51. Sometime Between Highschool and Now
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Bouncing on her feet, Holly Jo pushed through the side door of the cafe in her usual bubbly personality. She hung her coat on the hook, tied her apron around her waist, complimented the cappuccino machine for hanging in there all morning, and gushed over how well dressed the cupcakes were in pastry case.
A young green dragon, five years in age, ran over from her usual spot in the corner booth to greet Holly Jo. “Hassy Birsday, Howwy Jo!”, she said with excited eyes looking up at her mom’s favorite coworker. Crayons and papers were scattered everywhere behind her. She matched Holly Jo’s energy as she hopped up and down on her tiny hind legs and holding one of her drawings as high as she could reach.
“What do you have there, butterbean?” Holly Jo asked sweetly.
Lima grinned as a half giggle, half snort came out of her crinkled snout. “I made a dwawing for you. For your birsday.”
It was a picture of Holly Jo blowing out a candle on a cupcake next to green tree, decorated with colorful lights, ornaments, and tinsel.
Holly Jo took it like she had been handed a rare treasure. “Lima, this the best birthday present. I must be your favorite honorary aunt.”
“Uh huh”, Lima nodded very matter-of-factly. “Pwobabwy. But only because you are nice.”
Holly Jo smiled and placed the artwork in the frame that hung on the wall next to the cash register, replacing the drawing that Lima had given her a few weeks prior. This frame had been Holly Jo’s idea to give display to Lima’s artwork. An attempt to keep her interested in drawing while she spent so much time at the cafe. She also wanted to give every customer that came through the doors a chance to adorn the young budding artist’s work.
“So butterbean, when I open my own bakery someday, are you going to come work with me?”
Lima’s excitement dwindled and turned into a serious concern. “Pwobabwy not. Mama says she is tired of dealing with cwanky old bags who come in talking down to her and compwaining about their coffee and wabbit burwitos alls the times. I don’t want to deal with all of that.”
Holly Jo slapped a hand over her mouth to hide a laugh. “Oh I know what you mean, butterbean. Maybe don’t say that if we have customers in the store, though.”
“Aaaarrraahhh! Noooo.” And then a clink and a thud from utensils falling in the kitchen could be heard. Lena’s frustration distracted the conversation between Holly Jo and Lima. Holly Jo walked to the back to check on Lena. Her eyes were tired and her uniform was stained with coffee and egg. She had already worked the breakfast rush alone after the cook called in sick.
“I’m so glad to see you,” Lena said to Holly Jo. “It has been non-stop since we opened. Some lizard said his egg sandwich tastes like ‘last week’s sorrow’. Like, how do you even respond to that?”
Holly Jo bumped Lena’s shoulder and then side hugged her with her right wing. “Hey, it’s my birthday! We’re going to have a good day. Lima has already given me the best present. You go breathe for a second. I got this.”
Lena retreated to the back while the cafe was quiet for a few minutes, but the break was brief. The bell over the door jingled and it was time to get back to work.
A dragon walked in. Then another and in less than a breath, a line stretched almost to the door.
To be continued… New dragon story installments each Friday. Subscribe below to follow the dragons. Read the beginning of it all at Blog 1: New Adventure Awaits.
