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 Posted: Sun May 03, 2015 10:40 pm
Her instinct was to say no. Her pride said she couldn't just accept a free job from Orah that she hadn't earned, that she wasn't qualified for . . . that it wouldn't be fair or honorable. But she hesitated. Laney wasn't in a position to protect her dignity, she supposed. She was already leaning on the Kavanaughs' hospitality for her room and board and clothes -- for everything, really. She'd already resigned herself to living off of what she hadn't earned. At least . . . at least if she took a job with Orah's family, there was a light at the end of that tunnel. From there, maybe she could get a job on her own. Buy clothes. Move off of Kent and Tara's couch so Tara could get back to focusing on herself. "Okay," Laney nodded weepily into Orah's shoulder. "Okay. Thank you." She sniffled, trying to wind down her tears. "What would I need to do?"
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Posted: Mon May 04, 2015 12:34 pm
Acceptance eased Orah's tension and her shoulders lowered as she relaxed. Good... This part she could help with.
Pulling back, she gathered the things off Laney's lap and set them neatly on the table out of the way. Next, she eased her friend upright with hands on her shoulders and reached to tug her own chair closer with the scrape of metal on concrete. As she settled into it, she shifted her grip to her hands, gently tangling their fingers in a way that was more selfish than to comfort. It felt nice to hold her hand like this...
"Well, first we need to talk to my Da. He's the one that needs to yay or nay you. After that, He and Matthew will show you how the shop runs and what you'll need to do. I'd like to, but... I feel like they should be the ones to do it. I can't... Hold their hands forever. The shop isn't my responsibility any more." She explained, hoping shifting the conversation to something constructive might help. She reached for the coffee and tucked Laney's into her hands, settling her own over the tops for support. It was something warm to hold, even if she didn't drink it. "As for as what you'd actually do for work, I can give you a pretty good idea of that. It's pretty much like any store... Products get delivered and need stored. The shop needs to be stocked and opened daily. Customers come in and need help finding things and then have their purchases rung up. There is dusting and sweeping to do, restocking shelves. You'll need to answer the phone and take orders, then deliver them to the customer when they arrive. Da will do most of the paperwork and things, and Matthew can help with heavy lifting. At the end of the day you close up and lock the doors and count the money in the till. I used to make arrangements to sell and do home deliveries, but Matthew can drive now so you probably won't need to do that."
Orah squeezed Laney's hands gently. "It's very much a real job and it'll be real work. All I can do is get your foot in the door."
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Posted: Mon May 04, 2015 7:28 pm
Laney nodded mutely, letting Orah anchor her. It felt better to have her there, holding Laney's hand both figuratively and literally -- someone who could guide her through to the next step. Someone who wasn't going anywhere this time. It felt safe. She wasn't just being comforted, she was being helped. It was hard to need help. But it was good to have it when you did. The job sounded like a lot to take in. She was worried she wouldn't be equal to it -- none of the tasks sounded insurmountable, but to do so many of them, and for hours at a time . . . Laney had never tried it before. Not even in her memories of the future, she'd never -- never had the chance. And now she didn't know if she'd be any good at it. "What are you going to tell them?" she asked, sniffling. "About me, or . . . about . . . "
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Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 8:31 pm
Thumbs ran across Laney's knuckles and Orah watched the emotions move across her friends face. She looked so overwhelmed... but it wasn't surprising, was it? Leaving home so abruptly, having nothing... it was a lot to deal with all at once. A mountain so tall and so steep the path that wound up its sides was nearly impossible to see. But it was there... and the mountain was surmountable.
"Its up to you, what you'd like me to say. I have a hard time being anything but honest... but if there are things you'd rather I not mention, I won't." She said as she shrugged gently, giving her hands a squeeze. "You're a good friend, you need some help, and I trust you. You don't have much, but luckily, my Da gets to make up his own rules in his own shop if he wants to. If all you wan't me to say is you need a job, then that's all I'll say."
