Chapter 11: Turning Tide

Lily woke to the sound of her phone ringing beside her bed, a soft, persistent buzz that broke the calm of the early morning. The clock on her nightstand read 7:00 AM. It felt as though she'd just closed her eyes after tossing and turning for hours, the weight of her decision hanging like an anchor around her heart. She had made it—had quit the nursing program, finally acknowledging that it wasn't for her. But it had cost her, and she had yet to figure out how to piece together her life in the aftermath.

With a sigh, she reached for the phone, her fingers brushing against the cold screen. It was an unknown number.

"Hello?" she mumbled, her voice hoarse from sleep.

"Lily? Hi, this is Jenna from the Velvet Bean Coffee Shop. I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time."

Lily blinked a few times, trying to clear the fog from her mind. Jenna? Velvet Bean? She had almost forgotten about the application she'd submitted a few days ago. She had needed something—a change, a break from the chaos that had been nursing school, a chance to breathe. And the Velvet Bean, a cozy little coffee shop just down the street from her apartment, seemed like the perfect place. But she hadn't expected to hear from them so soon.

"Oh, hi!" she said, sitting up, her voice waking up along with her body. "No, it's a great time. How are you?"

"I'm doing well, thanks for asking!" Jenna's tone was warm, friendly, and made Lily feel a little more at ease. "So, I'm calling to let you know that we'd love to offer you a position here at the shop. Your resume stood out, and we'd be thrilled to have you on board if you're still interested."

Lily's heart gave a little leap. She had been so unsure of everything lately, but this moment, this opportunity, felt like a ray of sunlight after days of rain. The idea of working at the Velvet Bean had always felt like a simple, calming alternative to the intense, high-pressure world of nursing. And now, it seemed within her grasp.

"Yes!" Lily almost shouted, too excited to hold it in. She quickly cleared her throat, embarrassed. "Sorry, yes, I'd love to work there. Thank you so much for calling. I'm still very interested."

Jenna laughed lightly on the other end of the line. "Great to hear! We're looking for someone who can start as soon as possible. How soon can you come in for training? We usually do a couple of shifts for orientation, and then you'll be up and running."

Lily took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the decision she'd made a few days ago. It was happening. The new life, the fresh start she had longed for, was beginning to take shape. She had quit the nursing program because she could no longer live up to the expectations of others—her professors, her classmates, her parents. Their dreams for her had never been hers. She had been suffocating under the pressure, trying to conform to a path that didn't align with who she truly was.

And now, here was an opportunity to make something her own.

"How about tomorrow?" Lily asked, her voice steady now, a sense of purpose behind it.

"Tomorrow works!" Jenna said, and Lily could almost hear the smile in her voice. "Come by at 10 AM, and we'll get you all set up. I'll have your schedule ready."

"Thank you so much again," Lily said, feeling a rush of gratitude. "I'll be there at 10."

After hanging up, Lily sat on the edge of her bed for a moment, staring at the phone in her hands. The decision to leave nursing school had been one of the hardest things she'd ever done. She had been on track to become a registered nurse, just like her mother, who had always dreamed of her daughter following in her footsteps. But every lecture, every clinical rotation, every moment spent in a sterile hospital room had felt more and more like a prison sentence. She had felt like a fraud, pretending to care about things she didn't care about, smiling through the suffocating weight of expectations.

Now, here she was, on the other side of it, her heart lighter than it had been in months.

She stood up, pacing the room as a rush of thoughts and emotions washed over her. She was terrified, yes, but she was also relieved. The road ahead wasn't clear, but for the first time in a long time, Lily felt like she was heading in the right direction.

The Velvet Bean Coffee Shop wasn't much to look at from the outside—just a small, brick building with mismatched chairs scattered along the sidewalk and a colorful awning that flapped lazily in the breeze. But to Lily, it was perfect. The moment she stepped inside, the smell of freshly ground coffee and baked pastries wrapped around her like a warm blanket. The place was cozy, inviting, with old wooden tables and mismatched cups that felt like they had stories to tell.

Jenna, the manager, greeted Lily with a bright smile as she entered. She was a little shorter than Lily, with short-cropped hair and an easy-going air that immediately made Lily feel at ease.

"Hey, Lily! Glad you could make it!" Jenna said, leading her to the back counter. "So, we'll get started with some basics today. Let's start with a little training on the register and making a few drinks."

Lily nodded, trying not to look like she was overwhelmed. It was strange, but in the best way possible. Here she was, at the start of something new, in a job that wasn't about living up to anyone's expectations—just about learning, growing, and maybe, just maybe, finding a bit of herself along the way.

The first few hours were a blur of coffee beans, milk frothing, and the rhythmic tap of the register. The Velvet Bean had a loyal crowd, and Lily quickly learned that the regulars were all about the atmosphere just as much as they were about the coffee. The conversations flowed easily, casual, like the warm drinks they ordered. There were no sterile white walls here, no pressure to know exactly what to do at every moment. The work felt grounding, creative, a world where she could finally exhale.

During a break, Lily sat at one of the small tables in the back, her hands wrapped around a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Jenna had gone over a lot of the basic barista duties already, and now Lily had a moment to reflect on the newness of it all. She hadn't expected this kind of peace. She had expected to feel uncertain, maybe even regretful, but instead, she felt something more like hope.

"I think you're going to be great here," Jenna said as she slid into the seat across from Lily, her tone casual but sincere. "You've got a good vibe about you. People will love you."

Lily smiled, the words settling in her chest like a soft reassurance. "Thanks. I really needed this."

The rest of the shift passed in a blur of espresso shots, steamed milk, and the sound of customers chatting and laughing. As the clock ticked toward closing time, Lily felt something she hadn't felt in a long time: contentment. It was the kind of feeling that crept up on you slowly, like the warmth of a morning sun after a long, cold night.

After they closed up the shop, Jenna invited Lily to join her for a quick drink at a nearby bar. It was an unexpected gesture, but Lily appreciated it. She needed something simple, something that didn't involve grand plans or heavy expectations.

They sat down with their drinks at a small table in the corner. Jenna was animated, talking about the coffee shop's history and the quirky regulars who kept the place running. Lily listened, feeling a sense of belonging she hadn't known she was missing.

"So, what made you leave nursing school?" Jenna asked after a moment, her voice curious but not probing.

Lily took a deep breath, swirling the ice in her glass. "It wasn't right for me. It's hard to explain, but… I just couldn't see myself doing it anymore. I was always trying to be who everyone wanted me to be, not who I really am."

Jenna nodded, her expression understanding. "I get it. I think a lot of people go through that. You'll figure it out. You don't have to have everything figured out right now."

Lily smiled, feeling a sense of relief that she hadn't expected to feel. Maybe this wasn't the final chapter in her story, but for the first time in a long time, it felt like she was on the right path.

As the evening wore on, Lily found herself laughing with Jenna, feeling lighter with each passing moment. She was no longer weighed down by the expectations of others. She had stepped into a new chapter, one where she could finally breathe.

And for the first time in months, Lily felt like she was exactly where she needed to be.

That night, as she lay in bed, her mind swirled with thoughts of the future. The road ahead was still uncertain, but she no longer feared it. In fact, for the first time in a long time, she felt excited by the possibilities. She didn't need to have everything figured out. She didn't need to live up to anyone's expectations but her own.

The turning tide had come, and Lily was ready to ride the wave.