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2
River had never understood the calming properties of chamomile tea, but she knew several customers swore by it. The sweet, smoky scent drifted up to River's nose, tickling it with a hint of apple. Placing the cup and saucer before Celeste, River sat in the chair opposite, resting her elbows upon the table and her chin upon interlaced fingers.
Celeste pulled the saucer closer and turned it with delicate, manicured fingers. River glanced at her own fingers, nails bitten down, and hid them beneath the table, clutching her hands together on her lap. Celeste didn't appear ready to talk, not yet. She stared into the cup before her with a wistful gaze. With a sigh, Celeste brushed her short, earlobe length, black hair from one side to the other, but it fell back into place.
"I mean, I can get another job. I could make a call, right now, and start somewhere in the morning. The job, the actual having a job, isn't the problem." Leaning forward, Celeste flicked one side of her coat out of the way. "It's just that, I'm not certain I enjoy the work anymore. The whole thing has lost something. Some kind of ..."
"Joy?" River didn't mean to interrupt, but she found it difficult to remain silent, at the best of times, even though she had said she would listen to Celeste's problems. "I think it's important to enjoy your work. People don't know how I can do this. It's always hovering at the border of failing, but I enjoy it. You know? Joy."
River had waved a hand at their surroundings. It was only a small shop, little more than the size of a living room, with space only for the counter, and the tea making facilities behind it, and three sets of tables and chairs. It wasn't much, didn't bring in that much money, but it was River's, bought and paid for, and she loved it.
Opposite to her, Celeste gave several short nods, looking at River as though she had seen her for the first time. Under that gaze, River could feel heat rising in her cheeks. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and glared at the tabletop.
"Joy. Yeah." Taking a sip of the chamomile tea, Celeste made a little lick of her lips before taking another, longer sip. "I haven't found 'joy' in my work for so long. It's paid well, very well, and some of the things I've accomplished I'm really proud of, but 'joy'? No. Not for a long time."
A tinkling sound came from within the depths of Celeste's coat. She reached a hand inside and pulled out her phone. A few flicks of her thumb, a deep frown and then a few more flicks of the thumb and Celeste dropped the phone onto the table. After a second, she flipped the phone over, turning the screen towards the table surface.
"Maybe you'll find it better at a new job? You say you can get another." Desperate to hold her curiosity deep inside, River's fingers fidgeted beneath the table and she tried not to keep glancing at Celeste's phone.
"That was the boss." Catching River's glances, Celeste indicated to the phone with a long finger. "Apologies. Offers of a pay rise. A bigger office. Exclusive clients. He's giving it all. He can stuff it."
"I see. So, you really have quit, then?" She found it quite admirable. Having the ability to make a decision and stick to it. River tended to second, third and fourth guess every single decision she had ever had to make, and then worry about that decision afterwards. "Any idea what you're going to do? Plans?"
After taking another sip of her tea, Celeste placed the cup on the saucer and sat back once again, her leg lifting and crossing over her other knee again. The way Celeste did that fascinated River. To anyone else, it was only a normal method of sitting, but River saw the little kick of the foot, the pointing of Celeste's toes, the hand brushing the material of her trousers, straightening them out so as not cause a wrinkle by crossing her legs. It felt like watching a seated dance.