The Risk

New Beginnings

"Emma??"

I pause my dishwashing and turn around, smiling at the old woman in the door way. She was cleanly dressed in a baby blue button shirt and her normal jean highwaters.

"Yes Mrs. Baker?"

She makes her way over to the sink, placing her hand on my arm lovingly. "I would like to go visit Victoria at the diner today!"

"Ok that sounds like a plan, let me finish the dishes really quick and we can go."

Mrs. Baker smiles as she wobbles over to the dinner table before sitting down to look at the news paper while she waits. I sigh in content as the peace of the moment fills me.

It's hard to believe that three months ago I was struggling to survive on the streets. No where to go and constantly running from my old life and fears. It had been about a year now sense I left my abusers. I was lucky to find an old lady struggling to put her groceries into her car at the super market one Sunday evening. Mrs. Baker was reluctant to let me help her with anything at first but once I finished helping her she suddenly started calling me Emma. No matter how many times I corrected her she wouldn't listen and insisted that I was a girl named Emma. After that she dragged me back to her home, and that's when I met her daughter.

Victoria was struggling trying to keep everything together between raising her twin boys and taking care of Mrs. Baker to keeping their family diner open for business. It was a lot and it was obvious how much it was taking a toll on her with the dark under eyes and constant zoning out. When Mrs. Baker came home that day with me in tow Victoria was a little more than surprised to see me, because her mother refused to let anyone care for her other than family.

But it all made sense when she began to call me Emma again; Victoria seemed to understand immediately. She explained to me that she had a twin sister that didn't make it at birth and that her mother had named her Emma. I realized how much we looked alike; not close enough to be twins but close enough for an old lady with bad vision and bad memory to not realize it.

Victoria had a lot of questions about who I was and where I was from, I was honestly terrified to tell her the truth but I willed myself to anyway because I wanted her to trust me. She seemed to understand and promised to let me live here with them as long as I helped Mrs. Baker daily and help around the dinner every now and then. I was happy, She helped me start a new life as a girl named Emma and I got food in my belly and a roof over my head. Even though it had only been 3 months sense then it feels like I found a new family; a new life. It was peaceful and calm, exactly what I always wanted in life.

As I finish putting the last dish away I glance at the clock on the wall. Seven O'clock, it will have to be a quick visit sense she has to be in bed by eight.

"Mrs. Baker are you ready to go I just finished." I ask as I turn to the woman quietly reading. She nods her head and stands up slowly. After I gather her purse into the car I help her into the front seat before settling myself in the drivers seat. Luckily I had a friend teach me how to drive when I was younger so I knew the basics of it. It only took me a week or to to get used to Victoria's large van; she had to get it when Mrs. Baker broke her hip last Spring.

Before long I'm pulling into the parking lot of the diner and being seated by Victoria.

"Mom you know you didn't have to come visit me!" Victoria smiles as she pours Mrs. Baker a cup of hot coffee.

"I didn't come here to see you! I came to see my Granddaughter! Where is she??" I smile and roll my eyes as Mrs. Baker acts like she wasn't planning to see her daughter at all. Victoria smiles too before turning towards the kitchen and yelling for her daughter.

"DANNI YOUR GRANDMA IS HERE FOR YOU!!!"

Within seconds Danni's small frame comes barging through the swinging doors and straight towards Mrs. Baker and I. A laugh escapes me as she quickly hugs us both.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you granny: you too Emma! Its so boring here and i'm so tired!!" She cries out as she slups into the chair next to me. We all laugh and begin talking about our day and the latest diner gossip. Danni and Victoria would leave ever few minutes to check on tables and the kitchen. I Glance out the window and realize how dark its gotten.

"Crap what time is it?" I say turning towards VIctoria as she checks her phone. " It's almost eight."

"Oh we have to go she that I can get her ready for bed." I point at Mrs. Baker who's eyes seem to be more droopy. Before I can get up I hear Danni groan and whine "I wanna go home too!"

Victoria rolls her eyes and smiles at her daughter. "You have worked pretty hard today, why dont you switch with Emma? You can go home and put granny to bed and Emma can stay and help me close. That is if Emma's up for it?"

Excitment fills Danni's eyes as she slaps her hands together and looks at me with big blue puppy dog eyes, "PLEASE EMMA PLEASE!!!!!" I sigh with a smile, it's not like I have anything exciting planned. "Sure, why not?"

After a few minutes of Danni's excitment and me helping her get Mrs. Baker in the car, I was throwing my apron on and waiting tables. The next time I looked up at the clock it was already almost ten at night. I breath is relief as I begin to clean the tables and sweep sense we close at eleven.

I hear the door bell jingle and look up to see a group of four guys waiting to be seated.

"Take a seat we will be with you shortly!" I hear Victoria yell from the back of the store. She looks tired and annoyed that we have more customers so late at night.

"I got it!" I let her know with a smile. She smiles in return and continues cleaning.

I walk back to the kitchen and let the chef know we have a few more for the night but dont get any response other than a groan of annoyance. Pulling my notepad out of my back pocket I make my way over to the guys. They are laughing and joking about how old the diner is and it makes me frown. How rude.

"Hi my names Emma! What can I get you guys tonight?" I ask while staring at my notepad. I've always had a hard time making eye contact with people because of my step dad so I avoid it anytime I can.

"Yeah we already know what we want thanks." I give the guy talking a closed eyed smile as I begin writing down all the orders thrown at me.

They ordered what felt like enough to feed a family of ten and I knew the chef was going to be mad.

After letting them know it will be out soon I run to the kitchen with the order and push it onto the table before running out quickly to not get a glare from the chef. I go to work making all of their drinks before placing them on a tray to carry. I keep feeling like someone is looking at me but everytime I look around there isnt anyone but me and the group.

Shaking my head I clear my thoughts as I carry the tray to the group.

"Here is those drinks! The food will be out soon!"

Gently I place the drinks in front of their rightful owners but as I'm about the place the last one, I feel something; or rather someone, rub their foot up my calf. I gasped and back away, dropping the drink inches above the table. It spills and starts to spread rapidly across the table. Thankfully the guy who it belonged to caught the cup before all of it spilled out.

I quickly grab some napkins off a near by table and frantically begin whipping it up.

I feel my breath quicken and my hands start to shake slightly as I rush. I feel a hand grab my wrist, stopping my cleaning and causing me to still. My eyes snap up to the owner and my breathing stops. His eyes are so pretty! They were hazel around the edges but more blue in the middle, they staired deep into me and I can feel him trying to read me. We stare at each other for a moment till a tear falls down my check and I ripe my hand away and run towards the kitchen without looking back.

Once in the kitchen I wipe my face of a few stray tears and slid down to the floor. Seconds later Victoria is running up to me asking what happened. I quickly explain the best I can and cry a bit more.

I'm so pathetic I cant even handle a simple task...

After a few minutes of Victoria calming me down and talking to me, we hear the bell in the kitchen letting us know that the food was done. I take a deep breath and go to stand.

"Dont, it's ok I'll do it you start cleaning up." Victoria pat's my shoulder and begins taking the food to the group.

I sigh and run my hands over my face, take a few deep breaths and then start to clean. Luckily the lobby was already done...