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Rita, clearly furious, crosses her arms and shakes her head. “Well, he finally did it,” she says bitterly. “Steve has been trying to run this place into the ground ever since I started working here, and now he’s done it.”
Carl, one of the cooks, looks worried. “So what does that mean? Do we go home without getting paid?”
Paul, another cook, chimes in. “That’s right! It’s payday.”
Like everyone else, I feel a wave of panic. Although I haven’t relied on a paycheck from Calypso for a while, thanks to my podcast gig, the thought of this place closing down hits hard. All of my friends are here; my social life revolves around this café. It’s a third home to me, after my apartment and my parents’ house.
Just then, Sarah’s face changes as she hears a response on the phone. “Jeremy, there’s a huge chain on every door,” she says, her voice filled with a sigh of relief.
Sarah listens intently to Jeremy on the phone, her expression fluctuating between surprise and concern as he speaks. “Uh-huh,” she repeats several times, her eyebrows darting up and down, mirroring the gravity of the conversation.
Suddenly, Jeremy says something that halts her midsentence, and all of us watch her closely, hanging on the silent communication. She nods slowly as if accepting and processing his words.
“The code is all eight digits of Steve’s birthday and 3458,” she finally responds. “Thank you so much, Jeremy. I’m sorry this happened too. I’ll let everyone know.”
She ends the call and turns to face us, ready to share the news. We are all anxious to hear what Jeremy has said about the situation.
Chapter 17
The End of An Era
Gina
We left the Calypso feeling slightly lighter, buoyed by Jeremy’s assurances. He had promised that all employees would be paid by the end of the day. Just before Sarah called him, Jeremy had received a notification from the bank. Due to Steve’s lack of response, the bank took ownership of Calypso Café at 6 a.m. to mitigate the risk of default. Since payroll was managed by an external company and all of Steve’s accounts were either frozen or delinquent, Jeremy pledged to transfer sufficient funds to cover everyone’s paycheck and add a month’s severance.
“He’s such a good guy,” Sarah remarked, relief evident in her voice.
“And rich too,” Rita added, bringing comic relief to the tense morning.
With our plans abruptly cleared and stomachs growling, Rita, Sarah, and I decided to go to the Golden Spoon for breakfast. The sensation of having no immediate responsibilities was unusual for me. I was no longer in school, and my only actual job, the podcast, hardly felt like one. Suddenly, I am starting to feel what it’s like to live a stress-free life. It has been so long since my schedule allowed me to spend quality time with friends.
The soft chorus of laughter sparked by Rita’s comment fades, and a reflective silence settles over us.
“I’m really going to miss you guys,” Rita says, her fingers tracing the wood grain of the table, her voice tinged with melancholy.
“Same,” Sarah agrees softly.
“Me too, a lot,” I echo, feeling the weight of the moment. “So, what are you guys going to do?”
Rita lets out a heavy sigh that sounds like a deflating balloon. “I don’t know. I guess I’ll find another job.”
Sarah begins to speak, hesitates, then sits up straighter, a spark of excitement lighting her eyes. She places a hand on her abdomen, and instantly, I understand the gesture. “Dan and I are pregnant,” she announces, her voice brimming with joy.
“Ah!” Rita exclaims, clapping her hands together. “Congratulations!”
The joyous news jolts me, and I feel a pang of something bittersweet, like a withering rose amidst a blossoming garden. I gather my spirits, forcing myself to echo Rita’s enthusiasm. “Yes, congratulations,” I say with a smile. It truly is thrilling for Sarah, especially knowing how deeply Dan loves her. “I’m truly happy for you,” I add sincerely, my heart swelling with joy for her despite my mixed emotions. I mean, it would be nice to announce news of my pregnancy. But that’s just not an option right now.
Sarah’s smile grows wider, and she seems to relax as she shares more about her life changes. “I think this is the universe working on my behalf, on all of our behalf really. Things were never going to end well as long as Steve owned the café. Working for him has been extremely nerve-wracking. He used the café like his own personal ATM, so I’m not shocked his practices finally caught up with him.”
“I didn’t know that,” I admit, surprised by the revelation.
“It was stressful, too stressful,” Sarah continues, shaking her head as if to physically cast off the burden. “Dan and I have been discussing taking over his parents’ apple orchard in Connecticut. I would run the business, and he would manage the mill.”
“That sounds fun,” I reply, feeling a twinge of sadness at the thought of not seeing Sarah as often.
“I’ll miss you, though,” Rita adds, her voice tinged with sadness. “But gosh, you’re pregnant?” Rita asks, squeezing Sarah’s arm affectionately. “How far along are you?”
“Two and a half months,” she happily announces.
