Chapter 2

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Ten Days Later

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Maddy's POV

Today will make it ten days since I last saw my mysterious crush, I wondered why he hasn't returned since,that day if he was really a regular customer like Jane-Anne said. I wanted to ask her why we haven't seen Him again,but I know she'll become suspicious and start teasing me with him.

I sold for the customers who came by to get ice cream,while Jane-Anne sold for those that wanted Coffee. I was cleaning the coffee machine by the counter,when I heard a man say

"I want a mint chocolate Ice-cream.. Is it available "

I froze,the only person that ever ordered mint chocolate flavor was Him,could that be him.. Aw,I felt so happy... At least I' finally get to see him again after the long wait. I raised my head with a smile on my face,but my smile died when I saw the man. He was a man in his fifties,I frowned inside my heart. They had same voice ? I asked myself. I got my hopes up for nothing again. I served him his order,and I watched him leave intently,my eyes dead cold as I watched him leave. A hand waved before my face,it was Jane-Anne.

Jane-Anne: Hello ooooo??

I turned to face her,and faked a smile

Jane-Anne: Why were you looking at that man like that? You know him?

Maddy: No? And how was i looking at him

Jane-Anne: Like you wanted to murder him with your eyes

Maddy: Nonsense! ( I sat down) I was just lost in thoughts..

Jane-Anne: Mmm (sits close to me) Are you alright Maddy?

I sighed, and thought I should use this opportunity to ask her about all our regular customers and the time of the week they usually come to the shop. This was a scheme to make her tell me about Him without her getting suspicious of me. I smiled to myself,and wore a sad face on

Maddy: Business is really slow these days,we barely make any profit at the end of the day.

Jane-Anne: (Sighs) I know right.. A business like this should be at the heart of the city,not the other way round.

Maddy: Yeah

We were quiet for some minutes then I broke the silence

Maddy: You said we have regular constumers right? Are they even still coming here...??

I dropped the question,and I know she is going to give me the answer I need without me stressing much.

Jane-Anne: Yes they are.. We have just few regular constumers who really like our ice-cream,and they come once or twice a week. There's Mrs Smith who buys her kids Ice-cream every weekend,there's Mr Purvis who comes here every Friday evening.. and There's that high school kid,Max. That's all....."

I noticed she didn't call add Him to the list,or was he the supposed Mr Purvis? I asked myself. I doubt that

Maddy: You didn't include the guy that likes Mint chocolate? You told me he was a regular customer ..

She suddenly remembered

Jane-Anne: Oh yes! That's right.. Him too (frowned) It's been a while a saw him. He hasn't been back here again since then..

Maddy: Yeah I just noticed

Jane-Anne: I wonder why... hold up( faced me with her brown eyes) You caused it

I tried to drop my gaze,and stammered

Maddy:"Wh...a...t...What?"

Jane-Anne: I guess he got upset because of the way you treated him the last time he was here..

This wasn't how I planned it to be,what is going on,I asked her confused

Maddy: What do you mean the way I treated him? How did i.....

Jane-Anne: (cuts in rapidly) You treated him like you just saw a ghost,I mean you just stood there looking at him,like he was stupid. I guess he felt uncomfortable,and decided not to come back here again.. You drove him away

Maddy: What? Really? How can you say all these? I was literally the one who rem ....

I tried to explain myself but she won't let me speak

Jane-Anne: (shakes her head,and hushin me to be quiet) I won't hear any more of it .. Here's what you're going to do....

I was confused,I wondered what she was about to say

Jane-Anne: Whenever,or if at all he ever comes back, you're going to walk up to him and apologize to him until he forgives you....

Maddy: (looked at her sharply)WHAT????

Jane-Anne: That is your punishment!

This wasn't how I expected the whole thing to turn out,what is going on. I can't apologize to him,I'd shit myself if I were too close to him. I can't do it!

Maddy: No Jane-Anne,I can't... I cannot do that. It isn't my fault,maybe he's just been busy... He looked like a guy who works in an office sooo.....

Jane-Anne: Maddy .. Maddy You're going to apologize to him when he comes or consider your job here,done . (She stood up and left me by the counter,upset)

I felt weak in my knees,too dumbstruck to argue with her.. my job was on the line!

Yes, Jane-Anne is my friend and my colleague,but she was also the owner of The Ice-cream Shop. I am just a broke person who assists her,and she pays me at the end of the month. I need the money, and I like working with her too. I save the money i earn from the shop to cover some of my daily and college expenses.Even though she's my boss,she treats me like her friend,and accommodates me with warmness,unlike some other Employers.

The Shop was just a street from my house,and I walk down here everyday. Not many people live in the area,just a few who are also broke and can't afford life in the city.

I've known Jane-Anne for almost a year now,we became friends at college. She had come up to me one day in school,and told me she stayed in the same town,and area as me back at home. We started talking,and took some classes together as well. We became really close after some months.

When we came back home on holidays, I told her I was looking for a job,and she offered to take me in. I accepted immediately,and we started working together since then. When the holidays were over,we went back to school,and we let someone else she trusts to run the shop. It's summer holiday,and we were back home,back to working together.

Even though we were really close,Jane-Anne doesn't mix her personal life with business. She is strict when It comes to business sometimes,and won't accept it when you disobey her. She can just get you fired. I know she can do that to me too

I exhaled heavily,and grumbled to myself.

Maddy: (in my head) He had better not come back here again.

A customer came to me,and told me he wanted a strawberry flavor Ice-cream. I sold for her and she left.

I ran my eyes through the shop in search for Jane-Anne. I saw her dusting dirts from a couch at the corner of the shop. I had better talk to her,because I can't do what she' asks of me,not even asks,what she ordered me to do. I still can't believe She issued me an ultimatum. I walked to where she was. She sang with her nose as she cleaned. She knew i was standing before her,but she didn't say anything to me

Maddy: Jane.... I know i made him upset that day,and I'm sorry for it,but ...

Jane-Anne: (cuts in, and held my shoulders with both her hands,looking at me smiling,she completed my sentence with her own words).... but I have made a very wise decision,that you' were right and I was wrong.. And I will apologize to him whenever he comes. (taps my shoulders and sighed) There!

Maddy: What?.. no ..no that wasn't what I wanted to say.. No no

Jane-Anne: Yes yes

Maddy: No no

Jane-Anne: Yes yes (She turned it into music)

Maddy: No no

Jane-Anne: 🎵 Yes Yes,and that is final. 🎵

She took her hands off my shoulders,and left me standing there,looking like an idiot.

It was no use trying to plead with her anymore,she's made herself pretty clear. I have no choice than to do it. I frowned,and exhaled heavily.. going back to the counter disappointed.