Chapter 31

"Since we were getting a lot of customers and we've been baking a whole lot, it wasn't a huge loss."

"Thank goodness." Pace sighed relieved.

By the time it was two, they had already closed the café as they ran out of all the items. Halle had called the Grim Foods. They were waiting for the delivery and of course, the lock and keys.

"I cleared most of it and put them in trash bags. But I don't think throwing them outside would be a great idea."

Pace sighed. Halle noticed that she was completely done with her overthinking but didn't have the energy to complain.

"We'll throw it out tomorrow or the day after."

Pace nodded to that.

"Once he brings the keys, we have to be very careful not to lose it."

"I'm sorry about the last time."

"Don't be an idiot." Halle chided. "It wasn't your fault."

"I should be more cautious."

"I'll agree with that." Halle said. "Did you calculate how much we made this month?"

Pace shook her head. "Not yet."

"Then why don't we do it until he or the delivery fella arrives?"

Pace opened the system and started making calculations. Halle sat on the couch and thought of all the things they had to do for this week.

They heard a knock on the door. "Hey ladies!" they heard Arien say loudly. "What's up with locking the door?"

Halle unlocked the door and let him in. "Are you two that scared?"

"Not exactly," replied Halle.

"The customers have a problem with reading." Pace said without looking up from the system. "They come in and demand coffee. So Halle locked us inside."

Halle locked the door again.

"So we're stuck here until evening?" asked Arien as he sat on one of the chairs. "Can we go somewhere else?"

"I asked Pace to check the sales for this month." explained Halle. "And we're also waiting for the delivery of all the ingredients. Then we can go to Shizuka's place."

"Sure." Arien added as an afterthought. "Do you keep all the money locked here?"

"We take it out at the end of each month, until then it will be here."

"Did you check if those scums touched that?"

Halle's eyes widened.

*How did I not think about it?*

Pace immediately opened the draw and unlocked the box inside. "No, they didn't take it. But I think it's better for us to take it home at the end of the day."

Halle laughed.

Both of them eyed her.

"I'm sorry, but it is too ridiculous not to laugh."

"This isn't funny though." Pace said sarcastically.

*Of course, it isn't.*

Halle sat opposite to Arien in another chair. Pace worked quietly, Arien and Halle sat quietly waiting for the delivery to arrive. The phone rang jarring them all in the silence. Pace rummaged for it and took the call.

"Oh hey," Pace's face turned pale. "Oh no. Sure okay, I'll call you back."

"What happened?" asked Halle concerned. "Any problem?"

Pace shook her head and smiled sheepishly. "Actually, Justin asked me to come a little early now. He wants to give a surprise to his parents. They called him and said they're coming home today evening. So he wants me to go and clean the place and buy stuff for them."

Halle smiled. That was a nice thought. "Sure, Pace. That wouldn't be a problem."

"I'll complete this and go."

"No, it's okay." said Halle. "We'll see it tomorrow."

"Just a few minutes. I'll complete it." Pace looked up. "What about the delivery? When will it arrive?"

"Don't fret it." said Halle. "I'll call them. You don't have to wait to check them all. Show me where the list is and I'll check it when it comes . . . and I should call Shizuka too, to inform it might be late."

Halle called the delivery fella. She introduced herself. "When will it arrive?"

There was a short pause on the other line. "Didn't you cancel it?"