Chapter 8
Ivy
She did her best to style her hair in a way that would cover up the half dried and half wet hair.
She straightened the blow-dried sections to try and flatten the fuzz, so it didn’t look completely obvious as to what had happened.
A few strategically placed pins to grip the hair in place and out of her face should do it.
She fought the urge to tie her hair up completely, knowing the headache she’d suffer later from the pull on her wet hair.
It just wouldn’t be worth it. She shoved a few hair ties in her pocket for later, as she knew she’d need them this afternoon.
She grabbed her bag and made sure to pack her phone charger, wallet, phone, sunglasses, and keys. She was determined to turn this day around, one way or another.
Pulling on her coat, and wrapping her light scarf around her neck, she took a glance in the mirror by her front door and grimaced.
She really hated those glasses. Oh well, nothing she could do about it now until she could collect more contact lenses on Monday.
She had made sure to put on her favorite work outfit to try and perk herself up: Converse, skinny jeans with turn-ups at the ankle, white t-shirt, and a fall-toned plaid shirt. Cute. Hopefully.
She made it to the shop twenty minutes later, and right on time before the mid-morning biz kicked in.
“Hey boss!” Toni waved at her as she crossed the counter and made her way to the back office.
“Hi Toni, be out in a few, OK?” Ivy smiled at her colleague, who was more of a friend than anything at this stage, and slipped through the back to remove her bag, scarf and coat, and put on her apron.
Not that she minded, the dark denim body and straps with an aged brown leather neck loop wasn’t the worst work uniform she could think of.
She popped a couple of markers into the loops at waist-height, ready for writing customer names on their take-away cups.
She logged in the computer in her office and quickly scrolled through the waiting emails, ensuring nothing needed handled immediately.
Satisfied that all of them could wait until after the impending morning rush, she quickly tucked her head into the kitchen at the back to say a quick hey to Nina and Ty who were elbows deep in cookie dough and dishwater, respectively.
“I can’t believe that little weasel managed to get an entire weekend off,” Toni said about Oliver as Ivy joined her behind the counter.
“At least you’ve got the good grace to blush, Toni,” Ivy laughed. “It’s because he covered for you last week that I’m working this full weekend while he’s living it up doing, well, I don’t even want to know what.”
Toni reached out a hand and placed it on Ivy’s forearm, “I’m more than grateful that he was able to cover at such short notice.
.. and I appreciate that you’re the one making it happen.
.. which is why,” she reached into the waist pocket of her apron and pulled out a folded piece of paper, “I’m giving you this. ”
Ivy warily reached out and accepted the piece of paper, eyeing it carefully.
Slowly she unfolded it, half expecting confetti to hit her in the face, knowing Toni’s personal love of pranks.
Once it was opened, she read to the first line and gasped.
“Toni, no! After all these years? This is what it took for me to finally get the recipe for your Chocolate Chip Banana Bread?” Ivy’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head as she read each line slowly before looking up at Toni.
Blushing, Toni lowered her head to avoid eye contact with Ivy and took a slow breath in and out before saying, “You’ve covered for me more than anyone else, and I’d shudder at the number if I had to count the times this year alone. So, this wipes the slate clean for the year so far. Deal?”
The words were barely out of Toni’s mouth when Ivy lunged at her and wrapped her arms around Toni’s neck in elation.
“Omigod, DEAL!” Ivy grinned as she read over the recipe one more time before holding up a finger.
“This is going straight in my bag right now before I lose it, or ruin it, most likely by spilling something on it—especially after the morning I’ve been having. ”
With that, she turned on her heel and practically skipped into the office to tuck it safely into her bag. She returned to the counter and gave Toni another hug before settling in for what she knew was going to be a long day.
It had been almost two hours since the rush started, and the line out the door indicated no end in sight.
“Is there some event on that we didn’t know about?
” Ivy asked Toni for what felt like the seventh time in the last ten minutes.
“It’s never usually this busy, even on a Monday morning!
” She swiped her forehead with the back of her hand to move a few stray hairs out of her face.
She tried to blow them away earlier but that had only ended in her glasses fogging up.
“Didn’t you hear?” Toni said.
“No, what?” Ivy asked with intrigue before she noticed the twinkle in Toni’s eye.
“They all wanted to come here to witness you ask me the same question over and over again for the entire shift. There are bets going for the hourly number, as well as the total, for the day. They’re turning it into a game of bingo and everything,” Toni barely made it the end before breaking down laughing.
Ivy stopped for a beat and scowled, glad it was Mollie that she was serving, but not too glad as she noticed that she too was laughing with Toni.
“Oh, how hilarious you are Ms. Marshall,” Ivy deadpanned. Then turning to Mollie, “and you, encouraging her like that? Just as I was about to make your double-shot Americano? *Tsk-tsk-tsk* I might just forget to put any coffee in your drink at all.” With that, Ivy couldn’t help but smirk.
“Ah c’mon Ms. Copeland, don’t be mean to the poor girl. Her project is due on Tuesday, and she needs all the caffeine her little body can handle,” Toni said through the tears in her eyes from all the laughing.
“Yeah Ivy,” Mollie said, giving her the largest puppy-dog eyes humanly possible, "think of little old me, working through the night, trying to answer all the deep philosophical questions of life. Unable to keep my poor eyes open because you wouldn’t give me my coffee after laughing with Toni, which will probably be the only smile I’ll manage all day. ” Toni winked at Mollie and Ivy caved.
“Fine.” She turned and pulled a medium to-go cup, calling over her shoulder, “But I want it known that I’m doing this purely because I’m a good person, not because I caved to the peer pressure,” Ivy turned to Toni as she spoke this time, “or the wink that you thought I missed.”
With that, Toni and Mollie burst out laughing again.