Chapter 11

Scarlett pov

The morning breeze rushed through my window, rattling the glasses and creating a cacophony of sounds that made it impossible for me to focus. My mind felt jumbled, and I tossed and turned on my pillow, clutching it tightly as the familiar scent enveloped me. I squint one eye open to sneak a glance at the clock.

“What the heck!” I exclaimed, leaping out of bed with my heart pounding in my chest. I was already running late. Normally, I wouldn’t care about what the store owner thought, but Marian had a knack for inserting herself into my life. Just as I was lost in thoughts of her, I heard her voice echoing from the hallway.

“Scarlett! Are you ready? It’s timeee…” she called out, stretching the word "time" for dramatic effect.

If I had the luxury of time, I would have tackled the laundry piling up around me. The sight of dirty clothes scattered everywhere made me uneasy, and a wave of longing for my family washed over me. I felt a sense of discomfort as I slowly pulled a chair closer to my mirror and sat down, resting my chin in my hand and letting out a series of sighs.

The alarm I set for 8 a.m. had just chimed at 9 a.m. sharp, leaving me baffled by the clock’s betrayal. “Seriously, were you just going to ring at this hour?” I grumbled at the clock, feeling miserable as I glanced at my disheveled hair, which certainly didn’t help my appearance.

After a few minutes of complete bewilderment, my gaze shifting from east to west without grasping anything, I finally took a shower and got ready for the store. Mr. Dirk is bound to complain about my tardiness, and who knows, he might even hand me a termination letter.

As I hurried through my morning preparations, Marian's urgent knocks on the door heightened my anxiety. "Scarlett, hurry up! We're going to be so late!" she shouted.

I inhaled deeply, trying to dispel the lingering tiredness. "Just a moment, Marian!" I called back, quickly applying lip balm and taming my messy hair.

When I finally opened the door, I found Marian tapping her foot impatiently. "Took you long enough," she remarked, eyeing my unkempt look. "You look like you just woke up."

I shot her a playful glare. "Thanks for the encouragement. Let’s get going."

As we rushed to the store, a sense of dread settled in. Mr. Dirk was known for his strict adherence to time, and I braced myself for a reprimand – or something worse.

Upon arriving, I saw Mr. Dirk pacing outside the store, arms crossed and a frown on his face. "Ah, Scarlett, you’ve finally decided to show up," he said with a hint of sarcasm.

Marian quickly defended me. "It’s not her fault, Mr. Dirk. I was the one who –"

But I cut her off. "No, Marian, it’s fine. I apologize, Mr. Dirk. It won’t happen again.”

Mr. Dirk's demeanor softened a bit. "Make sure it doesn't. Now, let's get to work. We've got a full day ahead."

As I started to restock the shelves, Marian leaned in and whispered, "Don't stress, Scarlett. You'll get through this. And by the way, I'm treating you to coffee during our break."

I wasn't sure if her kindness was genuine, but it didn't really matter. I was trying to figure her out. With my hands in my pockets, I couldn't help but smile as I watched her instead of focusing on the customers.

“I hadn't seen Nyx and Katherine in weeks. I hoped they weren't upset with me for disappearing months ago without saying goodbye. If that's the case, I wouldn't reach out to them, trust me.” I muttered to myself, wiping the dust off my desk with a towel.

Maybe you should reach out to them.

“No way, that's not happening. Your people go to the town hall for some wedding rituals over a guy who could leave without a second thought.” I had to say it; she kept pestering me all night about some ridiculous guy named Mike and how she wanted to share her life with him.

I shifted my gaze to the chocolate counter, trying to distract myself from the nonsense I just spilled.

Scarlett, you really need to work on your manners.

“Yeah, I hear that a lot…”

She was so angry that it didn't matter that she needed to leave my store; I was busy. I dug my hands into the chocolate stash. Perfect! This will help me out. I said with a smirk, tossing a piece of chocolate at her, hitting her nose, and she flinched.

“Ouch! Do people always act so rude?”

“And can you stop with the name-calling and just leave my store?”

Marian's eyes widened in surprise from the chocolate hit. "Ow, Scarlett! What’s wrong with you?" She rubbed her nose, her anger fading into amusement. 

"Think of it as a peace offering," I said, trying to lighten the mood.