outside looking in

Finally, Kayla decided she'd start working Saturdays when she could, down at Oliver's. They'd had a tiff early on about the name of the shop. He kept insisting that it should be OLIVER & KAYLA'S. But she wouldn't hear of it. It was after all ...all his. She wanted people to remember him. Not something complicated. Of course, he'd said it was hardly complicated to remember the two of them instead of just him.

The establishment was a lot like an unwanted child. She didn't want to be a part of it.

"I'm not that good with people." She'd told him when he first opened the place, but as time went on, she knew he needed her. So she mainly ran the cash register. She'd learned, over the past few weeks not to say a lot. Like explaining the food or hours of operation, unless put on the spot about it. It was best to be a little perky, glad that customers were here. Of course, it was Oliver that most came for. Especially, old ladies and teenage girls who swooned to listen to him speak. As it was, even Jules had a fan club.

Naturally, neither Oliver nor Jules would confess that might be. "You're such a laugh, babe." Oliver would get kind of giddy at the thought that someone might come to this place just to want to know him. Yet, Kayla was coming around. She knew she had to be here if she wanted to be with Oliver. She supposed she'd have to share a little bit of him. Really, she was falling in love with the shop. Yet, she couldn't give up her day job. He understood. It made her want him all the more.

Suddenly, one day, it occurred to her as she was ringing someone up... This was home. This was exactly where she wanted to be.