Molann an obair an fear {Kayla}

[Casey Callahan]

“Drinking and dancing are great, but it doesn’t keep me belly full,” said the Irishman as he folded the newspaper and tucked it under his arm. The idea of working for another wasn’t the most pleasant in the world for him, wake up early, pick up a penguin suit and all that, but he couldn’t just live out of his charm. He was a simple man, all that he asked for was enough money to pay for a warm place to rest and to get drunk a few nights a day and he was happy.

And to make things worse, that guy that he decked the other day for stealing Miss Harrison’s purse had called immigration on him. It wasn’t great that the police would swoop in to kick his butt out but wouldn’t when a nice old lady was being robbed? Good thing Casey had strong and fast legs to run, but the cops had taken his vending cart and he couldn’t just sell his hotdogs out of a pan in the middle of the street, could he?

But he would still break any jerks nose that messed with the lovely Miss Harrison, it was the old lady that had handled him the journal and a cup of coffee and sent him on his way. Heck, she had even let him sleep in her couch while the cops were looking for him at his place. It was heartening to know there were such good people around.

Taking a deep breath, he went through the Café’s doors.

The place was quite nice and homey, old style decoration and smiling faces in their chairs eating their food. It didn’t looked so bad, but he still had to meet this Kayla lady who placed the add in the newspaper.

Giving a warm smile to the cute little brunette behind the counter, Casey called out to her. “Morning bean deas (pretty lady), ye know where can I find Miss Kayla? I’m here for the job opening.”

[kayla]

Looking up as she cut a nice thick slice of warm strawberry pie, Kayla smiled brightly to the man at the counter with the newspaper tucked under his arm. She blushed a little at his words but spoke as she slipped the piece of pie onto a plate and set the serving utensil down.

"I aint heard that since my Gramps called my Gran that." she said and opened a plastic tub of whipped cream and dropped a generous dollop of it on top of the pie. Wiping her hands on her apron, just in case any had gotten on her fingers she took two steps and set the little plate in front of the woman sitting at the counter.

Walking back over to where Casey sat, snagging the coffee pot off the stove on her way back she sat a cup in front of him and poured the rich, black liquid in the cup in front of him. "Well you're in luck hon cause I just happen to be 'Miss Kayla'. she said and looked him over a bit.

Sure he looked a little rumpled but it was strangely endearing when coupled with that accent. Leaning on the counter a bit, still holding the metal percolator coffee pot she grinned. "I have to tell ya, I've never done this before. Be a boss or anything. Never hired a person in my life. So I can't claim to know a whole lot about it but I can tell ya that all meals are on the house, pay is minimum plus tips, and there's no rowdiness allowed in here. Just last week I had to toss a fella out on his ear for talkin nasty and bad behavior."

She lifted a shoulder in a half shrug and grinned wider. "It's a family place. A friendly place. It's how my Grandparents ran the place and I'd like to keep it feeling like your havin a meal at someone's house. Hours are pretty flexible so long as ya let me know when ya can't be here so I can make sure that I don't schedule anything during that time. But right now with it just bein' me it's kinda hard ta do anythin unless I close the Cafe."

She turned from him to set the pot back on the stove and began to put away the container of homemade whipped cream and then the pie. "OH..and one more big thing, I don't turn nobody away that's wantin or needin a bite to eat. I have some regulars that are the homeless folk in the area and they know that they can get a hot meal here anytime. They're good folk, just kinda down on their luck so you might encounter that from time to time. You wouldn't have to do any cookin just take orders, run food out to folks and some cleanin."

It was clear that this little lady was something of a chatterbox as she talked away as if she'd know Casey all his life. Pausing only after she glanced over the cafe to see if anyone needed anything, she rested one hand on her hip and looked back at Casey. "So you still interested or have I scared ya off already?" she half teased him.

There had been a few other people that had come in about the job and clearly they weren't people persons. The thought of being in such a sunny atmosphere hadn't been appealing to them. They had just wanted a paycheck. But to her this place was a labor of love, not just a business where the bottom line was important. It was a way to make at least a tiny little corner of the world a better place and give those that needed it a little peace and hope.

[Casey Callahan]

“Gee, your Grandpa?” he asked scratching his head. “I must update meself, didn’t know I complimented like an old man,” Casey told her with a friendly smile.

Squinting his eyes a bit as he looked at her, he could see somewhat of a bright aura about her, a glow that gave her an angelic look. She was human, of that he knew, but she was something more, there was something about her that wasn’t quite normal. Maybe she wasn’t even aware, but Casey could see, maybe the stories of existing fae blood in his family line were true, maybe not, but he had the gift of sight.

When she placed the cup of coffee, he smiled again, placing his hands over the cup and bringing it up. The rich aroma was strong and sweet, but it was no Irish coffee, a shame but he didn’t say anything. It wouldn’t be polite to say so or to refuse it.

