Chosen By The Mafioso

02

The smell of fresh coffee filled the air as I prepared the cappuccino for the mysterious man. Steam rose from the cup, creating a fragrant cloud around me. When I served the drink at his table, he thanked me with an enigmatic smile, and to my surprise, he slid a generous tip in my direction. I looked at the money, and my heart skipped a beat. It was a hundred dollars, an amount I had never received as a tip in my entire life as a waitress.

To be honest, I didn't even receive one.

"Wait, this is too much, I..." I began to protest, but he simply gestured for me to accept.

"A gift for the beautiful waitress," he said in a deep voice, accentuated by his Italian accent.

I was stunned, speechless, as he turned his attention back to the cappuccino. What was happening here? Why had he given me such a generous tip? I could hardly believe it, but one thing was certain: that man was becoming increasingly mysterious and intriguing.

The mysterious man finally left, leaving me stunned by the unusual generosity of the tip. I shook my head to dispel the questions swirling in my mind and continued to attend to the customers as usual. The day in the cafe continued with its frenetic rushes and endless orders.

At the end of my shift, when I could finally leave the cafe, the harsh reality returned to haunt me. I knew I didn't have the rent money, and even my encounter with the man with blue eyes hadn't changed that situation. With a heavy sigh, I approached the manager, Mrs. Rodriguez, and requested an advance. She refused my request with a stern look, citing the cafe's policy against advances.

"But ma'am, I would work extra hours if needed, I need to pay my rent and buy groceries for the week. It's just an advance," I pleaded.

"Unfortunately, I can't, dear. Good night."

Those words were like a blow to my chest. I knew I was in a tough spot, but my manager's rejection only made things worse. Tears began to stream down my face, and I felt as helpless as a lost child. If I were evicted from the trailer, I would have nowhere to go. I had no relatives, no one to turn to. But even so, I was grateful to have my freedom, something I never wanted to lose after leaving the orphanage. That night, I cried like I hadn't in a long time, feeling completely powerless in the face of circumstances.

I prepared my dinner, a simple instant noodle, which was the only thing I had available at the moment. Unfortunately, I would have to make do with that for today. As the water boiled and the noodles cooked, I reflected on my life and my choices.

After serving the instant noodle on a plate, I sat down at the small table in the trailer and said my prayers, thanking for the little I had. I knew that every meal was a blessing, even if it was just instant noodles. I looked out the trailer window at the starry sky, feeling a deep sense of loneliness and a glimmer of hope for better days.

The paint on the walls was peeling in some places, revealing the rusty metal underneath. The access ladder was worn from constant use, and the small front porch of the trailer held a broken plastic chair and a pot of withered flowers, an attempt to bring some color to the surroundings.

The living room had a worn-out sofa that could be converted into an improvised bed. Some shelves on the walls held old books and a few sentimental personal items for Sophia. The windows were small and offered only a modest view of the outside world.

I knew that tomorrow would be another long and unbearable day at the cafe, but I was determined to face it with the same resilience as always. Life had taught me to be strong, to never give up, and I was determined to fight for a better future, no matter how difficult it was. With that determination, I finished my simple dinner and prepared for a precious night's rest before the next challenge that fate had in store for me.

The mysterious blue-eyed customer came to my mind, but I soon forgot about him and drifted off to sleep.

I sighed, overcome by exhaustion, as I continued to clean the tables. My physical presence was there, but my mind wandered elsewhere. I confess that sometimes I thought about disappearing, letting life take me wherever it would, but I knew things weren't that simple.

I stared at the manager, feeling frustration. What harm would it do her to advance me my salary? I always arrived early, left late, and never missed my commitments. However, something that time in the orphanage had taught me was that people weren't always kind, and that was already something I had come to accept.

Suddenly, I sensed someone behind me. I turned, holding the cloth I used to clean the table to my left. It was him, the man with blue eyes, for the second time in the cafe. It was strange. I shrugged, but I couldn't help but remember his generosity from the day before.

His eyes stared at me as if he were seeing a piece of meat, so he sat down and waited for someone to attend to him. Since I was busy with my cleaning, I let the other waitress serve him and continued to work.

"Sir, how can I assist you?" the waitress asked.

The table he was sitting at wasn't far from mine, so I could hear the conversation between them quite clearly.

"I want that other young lady to serve me," he said seriously as he read the newspaper of the day.

The strong smell of coffee filled the air. Paula, the waitress, approached me and told me that the man in the black suit wanted me to serve him.

I couldn't immediately understand. What did this man intend? First, that generous tip, and now this. But well, there were customers of all kinds, and if he wanted me to serve him, I would. My job was the only thing I had; if I lost it, then I would truly be lost.

I immediately handed the clothes to Paula, and she continued with my cleaning. I grabbed the menu and went to him. I didn't even know his name, but I was courteous as I am with all customers.

I thought to myself that it was a good thing I hadn't used the tip he had given me; at least, I could return it if necessary.

"Good morning, how can I assist you, sir?" I said calmly.

He stared at me, his eyes fixed on me as if they knew all my sins. It was intriguing, what did this man have that was so different, so charming? His deep and mysterious gaze revealed an intensity that left me disconcerted, as if he could read my innermost thoughts with just one look.

It was hard to resist the magnetic attraction that emanated from him, even though I tried to keep my guard up.

There was something hypnotic in the way he looked at me, something that made me question all my certainties and plunged me into an abyss of uncertainty. But damn it, Sophia, he's just another rich client.