"You can do this. Really, you can."

Whitened knuckles, balled up into a perspiring fist, knock rhythmically against the side of Michael's leg as he takes large paces up and down the quaint street he's on. His other hand runs frantically through his ebony curls, a telltale sign that his nerves are getting the better of him. He glances over briefly in the direction of the cafe, knowing he must enter the premises within the next few minutes, but not quite having the courage to do so. The awkward period of time between being hired and starting his new role has gone by far too quickly for his liking; now, he finds himself only fifteen minutes away from the beginning of his first shift.

"You're doin' this for Case. For the life you both deserve."

His continuous motivational monologues prove ineffective in pushing him to go inside, but he halts his repetitive walking in favour of focusing on his breathing. Palpitations shock his chest, causing his heartbeat to thump in his ears. He isn't sure why he is so anxious — perhaps it's the fact that this is his first job since he left The States; or perhaps it's the knowledge he must meet new people and learn new habits.

Or perhaps it's because it's real now. He has to do this all on his own, this time. Back home, he at least had his family and a handful of friends to fall back on in times of hardship. This time, he must rely on his own resilience and willpower, not just for himself — but for his son.

"Come on, MJ. You got this."

"Of course you've got this." The Midland twang of such a familiar accent pierces through the deep thudding of Michael's ribcage, grounding him for long enough to respond.

"Oh, Laurie. Hi." He musters a smile, keen to distract from his own mind with idle small talk. "How are you doin' this morning?"

"Clearly better than you," she answers, scoffing in light amusement. "Are you nervous for this, Michael?"

"Well ... maybe a little," he admits, unexpected even from himself. As of late, he has observed that there is something warm about Laurie which unlocks a comfortability within him, in spite of his apprehension towards life as a whole. Never before has he experienced the phenomena of being able to express his innermost thoughts to someone so early into knowing them, but it feels refreshing to him. "I think it's just hittin' me a little. Y'know — all this stuff is goin' on, and yet most of the people I care for are thousands of miles away."

"Yeah, I get that." She nods to him, reaching up to squeeze his shoulder — a subtle sign of moral support. "But you've got me right by your side for your first shift. I made sure I was on the rota for today so I could be here for you. So, to thank me, you can buy me a hot chocolate on break."

"I always appreciate you helpin' me out," Michael responds, giving a chuckle. "But I'll have to think about the hot chocolate. Is that drinking chocolate?"

Laurie tuts, rolling her eyes upwards in playful annoyance. "You Americans, honestly. Yes, hot chocolate is drinking chocolate. At least you know that for in case anybody orders it."

"Is there anything else I need to remember?" The fidgeting fingers from both of Michael's hands toy lightly with each other as a means of self-regulation. "Anything at all, like, about any of the folk that work here, or customers?"

"We have regulars who come in every day, but that's just standard." She shrugs. "And the staff are nice for the most part. You'll bicker with some of them, because that's just how girls in their twenty-somethings can be. To be fair, that's how people in general can be. But be kind to our colleague called Avery. Everyone has a name tag, so you'll be able to figure out which one they are."

"Why do I have to be kind to Avery in particular?" Michael asks. "Is she shy, or something?"

"It's 'they', not 'she'."

"Oh, 'they'? I thought everyone workin' here was female."

"Avery was born a girl, but that's not what they go by now," Laurie explains. "But you'll see who they are once you go inside — if that ever happens."

"Got it." Michael rubs the back of his neck, attempting to prepare himself for the day ahead. "Now or never, I guess."

"You don't need to overthink it." She nudges him gently towards the front door of the cafe. "Just do it. Remember I'm right next to you, pal."

He nods, just as a spark of adrenaline finally powers through him; enough to walk confidently towards the building. "I got this."

The pair are swiftly welcomed by Allie once they make it inside. "Good morning, good morning! How are we both today? I hope you're looking forward to a busy day."

"Michael's a little antsy about his first shift, but he doesn't need to worry," Laurie answers. "I think I've given him a little boost in confidence by being here today. He looked like a lost puppy outside."

Michael's cheeks flush lightly in mild humiliation at his friend's statements, despite them being accurate. He looks to Allie for guidance, unsure of how to contribute towards what Laurie has already said.

"Well, bless your heart, Michael." Allie clasps her hands together with a warm, inviting smile settled upon her lips. "You don't have to worry about a thing while you're here. You're in wonderful hands with the ladies and Avery today."

"I'm sure I am," Michael answers at last. "Where should I put my jacket? Is there a locker room or somethin'?"

"If you go behind the counter, there's a door that leads to the staff area. There's some coat hooks to place any bags or anything else on," Allie explains. "Once you're settled in, I'll get Laurie and Avery to show you the ropes. It's all pretty easy, to be honest. I'm sure you'll pick it up in no time."

"Thank you." Michael slips off his outdoor clothing and his satchel, weaving past the women to get behind the counter as instructed. He easily locates the door Allie mentioned, making quick work of hanging up his belongings, before re-emerging into their sights again. Without being asked to, he washes his hands in the sink next to the coffee machine to be certain they are hygienic enough. "I think I'm ready, now."

"Excellent." Allie averts her eyes over to one of the vacant tables, where a young individual is stood clearing cups and plates away. "Avery, darling?"

The individual, Avery, looks up at the sound of their name, their eyes searching for their boss. "Yes, Allie?"

"Would you come over here and let me introduce you to our new colleague, please?"

