Undesired Family

Useless Work

POV: Breanna

The doorbell rings again, announcing another customer.

I put on my best smile and walk to the table, ignoring the protests of my bruised body.

"Would you like to order now?" I ask the middle-aged man sitting across from me.

"I'd like a black coffee with no sugar," the man says without even looking at my face.

"Anything else?" I ask, keeping my voice friendly.

"No," he replies, his tone cold.

"I'll bring your coffee soon," I reply and walk away from him, rolling my eyes.

Henri sees my frown and laughs at my expression. I flip him off and go to make the customer's coffee.

"Breanna, table five's orders are ready," Mari calls from the kitchen.

Mari is the owner of the restaurant and Henri is my coworker and my only friend.

They are amazing people.

Mari is like a mother who gave me the job when I left the orphanage to live with my adoptive parents, I was only twelve at the time and she never questioned me about it.

Henri only started working here a year ago when the number of clients increased, he has always been nice to me and has taken care of me like his sister.

"Breanna, it's time for your medicine," Henri reminds me, and I thank him.

I hand the grumpy customer at table five his drink and snack before heading to my locker.

I grab a small orange bottle and swallow a large pill to treat my heart condition.

I found out when I was eleven that I have a heart condition and need these medications to keep it beating regularly.

Although most of the time I would rather throw all the pills away and die.

When I return to the counter, there are only two hours left on my shift, and I see that only two tables are still occupied.

The grumpy man sips his coffee without a care in the world, while a couple at table five chats animatedly.

"Henri, I need you to stock the pantry with today's delivery," I say as I place the cups in the cupboard next to the counter.

"I'll be right there, boss," he says, laughing, and goes to do as I ask.

The doorbell rings for the second time and I see a family entering the restaurant.

They all have a scary aura and I feel the hairs on my arms stand on end.

"Why not McDonald's?" I hear one of the guys ask.

"Because I'm hungry right now and the nearest McDonald's is a hundred kilometers away," another replies, irritated.

I watch them sit down and wipe my hand on my apron before walking over to their table.

"Good evening, welcome," I say with a smile and thank God my voice doesn't shake.

"Good evening," the woman says without emotion, and I swallow hard.

She opens the menu on the table, and the others do the same.

None of them look at me, and something inside me is grateful for that; I feel like if one of them looks at me for more than a few seconds, I won't see the next day.

Almost no one makes me feel this way, except my adoptive parents, who make me wish for death every day.

"I'll have a beef burger with no lettuce or tomato," one of the boys orders, and I write it down.

The others order according to the menu, which makes it easier to write it down.

"My name is Breanna, if you need anything," I say with a smile before going to prepare the orders.

Everyone looks at me as soon as I say my name, and my smile becomes a little nervous.

"Okay, thanks Breanna," the woman answers, her voice a little more friendly this time.

I hand Mari their order notes and then go back to cleaning the counter.

I can feel eyes on me all the time and I don't have to turn around to know it's coming from the table with the family, they looked strange when I said my name.

I can hear them whispering to each other, but I can't make out what they're saying.

"Breanna, table nine ready," Mari calls from the kitchen.

"Okay," I reply as I put the napkins in the cupboard under the counter.

I walk over to the table with the sinister family with two flags and hand each of them their order, along with their drinks.

"Breanna?" the woman calls out to me and looks at me coldly. "Do you mind if I ask your age?"

My eyes widen in surprise at the question.

They could be cops and get Mari in trouble. It wouldn't be the first time.

"I work here legally," I say quickly. "I'm fifteen and old enough to work."

"Relax, honey, you're not in trouble," the woman says with a reassuring smile.

The others look at me more closely, assessing me from top to bottom.

"I'm going back to work," I say, wanting to get out of there.

"Thank you, Breanna," the woman says affectionately, and I'm confused.

Is this woman bipolar?

I go back to the counter and grab a cloth to start wiping down the tables before we close the restaurant.

I've wiped almost all the tables when Henri calls me into the kitchen to check on something.

"This one came wrong," he says and shows me a jar of black olives.

"Set it aside to return tomorrow," I say, checking the spreadsheet to make sure the other purchases are correct.

I hear the doorbell ring and quickly hand the spreadsheet back to Henri.

When I get back to the restaurant, the family has already left. I walk over to the table and find two hundred dollars and the food practically untouched.

I spend a few seconds wondering what happened to make them leave so quickly, but I'm glad they left a tip.

The grumpy man is the last one to leave the restaurant before we close.

Mari and Henri say goodbye to me while I'm in charge of locking up the place.

I look at the clock and it's already eleven at night. I practically run home, knowing that I won't make it until eleven thirty.

I open the door to my house and it's eleven five. I'm dead.

As soon as I close the door, Joel, my adoptive father, grabs my hair and throws me against the wall, making me groan in pain.

"You're late," he whispers in my ear. "Where's my money?"

I swallow hard, but don't answer.

"She came empty-handed again?" Susie asks, irritated.

She walks over to me and grabs my chin hard.

"You work all day and get nothing?" she yells, slapping me across the face. "We didn't raise you for free, girl."

Joel throws me to the floor and kicks me hard in the stomach.

"I'll take care of this," he says, irritated, and leaves the room.

Susie laughs at me and lowers herself to the floor, where I'm curled up, holding where Joel kicked me.

"You wish you had given us the money," Susie whispers, smiling, and then leaves me alone.

It takes me a few minutes to get up from the floor, my old injuries are still healing and getting hit every day doesn't help much.

I go upstairs to the small room where I only have a bed and a trunk where I keep my three pieces of clothing.

I close the door behind me and go straight to the bathroom, taking off my clothes and ignoring the mirror, not wanting to see the color of my body.

I know I have bruises and cuts in various stages of healing and I don't need a mirror to remind me how pathetic I am.

I step into the cold water and take a quick shower, since I can't waste too much water.

I wrap myself in the towel and leave the bathroom. As soon as I enter the room, I see Jack sitting on my bed with a mischievous smile.

"Three hundred dollars an hour," Joel says standing in the doorway.

I look at my adoptive father, pleading.

"Please don't," I whisper and run to him. "I'll do whatever you want, just don't do this."

"You don't make me any money with your useless waitressing job, but I think I can earn enough for today," Joel says and closes the door, leaving me alone with a monster.