Cowboys say bad things about grannies top.

« It will be exactly five minutes past six in the monster capital. The temperature is approaching thirty-five degrees. Good news for you... »

My alarm clock starts blaring a line from the film Monsters and Cie, which nearly knocks me out of bed.

« ... to sleep or just to shake that LAZYBONES WHO WILL GET OFF HIS MATTRESS! GET UP, SULLI ! »

Again. This time he nearly goes through the wall, my skull with it.

I look at the clock and am reassured to see that it's not the one that's supposed to go off at midday, but the one I'd set early the day before. My very first service in my life starts at 10 o'clock and I'm super excited despite Bob Razowski still screaming in the room.

I wake up happy and tired at the same time, shutting poor Bob's beau, opening the only window in my room to let in the sun, which is already up, and looking at the cloudless blue sky. Even the universe is on my side, it seems.

I head for my fridge after a few dance steps to motivate me. A slice of bacon looks at me and I look at it too, to be polite of course. I'm almost convinced she's screaming « Eat me ! » so I take it and cook it, along with a compote.

« Sorry, little slice. » I say to the second slice, which remains alone in the fridge, « But your friend looks much more appetising today »

Of course, the little tear shed by the other slice of bacon doesn't stop me from devouring my breakfast. All the while going quickly to avoid being late.

***

A light pink dress and yellow tights later, I'm armed with my super lucky black ankle boots full of multicoloured bee embroidery. I grabbed my little yellow bag and left my flat, singing Watermelon Sugar; I hope it rains watermelons in my life.

***

The journey wasn't very exciting - no zombies, no villains ready to capture me, no unicorns to greet me - but the atmosphere of the city put me in a great mood. As I enter the café, the look on Anita's face doesn't reassure me, but rather makes me panic inside. It's a combination of raised eyebrow, weird smile and flared nostrils. I think she's just invented a new facial expression.

« Hello Anita! » I say with a big smile on my face despite everything.

« My God, Eden, you look like a Barbie doll at carnival time! » exclaims Anita, putting on her usual expression.

I look at my outfit and can't find anything wrong with it. I know I don't have a very classic style, but I told her I liked the colours and she didn't take me back.

« Well, it doesn't matter. » she says with a gentle sigh. « At least, when the weather's not so good, you'll be able to light up the room all by yourself. »

I'm not quite sure how to take it, but I'm not saying anything. Nothing can spoil my day, even an old lady who calls me a disco ball.

A customer in his fifties calls out to Anita, smoothing her long grey and white beard:

« Don't be unkind, Ani, I find this young lady very charming. » he says, giving me a broad smile that reveals a few leaded teeth. « It's a nice change from all the youngsters with their jeans with holes in them. I'd rather have a bubbly young girl than one in jogging bottoms for work! »

I smile back and thank him silently as Anita nods slowly. The conversation doesn't go any further as she turns back to me briskly.

« Right, you, back to work. You serve, you smile, and as soon as you need me, you call me, it's as simple as that. » she explains. « You go to the back and there's a locker where you can put your things. No phones on duty, I insist, but that's nothing new. You'll find an apron on the coat rack. When you're ready, I'll explain how the coffee machine works and off you go. »

« OK, thank you very much. »

« Off you go! You should already be on the other side! »

I rush past the counter to the back of the shop. I'm a bit surprised that she's throwing me into the deep end so quickly, without any training or questions about the menu, but I'm ready to prove myself anyway.

At the back of the room is a locker I hadn't seen the day before, with my name written on it in pink glitter. So, even if she's critical, she's got me figured out, this old lady. And I have to admit that this little gesture, tiny as it is, warms my heart. Now I know at least one person in this town, and that makes me feel better about my decision to leave everything behind.

I put all my stuff inside, promising myself I'd customise it as if I were at school. Then, as expected, there's a light blue apron on the coat rack with the name of the café written on it. Actually no, it's the first one that catches my eye, but there are a dozen of them hanging on the coat rack, all in different colours.

I make no bones about it and grab the first blue apron I see to tie around my neck and waist.

