Shifter Paradise Cafe

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Anthony awoke the next morning early. He jumped from the bed once he was sure she was asleep and walked to the door before shifting into his human form and leaving the apartment silently. He changed back once he was outside and ran the rest of the way to his house to make a few calls.

Sleep had done nothing to sate his anger. Only when he got home did he realize that he couldn't just swoop in and save her without revealing himself as the cat. He was sitting in his room with grinding teeth as he tried to figure it out. Finally he decided on a course of action and went to his parents for help on setting it up.

After a few hours of computer usage, he sat back, satisfied with the trail that he had left that only Kayla would be able to pick up on if he gave her hints--which he had no plan of doing. Instead, he turned the screen off with a satisfied look at the bank account amount that was in Kayla's name. That would be enough for six months rent at a better place if she moved out and a less work schedule. It wasn't that he wanted to make her not have to work--she still would have to if she didn't want to blast through the money. He just didn't want her starving.

Intent on finishing his 'good deed' as he was calling it, he went to the diner and took a seat, waiting for the girl to come in to work.
 
When Kayla woke up the next morning to her alarm, she was surprised to find that the cat wasn't on the bed anymore. A quick search of the apartment revealed that the sneaky feline wasn't there. She figured that he slipped out the barely-covered hole in the side wall, so she wasn't worried. The poor thing probably decided it didn't like being locked up after all. She shrugged and stretched, taking a quick shower and getting into uniform. Today she was going to try to be a little early and maybe get some brownie points with Amy.

Once she was ready, she slipped her jacket and shoes on and headed out. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't even bothered to take a drink of the juice Anthony had given her. Oh well, she could do that when she got home. She got to work with about ten minutes to spare, and used it to hang up her jacket and help the cook prep some plates. Before clocking in she took a spare doughnut hole, munching it as she dialed in her time. That done, she took her order pad and went out into the dining room, immediately spotting Anthony. She smiled and walked over, cocking an eyebrow.

"Sitting in my section? Hm, I seem to have acquired a stalker," she teased, handing him a breakfast menu.
 
Anthony looked up with a smile and shook his head. "No, not a stalker, just a concerned friend and doctor, and a hungry patron. But for the later, I'll leave my stomach in your capable hands. Order me what you feel is best and a cup of tea please," Anthony said with a brighter smile as he watched her before tilting his head and considering her carefully. "And I have an invitation for you. My parents are going to throw a party this Friday to welcome me home and the opening of my own private practice here. If you are free from about five pm to eight then you should honestly come with us. It'll be at a restaurant that is opening tomorrow in the city about twenty minutes from here."

He was being careful to keep her occupied as he noted a young woman in a suit walk in and look around for him and the woman he was planning to help out. If he could keep Kayla occupied long enough for the other woman to drop the surprise off at her locker in the back.The woman saw him and then quickly disappeared out of sight, bi-passing the manager with a quick explanation that Anthony had provided. "So, will you come?"
 
"What I feel is best, hm? Alright," Kayla said, writing the order down on the pad and making sure to add the cup of tea. She also wrote to give him a fresh pot and leave it on the table, so that he could have free refills even though they usually didn't allow that. Amy could deal with it, or dock it out of her pay. She put the pad away and looked up as he spoke about a party. Five to eight on a Friday? That was a really busy time, and the worst day possible other than Saturday. She frowned thoughtfully and shrugged a little. Amy would be fine with it as long as she worked all night after.


"Sure, I can do that," she agreed with a smile. "Should I come over to your place at five, or should I be a little early?" she asked, tilting her head a bit.
 
The young man smiled and nodded his head. "If you come before we can head out and have a little time to ourselves so we can hang out without parents watching us like hawks and mother welcoming you to the 'family'," he teased gently. His mother had a way of 'welcoming' that was a bit hard to swallow for many and that was why many of his college friends had not stuck around because she had scared them around, or if they did, then they never came back with him to meet his parents. "You still like Italian food right? I didn't make a mistake?"

He relaxed as he saw the girl leave the background without the package of credit card information that had been provided for Kayla. He just hoped the girl didn't try and say no.
 