“Thanks,” he said taking a sip and then placing the cup down. If her food was as good as her coffee, this would be a great place to eat. That strawberry pie she had just put away looked fantastic.

The little woman certainly was a talking machine, but she was sweet and Casey took an instant liking for her.

“Don’t worry, I’m not fond of disrespectful behavior and I can deal with rude people if needed be.”

It was great how she talked about the place, a little family business, such passion in her eyes. Maybe it wouldn’t so bad to have her as a boss after all. And when she talked about homeless people that came in for a free meal, Casey gave her a warm grin.

“Aren’t you sweet? I wish there was more kind people like ya. You remind me of Miss Harrison, only about fifty years younger and a lot cuter, God bless the sweet old lady. And nay, I don’t scare easily. I think we could work together and get along really well…just…” he scratched his head, “I don’t have to wear a white penguin suit, do I?”

Smiling he shook his head and offered a hand to her. “But forgive me manners, I’m Casey, Casey Callahan.”

[kayla]

As she took his hand she looked at him a little funny, smiling in a way that said she didn't exactly understand what he was saying and trying not to laugh at the image of him in a literal white penguin suit complete with theme park character head. Finally she couldn't help it, giggling a bit as she gave him a good firm handshake with that dainty little hand, showing a bit of that hidden, wiry strength of hers. She was a farm girl through and through despite her delicate frame. "Um..no..no suits. In fact, I insist on it. No suits of any kind. You can wear pretty much anything you like so long as it's clean and there's nothing offensive on 'em. In other words don't come in in somethin that you wouldn't wear to the table for your momma to see."

Smiling to him as she released his hand , she brushed a bit of stray curls back behind her ear and put her hands on her hips. "Oh and you'll also be my guinea pig too when I try out new recipes. I expect the total truth so if ya don't like it you have ta tell me. I'd hate ta serve anything to the folk that come in here and it not be good."

She gestured to the little glass tree rack that held slices of pies and cakes and said, "Ya wanna give one a try while ya fill out the paperwork? It's not much but Uncle Sam might get a little touchy if I don't have somethin on paper. I just have to have it there in case one of them inspectors come nosin around." She never questioned his legal status and didn't seem too concerned by it. This Casey seemed like a good egg and she could always use someone around that she could trust. Looked like a hard worker too.

"What part of Ireland ya from Casey? My Grampa used to tell me stories about the Mother Land, as he called it. Course he was born here in Kentucky but the family stayed close to it's roots. I never learned the whole language myself but I picked up a few phrases that he'd use a lot. M'last name's Murdough."

The accent of the woman was all Southern Belle despite her heritage though. She was about as down home country as it came, from her big smile to her cookin. The little radio on the back counter by the stove played the oldies station softly, letting the sounds of yesteryear filter through the room softly enough for enjoyment but not so much that it interrupted conversation.

[Casey Callahan]

She had a firm handshake for such a small woman, a hidden strength, but Casey was certain that it wasn’t the meaning of that angelic aura of hers. Maybe she didn’t even know it, but you don’t go asking your new boss those kind of questions, she might even think he was insane and that would shot him down before he even started working.

He couldn’t say he knew what kind of clothing his momma would find offensive when he never knew her, but he would use his daddy as a reference. He had raised him right and his son wasn’t one to wear anything offensive. He wouldn’t win any fashion awards, that was for sure, but his clothes never offended anyone.

“Aye, I think I can manage that Miss Kayla,” he told her with a smile, “And you can always expect nothing less than the complete truth out of a Callahan. But if your cooking is as good as your coffee I’d say I will enjoy it. And in truth that strawberry pie had me mouth watering, I wouldn’t commit the sin of passing out free food,” he said with a playful wink.

When she mentioned paperwork, he frowned slightly, but quickly she changed the subject.

“I hail from Dublin meself. Me daddy came from Dalkey into the big city looking for work, met me mommy and never left Dublin. I was raised there until I was 21 and then went where me feet carried me. Wanted to see the world, but it is nice to meet a beautiful descendant of me country over here, it warms me heart.”

He didn’t have much money, so he got by doing odd jobs here and there, jumping on moving trains and hiding on cargo boats. And that what brought him to that point, he wasn’t a liar and he didn’t wanted to start now. She didn’t seem too concerned about it, but he didn’t want to hide it from her. “I’ve got to be honest with ye, me passport isn’t quite...up to date…is that going to be a problem?”

[kayla]

At the mention of the strawberry pie she smiled that huge smile of her's and moved to cut a nice thick slice, dropping a healthy dollop of whipped cream on the top and sliding it over to him along with a fork. His little wink had her chuckling as she leaned on the counter across from him and listened to the rest of his words.

