The pleasant scent of soup stirred throughout the little restaurant as Cecilia walked through the doorway. She straightened her posture, unable to wear her usual polite smile any longer. Like she and her friends agreed, pretending was somehow more difficult than feeling lost. The welcome sign jumped around as the doorway closed behind her. She removed her headphones, welcoming the little noises that filled the silence.
To her left stood Lucas, who was wiping the little brown wooden tables. He didn’t bother looking up, only waving to her with his free hand. Flora strolled past her, a notebook and pen resting between her fingers. She gave her a tired smile before setting the notebook down to tie her braids into a bun. Cecilia traveled to the narrow kitchen, where her grandmother was cooking up new dishes. The sous chef named Marcus sliced vegetables in preparation for the soup alongside her. The two were very particular about running the kitchen, allowing everything to fall into place perfectly every day. From mixing flavors, all the way to plating dishes. They were, without a doubt, experts in Cecilia’s mind.
She set her backpack on the floor beside all her friends’ belongings. Then she pulled out her apron and tied it around her waist. Her hands dove into her backpack full of everything yet nothing at the same time, until she felt something resembling a tiny notepad. She tugged it out of the disorganized belongings and shoved it into her pockets.
“Hello dear,” Mrs. Lynn greeted her granddaughter. “What did I say about tying your hair up? It’ll get into the food.”
Cecilia let out a nervous chuckle, her shoulders tensing up. “Oh yeah,” she reached into her backpack, rummaging through the mess in hopes for a discarded hair tie. “I won’t forget again.”
Laughter only came out of Mrs. Lynn. She had heard the excuse many times before, and she was certain that this was not the last Saturday morning she would hear it. “Just go help the others, dear.”
The chaos of the kitchen was silenced as Cecilia entered the calm, peaceful seating area. Lucas now dusted the little, worn bookshelves that stand near the kitchen. A stream of water poured from Flora’s watering can. Cecilia quietly inserted herself in the preparations as she fixed the scenic painting and other decorations hung against the tan walls. She let out a quiet sigh, her mild frustrations showing through her neutrality.
If it were any other Saturday Afternoon, the trio would laugh and converse together until Mrs. Lynn came out to scold them. Those days seemed rather distant now, ever since they began to drift apart. It was only months ago that Cecilia brought the conversation of feeling behind to light. Since then, the trio kept themselves busy with their own projects. Cecilia spent her nights moving her pencil against sheets of paper. Flora typed until she was fast asleep at her keyboard. And Lucas threw his crumpled papers into the trashcan, his need for the perfect song growing desperate.
“Hello, table for three please!” Their eyes collectively darted toward the woman at the doorway.
Cecilia grabbed her notebook from her pockets, her face stretching into a friendly, yet short-lived smile. Once the first three were seated, another took their place at the door. Again and again, the cycle continued. With every guest came another order, and it wasn’t long before both in and outside the kitchen filled with noise. Some made conversation, others expressed how impressed they were with the trio’s teamwork.
Of course, these were just compliments, nothing more. Neither Cecilia nor her two friends could bring themselves to see it as sincere. Their feelings got the better of them, and of course, they were hard to shake away. Still, they calmly accepted them with much gratitude.
Shouts came from Mrs. Lynn through the sizzling fries, French toast and bubbling soup. Cecilia rushed over to the kitchen, scooping up plates and takeout bags. Her legs wobbled as her balance struggled to stay upright. Lucas grabbed a plate from her grasp, and Flora rushed for the next one.
“Good job you three!” Mrs. Lynn yelled from the kitchen. She smiled before returning to the stove. But just one glance back told her that they possibly did not agree.
Soon enough, it was closing time again. Once the last guest was gone, Mrs. Lynn popped out of the kitchen and took a seat on a nearby table. Her eyes quietly wandered around the room, watching as the three helped clean up for the night. A deep sigh escaped the woman’s mouth when they began to pack up, causing a shift in Cecilia’s attention.
“Are you okay, Grandma?” She asked as she slid her arms into her backpack.
