Chapter 11. The downside to killing two birds with one stone.

Mrs. Briggs relayed the day's order of supplies needed for the café to Lucas, who wrote every word on his notepad with shaking hands.

He couldn't imagine what his mother would do if he mixed up the supplies. Again. She would respond in two ways; outward anger consisting of yelling and expletives and silent anger. He feared the latter.

"Get Diego to go with you," she continued, "can't have you missing anything and risk you ruining my Saturday morning."

"Yes mamá," he sighed already dreading making a trip to the supermarket with his brother, "we'll be back soon."

Felicia Briggs, a mother to three boys bursting with health, leaned on against the countertop satisfied with the scene before her. Medium-sized round tables made of wood were arranged around the slightly large room. Two or three chairs around each of the tables.

They'd received only three customers so far but she was expecting more. It was only a little past seven in the morning and she was hoping to get the cakes done before noon.

Pride filled her veins when she remembered the day this place opened. The place had no more than three tables and six chairs and a handmade menu on a small black chalkboard which she had Matteo make.

She smoothened the rough apron with 'Big B's Café' printed in cursive writing on the front and observed the girl outside the store, peering into the store.

What interested Mrs. Briggs was her posture; lowered shoulders and frowning face and the wooden 'waitress needed' sign held in her left hand.

Adana knew the owner of the Café was already watching her but she felt uncertain. What if she couldn't do this and was too clumsy for handling the orders? Her mother had pounded the fact that girls like her couldn't do anything gracious but it was just serving customers. How hard could it be?

After her small pep talk, she puffed the small bun on her head and pushed the front door open causing a ring of the bell just above it.

Now standing in front of the woman, she noticed how exhausted she looked. Though a plum woman, she looked fit enough for anything with a small nose and doe-brown almond-shaped eyes.

"Good morning ma'am. I'm here for the waitress job?"

It came out as a question and Adana felt like kicking herself for her uncertainty.

"Ah, a youth of this age ready to work for some real money. Now that's what I like to see." The woman commented and straightened her back. "The apron's right behind the counter but I'd like it if you could wait a little for Diego and Lucas to give you a detailed tour of the Café and help you get off the right foot."

Adana blinked and blinked again. That was it. She got the job and all she had to do was ask. Her mind couldn't grasp the fact that she was going to earn some money. Real money.

Now normal teenage girls her age would already start planning on getting a new set of nail polish but no. She was planning on getting new clothes and probably a phone and still have some leftover money for savings.

Lost in her plans, she didn't notice the pair of boys talking to her new boss. They exchanged a few words and turned to her.

They exchanged glances before Diego tapped her shoulder and she started out of her thoughts, wide-eyed.

"Mamá over there told us you're the new waiter?"

She gave him a small nod while scanning the pair. The one talking to her looked similar to the other beside him. Both tall with fit physiques. Devilishly handsome with dark cropped hair and sharp greenish-blue eyes. That explained the now chaotic table of girls her age at the corner of the Café.

"So let's get started. Don't want mamá giving you the slipper treatment for messing up do we?"

Lucas joined him in chuckling. Huh. Must be some inside joke. She stood up noting how she seemed even shorter beside them. Two different pairs of dark eyes filled her mind. Those two were a little shorter than the boys in front of her. She scolded herself immediately for comparing these boys to the other contrasting pair and let herself be led through every door and room with detailed explanations of their functions.

After the 'tour', Adana felt she was ready. "What's your name again?"

Lucas who had been admiring the wild dark curls on her head spoke up. "I'm Lucas, one year older than this fucker over here."

Diego rolled his eyes and used his elbow to jab his brother in the ribs. Hard. "Don't let mamá hear that. I'm not ready to sleep on an empty stomach," he said before focusing on the bright brown eyes studying them, "I'm Diego and yes, unfortunately, I had to come after this goat in human skin beside me."

She chuckled when Lucas sent him a sharp glare. These two will liven up this place. She thought as the pair left her to work.

Towards evening, when she was told her shift would be over, a warm glow of satisfaction filled her. She had killed two birds with one stone by finding a job and escaping some possible harsh whippings.

After saying a quick goodbye to Lucas and Diego, she hurried home praying to the seven seas that the woman was passed out somewhere or better yet, out of the house.

"Where have you been Ada?"

That voice although calm and neutral made her freeze on the stairs and a common case of the shivers overtook her. Her mother rarely called her by her shortened name and when she does, it could only have one possible meaning. She was mad. Very mad.

"I'm going to ask you one more time, Ada. Where the fuck have you been?"

Silence. That was the safest response when things like this happened. Adana didn't budge from her position and refused to make eye contact, afraid of what she might see in those eyes similar to hers.

"Oh, you thought you could escape hell didn't you?" Helen took a small step forward, the perfect punishment already in mind. "Come here."

It was a command and Adana obeyed simply because she didn't have a say in the matter.

A sharp slap resounded in the room and Adana's left cheek stung, to say the least, and visible fingerprints highlighted by angry red marks appeared on the skin.

"Never. I repeat never leave this house. I don't care what happens when you go to school but when you get home," she paused, "home? No. When you come back to this living hell, I don't want your ass going any fucking where!"

To drive her point in and punish Adana, Helen grabbed her wrist and dragged her to the wet and dark basement. When they were under the stairs, a rope which materialized from nowhere was used to tie Adana to the rail just at the foot of the stairs.

When Helen was sure she had her trapped, she smiled with pure glee. "Now you're going to remain here until I feel like letting you out," she announced. "Yell if you need anything."

Adana mentally scoffed. Like the countless times, she had been brought to this basement, her mother hadn't checked on her. Not even once. This time wasn't going to be any different.

She could only hope she would be let out sooner or later. At least before she passed out from starvation.