The Patchwork Hearts

Chapter SIXTEEN

Maya

My stomach is a bit anxious but I mostly feel excited as I get on the bus, an hour before I need to be at the Art Hub, the next evening. No one else is really on the bus - besides one older woman near the front - and it's a quick ride -  and I get off just across the street from the store. I'm too early, so I walk into the coffee shop down the block and buy a muffin, then eat it at a small table, before leaving to go back to the store.

   "Hey!" Kayleigh greets me happily, as I walk in and over to the desk. She's wearing a tank top and jeans, and her dark hair is pulled back into a braid.

   "Hi," I say, my heart racing.

   "Come on back to the staff room, I'll show you where you can put your bag," she says, coming out from behind the desk and leading me down the aisle, towards the back of the store.

   We are only back there for a minute, but she shows me the storage room and the staff room. I leave my sweater and purse there and then follow her back to the front.

   Two hours pass quickly, and I'm watching and learning so much. I basically have the cash register/computer system figured out, how to ring up purchases and also look up if we have something in stock. There's only a handful of customers during that time, but after a few, Kayleigh lets me do it on my own. I don't mess up, so I feel pretty good about it.

   "I put myself on for 2P.M. to 8P.M. today and tomorrow, so I'll be here with you until we close. And then Saturday I'll have Megan working with you for the afternoon, and she'll close."

  "Sounds good," I say, and I'm surprised how relaxed I feel there, too. "Honestly, thank you for this."

   I was worried about it. I thought I'd mess up or not know how to do things. In Albany, I worked at a mall, in a designer footwear store. That was where I met Tamara, and we became friends after a few months. I usually worked four or five days a week, she worked a bit less but was also in college. It was pretty good money because we worked off commission, therefore if we made good sales, we made good money. Here, it's different. I get paid no matter what, but I have to know about the products. I have to be personable and happy. I feel more like myself, here. This job is a good fit, I can tell already.

   When 8P.M. comes around, I watch as Kayleigh closes the computer system down, signs us out and switches the signs over to 'closed'. I follow her to the back room where she grabs her purse and I retrieve my things, too. It was only three hours, and it had gone quick, but I enjoyed it. It feels good to be a working member of society again.

   "So, how did you feel about it?" she asks, pulling out her phone.

   "Good. Yeah, it was great," I say, pushing my purse over my shoulder.

   "Well, it was a slow night. The weekends are busier, but I can tell you'll be fine. After tomorrow I'm sure you'll be good to go," she tells me. "You need a ride?"

   I had planned to take a bus back to Marcus' because I hated that my sister had been driving me around so much. Plus, it's Willow's bedtime. I wasn't about to ask Marcus to pick me up, so I nod at Kayleigh.

   "Oh, if that's okay?"

   "Girl, Marcus lives like five minutes from here, and I'm just on Stone Cove. I can drive you home anytime," she says, but I feel like she's judging me. Did Nella tell her about Marcus and I?

   "Thanks. I'm moving to Lou Lane on Friday," I say, following her outside and through the parking lot, towards her car.

   "Right, Nella mentioned that. That's so close to me," she smiles.