Chapter Five #2
“You could just ask your mom to help you pay for New York.” Natalie puts her purse down on their usual table and crosses her legs. “Didn’t she make six figures from her business last year?”
“She had to pay most of it to her virtual assistant and social media manager, and then there’s her accountant,” Lucy explains with an exaggerated sigh. “Apparently, a coaching business can’t be run by one person alone.”
“What about asking your dad?” Natalie suggests. “He’s been calling you so often…”
Lucy laughs sarcastically. “Mom thinks he’s only calling to ease his guilt, not to actually make an effort with me. She’s probably right. I mean, he didn’t even try to get joint custody.”
I cough silently, trying not to inhale the fumes of the diffuser blowing right into my face.
Last night, after scribbling on the whiteboard and erasing bullshit ideas over and over, I managed to find an activity that could bring in profits, one that only Lucy could do well enough—and to top it all off, it’s something she’d love.
Except I haven’t discussed this with Dad or Appa yet. I’m not sure if I should create a presentation on Canva to convince them or if a simple sit-down conversation could do the trick. Regardless, I have to think and act fast. Lucy’s clearly desperate for a job.
“Meera!” Dad calls out from behind the counter. The coffee machine whirrs and splutters. “What are you still doing there? We have customers!”
“Sorry, Dad.” I walk over to the counter, cringing, and take my spot at the empty cash register. Danny must be in the kitchen, doing the dishes. “Won’t happen again.”
Dad studies me, perplexed. He must have been expecting a retort, but I need to be on my best behavior. I smile brightly at him and turn to Natalie, who’s waiting patiently. “Hi, Natalie,” I say. “The usual? Iced coffee, almond milk, no sugar?”
She nods, but her eyes are on the chocolate chip cookies on display. “Get me a cookie too.”
“Those have sugar,” I remind her, frowning. “And dairy. And eggs.”
Natalie shoots Lucy a furtive look and lowers her voice. “It’s not for me. Lucy’s having a bad day.”
“What happened?” I feign curiosity as I ring up her order.
“She’s looking for a part-time job someplace in town, but there are no openings. If only y’all were hiring.” Natalie shrugs. “She’d love to work here.”
At that, Dad looks up, adjusting his glasses and peering at her. “We’ll let you know if we ever need more hands on deck.”
Natalie smiles back at Dad. “Thanks, Mr. George. Oh,” she addresses me, “did you include Lucy’s drink?”
“Uh, no.” I shake my head, trying to recollect her order. All I can remember is what we both used to drink when we were friends: iced ginger turmeric chai lattes. Since I avoid Lucy whenever she’s here, I haven’t acquainted myself with her new fancy order.
Natalie scrunches up her nose as she thinks. “It’s an iced ginger something chai latte? She’s been drinking it for years. I figured you’d know.”
My jaw nearly drops as my stomach does a weird flip. She still drinks those? If our friendship was something she could “outgrow” so easily, why wasn’t the drink that I introduced her to?
“Meera”—Dad prods my shoulder—“bill the order.”
The cash register beeps as I print the receipt and hand it over to Natalie.
She stands between the counter and their table, where Lucy is busy reading a book.
I can’t make out the title or the cover, but she’s got the faintest of smiles as she turns the page.
Her shiny red hair hangs in waves around her face, and as she pushes a strand back and looks up, she catches me staring at her.
I’m embarrassed, but I choose to sheepishly grin and wave. “Hey,” I call out.
Lucy turns to look behind her at the glass wall, perplexed. Our usual routine is ignoring each other when we cross paths, but if the Plan is to work, I need to change that.
“Are you talking to me?” she says, raising a perfectly shaped brow.
“Am I not allowed to?” The retort slips from my mouth before I can think twice.
She shrugs and returns to her book. Natalie’s still waiting to pick up their order, but when she gets a phone call, she excuses herself and heads outside.
As soon as the door closes behind her, I spin around and mumble in Dad’s ear, “Please don’t be mad at me for this, but I’m going to offer Lucy a job. ”
“What?” he says. “Why would you do that?” His voice is low and quiet, but the creases on his forehead deepen.
Dad’s been in the food-and-beverage industry for decades, so his hands don’t shake as he pours coffee into the cups.
I could probably announce I’m pregnant with Shawn Mendes’s child and he still wouldn’t mess up the orders.
I glance behind me. Lucy is still occupied with her book, Natalie’s outside, and the rest of the customers are either sitting on the other side of the café or getting a tarot reading from Appa.
“Meera.” Dad sets the iced coffee cups on the counter and folds his arms, glaring at me. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
I’m about to admit it’s for the Plan, but that’s a recipe for disaster.
I don’t want a rehash of Appa’s speech over breakfast the other day.
Nope. I need to make something up. “You and Appa were right about my Plan,” I whisper.
“It’s a horrible idea. I don’t want to graduate without making things right with Lucy, and she clearly needs a job. Can we please help her?”
He opens his mouth, closes it, and lowers his gaze to his Crocs. “That’s very sweet of you, but we don’t have the budget for another barista.”
“It’s not a barista job. I promise this will only bring us more money. I promise,” I repeat when he still looks dubious. “Just give it a few weeks. And you can cut her pay from my allowance if you want to.”
He takes off his glasses and cleans them with the side of his shirt, thinking. His eyes go back and forth, and he casts a glance at Appa, who’s laughing as he shuffles cards in the corner. Finally, Dad nods. “Okay, go ahead. But you’re going to have to explain this to your Appa on your own.”
I squeal as softly as I can and serve the drinks and cookie to Lucy’s table, since she’s busy reading. Natalie walks in and takes a sip of her iced coffee. “Ah, coffee,” she says, licking her lips. “The elixir of life.”
“Thanks, Meera,” Lucy says without raising her gaze from the book.
I need to find a reason to start a conversation with her. Something that’ll make her reply to me. So I say, “I didn’t realize you still drank chai lattes.”
She lets out a soft exhale and nods, closing her book. “Yeah.” She sips her drink from the straw and shrugs. “It’s a good drink. Mr. George makes them well.”
“You will not believe who I was just on the phone with,” Natalie says, completely ignoring me and tugging on Lucy’s arm. “Julien! He wants to hang out!”
“Really?” Lucy gives me a pointed look. Clearly, this is a private conversation.
Sighing, I step back, tray tucked under my arm. I should give them their space. Maybe I can find a better time to offer her the job. School on Monday, or the next time she’s here for a drink.
But why wait? I’ve got Dad’s permission. I have to do this before she ends up taking another job. And I have to get straight to the point. So I clear my throat until they both look at me, and then I say, “Lucy, do you want to work for Café Kismat?”