"Oh, of course." Avery carefully lifts up the tray of stacked pots, carrying it over to the counter where the small group are congregated. "Hi, it's great to meet you. I'm Avery. You must be Michael, or something?"

"Yes, I'm Michael." He grins loosely, extending his arm politely to them. "I've heard a little about you already."

"Not all bad, I hope." The sweet-mannered glint in Avery's eyes suggests their kindness as they accept Michael's invitation to shake his hand.

"Not at all. You seem wonderful."

Michael takes a moment to appreciate Avery's cohesive appearance. They sport a trendy mullet-style cut in a deep chestnut shade, while thick, well-groomed brows pull the chiselled features of their face together. Their slender frame is attired with flatteringly-loose cargo trousers and a black t-shirt, hidden partly by an apron branded with the cafe's logo. Each movement of their head provokes the sparkling of golden flecks in their hazel eyes, courtesy of the artificial lighting on the ceiling. Their lightly-sun-kissed skin masks some of the endearing freckles that are scattered across their nose and heat-flushed cheeks.

"You'll be working alongside Michael and Laurie today, Avery," Allie says. "I would really love it if you could show him the basics of the business, and make him feel as welcome as you can."

Avery's hands clasp behind their back as they listen to Allie talk. "Of course."

"The main things this morning, really, are taking orders and working the till," Allie continues. "After lunch break, we can show him pot-washing, general housekeeping, and waiting tables."

"No problem. Leave him with us, Allie," Laurie chimes in. "He'll have it figured out in no time."

"Fantastic. Thank you, both of you. I'm going to do some admin in the back." Allie slides past her team, making a beeline for the door to the staff area. "Remember where I am, if any of you need me."

Once she has disappeared from sight, Michael's eyes lock onto Laurie's, who takes the opportunity to speak first. "Right then! Let's get straight into it."

"Absolutely." Michael turns his head in the direction of the front door. A customer catches his eye, so he springs into action. "Should I take an order? Or should I watch one of you do it?"

"Watch me, Michael." Avery heads behind the counter, poising themself by the till ready to take the next order. As the old lady delicately removes her purse from her handbag, Avery greets her with a smile. "Hello, good morning. What can I get you today?"

"Hello Avery, love," the old lady responds. "Can I have my usual, please?"

"Certainly, Mavis." Avery hurriedly scrawls down the request, not for the sake of themself — after all, they already know Mavis' typical order — but rather so that Michael can observe how it is done. "That'll be four-eighty-five, please."

Mavis fumbles with her purse for a moment, ensuring she has the correct cash to give to Avery. After collecting a handful of various coins, she pours the contents of her palm onto the counter. "That should do it, sweetheart."

Avery grabs the money, counting it briefly. "Perfect, Mavis. Before you sit down, I'd like to quickly introduce you to the new member of our team. This is Michael. He recently moved to England from all the way in America. It's his first day today."

Michael's attention flits to the fragile woman before him, who is already beaming at him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ma'am."

"Oh, aren't you handsome, Michael?" Mavis answers. "It's nice to have a bit of male eye-candy with my coffee and cake. And oh, that accent."

Michael is caught off-guard by the compliment, but the bashfulness doesn't kick in until he hears Laurie and Avery stifling laughter behind him. He chuckles awkwardly, trying to eradicate the sudden tension between himself and the others. "Born and raised in Gary, Indiana, Ma'am. This place is lovely."

"It is. The girls in this place are so sweet. Especially this one here." Mavis reaches over the counter to squeeze Avery's cheek. "Cute as a little button, aren't you, darling?"

"Thank you, Mavis." Avery appears slightly uncomfortable, but does their best to hide it. "We'll get your order sorted now and bring it to your table, if you'd like to take a seat."

"Alright, love. Thank you." She saunters away from the counter to choose a table, leaving Michael to compare notes on the experience he's just had with Laurie and Avery.

"What was that?" Michael asks, bewildered.

"She's a very old-fashioned but sweet woman," Avery answers. "In case you missed it, I don't consider myself a man or a woman. But she doesn't understand that. All she sees is that I'm a girl, because that's what I was born as. But she's so lovely, I just let her refer to me incorrectly."

"But that must feel horrible." Michael's brows furrow subtly to support his assumption. "I'd hate for anybody to assume I'm a woman when I'm a man, or anything like that."

Avery shrugs. "It's part of the job, isn't it? People get things wrong. I don't have the energy to explain to each individual customer who I am. It isn't their business and it's not what I'm here to get paid for." They lift the notebook from the surface in front of them, tearing off the sheet of paper with the newly-written list on. "Anyway, let me show you what she normally orders. It's just a cappuccino and a slice of carrot cake — dead simple. Cake is already sliced and portioned onto dessert plates and stored in the glass cabinet next to the counter. Cappuccino is pretty easy to make once you master the milk-frothing technique."

"Seems easy enough," Michael comments. "And you put the stuff on a tray so you can carry it all over to the customer at once?"

"That's right." Laurie places a coffee saucer onto the tray beside her, before adding other little touches such as a teaspoon and bowl of sugar. "We give each customer a spoon and sugar so that they can add it in to their liking and stir it. Walk in the park, really."

Michael nods and observes further as Laurie and Avery demonstrate the tricks of the trade, but in the back of his mind, all he can think about is doing the best job he can for Casey.

How he performs in this role over the next few weeks will determine whether he will make his fortune and give his son the life they have both wanted for so long — and this knowledge both excites and frightens him.

• • •

Chapter eight! Hope you're still enjoying the story. xx