Page 4 of Dance for Me

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Vanessa moved to the front of the cashier. Not only did the baristas know her order by heart, but their coffee was to die for.

“Same thing V?” The young girl, who looked to be only eighteen, asked.

“You know it. Thanks.” She threw a friendly smile to her and then stood off to the side waiting for her favorite form of caffeine to be served.

The café was always so warm and inviting. She had spent many weekend mornings there, indulging in her favorite book or working on designs.

She enjoyed the aroma from the coffee beans that filled the air.

As soon as she took her readied order, she moved to the back of the café. The table where she always sat. It was perfect for working because the sunlight was always in the right spot so it didn’t blind her.

She took a sip and practically moaned from how it warmed her stomach. How did they get a café mocha to taste like a delicious chocolate bar? Talent, it took pure talent. Although, recently she had more reason for it tasting a bit more bitter than normal.

She bit down on her bottom lip as she typed on her keyboard. She decided to update her resume again for the third time. Maybe if she made it more attention grabbing, it wouldn’t have been two weeks before she got a call. However, the one and only interview she had was a bust. It was one of those, thanks for coming in, but we’ll call you, interviews.

She even came up with a special evening gown line for women that she showed them. They said it looked like something from the royal tea party. Maybe she could have toned it down on the so called frilliness.

She liked the frilliness though. Heck, women craved girly.

But it had been six days and she still hadn’t heard from them. Yeah, bust.

She read the draft of her resume and literally, the only job experience she had with fashion was with Matilda. She was sure that most of them probably swept her under the rug. Buried, total afterthought.

She looked down at her vibrating cell phone on the table and rolled her eyes when it read, Mom calling. Okay, so she decided to email her mom this morning informing her that not only was she fired, but she was fired over two weeks ago. Reason being? She honestly disliked her mother. It was sad, yes, but it was with good reason. It wasn’t like she ever got to experience the mother-daughter relationship that she wanted. In fact, she remembered asking her mother to take her dress shopping for prom, she refused.

Being so excited that the star of the football team had actually asked her, she couldn’t even go. She would have had to settle for a Sunday church dress hanging in her closet. So, needless to say she missed her senior prom and her football crush took someone else.

With a heavy groan, Vanessa swiped the screen to answer, even though hitting ignore was more tempting. Her finger idled over the end button but she didn’t have it in her.

“Hello Mother,” Vanessa said coldly.

“Hello Mother? I’m so glad my daughter decided to inform me of her getting fired through a damn email!” Always so dramatic, she thought. She honestly should be grateful that she told her at all.

Vanessa held back the urge to laugh. Although, she had to admit, probably not the best idea she ever had. But she figured her mother never checked her emails, so it would buy her some more time. Two weeks just wasn’t long enough to prepare for the lecture she knew she would get. Not from her mother, who was an overbearing woman as it was.

“Yeah I know. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right away that I got fired, but I just…”

In a more calming voice, her mother cut in. “Does this mean you’re finally going to move back home and forget about that ridiculous life in that stupid city? You’re living in a fantasy world Vanessa.”

Of course, her mother wanted her to move back. Probably so she could tell Vanessa I told you so. But she never wanted to move back home. This was her home now and she would do whatever it took to keep it that way. A life in a small town just didn’t appeal to her anymore. She liked being able to leave her apartment and walk anywhere she desired that wasn’t unreasonably far. The hustle and bustle of the foot traffic every morning. The corner hot dog stands which were the best food stops, in her opinion. No one was able to cook a hot dog like Jerry at the corner of her block.

“Mom, I’m hanging up now…”

“Vanessa, wait!” Her mother said with urgency.

Vanessa tugged at her hair in irritation before sighing into the phone, giving no indication that she was trying to hide it. She didn’t care if her mother heard it or not. “What Mom?”

“Just think about it, okay?”

She never understood why her parents were so unsupportive of her. Sure, packing up to live in an expensive city was a risk, but it was her choice and her choice alone.

They told her once that her dreams were silly and childish. Never something a daughter wants to hear from her parents. They wanted her to become a big-time doctor. However, Vanessa couldn’t be more turned off by that career path. Not only did it not interest her, but ever since she was five, she would get dizzy at the sight of blood.

Her first cut on her knee, she ended up flat on her face because she saw the red liquid dripping down her shin. Ever since, no can do.

Also, she was almost positive they thought all she was doing in the city was going out and blowing her pay check on alcohol. Which, clearly wasn’t the case. She drank her wine at home. So there.

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