Shortly afterwards, I join Anita, who explains to me how some of the machines work, each of which has a name, as well as a leaflet on how to make each order. When I look briefly at the recipes, I realise that it's nothing too complicated. The only thing that's important is the experience I'm going to gain in order to be faster and faster. But if that's all, I think I'm capable of making a few cakes while mixing coffee and milk.

***

The morning passed more quickly than expected. The customers are very kind to me but also impressively patient. It has to be said that every order is different, so there's quite a difference between a latte and a mocha.

Fortunately, Anita spends all her time helping me, but she confirms that I'm a quick learner and that I'm doing pretty well, which really boosts my ego. She takes the time to introduce me to the regulars, and whispers criticisms and gossip about some of them when we're alone behind the counter. She always has an anecdote about everyone, no matter how old they are or how long they've been in town. She explains that even though the town is considered big, almost everyone knows everyone else. The way she tells me all this, I really feel like I'm a tourist passing through, even though this is my home now. But as she says, time will tell.

***

The afternoon passes quickly too, and the end of my shift approaches — which comforts my aching legs. Anita left earlier than usual because of a medical appointment, so she left me in charge of the coffee. Alone until closing time at 8pm, she reassured me slightly by promising to come and close the shop so I wouldn't be too stressed on my first day. What she didn't realise was that I'm already under a lot of stress managing a café when I can't even make an Irish coffee without smothering the customer.

What's more, the people present this evening often look at me strangely and always end up asking me where Anita is and who I am. It wasn't until the tenth person that I stopped stuttering and started to feel legitimate about being there.

Despite the fatigue, my smile is still plastered on my face without faltering. The last customers take their time, making the café as quiet as it had been in the morning. I take advantage of this time to wipe down the counter so that it's spotless when my boss comes back. I might as well make a good impression and have it in my pocket.

A man with flaming red hair kindly asks me for a long coffee and I comply, leaving my yellow rag in a bucket provided for the purpose. Meanwhile, I hear someone else approaching the counter.

« Good evening, I'm just finishing this coffee and I'm all yours within reason! » I say enthusiastically, still with my back to the person I'm talking to.

« I'll have a long coffee too » says the deep voice that lets me know it's a man.

« No problem! I'll make it for you in a minute after I've taken this to Mr. I can't remember his name, but I love his hair! »

I turn to smile at the man, coffee in hand, and recognise him immediately. The man I bumped into - or who bumped into me, I'm not sure - is standing in front of me, sizing me up with his blue eyes. I walk around the counter, still smiling so as not to show my confusion, and take the coffee to the man, who thanks me warmly.

Then I set about making a second coffee, with my back to the man so I can use the machine properly.

« Where's Anita? » he asks, sighing.

« You're not very original, that's at least the twentieth time I've been asked that question since she left. » I reply with the same sigh.

« I'm sorry I want a nice cup of coffee tonight... »

I turn round and glare at him. His attitude isn't pleasant enough, so he's not going to spoil my day by attacking me about my work.

His face remains impassive, openly staring at me in the most natural way. My cheeks finally betray me by turning pink and I decide to turn round to get the coffee that seems to take a thousand years to brew. I turn around like a robot to hand him his coffee and be done with this unpleasant man.

« She's at a medical appointment. » I mumble to answer her question and not make an enemy on the first day. « But expect to drink the best coffee of your life, I've been the queen of coffee since... today in fact! But that's a lot. »

« Right, then. I thought the old lady had croaked. » he laughs, shrugging his shoulders.

I'm shocked by what he says, but at the same time his smile makes me lose my mind as he goes off to sit at the same table as yesterday. What's the matter with you, Eden? A man smiling while hoping for the death of an old lady! You can't fall for a weirdo like that. I'm well aware that Anita isn't exactly young, but to hope she dies... I think that's a bit extreme.

He stays until 7 p.m. on the dot, as do several customers who get up at the same time, but he comes to pay and leaves a small tip anyway. When I realise this, I don't have time to thank him before he's already disappeared from the shop. I look through the bay window discreetly, welcoming a new customer, to watch him. He crosses the road, hands in the pockets of his suit trousers, but I don't have time to see where he's going because the Anita tornado bursts in, shouting at me to come and see how we close the shop at the back next time. And this is no time to disappoint my boss, so I join her at a run while listening to the sound of her voice to find her.