Chapter 3: Chapter 2
Macy was thankful that she had a job and that even though Ma May pretended to be a tough woman,She was actually kind.
She had not only gotten a job but shelter as well. Ma May had agreed that she spent the night and every other night in the store room as long as she worked for her. She also agreed to pay her on weekly basis seeing how broke she looked.
After Ma May had flatly told her last night that there was no vacancy in her bar. Macy had been unable to move her legs from the spot she stood,
her sandals rooted to the ground.
As she stood there,eyes closed,fighting the urge to howl in frustration. She felt a hand tugging on her skirt.
She opened her eyes to see Ma May's astonished gaze on her.
'You look lost and I'm beginning to actually wonder if you heard what I said about not having a job to offer you'.
'You really have to give me this job ma or I'll pass out on the streets from a cold'. Macy pleaded with the older woman praying inwardly that she'd not be subjected to another night on the streets of Los Angeles.
Ma May's eyes softened at her words and so she pointed at a stool opposite hers and Macy didn't need anyone to spell out to her to take the seat.
'I really don't have a vacancy but I don't want to be responsible for your death either. So whatever I'm offering you is going to be temporary. I am not going to ask for the story of your life neither am I curious enough to want to find out what a young woman like you is doing on the streets. So, I am going to have you sleep in the store and pay you two hundred dollars every week. Your job would be to wait of course but like I said earlier, this is going to be temporary and I am going to have you stay here as long as I can. You look innocent enough for me to hire you without questions but I will throw you out once I sense anything fishy about you'.
'Yes, ma'am'. Macy had been too relieved to say anything else.
Macy went about serving people drinks and trying her best to smile at her customers when she turned in time to see Clara walk into the bar for her evening shift.
Macy had realised that morning that she was the only who worked a full shift and also the only one whose home was in the store.
She smiled at Clara who returned the smile and then disappeared into the store to change into her work clothes.
Macy looked down at herself and realized she was still wearing the same cloth from yesterday and the day before. Luckily for her,there was a bathroom at the back of the small building where she had had a bath last night a change of underwear.
***
'This deal is going to be a big one Daniel...'. Bryan grinned. '...And if this pulls through,you'd be richer by twenty million dollars and then we would throw a big party and then....'
'And then,your prostitutes will grow in number and the alcohol rate in your system will grow more than just a notch' Daniel finished for his best friend.
'You can't seem to see more than my love for beautiful things,can you?' Bryan gave him a smug look.
'No,I can't. Even though most of the women you bed are far from the letter 'B' in beautiful'. Daniel taunted his friend. 'Man,let's get down to business, I'm no mood to discuss your choice of women'. He continued.
'Yea,let's. Even though I have a feeling that you,my friend is just jealous and frustrated. When was the last time you got laid man?' Bryan attempted a comeback.
Daniel gave him a serious look.
'Anyways...' He shrugged '..Like I said earlier, I just kind of overheard it from Mr. Lawson. He seems to be considering you and Ford Collins for the role. This is a big role and according to him,he doesn't want to make a mistake. Ford is a great actor and so are you and that is where Mr. Lawson's concern must be coming from. We need to to keep our ears on the ground for this'. Bryan explained.
Daniel scratched his jaw and shook his head.
'Just get me this deal man,it's going to mean a lot to me'.
***
Macy stood before Ma May,unshed tears in her eyes and a strong desire to let them pour. She couldn't believe she'd lost a job even before she properly got it.
She has,out of her clumsiness lost a job that would have seen her through for a long time.
Ma May had been kind to her and so had every other worker in the bar. It's only her fault that she couldn't keep a job as promising as this.
Ma May looked at her with great pity.
'There's nothing I can do'. Ma May began.'Adeline is one of my biggest customers and as you heard she is not going to press charges as long as I lay you off. This place is quite and serene and I have no intention of riling things up'. She finished.
'Yes ma'am'. Macy was too tired to say anything else.
At least, Ma had been kind enough to pay her for the week even though it's just three days into it.
She had even given her two additional gowns to the one she had earlier walked into her bar with and so she'd had clothes to change into the two weeks she'd spent with her and for that,she was grateful.
***
Macy took in the environment trying to figure who to walk up to.
Just then,she saw a café and a very young man behind the counter who looked friendly enough to be talked to. She walked up to him and greeted him.
'A cup of coffee ma'am'. The man smiled at her.
'No,I don't really take coffee'. Macy declined the offer.
'It's free ma'am. We're having a promo'. The man's smile broadened.
'No,I'm allergic to it'. Macy lied.
'Oh,sorry ma'am. So....you don't want coffee. What do I offer you then?'.
'I need to know if there's any bar around that's hiring and I need a place I can rent,even if to pay on weekly basis'. Macy inquired.
'Oh...I think there's a vacancy at Betty's'. The man supplied, after thinking for a moment.
'Um...Betty's?' Macy asked,a bit confused.
'You seem to be the only one around who doesn't know Betty's. You don't stay around?'. The man's eyes flickered with surprise.
'No,I don't'. Macy answered simply,not wanting to give out too much information.
'Betty's place is down the drive. She's one of the biggest bar/restaurants we have here and she's had her vacancy post up since Sunday'. The man seemed to be proud of whoever this Betty was.
'After her upgrade last month,more people have been visiting. Even people from outside LA. So,her employment rate went up too. And so have my business because some of the people who patronize her likes to patronize me too'. The man rambled on,but Macy was too far away to keep hearing him. It felt like the world started rotating again and she felt this sudden urge to vomit.
So,she turned back and emptied the contents of her stomach,there,in front of the cafe.
She could still feel her stomach heaving and tears stinging her eyes,her breathing coming in soft gasps when a warm hand settled on her shoulder and a cup of warm water miraculously appeared in her face. She accepted it and rinsed her mouth, then washed her face.
Muttering a silent 'thank you',she returned the cup to the man,whose eyes have softened with concern and something else that looked like pity. Macy couldn't help but remember how much of a pathetic human she was.
'You look unwell ma'am, are you sick?'
The man asked.
'My name is Macy,it must be something I ate'. Macy was beginning to get fed up with the man's continuous use of 'ma'am'.
The man blushed with obvious embarrassment and if not that Macy wasn't feeling up to anything, she would have laughed.
'Come have a sit,Macy. You look so tired'. The man said and with that,he led her into the coffee shop which looked only big enough to contain about 12 persons.
A small arm chair sat by the entrance and with his help,Macy lowered her tired self into the chair.
After resting for a while and regaining her strength. Macy opened her eyes to see that Mr. whatever-his-name-is was staring at her. She gave him a weak smile and straightened up.
'You're awake'. He simply muttered.
'What's your name?'. Macy couldn't hold her curiosity at bay anymore.
'Uhm...Joshua. But you can call me Josh'. He answered shyly.
Looking closely now,Macy realized he wasn't really a 'man' in the real sense of the word. He looked twenty or even younger.
'Josh'. She began. 'I don't really know how to thank you. I would have passed out from been on my feet for too long. Do,you own this place?'
'Yea,I do now. My mama used to,until she passed away last year. Then,I was freshly out from college. So,since then,I've been the one running things here'. Josh seemed proud of his accomplishments.
The place looked good,anyways, Macy thought to herself.
'I really need a job'. She muttered desperately after a few seconds of silence.
'I'll help you. I know quite a few people at Betty's'. Josh promised.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone