joked, siihen making Mugh even more.


    Ressa opened back the door and the little bell chimes. “Any time now you two!”


    M and I pass on amused looks at each other before walking to the diner.


    “Your favorite customer is here.” M teased, stopping beside me.


    I looked up from cleaning the table and my eyes dart to where he always sat. Mr. Bernard.


    He was a man nearing age fifty-five and he had been a loyal customer for two years now. He was a


    very nice man and would talk to me about his home and family life. I consider us friends.


    I smiled when his brown eyes meet mine across the room.


    “I swear if that man was younger and not married, I’d definitely give him a chance.” M joked, turning


    around to fully face Mr. Bernard.


    I shook my head, grinning. “He can be your dad M.”


    She looks at me over her shoulder. “Which is why I said if only he was younger.” She snorted stressing


    on the word if.


    “M get back to work!” Ressa yelled,ing out from the back where I was sure she was counting the


    money she just made. It was just lunch time and I should be on break in about ten minutes.


    M pokes out her tongue at Ressa and turns to me. “Stick up her buttholedy is forcing me to do her


    bidding.” She rolls her eyes and skates away leaving me giggling at her parting words.


    When I was done cleaning up the mess a family of four left on the table, 1 skated over to Bernard who


    was waiting for me patiently. “How’s your day been Sophie?” He asked with a cheer ful pitch in his


    voice.


    Bernard thought of me as his daughter, it didn’t help that we looked so much alike. Unfortu nately, I


    would never get to meet her physically since she was no longer alive.


    I took out the little notepad and then pull out the pencil behind my ear to write down his or der. Apart


    from how busy and noisy and a bit stressful working at the diner can be, the friendly and kind


    customers made up for it. One of them happens to be Bernard.


    “Busy. A lot. I got ketchup sprayed on me by a five year old who thought I needed a touch of red.” I


    pointed at the red stain that was still so visible on the light pink uniform we were assigned to wear.


    Bernard chuckled while awaking his head. “Kids these days huh?”


    I beamed and nodded.


    “Speaking of, how’s Ash? Did he like the bunny I bought him?” He asked with high hope. Bernard met


    up with Ash countless times when Ash wasn’t in daycare yet and I had to bring him to work when I got


    no babysitter.


    I nodded and smiled. “You have to stop spoiling him Bernard.”.


    Bernard scoffs. “No way. This is nothing Sophie. Ash deserves more than that. I was actually nning


    to buy him those big toy cars he-”


    I shook my head quickly. “Oh no no no. You don’t have to keep buying him stuff Bernard, es pecially so


    expensive.


    He then sighs. “I’ve told you many times Sophie, I just want to do this for Ash. There’s no huge dent in


    my bank ount. I’m buying him those cars.”


    I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not epting it.” I threatened so he’d rethink his decision.


    But Bernard only chuckles and grins, “We’ll see about that.”.


    Shaking my head at him, I asked. “Are you ready to ce an order Bernard?” I smiled, the point of the


    pencil on the nk paper already.


    ck coffee, four donuts, and some churros. If I knew Bernard as well as I thought, then that will be his


    exact order.


    He nods. “ck coffee, four donuts, and some churros. Give me those churros to go, I need to eat


    something sweet while dealing with that arrogant Ceo today.” He huffed.


    Bernard alwaysined about his arrogant boss who supposedly was always so furious and


    nitpicked at everything.


    Everyone hated him, well the males hated him, but the women saw him as nothing more than someone


    who was walking sex on legs. Well, at least that’s how I remembered Bernard de scribed him as.


    I gave him a pity-filled smile not bothering to jot down his order since I’ve already memo rized it.


    “Well, I’ll be back with your order Bernard, soon,” I told him and skated away.


    When I got back, Bernard was deep in thought and hadn’t realized I was beside him until i ced his


    order in front of him.


    My brows furrow in worry. “Are you okay Bernard?”


    He looks up and his dark gaze swept over my face. “Do you like working here Sophie?”


    Confused and startled by his question, it takes me a while to answer him. I nod. “I do. It may not seem


    much, but meeting friendly people is the highlights of my day.”


    “But the work?” He asked, searching my eyes.


    I look away from him.


    Working for eight hours a day literally on my feet the entire day wasn’t fun. But it was not like I can just


    get up and leave and find a new job.


    Who would hire someone who didn’t go to college and only had a high-school diploma? This was New


    York, I needed more than a high-school diploma to get a decent job that can feed both Ash and I


    properly, pay the bills and provide food on the table.


    It was not like the diner was a bad ce to work at. It was just that, this wasn’t where I envi sioned


    working three years ago.


    The other small jobs around here that would maybe hire me, were not child friendly. By that I mean, I’d


    have to push in more work and not get enough time to spend with Ash.


    I turn to Bernard, extremely confused. He had never asked me those questions before. And by the


    gleam in his eyes, I knew that he wanted to ask me more.


    “Why are you asking me this Bernard?”


    He looks nervous but then lets out. “My secretary will be leaving in a week. She’s relocating to another


    state. The spot is vacant Sophie, and I want you to fill it.”