Weekend. Time to do work at The Wilsons. I declined the hangout invitation from another co-workers. I went even earlier than usual. The sky wasn't bright, but it wasn't dark either. Cloudy. Maybe. I wasn't in the best of condition. The bird had disturbed me from a good sleep.
When I arrived at the coffee shop, Jonah was there to greet me. There wasn't just him though. I saw Mr. Wilson, whom I have seen occasionally as he brewed my order. Mrs. Wilson, who I hadn't seen at all. I assumed she was the one working in the kitchen; the one behind the scene.
Then, there was Jonah's sister. She was rather average in height, I could even say she's leaning towards short in stature. Her hair was tied into a ponytail, one with the same color as her brother: auburn. Her eyes were jade-green, and in fact, all of The Wilsons had jade-green eyes. She introduced herself as Cuddy.
They greeted me with a smile, at least Jonah and his father did. His mother, too. Though she looked a little tired. His sister… She was bright, almost reminding me of Daniel. Although his was similar to a neon. Hers was… akin to a jewel. Jonah told me to help with carrying things and cleaning up the place before the customers came. I did as told. Jonah showed me the ropes. How to operate behind the counter; how to take orders; how to clean up after the customers, etc.
I brushed against Cuddy a few times. Her skin was surprisingly soft. Then, the shop was opened. Customers came in groups. I helped Jonah behind the counter, writing down the orders. Cuddy moved through the tables, carrying dishes and beverages to the tables. Mr. Wilson mostly stayed behind the machines, brewing with slow care. Every cup he placed on the counter was deliberate, carefully done—like it meant the world for him. However, most of the customers gravitated towards the glittering decorations, the themed drinks, the merchandise shelf—all that were Cuddy's ideas.
"You see the difference, right?" Jonah muttered when his sister was out of earshot. His voice was low, almost whispering. "Dad makes coffee. She makes… spectacle."
I saw it. It felt like two different opposing ideals clashing under one roof. She was flashy, but her father was grounded. She made a business, but he makes it a place of comfort. I wonder if it would break out into something significant. I was focused on my job, but then, the bird—which no longer surprised me with his presencse—perched outside the window, tapping its beak against the glass as though impatient.
"Spectacle brings money. Back him. Back her," its voice scratched against my ear, harsher than before. That same incessant nagging. The one that had disturbed my sleep.
I ignored it, or tried to. The tapping didn't stop. At noon, while clearing tables, I saw familiar faces; coworkers, the same ones who had invited me out drinking. They waved, surprised to find me here. Daniel wasn't with them, but they still carried the new light from his change, talking about weekend plans and the places they'd go. They asked me if I wanted to join. I told them no. They laughed, then moved on to another topic. I no longer thought their conversation was relevant. I continued with my work.
The bird chuckled. "See? Alone. Always alone. You could be shining with them. Instead, you serve tables—freezing yourself in solitude."
It was wrong. It wasn't cold. But it wasn't warm either. I felt… suspended. Like a man standing in the middle of a frozen river, the ice beneath me thin, the water too far to see through. A sense of limbo. Later, as we closed for the day, Jonah's sister surprised me. She offered me a drink she had crafted herself. One with bright colors, a strange mix of fruit and spice. "Try it," she said, with a grin too sharp to be false. I did. It wasn't bad. It wasn't just sugar and glitter either. There was thought in it, something deliberate. I didn't know what.
She watched for my reaction with an edge of hunger. It wasn't greed. It didn't seem like it. Not pride either. I felt that what she has wasn't a bad thing at all. I had thought of her as if she was similar to Daniel, but I was wrong. She wasn't him. Cuddy was—and is brilliant. She knew how to make business profitable, knew what moved the masses, but she herself wasn't immune to it. She was flashy, but it wasn't like the one Daniel has. She was bright, but it wasn't nauseating. A perfect glint. I could smell the scent of mixed fruits, a faint smell of almond and obviously coffee. I thought it was from the drink, but it was from the one standing before me.
Unfortunately, I forgot to account for the fact that the bird was still there. It hissed from the outside, "Don't be fooled. She is mine. All of them are mine."
I looked away, pretending not to hear. For the first time, I wondered if pretending would be enough, or if it would help me at all. I received my payment that day, it seemed like it would be on a day-to-day basis. Not that it would be much as I only worked here at weekends, but at least, it helped with my tight finances. They even gave me more than what was stated on the site, purely because I was Jonah's friend.
I went home and prepared myself dinner. I had fried chicken for the night, it was nice, but didn't feel as good as I had thought. It was different, but the overall experience was the same as what I usually had. I regretted my decision. I changed and went to sleep. The bird was there to nag me again, but this time, I couldn't hear it. Maybe I was too tired from work and lack of sleep from yesterday. Either way, I was grateful for that.