Chapter 13
She turned on the couch, hugging the blanket closer to her curled up form as she rolled over. Her brows wrinkled in protest as suddenly sharp light filtered through her closed eyelids. She blinked a couple of times, running her hand over her face while she tried to focus her gaze on the shadowy shape knelt in front of her.
“Buffy, honey? What are you doing home?”
“Mom?”
“Hey, honey.” The soft voice whispered near her ear, before she felt warm lips press against her cheek.
Buffy clumsily propped herself up on her elbows and looked up at the woman now sitting on the couch.
“What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming home for the weekend.” Joyce questioned while her eldest daughter sat up straight, her feet lingering on the couch.
She pressed her lips together, opening and closing her dry mouth a couple of times before she spoke:
“I called. You weren’t home.” Pausing for a second, she stared at her mother before continuing: “Why didn’t you tell me you were working extra hours to pay for the hospital bills?”
Joyce’s smile crumbled at that and she let out a sigh, diverting her eyes from her daughter before looking back up at her.
“I didn’t want you to worry, honey.”
“You should have told me. I have the right to know these things. You can’t keep protecting me like that. I’m not a kid anymore.” Buffy started, trying hard to keep her calm.
Somehow, it always ended up here – her mom not trusting her with the truth, trying to shield her from reality no matter how many times she asked her not to.
“We’ve talked about this before.” She said pressing her fingers against the bridge of her nose as her eyes refused to adjust to the bright light.
“I know. I’m sorry. But everything’s fine now.”
“Everything’s not fine, mom.” Buffy snapped for a second, sighing loudly the next and taking a moment to control her growing anger. “It’s not fine.” She continued with a softer tone. “You’re working God knows how many hours. You come home in the middle of the night – on a Saturday! I mean, look at the time.” She squinted as she checked her wrist watch. “It’s 4 o’clock in the morning, mom. How did you get home, anyway?”
“Someone from the gallery drove me home.” Joyce explained.
“You can’t keep doing this. After-” She choked a bit as recent memories flooded her drowsy mind. “After what happened to you… you have to take it easy.”
“Buffy, the doctor said everything’s fine. You don’t have to worry.”
“Well, I do, alright?!” She raised her tone as the tears started to well up in her eyes. “I do! I worry all the time! Every time the phone rings, every time I come home, every time I walk through *that* door…” Her trembling index finger pointed towards the front door. Gradually, the anger faded from her voice, being replaced by despair and fear. “I think I’m gonna find you lying on this couch a-and…” She inhaled sharply as the words seemed to strangle her. “and-and this time I’m not gonna be able to help you.”
Finally, she allowed the tears to thread down her flushed cheeks; her eyebrows coming together over her glassy, bloodshot eyes.
“Oh, honey. Nothing’s gonna happen.” Joyce assured her soothingly, sliding along the couch to wrap her arms around Buffy’s shivering form. “Everything’s gonna be fine. I promise you.”
She remained cocooned in her mother’s embrace until the tears subsided. Slowly, she crawled from between her mother’s arms.
“I’m moving back home tomorrow.” She announced, sitting up straight once again and brushing the back of her hand over her right cheek.
“What?” Joyce frowned.
“I’m moving back. That way we can save the rent money.”
“Buffy, you don’t have to do that. I told you I can-“
“No, mom. I’m not gonna have you working overtime just to keep me in that apartment.” She insisted, shaking her head.
“Honey, you don’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I do. And another thing – first thing Monday morning I’m gonna get a job. There’s no use in arguing. I’m not gonna change my mind.” Buffy guaranteed. “I think I saw an ad at the Expresso Pump for a waitress.”
A soft smile spread over her mother’s lips, while her hand came to cup Buffy’s cheek.
“You’re amazing.”
The young blonde couldn’t help but smile back through the quickly drying tears.
“But you’re not moving back.” Joyce finished.
“Of course I am. I’ve-“
“Well, I’m not letting you.” Mrs. Summers said simply, standing up and walking towards the kitchen, leaving her astonished daughter sitting on the couch.
“What do you mean you’re not letting me?”
“I mean, I’m not letting you move in. You’re going to have to set up camp outside if you go through with this.” Joyce said matter-of-factly from the kitchen.
“Mom!” Buffy protested, finally following her mother. “I-“
“Buffy, college isn’t just about memorizing books and theories. It’s about learning how to live on your own; how to make it on your own.”
“But, mom-“
“There are not buts, young lady.” Joyce cut her off. “I’m very happy and proud that you would sacrifice yourself in the name of our family, honey. I am. But you don’t have to move back in.”
“Mom, I’m not gonna let you keep working extra hours at the gallery. I’m not!” Buffy maintained.
Joyce dropped her gaze to the floor and inhaled sharply, pausing for a few seconds while she considered the dilemma.
“I think I have a solution.” She finally spoke, looking up at her daughter. “You can get a job – one that *does not* interfere with you studies.” Joyce pointed out. “It’ll actually be good for you.” She pondered. “That way you can pay the apartment rent and I won’t have to work extra hours. How does that sound?” She offered.
“Mom, it’d be easier if I also moved back in.” Buffy tried one last time.
“Nonsense.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“Cause I really wouldn’t mind moving back in, as long it means I’ll get away from Harmony.” Buffy stepped back into her routine of complaining about her roommate.
“What did she do this time?” Joyce asked rolling her eyes and smiling.
“I am now convinced that she exists for the soul purpose of making my life a living hell.” Buffy continued as she started going through the refrigerator’s contents. “Is there something to eat? I’m starving.”
~+~
With a deep breath she tied the apron around her waist and walked through the swinging door. Instantly, the loud chattering of college students filled her ears.
