The Art of Starting Over

Chapter 2 - The All-Seeing Eye

I open the shutters and unlock the back room. Sosa turns on the lights and computers. Soft, pop music starts floating from the speakers and the neon pink sign that reads Lipstick&Co. buzzes to life over the counter. I look at it meekly, mentally preparing myself for the ten-hour shift ahead.

"Sosa, I'm going to grab a coffee from the kiosk before we start. Do you want anything?" I wait patiently as she scrubs the counter with antiseptic wipes and inspects for any remaining dust particles. "Sos!" I prompt when she doesn't respond.

She clears her throat loudly but doesn't look up. "No thanks, Sunxajn. I'm fine," she mumbles.

I exit the shop without another word and cross the street to the news kiosk in the square. I pull my sunglasses over my eyes as I pass the old men whom I call the resident benchers, as they are permanently perched there, monitoring the square.

"One black coffee and a bottle of still water, please. And a caramel bar," I add to the bristly man behind the window. Any girl who says I'm fine needs chocolate.

I take in the morning bustle as he preps my coffee. The road is already jam-packed with cars. Horns are blaring, joyful bells are coming from the steeples of the huge church. People are rushing around, grunting at their watches and eager shoppers are already creeping into the square. Most of the shutters are up and shop signs are flickering all along the perimeter to call Come in! We're OPEN.

Hearing a rough grunt behind me, I turn back towards the kiosk window and the man hands me a steaming Styrofoam cup, a bottle of water and a crumpled chocolate bar before returning to his newspaper. I head back to the shop, flipping our own sign on my way in.

"Ħa!" I say, chucking the bar in Sosa's direction. "You are not beating me at that Summer Body Challenge this year. I'm not afraid to play dirty."

Sosa catches the bar and stares at it blankly for a moment. A small smile spreads across her face. "You're as bootylicious as ever, sabiħa!" she says warmly, fumbling with the wrapper.

The hours go by slowly. We wipe the shelves and sweep the floors. We do the inventory and place the order for next month. We plan the window display for the next two weeks. But it's a slow day, especially for a Friday. I wish I brought my copy of Pride and Prejudice. I would have finished it for the sixth time.

At around one o'clock, Sosa sends me off for my break. Usually, I go wandering through the streets and do some shopping, but I don't have the heart to leave her today. No matter how hard she's trying to hide it, I can tell she's nowhere near her usual self, which is pretty disturbing. Sosa doesn't get distressed over guys.

I ask about her car. She says she doesn't think her dad's really angry about the ticket anymore but he probably won't be giving her the keys back anytime soon thanks to another quarrel with her mother. Sosa's parents have been arguing since the beginning of time so this isn't exactly news. But I still steer the conversation towards more amiable topics, like clothes, shopping, online shopping and shoes and a bit more about clothes... breaking off occasionally to serve the esteemed customer. When there is an hour left on the clock, I reach over for my puzzle book.

"Ally, put that away!" Sosa cries, her lips stretched tight over her teeth, as though she's training to become a ventriloquist. "He'll see you from the cameras." Her panicked eyes flicker over to the security camera over our heads.

"I'll put it away the minute someone walks in," I say calmly. "We've been here for nine hours. I need something to revive my brain cells."

I turn away from her disapproving scowl and finish the puzzle on page seventeen in just under ten minutes. Knowing I can do better, I flip through the leaves in search of another one and then, just as surely as the sun rises every bloody morning, the phone rings.