Emma Cole, a nerd in high school and untouched all throughout her life at a community college, was abandoned by her birth parents and grew up in foster care homes all around New York. Whenever her name was mentioned, the people who knew her laughed and called her foul names, since she looked like the female version of Steve Urkel and was easy to pick on and belittle. She had no sense of style. All she wore were big dresses that hid her tiny figure underneath and glasses which didn't do her eyes any justice. She owned one bag-- a beat-up leather she received as a gift from a spelling bee contest her freshman year in high school.
Though she went to school, she had no friends, no family, and no one to teach her about becoming a lady. Emma had done everything by herself since she was one year old-- the age she was dumped by her parents into the foster system.
At age twenty three, she lived in a very small apartment by herself. She wasn't able to land a high-paying job to afford a good house, as of yet. Every time she applied to a vacant position she may have seen in a newspaper in the cafe, they would turn her down when she went to the interviews and the interviewers took one look at her. Appearance was more than her qualifications if she wanted to land a job as a receptionist or personal assistant at one of the big firms in New York City.
Emma decided to stop hoping for a better job and stuck with being a waitress at Carl's Cafe.
Her hell on earth.Carl was the manager and owner of the cafe. A grown man, forty-five years old, who had experienced all the things he had chosen to chase in his pathetic life. He was a terrible boss and treated his employees as his personal slaves with low wages. One of his nasty habits was hitting on his female employees while on the job, but he never hit on Emma. Although she was a female, she just wasn't his type and was too unattractive to even be bothered with.
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It was Wednesday morning.Emma had only just clocked-in. She placed her bag in her designated locker and began to take the orders of the customers, who were already in abundance for their morning coffee or pancakes and eggs or any breakfast meals of their choice from the menus provided.
She was about to deliver the orders to the kitchen when a pair of hands grabbed her by the arm.
"You have to work a double today. Tisha is sick. I need you to fill in." And he was gone right after his command.
Emma continued to the kitchen to drop off the customers' orders. Since Tisha was sick, she would have to take her place at the cash register and coffee machines. She was about to have another terrible day in hell but, obeying Carl's command, she worked the double shift without complaint.
On Thursday, the same thing happened-- working a double without getting anything extra for filling in. And the same thing happened on Friday.
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Emma was drained, but it was finally Saturday, and it was her day off. She decided to visit a library and take several books to the park for a read. It was the beginning of summer, and she needed the fresh air.
She had just stepped out of her narrow bathroom when her cheap phone, which still had raised keys and couldn't connect to WiFi, rang.
"Emma, I need you to come in right now. Be here in less than twenty minutes!"
Before she could object he had hung up. She had really hoped for some free time to herself, and apart from that, she was exhausted, but she had to comply. How would she afford her crap apartment if she was jobless?
She took her precious time getting ready and arrived an hour later than Carl demanded she be there. He was furious with her and yelled at her as soon as she clocked in.
"I told your malnourished ass to be here in less than twenty minutes!"
Indeed Emma Cole appeared very skinny due to all the over-sized clothes she wore. Without even giving him a glance, she went to the customers to take their orders.
When she was making coffee for an angry, beer belly guy at the front of the line, who was yelling at her and calling her names, she lost her temper and threw the entire cup of coffee in his face. He had called her an incapable, handicapped, low-budget paying maid, who wouldn't even get extra if she shook it at a strip club because she looked like the hobbit in Lord of the Rings.
She had never been so humiliated. Yes, she had it rough in high school but it had gotten a little better at college because everyone there seemed much more mature than the bullies at high school. Now, this grown man was yelling at her because his coffee was ten minutes late. It wasn't even her fault. She was supposed to be off today. Had he kept his mouth shut, she wouldn't have splashed the coffee all over his chubby, beard-covered face.
Carl appeared just as the man was about to throw a table back at Emma. "Hey hey hey, what's going on here?"
"That incompetent waitress of yours just threw a damn cup of hot coffee in my face, man!"
"Sir, please calm down and put the table down. I'll handle this," Carl instructed. "Emma! You're fired!"
"What, you don't even want to hear what I have to say? He embarrassed me and..."
Carl cut her off, "Get your things and get out. I can't have you throwing coffee in people's faces and still have you working here. GET OUT, EMMA!!"
Emma threw her apron to the ground, took her bag out of the locker and walked out. "I hated it here anyway," she said as she passed Carl and the impatient customers on the way out.
