Rescue Me Now

CHAPTER 2

(I swear this looks like a lot more writing on Word compared to being on Wattpad's desktop version lol)

!WARNING!

This chapter depicts some domestic violence towards the end of the chapter.

(11/1/20)

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[unedited]

"Corin! You're a bit early today," my co-worker, Tanner, greeted with a smile. He was a college student pursuing an MBA degree. Tanner was a genuine guy with emerald green eyes, chocolate brown hair, and long lashes. With similar looks and age, people tend to mistake us for siblings. I had blue eyes instead of green, chocolate brown hair, and similarly long lashes like Tanner. The only striking difference between us was our height. Tanner was six feet tall as I was five-foot-four. He teased me about the height difference all the time.

"I know," I smiled back, "You know I can't stay away from you for too long!" We briefly hugged each other before setting things up to open the shop. Both of us worked at a café named Lady Belle. It was named after the owner's late wife, Annabelle. She was such a kind old lady. In the past, she brought us lunch every day. Marvin, the owner, always had the biggest smile on his face. One fall day, she became sick and it was unexpected. She was gone from this world two days later. Marvin was so grief-stricken. After fifty years of marriage, he lost his other half. Tanner and I decided to step up and take over the business while Marvin could cope. Today would be his first time back in two months.

"You know," Tanner began, "I can't wait for Marvin to come back today. You reckon he's alright?"

I paused for a minute then answered, "Tanner I don't know. Any death in the family is difficult. Annabelle was his wife. Heck, this place is an embodiment of her. Marvin is a tough old man, however. He will get through it. We'll be there for him."

"Your right," he agreed and peaked at his watch. "It's about five minutes until we open at eight. We are going to make today the best for him."

Considering it was two of us, we were busy running around fulfilling orders until noon. The lunch rush was just as busy. There was no break from then until two in the afternoon. After the last customer from the rush left, we sat down in a booth.

"Man," Tanner sighed, "we weren't that busy in a while. I hope dinner isn't as bad."

"It is Saturday," I pointed out. "The beginning of winter break for most people."

"Crap! You're right!" he groaned and laid his forehead on the cold table.

"Hello?" a familiar voice above us said. "I hope you two aren't too tired to help out an old geezer like me." Tanner and I shot up and gave Marvin a long-awaited hug. He laughed at the eagerness and pulled away.

"We most definitely weren't taking a break," lightheartedly said Tanner.

I played along and laughed, "Most definitely not! We were just cleaning the tables." Marvin chuckled at our words and patted us on the shoulders.

"You kiddos ready to eat?" he inquired. We nodded eagerly in response and he sat down two bags he had in his hands. Marvin took a seat next to Tanner and watched us open our lunch bags. We gasped at the food in front of our eyes.

"Annabelle's strawberry jam sandwiches," I gasped. "Her blueberry muffins—"

"And chocolate fudge!" Tanner shouted. The three of us laughed and finally dug in. I asked Marvin how he made all of this. He said that Annabelle always wrote down her recipes. He even offered to give us copies of them as well. Marvin figured we would love some old favorites. All three of us gave life updates from the past two months. Tanner's college studies were going well, Marvin's been moving on slowly but surely, and I was still stuck with Andrew. Marvin and Tanner already knew about the situation. Both men knew that I was always in trouble with my boyfriend. The two of them were my support group. I had no parents or any other family to go to. They were extremely concerned upon hearing what happened last night but nonetheless grateful I was alive. I didn't want Tanner or Marvin to be involved. They knew I'd come to them if needed.