Free Catching You by Katie Gallagher

screaming coming from the kitchen. I was unsure what I was walking
into, but prayed that I wasn’t going to be mopping up Ellen’s latest mess off
the floor.
    “I’m here. What’s wrong now?” I asked. I hung up my jacket
and put my purse on a separate shelf. I grabbed my apron and put it on over my
beige carpenter shorts and white t-shirt. I now looked like I wore a dress. I struggled
to tie it on backwards. My hair, once held back by a headband was now tied in a
messy bun with a stray piece of string I saw laying on the desk.
     “The oven light is broken, we’re out of pancake batter, and
I have already dropped a dozen eggs on the floor.” She pointed to the gooey
mess on the floor. I had to laugh. Ellen wasn’t the best manager, but she
tried. Ellen was in her fifties and still rather feisty. She had inherited the
café from her late husband when he died almost five years ago. She had grey
blue eyes and hair that matched. She once told me that she started going grey
when she was in her twenties. Although, I didn’t think that grey hair made her
look old, but more distinguished.
    “Don’t laugh at me, clean it up,” she ordered. I finished
mopping up the sticky egg mess and put the mop away. I glanced at the clock.
    “I better go clean some tables. We open in ten minutes,” I
said, grabbing a rag and heading out to the dining room.
    “Are you saying my place isn’t clean?” I heard Ellen yell
from across the room. I turned around and stuck my tongue out.
    I was just finishing up the last table, when I heard the
jangle of the bell. I glanced up to see Nick waiting at the hostess stand. I
frowned as I walked over. “What do you want?” I asked.
    He frowned. “Did I do something wrong?”I was getting ready
to answer him when Ellen came out.
    “Hey, Nicky boy, are you going to bring me some business?” she
asked.
    “Yes, Mrs. Appaloosa.” He grinned. He was the only person
that I knew who called her by her last name. Everyone else called her Ellen.
    “No. He was just leaving,” I tried to answer for him. Ellen
frowned at me and pointed over at the counter. I sighed.
    “Come sit down. I’ll get you some coffee.” I led him over to
the counter and he sat down. I went over the other side to get a cup.
    “How’d you know I was here?” I asked
    “I went to your house and your Mom said you were working.” he
replied.
    “You went to my house at eight in the morning?” I asked.
    He nodded. “I wanted to see if you wanted to hang out. I
haven’t seen you lately.” I glanced up as the door jangled again. It was the
other waitress, Samantha. I called her Sammie.
    “Hey Sammie, we aren’t that busy right now if you want to
sit down for some coffee. I’ll cover you for a few minutes.,” I said
    “Thanks. I didn’t have a chance for a cup before I left the
house.” She came behind the counter and grabbed a cup and filled it up. She was
taking a sip as Ellen came out.
    “Your shift started five minutes ago. Finish that cup and
get to your station,” she barked.
    “I’ve got go.” She hurried off leaving the almost full cup
on the counter. I began to say something, but then the door jangled and people
began spilling in.
    “I’ve got to go, but I get off at 3’oclock if you want to
come back,” I said, starting to rush off. He grabbed my arm.
    “I’ll be back.” He set a bill on the counter and walked out
the door. I didn’t have enough time to check how much before the crowd got
bigger.
    For the next few hours, the café was bustling with customers
and I didn’t have time to think about anything else but work. Another coworker
walked in and I waved. I glanced down at my watch and saw that it was already
lunchtime. Where had the time gone? I wondered to myself.
    “Hey Sammie, I’m going to take my lunch now.” She nodded and
waved me away.
    I walked to the back and grabbed the lunch that my mother
had packed me. I glanced inside and saw a turkey sandwich, potato chips and a
diet