Dirty Little Secret

Chapter 5: An Average Thursday

Emma's POV

    Thought the last two days off have been nice, I'm happy that I'm working a normal 8 hour day today at the cafe. Despite my dad being a multi-millionaire, one of the most powerful men in the south, and me being an only child, I still work a regular job like everyone else. I've never been one to take handouts, even from my own dad, so I work my ass off for everything I have. I've been working at this cafe since I was 17, so 5 years now and I don't plan to ever leave. It's not a dream job by any means, but this place has become my home away from home and my coworkers and regular customers are my family.

     I quickly climb from bed and head to the bathroom, showering and getting dressed for the day. I'm the only one home right now, the guys went back to their place and Amber left for work a couple hours ago, so I make sure everything is off and lock the door behind me as I head out the front door. My dad is still having my car investigated, or as my friends think, it's at the mechanic shop, so I'm walking to work today, thankfully it's only a couple blocks up from my apartment. It's still a little early for my shift when I walk through the door, the little bell above it ringing softly. I walk straight back to the break room to put my stuff away before I clock in and to my surprise, Sophia is sitting at the little lunch table in the room. Sophia and I both started here the same day 5 years ago and we quickly became good friends. I'm not as close to her as I am with Amber, but that doesn't matter. Her and Amber get along really well, so if we aren't with the guys, we are usually with Sophia.

    "Hey gorgeous!" I say walking up behind her and poking her side. She squeals from the jab and the shock of my arrival.

    "Good Lord Emma! Warn a woman next time! You scared the s**t out of me." she laughs and stands from the table and gives me a hug.

    "I thought you were off today?" I asked pulling from her embrace and looking at her slightly confused.

    "Yea, I was supposed to be, but that new guy they just hired called in this morning. Second day on the job and he is already calling in. I told boss man that it was a bad idea hiring him, but no one listens to me." She turns back to the table and begins cleaning up her stuff and putting it away. "I was just about to head out to the floor, you coming?"

    "Yea, I'll be right behind you." I say shoving my stuff in a little locker and grabbing my apron and note pad, following behind Sophia. Walking out to the floor, I go to the little computer behind the front desk and clock in and then walk over to where Sophia is standing. "So what section do I have today?"

    "Umm, that one over there." she says pointing in the direction of the cafe where all the college kids usually hang out. "But who is that lady? She kinda looks like you, it's weird." Sophia's eyes dart between me and the stranger sitting in a booth alone across the cafe from us. My eyes follow hers and grow with surprise when I realize who the woman is. Even after over 10 years of no communication and only ever seeing pictures of her, I would recognize her anywhere. The woman was simply an older version of myself, down to the last detail. We have the same long, stringy red hair. The same brown eyes. The same rounded face. The same pasty skin that never seems to absorb any color despite the sunny state we live in. The same deep brown freckles across the bridge of out nose. The same slender body, with just enough curve in all the right places. Every detail of this woman matches me exactly. Carla Ann Berry. My mother, if that's what you can call the woman. She gave me life, but the second I took my first breath, she was planning her escape from the responsibilities of motherhood. At 3 days old, she abandoned me and my father. She reached out a month later wanting to come back, but my dad rejected her and agreed to pay her off to keep her away. Instead of fighting for her daughter, she took the money and disappeared. She showed back up when I was 12 because her money had run out and my dad quickly paid her off again. He has raised me alone and personally, I think he did a damn good job. He never kept my mother a secret from me. He told me stories of the early days of their relationship; about the love and happiness they shared. I still believe he loves her deeply, but she has always only wanted money from him. I formed my own opinion of her quickly when I was 12. Before my dad had a chance to pay her off again, I tried to reach out to her and have her in my life and she rejected me, saying, in her words exactly, "you are no more than a bastard child who is useless to me." I never tried again after that and I don't plan to now.

    "That would be my mother." I say through gritted teeth. Sophia knows, just like everyone else in my life, about Carla. That is the one thing that I've never kept a secret from anyone.

    "Oh no." she turns and takes in my expression through frustrated eyes. "I'll take over your section and you can have mine."

    "No.No. It's totally okay. It's been 10 years, I know she is only here for more money, so it's not a problem." I pull myself together quickly and grab a menu before stalking off to her booth. Laying the menu down, I pull my note pad from the front pocket of my apron, without making any eye contact. "What can I get you to drink today ma'am?" I ask as politely as I can manage.

