Elyse Grace Chapter 16: Work

Running a library sounded like it would be the most enjoyable thing a girl could do in life, second maybe to experiencing what romance novels are actually about. Now that I’m in the moment of it though, I’m discovering that I couldn’t have been more wrong. I hope my future experiences in romantic endeavors are not as inaccurate but I have my doubts there too.

My day is filled interchangeably by playing as a nanny and a maid. One moment, I’m answering the same stupid questions or reminding customers where things are, and the next I’m picking up their used napkins or forgotten plates. Who am I kidding? The plates aren’t forgotten; people are lazy.

“Ma’am, this is a book store,” I kindly reminded a young woman who had just finished balling up her pastry napkin and returned to flipping through the newest Janet Brevry novel. The buttery thumb print on the corner of the page left enough evidence to convict in her in any crime, and I considered the act of littering alone to be such a crime!

“Huh?” she looked up at my dumbly.

“These books are for purchase,” I emphasized, using my practiced back-up phrase for those who did not understand what book store meant. “We have a library full of books upstairs if you want to borrow one to read here.”

“Oh,” she looked around the room just as dumbly. “What’re the armchairs for, then?”

“Please let me know when you want to purchase the book,” I finished by picking up a forgotten half drunk coffee cup and retreating to find one of the many convenient trash cans in our coffee area.

At the coffee bar, I saw our lead barista Tracy training a new girl and pitied her. The pressure of meeting everyone’s demands seemed unbearable to me, all while wearing a cheerful smile. Despite that, I was really glad we hired her though. Jana was spending more time in an apron and behind the counter than she ever had before, and I was fearful I would be soon too.

–

The next day was just the same. I lingered downstairs answering dumb questions; reminding customers that they should be customers; and cleaning.

After a customary sweep of the place to pick up dishes and do my part, I retreated upstairs where the books weren’t at as high of a risk to be coffee stained or pastry assaulted. I still found the odd cup up here. What I hadn’t expected to find was Jana herself. Tucked into a corner on the balcony that overlooked the patio and the coffee bar below, my boss had a neutral expression in place of her confident and smiley one.

“Jana?” I poked my head out the door to get her attention.

Her head snapped up immediately. “Do they need me?”

Usually I found people hard to read and became frustrated by people who tried to hide their intentions and feelings. It wasn’t hard for me to figure out what she was doing, since it felt so much like I was looking into a mirror. She was hiding from the noise downstairs. “No, I think they’re fine.”

“Okay,” Jana’s shoulders settled once more and she exhaled. I stepped out onto the patio to join her in her hiding place.

“Are you alright?” I asked. The words felt so foreign on my lips, even though I heard them all the time. People had been asking me for years if I was okay, but I rarely thought to ask others. They all seemed fine, while I was drowning in anxiety. But here was Jana, my usually confident boss, beginning to sink.

“Just needed a minute away from it all,” she said quietly.

“Breaks are necesary,” I told her calmly, still trying to figure out her exact mood. Awkwardness set in around me like a comfortable sweater. Jana seemed to need space, but also reassurance. One, I could deliver easily, but the other was a fair bit more difficult. The thought kept crossing my mind that space was not as useful as it sounded when one’s mood had slipped like this, so I stayed with her.

“Tracy’s doing a good job at training the new girl. She was a great hire by the way,” I complimented Jana, for even though Tracy was a good worker, Jana had been the one to interview her. I sat in on one of the interviews once and it was horrifying. All those questions and reading between the lines…I don’t understand how she does it, but she finds good people.

“Thanks,” a smile crept back onto Jana’s lips. “You’re amazing too, you know? The library always looks impeccable! I don’t know what I’d do without you.” She leaned back and took a deep breath. “Alright, back into the fray?”

I wasn’t interested in heading back downstairs, but I spotted a library patron who had come upstairs, which was my cue to tend things upstairs, so I nodded to Jana encouragingly. With a renewed bounce in her step and a fresh smile of a mask, she left the library and retreated to the coffee bar once more.

It’s quite unfortunate that the moment was ruined as I looked over and saw that Jana had left her cup behind.

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