Chapter 6 A New Beginning

Early the next morning, I was woken up by Tabby just as the sun was bleeding into the sky, peeking through the gap between the two curtains.

"Wake up. I've made breakfast," she said, bursting through the door without knocking. She left the door open as she pulled away and slowly walked down the hall towards the stairs.

I took a few more seconds for myself, lying there under the covers, afraid to lose the warmth it provided if I slid out of bed too quickly.

I wanted to close my eyes and return to the restless sleep I was having, somehow wanting to see him one more time before I left the comfort of the bedroom, but I knew it was best to leave the bed and get up. Besides, Tabby was already calling the name she gave me over and over again to come eat breakfast.

So, I slid out of bed, straightened the covers real quick and slid myself into the borrowed pink flip-flops, and used the bathroom, before I left the room, my room.

Tabby was sitting at the small, round dining table in her open kitchen, impatiently waiting for me to sit down.

She had set the table on the opposite side, so I would be facing her rather than sitting perpendicular to her. I didn't mind.

The second I sat down, Tabby joined her hands and started praying. I stared at her for a few seconds, taking her in as she prayed over her food.

I glanced at her joined hands and mirrored them before closing my eyes just like her and bowing my head down a bit.

I didn't know what to pray for or what to say. So I stayed in that position until I heard her mutter, "Amen."

I opened my right eye and peeked at her to make sure that she was done before I picked up the fork to eat my breakfast.

The breakfast was filled with silence. Tabby didn't look like she was sharing her breakfast with a complete stranger whose name she didn't even know, which was, kind of brave of her to do.

"When was the last time you had a check-up?" She asked as she was clearing the table, shortly after she had refused my offer to help her with the dishes.

"You'll work at the Café," was what she said to me as she took the dishes out of my hands. For a woman her age, she's quite strong.

"I haven't had one yet. I only recently found out," I replied, following her smooth movements around the kitchen as she gathered the dishes she used to prepare the breakfast and piled them in the sink.

"Well... you'll need to have a check-up before you start working at the Café. I won't have you working without knowing that you are healthy enough," she commented.

Once she finished doing the dishes, she gestured for me to follow after her. She led me back up the stairs and told me to wait outside of her bedroom. It took her a few minutes to return with wide, blue palazzo pants that would almost be mistaken for a dress from afar, and a purple hooded front zip sweatshirt.

"Wash up and get dressed. I'll wait for you downstairs," she commented before she returned to her room and closed the door behind her.

I did just as she told me, having been an expert at following every single order I was given.

Showered and dressed, I went down to the living room and found her sitting in her chair, looking at the picture frame with a far away look in her eyes.

"Tabby?" I called out, successfully grabbing her attention.

She glanced at me before she nodded her head.

"Took you long enough," she commented as she pushed herself to her feet with a soft groan, wobbling towards the table next to grab her purse.

"Come. Let's go." She commented as she walked past me. Once we were out the door, she locked it with the key attached to a long piece of string before tying it around her neck.

She turned and saw that I was staring at her.

"What?" She said, almost sounding offended. "You get to my age, and you will have problems remembering certain things as well." She commented, tucking the key under her scarf.

"There is a clinic near the Café. We'll go there first." She announced.

Tabby had mentioned that her café was fairly close to her home before we even came to this town.

So, for the next few minutes, we walked in silence towards the clinic, one that was small and quiet.

Tabby was friendly with everyone working there, referring to them by name, and mentioning small, random facts about them that made them smile and carry out conversations. I could tell that she's the nice old lady of the town.

It didn't take long for my check-up, as there was no one needing a check-up that early during the day. That was what Tabby said.

In a few minutes, I found out that I was eight weeks along, and needed to take care of myself and eat well. I was also given a sonogram that showed the tiniest being growing within me.

Tabby was mostly interested in that, looking down at it as we slowly made our way to her café.

"So precious." She cooed at the sonogram, and I wasn't so sure how I needed to feel about her reaction to the pregnancy, when all I was truly feeling was a pit in my stomach and the loss of... something.

Tabby only returned the sonogram to me when we reached her small Café.

"Here. Keep it safe." She commented as she handed me the sonogram, and I could tell that she wasn't only talking about the sonogram.

Tucking the sonogram into the pocket of the hooded sweatshirt, I followed after her.

Her café was already open, a girl wearing a pink apron placing the chairs on their legs and wiping down the tables, and a guy behind the counter, placing breads and cakes behind the glassed shelf.

"Over here," Tabby called out, forcing my attention towards her. She led me to the back, where she handed me a pink apron.

"Here you go, Blue. You will be helping Mina and Mike out when they need the help, and they will also show you the menu along with anything else you would like to and need to know. Any questions?"

I shook my head, taking the pink apron from her outstretched hands.

"Thank you, Tabby." I whispered, not believing my luck.

Tabby had nothing to say to that, only nodding her head and walking past me to return to the front of her café.