Coffee Shop

Chapter 16

Amelia took Cats phone at the end of the day so she could call and let her parents know she was going to work. 

"Yes honey?"

"Hey Mom I was calling to let you and Dad know that I have a shift at the café tonight. I won't be home until a little after eight tonight. Did ya'll get my note this morning?"

"Oh honey yes we did. Thank you for letting us know. At first your father was livid but I think he wants to talk to you when you get home." Amelias Mom told her. Her stomach dropped and she didn't have a good feeling. "Do you want me to save you some dinner tonight?"

"Um.. yes please." Amelia said when her mother pulled her out of her thoughts. "That would be great thank you."

"Okay honey. I'll let your father know where you are."

"Thanks Mom." I hung up the phone and look to Cat. She was digging in her car for something and hurriedly too. "Here ya go Cat. Thank you for letting me use your phone until I get mine back."

"It's not a problem." Cat then muttered something else under her breath. In the very next second she jerked up and turned around. 

"What's wrong?"

"Um-"

"Cat and I were thinking so you could call us or the cops in case things got out of hand we got you a burner phone. We'll buy the minutes and what not for you but we didn't want you to be without help. Right now we bought unlimited minutes for about a month. We have numbers dialed and your number is programmed into our phones. Just keep it at work in case your father searches your room." Benjamin said as he pooped up.

"But ya'll if he even gets wind-"

"We didn't want to ask because I knew you'd say no." Cat interjected. She gave me a look that said he won't get wind of it cause he'll never know. Of course Cat you know he will somehow but you're hoping against hope he never does. Amelia thought silently chewing on her lip.  She looked up at Cat studying her and Benjamin. Benjamin was studying her too it seemed.

"Fine but I'm going to pay ya'll back." Amelia thought, 'as soon as my father is gone.'

Cat squealed and gave her a big hug and Benjamin just smiled, chuckled and ran his hand through his hair. Amelia smirked, "Alright guys I'll see ya'll tomorrow. I gotta get to work."

Amelia waved by as she walked away and smiled the entire way to the café. Amelia was pretty happy with herself and knew she was lucky she had the friends she did. She decided that Cats' boyfriend deserved to know the truth. Cat trusted him and she trusted Cat. 

When Amelia clocks into her shift the store manager stops her while she is tying her apron. 

"Can I speak with you?"

"Yes sir." Amelia followed him to the back room.

"Madison explained what happened this morning and I was thinking every morning before school why don't you come in at five and open shop, get us ready for the day. The same thing you do every Friday for Madison. I figured it will get you an extra five hours a week plus weekends. What do you say?"

"I'd love to. I need to run it by my parents though make sure they are okay with it. I'm sure my Mom will be. She's the one who pushed me to get a job to get out of the house. It's my father I'm worried about."

"Yeah that's fine. Run it by them tonight and if it's good for them come by in the morning. I'll be here opening and you can let me know. I still have to teach you a few things like ordering stock and what not. Once you learn that I can bump you up to Assistant store Manager. You work here so much you deserve it. Also, you do almost everything I do."

"Thank you so much." Amelia says as she practically skips out of the office. She was on such a high that she felt like nothing could take it away.  It seemed to her that even though her father was out and home things were finally looking up. Even her mom being suspiciously a mom while her father was home was a nice change.

Amelia was taking order after order after order. It was so busy she didn't realize that her replacement came in already. She was startled by a touch on the side. Amelia grinned when she saw it was Steven. She muttered a quick thank you, clocked out and ran out the door.

She walked in her house by eight ten p.m. and yelled a quick hello.

"MOM! I'm so excited right now!!!!" Amelia exclaimed as her mother turned around to acknowledge her. Amelia gasped in surprise when she a bruise across her mothers face. Her blood ran cold and she was speechless. "Mom, what the hell? Where's Greyson?"

"It was my fault honey. I didn't check with your father first before I told Greyson he could go to Nana and Pepaws house for the weekend."

"Greysons safe?" Amelia asked again. She was in disbelief. He went to prison for this s**t and he's doing it again.

"Did he hit Greyson?" Amelia asked worry etched in her face and voice.

"No." Amelia was seething. He hit her Mom again. She knew it was too good to be true.

A minute later her father comes into the kitchen. "What's for dinner?"

"Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, and brownies for dessert." Her Mom said quickly and with a tremble to her voice. Amelia kept her mouth shut. Not out of fear of being hurt but of fear of what she'll say and do. The woman who was so full of confidence while he was gone has disappeared with one hit. One hit and she is a trembling terrified mess.

"I've been promoted to assistant store manager. I'm opening before school from now on."

"No you're not. You only open on Friday mornings." Amelias father said as if it was up for discussion. 

"I didn't ask. "

"Did I say you could?" Amelia could tell her father was starting to lose his patience.

"Again, I'm not asking. I'm telling."

Her father grabbed her arm as she walked by him to go to her room. "As your father I'm telling you no."

"I don't care that you said no." Amelia jerked her arm out of his grip, " And if you ever tough my mother again I will ruin you." Her father went limp as he went into a slight shock. Amelia hurriedly ran upstairs to grab her brothers clothes and her clothes. She shoves them in her bag and locks her bedroom door just as her father bangs on it. 

"Unlock this door. Do you really think you can talk to me that way you disrespectful brat!?" Opening her window she drops her bag to the ground and sighs. Dropping down next to it she grabs it and runs to the café. She calmed down enough to not cause alarm to the patrons still there. The café closed up at ten so she still had an hour. 

Amelia goes into the office and grabs her burner phone. She sends a text to Cat to pick her up at the school football field. She grabs the charger and goes out the service door. She jogs to the school and jumps the fence. A minute later she gets a call from Cat.

"Hey, why are you at the football field? And which side am I going to?"

"Just pick me up. I need to go to my Moms parents. The far side where the rival schools come in. I need to stay away from the main road."

"Okay I'll be there in a few."