The CEO's Jade

ou sleep well last night?" I gr

a 65 year-old

cause she of

couldn't sleep

hattan, New York, where I got my family's brea

Friday as

derstaffed, so I

e waitressing, c

leaning the pla

in, since Mrs.

y, not so well,

decent meal ever

bi

did. The pain rel

rked," she smile

hat did the doc

y worn-out leat

ide a closet, an

took off my eye

le

migraine, not

hat finally she

times to seek m

. She had a phob

s, syringes, a

traumatic exp

a

ad a normal deli

appy for them, af

ly have a baby. It

me so excited

ri

way, he can't re

l in fo

mean doing two

e.

em about that M

ed at her assur

loral vintage dr

e dress and I

ed to my grandmo

dresses in

eight o'clock,

open. I wondere

nne and Kurt ha

e waitress, wh

ood. Kurt cleane

nd the

d out that Suzan

ht them making

y forgot to l

't tell Mrs. Cha

eak your bones.

isted my arm b

ell on my cheek

ing

ise. Let me go,

y he let g

that." His eye

ang

, it was so so

ned

monkey. You're

ed and pushed

hro

bullied me, call

t. I pretended

I just avoided

my job so bad

besides Mrs. C

loy

n the kitchen. J

d h

." I put on a bl

st customer. I we

rned on, the e

well as the c

prepare coffee

st a year that I'

, he taught me

techniques for

I learned the b

e and embraced

heart

the bar counter

inside. Two m

glasses entered

e of the movie,

tall, black-clad

t. He was younge

at the front do

. He stood there

a beautifully p

nd stopped wor

omething about

He looked va

r, a model, or a

ports, because

siq

hid his eyes. It

his eyes were f

t he was not lo

with a command

e looked very

mely

ing to the oth

he room. They to

ter of

and the order sl

them to tak

hat's your order

men and smiled

or 'customer nu

er

Can we have a

te?" The older

d smiled at me.

mid-f

trembling when

know why, perhap

ppearance. He l

His face was

of his chin sug

lips were fir

dgy and nervous

m to notice me.

hone. I couldn't

s so deep, with

ro

g else, sir?" My

n to a

ss," the older

e, a sign o

ffee within five

man again. He

sure l'd seen hi

f his dark glass

gure out where I

he drank his c

ssO w

rs came in. I

ers and prepared

glancing at the

e room, from tim

em and focus

I saw two girls

re giggling flirt

an looked at

made the faces

y said something

immediately went

ny faces. Wel

hout asking for

ey earlier occup

bill under th

ollar bill?l coul

n! They left too

ff

orning, Suza

lled in that they

ang in the coffe

place on the ca

ob. I tried to se

y would stop co

low s

home, I mopped

athroom. I was

have a

ight-thirty when

bus to the Sout

a small one-be

s seated on the

rabbed near the

a power nap u

I got a very bi

n left a hundre

r co

too much." M

narrowed

believe it. I to

e tip, but she sa

ne

she's so

et. I'm lucky t

ook my wig off

t held my hair

instantly cas

a hairbrush an

it s

Hannah?" I a

. Mom worked as

a yea

y adorable, but

can handle her

t. She had a mi

arted six mont

physician not

ivi

itting. I don't

sking your healt

work during wee

ey. We ca

too hard for u

eing a burd

't say that agai

f you and Sapphi

hugged my mom,

e

e Four lung canc

at that time. H

sbestos manufa

he died was th

We fought for his

d our cottage, ju

. It was like a

eteriorate. He

God-fearing, joll

very loving hus

couldn't help bu

people passed a

ir

e finally lost

were so depend

him and solel

ncia

My sister Sapp

e shrieked with

g. She thought

ned a

We just want to

smiled at my f

owing my b

ht something

e, I have n

t is

ng with Josep

sep

one and o

ha

our Facebook ac

have any social

e asked for you

give it

t to give your n

gh

ig

his number. He a

me. He'll

a sigh.

ears since I last

commun

e him anymore.

d to know. I'm d

The old Jade wa

ri

ld grief ripp