It was her fifth hour on the job and she already hated it. She barely had anytime to breathe, she was hungry, her feet were sore and she was tired of being yelled, shushed and actually, once, cursed at for mixing up the orders. When she actually managed to jot down the orders that were thrown at her at the speed of light, she somehow managed to forget the table they were meant for. She also discovered her complete inability to balance a tray and had spilled *very hot* drinks on herself, resulting in three different apron-changes.
Over all, her life was hell on earth.
“Here I go again.” She said between clenched teeth.
Not a second went by before a young blonde man sitting at a crowded table signalled her.
‘Probably the football team.’ She thought, spotting two of the boys in uniform. “Plus half of the cheering squad. Great!” She muttered between clenched teeth when she noticed the two giggling girls that clung to the arms of three of the players.
She quickly made her way towards the testosterone charged table.
“Good afternoon. Welcome to the Expresso Pump. Can I take your order?” She managed to flawlessly say her pre-programmed line, while she took out her pen and pad from the front pocket of her apron.
“Hi.” The young man looked up at her and smiled.
Thankfully, the rest of the team seemed to be unaware of her presence. She was so tired of being hit on by moronic jocks.
“I’d like 1 coffee latte shake, 2 expressos, 1 large cappuccino skim milk, 2 large cappuccinos whole milk…”
She scribbled furiously on her pad as the young man went on:
“1 iced coffee, with sugar and 2 mocca coffee, 1 medium, 1 large.” He put down the menu and looked up at Buffy.
There was a look of complete despair on her face.
“So…” She started nervously. “That’s 1 coffee latte shake, 2 expressos, 1 large… um…. Cappuccino… and…” She looked up from her pad and with a nervous smile blurted out apologetically: “Sorry, you kinda lost me at the first cappuccino.”
To her surprise, the blonde smiled understandingly.
“New at the job?” He asked.
“First day. That obvious?” She questioned.
“Not too much.”
“Hey, Riley! Quit flirting with the waitress and just get our drinks.” One of the jocks shouted grumpily, earning a series of grunt-like giggles from the other members of the team.
“Don’t mind them. They’re just frustrated that they can’t drink any alcohol. We’ve got a game tomorrow.”
Buffy smiled.
Picking up the menu he went through the order once again, this time at a slower pace.
“Got that?”
“Got it. I’ll be right back.” Buffy grinned and turned on her heels, walking towards the bar.
She repeated the order to the bartender and went back to her other tables.
“Hey, Buffster.”
Buffy frowned at the familiar voice, turning to find Anya and Xander sitting at one of her tables.
“Hey, guys. What are you doing here?” She asked with a huge smile, coming up to them.
“Came to see how you were doing. Couldn’t miss your first day on the job, could I?” Xander replied.
“Thanks.”
“Do you have time to sit down for a sec?”
Buffy looked around and, noticing that the crowd had thinned down, she decided there was no harm in resting for a minute or two. Plus, her feet were killing her.
“God, I’m beat.” She sighed, dropping down on the chair next to Xander. “After I leave here I’m going straight to bed. I don’t care how bad I smell.”
“Well, you kinda smell like greasy coffee.” Anya blurted out after sniffing the air.
“Anya!”
“What? She brought it up. I was just being honest.” She said in her defence.
In the meantime, Buffy ignored the mini-lover’s spout. She was focused on not falling asleep. It was only 7 pm but she was ready to climb into her bed and only wake up the next day. Good thing her shift would be over in one hour.
“So, having a tough time?” Xander asked.
“It’s hell.” She said with forced cheeriness, but it lasted less than a second. “I mean, have you any idea how many types of coffee they have here?”
“It’s a coffee shop.” Anya pointed out. “They’re supposed to have different types of coffee.”
“Well, there are too many.” Buffy pouted slouching back on the chair. “What happened to good old plain coffee? I can’t believe people can even tell them apart. It’s ridiculous.”
“Poor Buffster.” Xander said sympathetically.
Taking in a deep breath Buffy continued:
“But, enough about me! It’ll only serve to depress me. How about you guys? Anything new?”
“Xander and I went to a sex shop and bought-” Anya started to announce.
“Anya!” Xander shouted, jolting upwards in his seat while the blood rushed to his cheeks. “Remember when we said that was our little secret?”
“Sorry.”
Buffy managed to spread a smile over her lips. It was impressive just how odd and unaware of basic social conventions Anya was.
“Have you seen Willow? She said she might swing by today or tomorrow.”
“We saw her Saturday at the Bronze.” Xander explained.
“Willow, at the Bronze? Alone?” Buffy wondered.
“She was with a girl. But we didn’t get to met her. We barely had time to say high to Willow. The two were on their way out.” Xander continued.
“Yeah, right.” Anya muttered, rolling her eyes.
“What do you mean?” Buffy questioned the brunette.
“Nothing.” Anya replied innocently. “I guess they were in a hurry.” She explained before turning to Xander and whined: “Can we go? We’ve seen her, she fine.”
“We just got here.” Xander countered.
“But you promised we’d use the riding gear and you’d wear the fuzzy little horse outfit tonight.”
“Oh, my God!” Xander sighed frustrated, dropping his head and covering his face with his hands.
“I-I better get back to work.” Buffy half-stuttered, standing up and picking up her tray. “I think one of my orders is ready. Thanks for dropping by though.”
“Ok, Buffy. See you.” Xander said, getting up; his face still bright red as he followed Anya out of the coffee shop.
“See you.” She replied shaking her head and walking back to the bar.
With a sigh she glanced over to the table crowded with jocks and started filling up her tray.