Four | Avery
Four
Avery
B y the time the movie ended, Kennedy was yawning and getting a little too comfortable on the couch bed Cassidy’s parents had made for her. Thankfully their living room was large, so there were two other couches the rest of us could sit on without having to be huddled together on hers.
“You ready to go, sugar pie?” I asked, making eye contact with her before her eyes could flutter closed again.
“Do we have to?”
“Yes, baby. We need to get going so Amelia and Ron can get some rest, too.”
“I don’t want to go,” she whined, digging herself deeper into the couch.
I took a slow, deep breath, trying not to let myself get worked up. Kennedy was a sweet girl, but she was also a typical five-year-old, which meant her moods could give anyone whiplash, especially when she was tired.
“Crap,” Sam said from the other couch, staring down at his phone as he rubbed his hand down the scruff on his face.
“What’s wrong?” Cassidy asked.
“My new barista just quit on me. His family is going out of town for the holidays, so now I’m shorthanded and don’t have time to look for someone else.”
“Shit. That sucks,” Cassidy replied before shooting me a grimaced look. “Sorry.”
“She’s heard worse,” I replied with a laugh. “And she’s already asleep.”
Great. Just Great.
“What hours do you need someone?” Amelia asked. “I can see if anyone from the community center might be able to help out.”
Sam shook his head as his fingers flew across his phone.
“Thanks, Mom. I don’t want to be ungrateful, but I need someone who can handle a fast-paced environment and juggle multiple things at one time. Someone who isn’t bothered by loud noise or chaos. I don’t want to have to shout the orders over and over while waiting for hearing aids to properly adjust.”
“Someone like Avery,” Cassidy suggested, nudging me with her elbow.
I glared at her for a split second before looking over to find Sam’s eyes on me.
“I don’t know anything about coffee,” I admitted sheepishly as I tried to blend in with the couch.
“You don’t have to,” Cassidy said, continuing to interject herself. “Sam can teach you the basics. You’re a quick learner. Plus, you’re an elementary school teacher—you’re used to the chaos and loud noise. Not only that, you’re fully capable of juggling lots of things at one time. Perks of being a mom and a schoolteacher.”
“Are you interested?” Sam asked, his eyes wide and full of hope.
I shifted again, not sure if I had ever been more uncomfortable in my life.
“I would hate to let you down,” I replied with a nervous laugh.
“Why do you think you would?” he questioned, setting his phone down and giving me his full attention.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged and made a weird face I would later regret. “What if I can’t learn how to make the drinks?”
“Then I’ll make them, and you can work the register.”
“What if something happens and I don’t have someone to watch Kennedy? We don’t even live here, and I don’t have a babysitter lined up.”
“We’ll watch her,” Amelia and Ron answered at the same time while Cassidy grinned like a fool.
“I appreciate that. I really do. But you guys have your own lives. What about when you have doctor’s appointments or need to run errands?”
“Then I’ll watch her,” Cassidy said, pinning me with another look.
“But—”
“Avery, I think it’s clear that you have support with someone watching Kennedy. And worst-case scenario, if you don’t have someone to watch her, then you bring her with you to work and I keep an eye on the marshmallow inventory,” Sam said with a wink.
I shook my head, not sure what to think about all of this.
“I don’t know how long I’m in town for.”
“I need immediate help, Avery, and as far as I can see, you’re in town for a little while. Why don’t we help each other? You keep me from having to scour the high school to see if there are any eligible seniors who might want a job, and I give you something to do with your day so you’re not stuck with Cassidy 24/7. It’s a win/win.”
“Ugh, rude.” Cassidy frowned, giving her brother a dirty look.
I pulled in a deep breath and slowly released it. It was like the universe was giving me what I had been praying endlessly over: a chance to give Kennedy the best Christmas ever. Not knowing how I would afford gifts had been stressful enough to give me an ulcer. This would allow me to do that for her and keep the magic alive by having something for her from Santa on Christmas morning.
“Okay. I’ll do it. When do you want me to start?”
“How about tomorrow? 6 am sharp.”
Thankfully, I was an early riser, so that wasn’t a problem for me.
“I’ll be there.” I turned to Cassidy, ready to ask for my first favor by having her watch Kennedy.
“She’s already asleep, so why don’t you leave her here, and I’ll stay over too. You can go back to my place and not have to worry about anything other than getting up and starting your new job in the morning.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I said, my voice nearly breaking again.
“We want to,” Cassidy assured me as her parents nodded from the other couch. “This is what family does.”