Emma's POVI buried my head on my stale pillows when I got home, hitting them with my hands from my anger as the tears came.I've been fired, what am I going to do now?I somehow managed to gather myself and my emotions. It was still early."There's still time to go to the library and then the park," I said to myself as I got off the bed.I changed into something skimpier, still concealing my entire figure underneath. I was insecure about my body and ashamed of the scars it possessed.I started on my heel and headed to the library then the park. I was sitting on the bench reading Counting Raindrops Through A Stained Glass Window, when an old lady with platinum blonde hair sat down beside me."Hello dear," she greeted, kindly.For an old woman by herself in the park, she wore very expensive jewelry. I could tell just by looking at it."Hello ma'am," I greeted back with a small smile. I continued with
Emma's POVI woke before my alarm. I wanted to wake up early so I could iron my clothes and look extra sharp. I looked through my suitcase underneath the tiny bed. I pulled out a black skirt that dropped below my knees, along with a white shirt with black buttons down the middle. I placed them on the bed and hurried downstairs to the laundry mart to borrow the iron since I didn't own one. Mrs. Lee, who worked in the laundry rooms, always lent it to me whenever I asked her.I ironed my clothes carefully then hung it up above the bed. I combed out my thick, curly black hair that dropped right at my shoulder, which I always dreaded. I had broken countless combs and brushes due to this uncontrollable hair of mine.When I was finished, I opened a tin of sausage and a packet of bread rolls and made myself a cup of tea. Once I was through eating the alarm on my phone went off. I smiled at myself, knowing that time was in my favor today. It was 6:45 a.m. when I left
Emma's POVSix o'clock my ass! I had to be at his place at six, which basically meant that I would have to leave home at 5:00 a.m., which basically meant I would have to be awake by 4:00 a.m. or earlier. So I rested for the remainder of the afternoon. Moving away from this place wouldn't be difficult; I owned a small amount of clothing and supplies. I set the alarm on my phone before I forgot, then began reading a romance novel.My phone rang and I looked at the number. It was unknown but I answered anyway."Miss Cole, I need you."I couldn't believed what I was hearing. "Mr. Hollen?" I asked to make certain this wasn't a joke."Yes.""But I told you I will start in the morning.""Do you want the job Miss Cole or not? Because if you're no longer interested I can easily find a replacement with a snap of my fingers.""I'll be there," I blurted. I leaped out of bed and headed for the shower. "I cannot afford to lose th
Emma's POVWhy were the other maids in the staff house, and I would be in the guest room? It was what I wanted to ask him but didn't. I took the coffee cup and headed back to the kitchen where I found Halley mopping the floor where flour had spilled."Um, Halley," I began. She made me uncomfortable, like a tiger ready to pounce and attack at any minute.She looked over to me, mop still in hand. "What?""Mr. Hollen instructed that we should prepare a guest room downstairs.""He's having visitors again, Aggie?" she asked her, turning from me."Not that I know of.""Actually, it's for me," I let out.Both women looked at me with awe."Mr. Hollen is having you sleep in a guest room?" Halley asked, dropping the mop.I nodded.She looked up at Agnes before Mr. Hollen appeared in the kitchen."Halley, what's the hold up?" he demanded."Nothing," she replied quickly and took my hand in hers, lead
Emma's POVI woke up at 5:30 the next morning. I brushed my teeth then combed my thick hair before heading to the kitchen to make his highness's coffee.The clock struck 6:00 and the telephone rang. He instructed me to bring the coffee up to his bedroom on the top floor. I walked, carefully, with the coffee on a tray so it wouldn't spill over from the exhausting journey I had to take up the stairs. His bedroom door was slightly open.I pushed through and called for him. "Mr. Hollen, I brought your coffee!"Silence."Mr. Hollen?" I called again.He appeared from the area I assumed was the bathroom with a red bath towel wrapped around his waist, and another drying his wet hair. His chest screamed come lick me. The lush V-line carved out his six pack perfectly. I couldn't help admiring him. Everything moved in a slow motion then the stupid coffee just had to fall over onto the floor."What the actual fuck, Emma!""I'm...
Ethan Hollen's POVWho puts salt in coffee? Should I regret ever hiring Miss Cole?My heart had felt her pain when she came to my office for the interview. For a young woman she had already experienced a very difficult life. My grandmother had taught me when someone is down in life it is not wise to throw more bricks at them, but, instead, it would be wise to help them up. Growing up, I rarely saw both of my parents. They were usually busy traveling on business deals, vacations, and having holiday celebrations without me. I'd been forlorn, but my grandmother took me under her wing and grew me up as the man she felt I ought to be.I had been looking at Emma in the kitchen while she made my coffee. She was very slim and all she wore were big clothes that looked like rags. Her face was always the same, no makeup or lipstick to pop her facial features. Yesterday she'd spilled the coffee all over the floor in my bedroom. I noticed she had remade it, but I wa
Emma's POVWho would do something like this? He could have fired me!Agnes entered the kitchen. It was already after 12:00 noon. All she had scheduled was to prepare dinner for Mr. Hollen. She was in a jolly mood, humming to herself.I, on the other hand, was left with a mystery to solve, and it all pointed to one person. Haley. She got the groceries yesterday so she could have easily spiked a bottle of milk with salt. From here on, I would have to taste his coffee before I delivered it, just in case.I left the kitchen and found Halley in the storeroom where the cleaning supplies were kept. I closed the door loudly behind me, making her jump."What the hell, Emma! What are you doing here?""When it comes to my job, I don't play around. Mr. Hollen hired me to make his coffee and assist with the cleaning, so what's your damn problem?""What are you talking about? Are you drunk?""Admit it, you put salt in the milk I us
Ethan's POVI've already had a shitty ass morning at home and a terrible day in the office. I lost a very important deal that I was looking forward to for six months. Lunch was a drag-- I didn't enjoy it-- and Sharon wouldn't shut up about the Bahamas. I told her I would take her, that was before she got bitten by a mosquito. I lost my cool at the damn restaurant and yelled at her; one could only imagine what I had said to her. To my surprise, she didn't respond. She just got up and kissed my cheek and told me she'd be at the house when I calmed down.Arriving home, I remembered the conversation I had with Agnes before hiring Emma.I had Emma prepare another cup of coffee and met her in the kitchen for it where the others were assemble as well.I'd let go Agnes. Why? Because she was getting up there in age had spoken to me about her retirement plan. She knew the drill. I had already placed a large sum of money in her account for the years she had