Mrs. Lynn nodded. “Oh I’m okay dear,” she reassured her. “However, it’s just that—Don’t you three usually leave together?”
Cecilia’s eyes widened, her mind unable to come up with a direct answer. Behind her, Flora stopped in her tracks. Lucas ran a hand through his straight hair, a slight from painting his features. Together, they stood in silence as Mrs. Lynn awaited an answer.
“Well it sure is silent in here,” she glanced at her feet. “I hope I didn’t say anything hurtful.”
They looked at each other, then back at Mrs. Lynn. “No, it’s not you Grandma.”
“Then what is it?” she asked, her tone softening. “Why aren’t you celebrating your hard work anymore?”
A slow, painful silence fell over the room. Mrs. Lynn crossed her legs in her chair, her patience at its utmost peak. Her question brought out a feeling that they all knew they felt. Something they had refused to acknowledge over the past week or two.
“Well…” Cecilia straightened. “We can always take a break once we’re finished.”
Her Granddaughter’s words caused Mrs. Lynn to shake her head. Her disappointment, though not so evident, spilled through the look she shot towards the trio. Once Flora raised an eyebrow, Mrs. Lynn could no longer resist the urge to respond.
“If that’s what you want, then you are more than welcome to do so, But before you go, I have one more question.” Her gaze studied their tired expressions.
Her granddaughter, along with her two friends stood there, awaiting her final question. The bright shine of the kitchen lights dimmed as Marcus walked through. He was about to say his goodbyes when Mrs. Lynn brought her finger to her lips. Then, she glanced back at the three teenagers.
“When you leave your projects, do they still remain? Or do they disappear every time you go out?”
Her question froze in the air for a moment. Cecilia, Flora and Lucas were without an answer. For the first time in a while, their minds were brought away from their work and into a question for themselves: Would leaving it be the right thing to do?
Though their passions were different, the mindset they shared over- powered them. The thought of a break never crossed their minds. Let alone whether or not they needed one.
“But if we leave them now, then…what if it’s too late?” Flora asked, her gaze remaining on the floor below.
“Too late for what exactly?” Mrs. Lynn could not help but let out a snort. “Is their a time limit on creativity now? Oh how much times have changed since I was your age.”
Perhaps it was the way she said it, but a little grin escaped Cecilia. Her warm, contagious laughter spread to her friends. For the first time in a while, the three stood together. Not as coworkers, but as the friends that Mrs. Lynn initially brought to her cafe.
“Rest is important, you three,” she told them. “The work you three put in for me is more than enough for today. Now, I order you three to go enjoy your life this evening.
“The gloomy cloud that hovered over the room began to clear. A smile fell on each of their tired faces, which brought a warmth to Mrs. Lynn’s expression. She stood up from her seat and waved her hand.
“All right, fine,” Cecilia finally said, “I’ll do it. But only if they do.” She glanced between both of her friends, who confidently met her enthusiasm.
“I guess a break could be nice.” Flora shrugged.
“Yeah, why not?” Lucas smiled.
Mrs. Lynn gave them a smile of approval as they headed for the door. Cecilia took a sudden glance back at her grandmother.
“Uh…thank you grandma, I think we all needed to hear that.” she waved.
Mrs. Lynn returned her wave. “I’m glad you three listened. Now go have fun before the sun sets.”
Together, they set off to follow Mrs. Lynn’s advice. They skipped along the sidewalks, talking about anything and everything, a new sense of energy flooding within each other’s presence. Along with that came another emotion, one they almost forgot about. What they could consider genuine happiness.
Author’s Note
This piece was inspired by my own experiences of believing I was falling behind as opposed to my peers. It is a feeling that I think many of us young creatives can relate to. Staying awake at night in our rooms, hoping for an idea to find us. But sometimes, setting down our projects and taking some time to rest is just as important to the process as hard work. I wrote this to let other young people who are working on any creative project know that it is okay to rest every now and then.
About Author
Neka. S is a young author from Canada. She looks to make a difference through her various writing projects. Outside of being an author, she practices Karate, drawing and cooking.
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