It was a wonderful story and made thousands of questions of all that he had seen in that time popped into her mind, resting lightly on the tip of her tongue as she reached over and patted his hand a bit and winked. "Silver tongued devil." she teased him lightly. But as he went on she lost only a little of that light and turned a little thoughtful.

She took a moment before she answered and looked him in the eye. She took the hint about his questionable legal status and tilted her head a bit, eyes narrowing as she grinned. "Well then, I guess it really wouldn't be necessary to keep a written record of my cousin that is visiting me all the way from Ireland and just helping out here and there would it?"

She looked at him to see if he took her meaning and smiled. "Don't worry hon, we'll figure it out. If you're willing to do the work then you'll get paid. I might be able to shave some off of the books and add a little in other places to make the difference."

[Casey Callahan]

Getting a hefty bit of the pie into his mouth, Casey smiled. “Heavenly Gods, I’m going to love working for ye,” he said in delight, free food like this would be indeed a sin to pass out. That place felt homey and she was a nice girl, even if he wouldn’t be doing his own thing.

Smiling when she patted his hand, his smile vanished after he had told her of his passport and the little silence that followed was almost unbearable. She was a nice girl, but would she accept him working there on illegal status? Maybe it was too much to hope for, but he wasn’t ready to pack and run back to Ireland just yet.

However a warm grin came to grace his features as she spoke again. “Aye ‘cousin’, I guess yer’ right. Aunt Colleen sends her regards by the way, say ye have to come around and see her potato farm. She thinks ya going to love it.”

Winking at her, he nodded. “All Callahan are hard workers, of that there is no doubt. Me daddy is a welding man, could have retired long ago, but still works like he did when he was twenty. Ye won’t regret it, I will prove it to ya.”

[kayla]

Grinning and refilling both of their coffee cups she nodded. "I know you will. I can recognize that determined look." she said with a twinkle in her eyes before taking a sip of her coffee. Leaning on the counter she looked at him. "So how soon can you start?" she asked expecting him to need a bit of time to be prepared to do so.

But she didn't stay long to hear the answer right away, her head lifting as she saw a customer flag her down from a table towards the back. "Hold that thought hon." Winding around the counter she carried the coffee pot with her as she walked back to where the middle aged couple sat and refreshed their cups as she stood there and talked with them a moment. The little cafe owner was just smiles and laughter for everyone it would seem. It was a natural default mood for the woman, like she didn't have an off switch.

She nodded and touched the woman's shoulder, chuckling softly and pulled out her little note pad, tearing off the ticket for the couple and setting it on the table. She gestured toward the cash register and nodded again before she walked back to the front of the Cafe and circled round the counter to put the coffee pot back.

Stopping before Casey she shook her head a little. "Sorry about that...now where were we?"

[Casey Callahan]

Devouring what was left of his pie while she was away and the thought of food of the gods came to his mind. Casey had never actually met a god, but he figured that would be what they would like to eat. And Miss Kayla was a cute and sweet girl that made him feel very comfortable, it was just coincidence that she was an Irish descendant, but Casey figured that angelical aura of hers maybe had something to do with her personality as well.

There was a smile on every face in there, and they all looked friendly enough. He knew it wouldn’t be always like that, but he knew it was a good foundation. And if any costumer got out of line he could deal with it and don’t let them bother the boss lady.

When she returned, Casey looked back at her and smiled. “I can start right now if it is alright with ya. I can’t keep bothering Miss Harrison, the old lady is nice but her couch isn’t very comfortable, I need to pay for my own place to spend the night. Don’t worry, I won’t be asking ye for an advancement on me salary, I will just get a roof over me head with any tips I can manage in the day, I never needed anything fancy after all.”

Giving her a smile he nodded, “And I think that nice lady in the corner wants a refill of her coffee as well. May I?”

[kayla]

Kayla raised her eyebrows a little, not expecting that answer as she heard him and smiled wide, pulling a simple white apron out from under the counter and handing it to him. It was one she never used much herself, preferring the more girly looking ones. They always reminded her of her Gram and well...it was a little too plain for her. But it was there for an emergency.

"Alright then 'cousin', get to work." She tried to sound stern and authoritative but the grin on her lips and the little giggle that followed ruined the effect. She turned to get the coffee pot and waited to hand it to him till his hands were free.

"When you're done I'll show you how to work the register." she said nodding to the antique thing sitting on the counter at the opposite end. "It can be a bit of a bear sometimes and you have to know just where to bang it at times to get the drawer to open."

She shooed him off with a wave of her hands and a smile as she turned to see to a man that had just sit down at the counter, letting him take care of the woman down the way on his own. She trusted that he'd do a good job. He seemed such a bright and friendly person that he would fit in here perfectly.