Jaxon showed up to the cafe at four thirty despite Emma telling him he didn’t need to be there until five. This was his first real job and he was nervous about making a bad impression. He realized that he didn’t get her number the day prior and that there was probably a great deal of paperwork to sign so showing up early was the best option. The cafe was called Sunflowers ‘n’ Sunshine, which seemed a little odd to Jaxon but it certainly matched Emma’s personality: bright, bubbly, and bursting with joy. Although he arrived before five, Jaxon didn’t have to wait long before Emma arrived. “Good morning!” She chirped before fishing the keys out of her purse. Jaxon nodded in acknowledgement and waited patiently as she dug through what looked to be an overnight bag filled with… something. Jaxon had always been a minimalist only owning a few pairs of jeans, sweaters, and t-shirts. Granted, his lifestyle was rather transient until recently, so owning anything came with more trouble than it was worth. In the past few months, he found an older couple who was looking for a handyman and Jaxon seemed to fit the bill. In exchange for taking care of the yard and fixing the various oddities around their home, Jaxon stayed in their extra bedroom rent free. Their names were Susan and George, and they honestly treated Jaxon like a son. The two were empty nesters, and the rented room had belonged to their youngest son before he joined the military. The other bedroom had been turned into a study that was filled with old novels and journals as well as an assortment of crafting supplies. At first, Jaxon was responsible for mowing the grass, fixing the fence, and doing repairs to the roof and ceiling. Those tasks soon progressed to repainting the kitchen, tearing up the tile to replace it with hardwood, and even remodeling the entire downstairs bathroom. Needless to say, Jaxon was learning a lot of skills that would come in handy when he started working on his own cabin. 

Recently, they began having him join for supper and Susan had begun asking for his help cooking and baking desserts. She loved to cook and used to work as a chef, but recently her arthritis had worsened and her hands weren’t as capable as they used to be. After the first night of cooking together, Susan realized that Jaxon was quite capable in the kitchen and more often than not dictated to him what the next steps were while he did the majority of the cooking. She gave helpful critiques here and there, taste testing and ensuring that nothing was overcooked or that batter was never overmixed so it didn’t cook too densely. Jaxon never vocalized it, but they both knew how much it meant to share this similar passion. George had taken Jaxon under his wing in a different way, showing him his woodworking shop and asking for assistance with various projects. Currently, they were working on above ground planters so that Susan wouldn’t have to bend over so much to tend to her plants. Before that, they repaired the fence together and Jaxon wsa often sent out to shop wood for the furnace since Susan got cold so easily. At first, the house seemed like a sweatbox to him, but knowing that it was for Susan and knowing that he ran hot, Jaxon more or less adjusted. Although he would have been much more comfortable walking around in his skivvies, he knew neither of his hosts would appreciate that. He had been with the couple for almost three months now and he was incredibly grateful for their kindness and their love. They treated him like family and were audibly proud when he told them he got a job at a local cafe. He felt like they were closer than employer and employee and like the relationship the three of them had was akin to what he felt for Melissa. He could only hope that Emma was as kind as they were now. 

Walking in yesterday, Jaxon hardly paid attention to the atmosphere of the shop, instead being drawn in initially by the bitter smell of coffee and further distracted by the myriad of books. Following Emma inside Jaxon took the time to appreciate the ambience that Emma had created. The shop itself was small, maybe a few hundred square feet, but the two walls of windows and the solid wall of books made the ceiling seem impossibly tall. The final wall was the coffee bar with the menu list painted in beautiful calligraphy above the shelving. Along with coffee, Emma also sold pastries, bagels, and assorted cakes which she made from scratch each morning. The shop didn’t open until six, but they had a lot of work to get done before then so there was no time to waste. “Here’s your apron Jax,” Emma said before tossing it haphazardly in his direction. He caught it effortlessly before looking down at the nametag. It read “Jaxon, Sunflower barista,” and Jaxon couldn’t help but let out a small grin at the official feel of the fabric in his hands. “Chop chop mister muscle we’ve got work to do!” Emma shouted with a laugh before placing her apron over her head and putting her hair in a loose bun. Jaxon nodded firmly before doing the same and rolling up his sleeves. “You know how to bake?” Emma asked with a raised eyebrow. Jaxon nodded. “Perfect! Here’s the list for today’s pastries,” she said, handing Jaxon a slip of paper with detailed instructions and recipes, “and I’ll get started on the daily brew.” Before he could respond, Emma was off measuring grounds and cleaning mugs quietly singing some pop song to herself. Sighing happily to himself, Jaxon headed to the back kitchen where he easily located all the necessary ingredients to make cinnamon rolls, apple strudel, and bear claws, along with the standard bagels, muffins, and donuts. Personally, Jaxon preferred cooking to baking, but he wasn’t about to complain and was happy the skills he had been honing with Susan were coming into use. 

By five forty-five all but one tray of bear claws had made it out of the oven and Jaxon was now moving chairs down from the tables and wiping the windows. The sun hadn’t peaked over the horizon, but it was just on the verge of cresting. Jaxon loved the sunrise. It always reminded him that each day was a chance to make something of himself and to get one step closer to the person he always wanted to be. Somewhat lost in thought, he didn’t realize Emma had moved beside him and was looking at him with an intrigued look. “So are you ready for the chaos?” She asked tentatively. Slightly startled, Jaxon looked at her quickly before breathing in and nodding firmly. “Good,” she said, “because Mondays are usually the craziest,” she said with a grin. Having fended for himself on the streets for the better half a year, Jaxon felt pretty confident he could handle whatever Emma deemed as crazy. With the slightest smirk, Jaxon nodded his head affirmatively confident that today would run smoothly. “Okie doke then,” Emma grinned before flipping on all the lights and unlocking the door. They both took their places behind the counter and it wasn’t even three minutes past six and the doors burst open. In came a crowd of at least one dozen people, half looking dead inside and others just as bubbly as Emma. “Oh no,” Jaxon thought, “morning people,” and with that his first day at Sunflower ‘n’ Sunshine truly began with orders being shouted and hot coffee practically pouring itself. Although it was chaotic and he and Emma were filling orders left and right, Jaxon couldn’t help the small smile that graced his lips. He was never one for interacting with others, but baking and making coffee and seeing others enjoy the many books he had personally read over the years somehow meant the world to Jaxon. Before he knew it the morning rush was over and the regulars had claimed their spots to read their books, work on their novels, talk through business deals - it was only Jaxon’s first day, but he could already tell this place was going to become a second home.