    "Oh my baby girl!" she announces, a fake smile spreading across her face. She stands and tries to wrap me in a hug. I kindly shrug away from her and she steps back with an offended look on her face.

    "I'm sorry ma'am. I'm on the clock right now and I could get fired if my boss saw me taking personal time right now." I say formally to her, still not making any direct eye contact with her.

    "Ma'am?! Are you serious right now Emma Lynn?!" she practically screams, drawing the attention of every customer currently sitting in the cafe. "I am your damn mother and I expect to be treated as such." she demands. Her words hit me like a ball of fire and set off a rage inside me I didn't know existed. I pull my eyes from my note pad and look directly into her eyes. She shrinks back slightly from the anger written across my face. I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself before speaking. As I go to open my mouth she interrupts me. "Wipe that stupid look off your face and show some respect to me." All calm is immediately gone and I can feel the eyes of everyone in the room boring into me.

    "Excuse me?" I growl, trying to keep my voice low. "You are NOT my mother. You may have given me life, but that does not make you a mother. And respect? You want to talk about respect? You are no more than a gold digging b***h who knows nothing of respect. All you know how to do is use and abuse everyone around you. Now you are either going to order something and sit here with your mouth shut or you are going to take your s**t and leave now." 

    "You can't make me go anywhere! I'll do whatever I damn well please and you will shut your little mouth and do what I tell you." she reaches up, slapping me across the face. As her hand makes contact with my cheek, my eyes close and all the fury I've been holding in is released.

    "Do. Not. EVER. Put. Your. Hands. On. Me." I slowly say each word as I struggle to breath normally. " You have zero right to be here or anywhere near me, ever! You only show up when you need money and nothing else, so is that what you're here for today? Did dad finally tell you no, so you thought maybe I would help you? What is is Carla? What the hell do you want?" my voice gets louder with each passing second.

    "Is that the story your father tells you? That I only want his money? Well he's lying!" she screams, her face inches from mine. "He got rid of me after you were born and would never let me back. You're an adult now and he can't control you." her voice drops a little.

    "You expect me to believe that?! I've been 'an adult' for 4 years and you are just now showing up. Dad has never lied to me about you, he's encouraged me to love you despite your bullshit, but I spent 12 years trying to get you to love me and never cared, so I gave up. And now you want to show up at my job and try to act like super mom? Just tell me what the hell you want, so you can disappear for another 10 years." I spit out at her, not caring that there is now a crowd of people staring at us and my boss is only a few feet from us. Carla stares at me, not speaking for a moment. "You know what, don't waste anymore of your breath. Here." I reach into my back pocket and throw some cash at her. "Make that work for a day or two and maybe think about getting yourself a damn job. I'm done here. Just leave."

    "You are seriously going to regret this Emma. Not even your father's money can protect you from what your future holds." she  glares at me for a moment before a smirk covers her face and she grabs her stuff up from the table and storms past me. I quickly run to the back, pushing through the door of the break room and lean against the small wall of lockers, sliding to the floor and breaking down. I'm not sure how long I've been crying, when I hear the door slowly open and I look up to see Sophia and my boss standing there looking at me nervously. A moment passes and Sophia steps to my side, placing her hand on my back.

    "Boss man is going to call in a replacement for you, so you can go home. Do you want me to call Noah or your dad for you?" she asks, kneeling beside me.

    "No, I'm okay." I quickly wipe my tears with the back of my hand and push myself up from the floor. "I'm gonna stay and work as long as she is gone."

    "Emma, go home. She left, but you are in no state to work right now. I'll pay you a sick day, but only if you promise to go home and rest." my boss says, stepping over to me and Sophia. "Go home and I'll see you tomorrow." I just nod my head, knowing there is no point in arguing. I turn to my locker and pull my stuff out and slowly make my way out of the break room and through the cafe. Curious eyes follow me as I walk out the front door and start down the street. Not wanting to go home, I hail a taxi and head to my dad's office. I need to let him know Carla is back in town in case he doesn't already know and about her threat. I know her words mean nothing, but I still can't help that they are eating away at me. I hate that she has this affect on me. I hate her.