I passed Rhona who'd been at Daisy's since the doors first opened. Wrestling it into a messy bun, I weaved through the kitchen and grabbed a pot of coffee. Tapping down the pocket, I made sure I had my pad and pencil, and quickly scraped my hair back with one of the elastics kept permanently around my wrist. I avoided making eye contact and raced to hang up my coat and tie my apron. Two of the things I was in need of most at the moment. I'd never been late for a shift before, and more often than not, I was the last to leave. I wasn't surprised that Mike didn't seem mad. I thought I could handle it, but after waking up at my desk half an hour ago, I knew I was wrong. For the last few weeks, I'd been pulling extra shifts at the cafe, and then studying when I got home. "Mornin', Em." Mike, the owner, smiled as he turned the bacon over in the pan. I was barely scraping together enough money for rent and food, let alone having to worry about gloves and a winter coat. I had no idea what I was going to do when winter really set in. By the time I opened the back door to Daisy's Cafe, my teeth were chattering and my fingers were stiff with what I was sure was the onset of frostbite. My thin summer shoes offered nearly no protection against the bitter bite of the frosty morning. The early morning commuters trying to make it into the office were oblivious to my plight as I dodged in and out of people. Oh, my God, I am so late! I ran down the street, my heart pounding.
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