The Tea Shop [mxm]

VI: Coffee Cupcakes

Elliot's morning didn't come off to a good start. First he slept through his alarm, which of course meant he was late for the bus. Then, once he'd reached the tea shop he realised he'd forgotten the key to the shop, and he had to go back home to get it. This resulted in him being almost an hour late, and he only had ten minutes to get things done before opening.

This, of course, was an impossible task. No one could bake bagels and croissants and scones and everything else they were supposed to have, in ten minutes. Not even Elliot.

The stress ate away at his guts, and when he'd had to tell fifteen customers that no, unfortunately they couldn't get their regular breakfast, he was close to breaking down. The three ovens in the back were all occupied with what should be displayed by the counter, and those who could not wait, would simply have to leave. Elliot hadn't felt this bad in a long time.

One of the ovens beeped, and that told Elliot that the scones were done. Only five more minutes for the croissants and then another five for the bagels.

As soon as the scones were out of the oven, Elliot shoved them in paper bags together with whatever was requested and sent them away with the customers. Free of charge, of course. Elliot couldn't stand to let them pay when it was his fault some of them might be late for their jobs. Actually, he was fairly sure that he might just have gotten one girl fired.

It was a young girl who had started coming to the shop when Abigail started working there. They were friends, apparently. She worked as an assistant for a man who was incredibly strict, and always requested breakfast from their shop after Abigail's friend had suggested it. Now, she was probably getting sacked because she didn't bring his breakfast in time and that would all be Elliot's fault.

Not the best start of the day.

As usual Abigail came in around seven thirty, and apparently her friend - Molly, he'd learn later - had texted her about this morning's disaster.

"What happened, Elliot?" she asked after greeting him with a hug.

"I just overslept, no big deal," he answered, although he knew Abigail would take it as such. She always worried about him.

"I don't believe that, Elliot. You never oversleep, this shop means everything to you. I know you wouldn't want to let Auntie Mae down like this. The last time this happened..." She didn't have to say it out loud, Elliot knew very well what she was talking about.

"Abby, you don't have to worry. This is nothing like that, I was just a bit tired. What happened last time is never going to be repeated, and we both agreed we would never speak of it again. You promised." After adding that last part, Abigail looked away guiltily. Good, Elliot thought. He didn't want to be reminded of that incident, so long ago.

What happened that time two years ago was something completely unexpected. It wasn't anything too bad, but ever since then both Abigail and Auntie Mae were looking for the signs of it happening again. Elliot knew that, and he could feel himself slipping back into his old habits, but he didn't want to worry them. He could handle it this time, that much he was sure about.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up, really, I am. But you can't just brush it off like it was nothing. You know the consequences, and I don't want you to go back to that place. It was a dark time, for all of us."

This time it was Elliot's turn to feel guilty. He knew that he wasn't the only one affected by what had happened, but he didn't like to think about how much it actually hurt the ones he loved.

"I know that, Abby. But I'm more careful now. I told you then, and I will tell you again. If I ever feel myself getting that bad again, I will come to you. Or Auntie Mae. I wouldn't just keep it in, because it's like you said; I know the consequences. I don't want to go back to that more than you do." Elliot tried to soothe her, but she looked sceptic. For good reason too, because she knew that no matter what Elliot said, he hated to worry others.