"Who is that in table 5?" Emma asked, focusing her gaze on the guy She had just spoken to.
"I don't know, this is the first time I am seeing him here."
"Here."
Mark passed Emma the coffee he had ordered for.
"Does someone have a crush?" Mark said teasingly.
Emma smiled, picking up the order. "I haven't even known him for an hour."
"Love works in mysterious ways, my dear," he said and Emma chuckled.
As Emma moved over to table 5, She caught sight of the smile that welcomed me.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome,"
Emma was ready to leave when he handed me the pay.
"Here."
She checked in it and he had left a 100-dollar tip. No one leaves that much tip.
"Thank you."
She walked back to the counter after she had resisted staring into his eyes again and behaving like some freak. He was fine actually, She wouldn't deny that.
"He gave a 100dollar tip."
"Wow, he probably likes you too."
"Mark," Emma said, raising my eyebrows at him.
"But he seems old."
"Why would you say that? He is so fine, probably in his early twenties."
"Who reads a newspaper these days, if they are not maybe 40 something."
"People still do, Mark. Not everyone likes the internet."
"You're defending him already."
Emma smiled "just saying."
She whirled around to look at table 5, but nobody was there. He departed while she and Mark were speaking.
"Table 5 is gone."
Did you at least ask for his name?
"Why would I do that?" Emma said, rolling her eyes at Mark.
"Perhaps because you don't seem to have stopped talking about him since he came in," he suggested and She laughed while going back to work.
Time went by slowly at work today and Emma just couldn't wait to get home.
She waited tables as usual while brainstorming on how to get past the first page of the book she was writing.
Writing used to be easy for her. At first, she had thought it was the usual writer's block but it's been months now and still, nothing has changed.
She had written a couple of short stories in high school and also several poems but nothing She felt was worth being published.
She kept most of my writings to herself, and never really showed anyone. Even when people asked, She just always made up an excuse to not show them.
She just always felt She wasn't good enough but then She knew how much She loved writing and felt complete doing it.
Her phone beeped and She realised it was a message from my sister.
I am home.
She smiled as She read the message.
"I need to leave now," She said to mark, untying my apron.
"We are not closed yet."
"It's almost time, please cover for me," She said, packing my stuff into my bag.
"You came late, now you're leaving earlier than everyone," Mark said, narrowing his eyes at Emma.
"Please love."
Emma hurried out through the door "thank you, I owe you one."
Helen came home mostly at least once every month but Emma hadn't seen her in two months. She missed her a lot and was excited to see her again.
Helen was two years older than Emma, she was married and that was why she only came to visit once a month.
Helen was Emma's greatest cheerleader, best friend and sister all in one. She could tell Helen everything and anything.
On days when Helen visited, they both stayed up all night, binging their favourite Netflix series and catching up on everything that they had both missed out on.
Emma was home after some minutes. On most days, she walked back from home because according to her, it helped clear her head and that was necessary for a writer.
On the second knock, Helen opened the door and Emma flung her hands around her, engulfing her in a tight hug.
"I missed you."
"I missed you even more."
Emma released herself from the hug and then stared at Helen with a smile like she hadn't seen her in forever.
"We have so much to catch up on," Emma said, as they both walked in.
They both went into the room and then sat on the bed. Emma dropped all she brought from work and sat eagerly next to her sister.
"Tell me everything, I want to know," Emma asked eagerly.
"What do you want to know," Helen chuckled.
"Everything," Emma said, hitting Helen playfully on her arm.
Helen winced and pulled back in reflex.
"What's wrong?" Emma asked concerned noticing how Helen's face fell.
"Nothing."
"It's nothing."
"Leave it, it's nothing."
Emma tried pulling Helen's sleeves up but she was resisting and wouldn't let her.
"I said stop!!" Helen exclaimed defensively, getting up from where she was sitting.
Emma stood with her, she walked close to where Helen was standing.
"You promised you would leave the next time it happened."
Emma knew what had happened, it wasn't the first time. The pain, the situation and the reaction all were familiar.
"He promised he will change."
"That's the same thing you said the last time," Emma said, her heart aching for her sister. She knew she didn't deserve any of it, no one did.
Helen used to smile a lot, was bobbly, always happy and had great dreams. She got married and everything changed.
Her smile faded gradually and even on days when she smiled there wasn't any shine in her eyes. It was distant, blank and had no colour.
She withdrew from everyone and wouldn't talk much. She stopped doing all the things she used to love and she stopped dreaming.
She was lost and was now a shadow of herself but she was oblivious to what had happened to her.
Mike used to love her but after marriage, everything changed. Helen believes he still loves her and never means to hurt her but Emma knew it was because he was so good at manipulating Helen.
Helen sat back on the edge of the bed, and Emma sat next to her.
"I can't just leave, I have nowhere to go. I have no job, nothing. He gives me money when I ask for it and I use it to help mother with bills too."
"You have I and mother. We will always be here for you. You can come back home, there is space, we can share my room like we used to."
"Mother is barely able to feed you two, I can't come back here. It's going to be tough on her."
"I am sure she will understand."
"I don't have a job, it's going to be hard because I have no degree."
"You have always talked about fashion school, you love to design and your designs are amazing too."
"Life isn't that easy, Emma. Some dreams don't come true."
"This can," Emma said, holding her sister's hands in hers and looking at her pale face.
"I know you're worried about me but I am going to be fine. I promise you."
Helen pulled Emma into a hug but Emma wasn't convinced still. She was really worried for her sister.
"What can I do to make you leave him?" Emma asked.
"I don't know."
"I am serious," Emma said.
"Maybe find me a job at a fashion store or get me to fashion school and a place to live," Helen laughed.
"Now stop worrying, I will be fine. Mother raised strong girls."
"Now tell me about your new book."