Art wouldn't look down on her, for lacking things or not having much. Orah liked to think she took after him, that she got her warmth from him. Laney would get to find out, when she met him.
"We'll just take it one step at a time. There's no rush, right? Only as fast as you feel comfortable going." Were there tissues in her bag? Hmm... Reaching, the brunette dug a few napkins out of the holder on the table and offered them out. They weren't particularly soft, but Orah has light in the tissue department and heavier in the sterile gauze.
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2015 1:37 pm
Laney nodded. "Um . . . " She considered it. What was the best thing to say? She didn't just have to get the job, she had to keep it -- that meant being around Orah's father and her brother long-term. At some point they might take an interest in her family if she said the wrong thing, or think it would be helpful to interfere . . . "Just -- don't mention that I ran away from home, alright?" she asked. "Just say . . . just say my parents are out of the picture suddenly and I need some help landing on my feet. You can say I was in the hospital for a long time and I had some trouble transitioning into the working world after that." Did Orah actually know Laney had once been in a coma for a year? Had Laney mentioned that at any point, now or in the future? She wasn't sure. "But make sure he knows I don't have any physical restrictions, okay? I can lift boxes and things, I -- I'm healthy, it's just. I wasn't." Laney sniffled, swabbing at her face with the little napkins.
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2015 9:48 pm
Needing help starting out... no work experience because she had spent her earlier years in the hospital...
"You've had a bit of a rough patch, huh?" Orah said gently, rubbing the hand that still held her cup. "Its okay. If you say you're fit, then there's no reason to think otherwise. It'll be fine. Da will be happy to have your help. Now, Matthew... He can be a bit of a pain sometimes. Little brothers are like that, but he's a good kid under it all."
The young woman settled back, leaning against the table. One hand on Laney's, she offered a small, warm smile as she watched her friend slowly recover.
"If you come by tomorrow, I can introduce you to my dad and maybe he can show you a bit of the shop to get you started. You'll probably work with him or Matthew for a while, until you get used to things."
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2015 8:11 am
Laney laughed weakly. It seemed so unusual to hear Orah say something negative -- she usually turned her negativity on herself. "I've never had a little brother," she said, still trying to manage the flow of snot with napkins and sniffling. "But I guess I can borrow yours, and find out for myself." She took her hand away, trying to look like she was pulling herself together, and made a self-conscious attempt to refold the clothes Orah had given her. "I -- I do really like flowers," she yammered shyly. "Orah . . . thank you for this. I can't say how grateful I am."
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2015 11:22 am
Laney's comment pulled a laugh from her and as she pulled her hand back, Orah let her go and retreated to fold her own in her lap. Things felt better now. A little easier. Like a dark cloud had lifted, at least a bit. It was nice to be able to do something for Laney, even something as roundabout as talking to her Da about hiring her.
"You're welcome, Laney." She said as she dropped her eyes to her lap, her fingers fiddling as she smiled softly. "I'm really glad I can help. I'd do just about anything for you, all you have to do tell me."
I might even let you go, if you ask me to. I hope it won't come to that this time. I'm not strong enough.
"Um..." Orah shifted as she looked up and smiled. "If you have something you planned to do today, you don't have to stay on my account. I'm done for the day, but I don't want to keep you from anything unless you really did want to help me study."
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2015 4:17 pm
She was unemployed, not in school, it was a Sunday, and it was her birthday. What did Laney ever have to do? She'd have fun stuff with Tara later, but that didn't fill up twenty-four hours. She shook her head and smiled. "It's my birthday. I want to see you. Plus," Laney said, already scooching her chair around the side of the table to join Orah in facing the book, "I promise I'm actually really good at this one thing. Let me help you." Laney reached down under the table to link her fingers with Orah's, pulling her friend's hand comfortably into her lap, then reached over with her other hand to point at the book. "So, show me which parts you need to memorize."
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