Chapter 95

AMBER'S POV
It wasn't unusual of Carol to make me take a day off from work right in the middle of the day but it had always been something I had felt guilty about most of the times. I was getting paid nonetheless, even if I showed up or decided the rest of the day wasn't a bad option and went for coffee instead.
Two customers getting their orders mixed up by yours truly and three confused teenagers who couldn't get their items themselves, later, I realized Carol was in actuality right and I needed a break or else I would end up ruining the reputation of Carol's convenience store.
The same reason I had been told to take a day off was the same reason I had to hail a taxi while on my way to get my coffee and doughnuts at Alfred's. I had forgotten to oil my car and my baby had bailed out on me. It wasn't her fault though, I had been very neglectful with everything going on.
'Thank you, Mr Jade" I said quickly as I got out of the taxi. Stretching my money to him through his window, I got a smile and a 'Don't worry about it, Sweetheart. Its on the house" as he drove off. I thought saying it's on the house was kept aside for places that could actually substitute as a house.
Oxford Oaks was a small town and if you worked in a convenience store where most of the town people came to get their stuff, you'd find out you can be popular in your own little way. It wasn't what I wanted though, to be popular was never my thing but there are perks to it and who would say no to a chance to get free taxi rides?
As always, Alfred's was packed to the rim with people. Some were eating, some were just there for the gossip and others were there because like me, they were obsessed with Alfred's doughnuts and iced coffee. The queue was quite long but unlike every other morning, I wasn't in a hurry to get back to the store.
The encounter with Jay the previous night, popped itself back in my mind as I waited for my turn in the queue. It had taken me forever to finally fall asleep, mostly because my cheeks were on fire and slightly because my 10 year old son had spent almost an hour talking to my best friend's 9 year old daughter on the phone at midnight.
I had kept my application writing and issuing out at a halt because a lot of things were on my mind and looking for a job could definitely wait. Melissa had scolded me about not sending out the applications but the recent happenings were my excuse even though they weren't entirely it.
Every job I had had in mind to apply for, never took candidates who didn't have a degree, any degree at all and coincidentally, I happen to not have a degree unless you want to count my success in having and taking care of my triplets as something degree worthy.
I had unconsciously voiced out my predicament to Jay and the California sweetheart had given me a job offer. We ended up not discussing about the terms of the job cause I was distracted by something that seemed more important than a job at that moment.
Anyways, even though we never got around to discussing terms and conditions, I ended up getting a card, his card, and I even got an appointment without filling out a darned application letter. Its crazy how easy normally hard things become when you have the right connections as your backing.
I never used to take Melissa serious whenever she used to say 'Money made the world go round but Connections keep the world rotating". It always seemed like her financial status had crept higher into her mind and sat heavily down there but reconnecting with the Oxford Oaks ex basketball players, I had become a fan of the saying.
Money indeed did make the world go round but Connections was the only thing that stabilized that rotation. It was a case of the rollercoaster and it's controls, they work hand and hand, one wouldn't be exactly useful without the other.
I blinked rapidly as a voice sounded behind me, 'Are you going to stand there gawking or are you going to place your order, Miss?!"
'I'm so sorry" I blurted out feeling embarrassed. I had legit blanked out in a queue in public. Jesus Christ. What was going with me? I quickly lifted my head up and smiled at the attendant who looked concerned.
'Are you alright, Am?" Her question was accompanied by a sympathetic smile as she listened to my order. I nodded as reassuringly as I could. I was alright, I just needed some time to get my shit together. Where had all the sympathy humans used to have gone? Wasn't it obvious I was going through stuff? Even if it wasn't, I was actually going through stuff.
I mumbled a quick 'thank you" as I grabbed my complete order and turned to leave without looking at the fave of the unsympathetic human. Jay had fixed the appointment for 1pm but told me to come anytime from 12pm. All I had to do was to look for a Davis Cole and he would direct me to his office. Didn't seem hard at all.
As I stood on the sidewalk outside the Cafe, I took a quick glance at my watch, it was 10:50. There was still a whole hour till it was 12, I had absolutely no idea what to do before then. Going home wouldn't have been a bad idea but I had not brought my car along and wasting taxi fare to just go home for an hour didn't seem like economizing to me.
I decided to call Melissa to make enquiries about Stacey's appointment. Daniel had picked up Frankie before I left the house cause my son had insisted he go along with Stacey to her therapy appointment. It reminded me of the relationship I used to have with Peter Harley before I fell blindly in love with his step brother, Jay Harley.
'Are you going to stand there gawking or are you going to hail a taxi?" My brain recognized the question but took longer to recognize the voice as I turned with anger boiling in me to give the annoying human a piece of my mind and stopped short.