Chapter 20

"What are you doing here?" Halle was too surprised to ask anything else.

"I already told you that it's been a long time since we saw each other. So I thought, might as well come and see you here." said Ashley.

She looked around the café. "The café is really buzzing today."

"It has been since the last two weeks, actually." said Halle.

"Oh." said Ashley. "That's nice, isn't it?"

"Very much so." agreed Halle.

Pace was taking orders from the customers who just entered the café. She can't let her handle all of that alone because her friend came in. But saying anything close to 'talk to you later' will be off putting to say the least.

What should I do?, she thought.

"Just a minute, I'll come back."

"Sure."

Halle went to the counter and checked the number of customers who'd come today and checked the availability of the cupcakes and donuts. It's a good thing they can never run out of coffee. Unless and of course if the machine was broken. That would be terrible.

"Hey, Pace," called Halle as she came to make some coffee. "Shall we close early today?"

"Why?" asked Pace surprised.

Halle closed the gap between them and whispered, "I don't know if she has a problem at home, she wouldn't say it loud. And I can't listen to her talk when there's a load of customers and you're the only one taking care of it."

Pace looked at the Ashley sitting on the couch looking at Halle and then back at Halle. "Fine," she said.

"Bonus: we don't have enough donuts to give, so once she leaves we can make some and then leave, yes?"

"You're bad at this," Pace said. "But okay."

"Thanks, Pace."

Pace looked at her surprised. "Want me to punch you?"

"No thanks."

Halle went over to Ashley. "Hey Ash, I'll be closing the shop soon today, so can you wait until then? We can talk after all the customers leave."

"Sure. No hurry."

"Is everything alright at home?"

"Yes."

Halle hesitated before leaving to check on the customers.

"How's everything going with you?"

"Everything is going good," replied Halle. "Better with the surge of customers during the holiday season especially."

Halle had made Pace bake two sets of donuts and decorate them with the hope that Ashley would open up about her thoughts. But she hadn't expected this.

"Even for the last two years during holiday, I don't remember seeing these many customers."

Halle felt uncomfortable. "Yeah, guess we're lucky this year."

"Must be great."

"Yeah." said Halle. "How are things going with you? Did he like those cupcakes?"

"Yeah, he did."

Another moment of silence. Now she wasn't sure why Ashley came to see her. And she was out of options.

"How's mom?"

"She's the same," said Halle. "Needs the operation."

"When is the operation?"

"Not so fast," said Halle. "I still am in desperate need of money."

"How much?"

"Well . . ." she didn't like where this was going. "It's a lot, Ashley. Saying it loud is only going to make it worse for me."

"But you need it right?"

"Yes but—" Halle sighed in exasperation. "You know what? Let's not talk about it."

"Why?"

What do you mean why? She wanted to ask but stopped herself.

"If you wanted to talk about mum why didn't you come home?" asked Halle. "She would love to see you."

"I'd come another day," she replied. "I can't get enough time to come in the evening. That's why."

"Okay." Halle couldn't contain her curiosity. Why would she come so far to talk about something like this?

"How long can you stall the operation?"

"For as long as I need to Ashley," replied Halle. "I don't understand why you're—"

"Will you be able to get the money before that?"

"Yes, I can."

Ashley looked at her. She probably knew she was lying but she didn't have a choice.

"Okay, then." Ashley stood up. "I'd better get going."

"I hope you're really doing well Ash."

Ashley paused.

"Well, you didn't answer my question about you and him, so I assumed."

Ashley nodded. "It's not as rocky as before." She looked down and faced her like she wanted to say more and then shook her head slightly, deciding against it. "I'll be going."

"Take care."

Ashley gave her a small smile before leaving in the car she'd come from.