The Sun, The Moon and The Ocean

chapter one

● above is a photo of Sophia at her most recent art museum visit●

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry, sir!" I exclaimed as I stared in terror at the mess I just spilled all over the man's pastrami melt sandwich. It was once a warm, beautifully plated dish but now, my weak arm couldn't handle the weight of the water jug and pouring the ice cold water into a glass didn't go so well, for my apron or for my customer's meal.

But to my luck, the man was kind to me. "Oh, don't worry about it. You didn't mean to," he replied calmly. I could feel the daggers of my boss's eyes digging into the back of my skull and I tried to stay calm and polite. I apologized once again as I whipped out a rag from my belt loop and immediately starting soaking up the water on the table. "I'll get another sandwich for you going as soon as possible," I said out of breath, I was frantically cleaning what I could. "It'll be on the house, again I am so sorry." I handed the customer a pile of napkins as he gave me a reassuring smile that I did not deserve.

I quickly walked back toward the kitchen double doors, avoiding eye contact with my boss. "Joey!" I called as I entered the kitchen, "I need another pastrami melt as quickly as possible."

My coworker tipped his head up in my direction, "I just served one ou-"

"I know, I screwed up; just please, I need another one," I interrupted.

Joey sighed and wiped the sweat off his forehead with a rag and nodded. He slapped some meat onto the stove to the left of him and didn't ask anymore questions.

I grabbed a towel from the rack near the employee bathroom and started to pat my green apron dry before I went out to take orders again; before I went out onto the main floor and embarrassed myself again.

I groaned out in frustration. This was only day six after completing my training here at the Shrimp Shack and I've already proven myself clumsy twice within 3 days. Last Tuesday, I didn't see the wet floor sign and slipped into another customer's bar stool and his raspberry margarita went flying into his barbecue chicken wings. And now today, although not as bad of a situation, I spilled something else. All within 72 hours.

I wondered what my mom would think if she was sitting at a table while I spilled that water. She probably drop her chin down and creak her neck towards my father and exchange frowns with him. She then would pull out her phone, tap on my sisters contact and type, "We miss you, hope you're doing well. It's probably better than how Sophie is doing," then add a few disgusted emojis and hit send.

I sighed at my daydream and tried to focus on the now. Mom wasn't here and Penny wasn't here to make me look like a piece of garbage compared to her shining personality and success. After all, thats why I was here, in this city, in this restaurant, to get away from my family.

Back home in Broken Hill, things were never in my favor if my sister was around. Especially when I announced to my family members that university wasn't something for me. My mother's mouth gaped open, my father crossed his arms and his fingers pinched the bridge of his nose and my sister just shook her head. I had disappointed my family in the worst way I could have and they honestly weren't even surprised. They never expected anything good out of me. Not when someone like Penny was my sister. She was the perfect child; had straight A's all through high school and uni, she was confident, she met the love of her life in school, and is going to be a doctor soon. She was everything my parents wanted me to be, but she was something I couldn't be.

I tried to be, though. I started university with a major in Medical Technology and made it to my second year until I realized I couldn't lie to myself or my family anymore. I wanted to be an artist. I wanted to live by the ocean, not in a red desert. I wanted to paint, not take temperature. I wanted to do everything my parents didn't want me to.