"Oh, don't be so mean to your poor mother. I think she's a dear. She always made me feel like family when I visited before," Kayla said with a smile, thinking back. It was true - his mom was just as much her mother as her real one. At least, that's how it had felt in high school. Maybe things changed now. Would they all act differently now that they knew Kayla was.. like them? What if they didn't know about her problem and asked her to change so they could see? She pushed away those anxious thoughts and smiled at Anthony again. "I love Italian, good call," she said, then jumped as Amy snapped at her from across the cafe.

"Uh oh.. I'll be back with your order," she assured him, then ran off to put his ticket up and go around to the other tables. They were already very busy, and it would only get worse as the day went on.
 
The man smiled as he watched woman rush off before he relaxed back. His good deed of the year was over. And if she just accepted it without any prodding, he'd be surprised. But that it was for his best friend, he was glad. She was too precious to him to just let rot away with no food or proper housing. He blinked as a young woman walked over, ecstatically greeting him as an old friend from high school. He stared at her as she took a seat across from him, stiffening up as she talked brightly and bubbly about life around the town. Amber, he recalled slowly. This had been a girl that had constantly tried to get him to go out with her and each time he had stubbornly, annoyed refused. He did the civil thing and spoke to her but wished that Kayla would return so he could judge her and see if she'd found her present, which he didn't think she would.
 
Kayla submitted Anthony's order and immediately had to dart off to the other side of the cafe to take more. Seven orders later, she went to the kitchen again to clip them all up for the cook. It had only been a few minutes, but she was getting back into the swing of things. This was what she was used to. Taking time off had thrown her for a loop, but now she was where she belonged. At least, that's what she thought for a while, until she turned and caught a glimpse of Anthony again. That was when she started questioning herself, wondering where she actually did belong. She kept debating the question against herself for about ten minutes, then glanced at the kitchen as the cook slapped a bell. Order up - Anthony's.

"Thanks," she said to the cook quickly, grabbing the tray that had the plate and cup on it. She went over to Anthony's table and set them both down in front of him, then gave him a smile. "If you're not busy later you should come by for supper. I'm here until ten and I'll sneak you a free meal," she said, laughing a bit. Amy was watching her so she didn't say anything else, she just turned and took the tray back to the kitchen. Order up, more tables to go to, more plates to deliver.
 
Anthony took his order and smiled. "You know me well Kayla," he said "I will try to make it. I'm working on getting the important things done for the new office." He ate quickly, disappearing from the cafe quickly to get away from the woman that would not leave him alone even if he had asked her to. Paying and then leaving to do the rest of his work, he made sure to be done by nine--which was surprisingly diffcult he found. While in many other cases it might have been easy for him to get done with signing up with different things, he'd ran into several road blocks that had kept him occupied for hours. He had even been called to an accident by his mother for a friend of hers and done his first doctor's work there.

Groaning he slipped into the cafe and let himself sink into a booth, unconcerned with where he sat. Kayla would find him yes? He hoped so because his mental preparation was not there.
 
Kayla was glad that Amy had given her that awful look and sent her back to the kitchen, because it kept her from saying anything else. She thought that she had done a really good job at just ignoring the fact that Amber had been sitting with Anthony, but she doubted it would have lasted much longer. Kayla had never liked that girl - she was annoying and always wanted to sink her claws into Anthony. Things apparently hadn't changed. She knew for a fact that Amber was supposed to have a boyfriend, but that didn't seem to stop her. A soft growl slipped from her and she had to swallow, telling herself over and over to relax. She couldn't attempt a change here, it would be suicide!

Once she had finally calmed down, she started taking more orders and getting things done. She served, talked, did dishes, danced a little with a few children, even did a bit of nursing when a customer cut themselves with a steak knife. Finally she looked at the clock and realized Anthony might be back any minute. She went over to a booth that she hadn't served yet and was about to hand them a menu when she realized it was Anthony. Tilting her head, she laughed a bit and knocked on the table.

"Are you napping in my cafe, mister Anthony?"
 
Anthony blinked up at her for a few moments. It took that moment for the man to wake up. Groaning he slowly nodded. "I am afraid that I was Kayla, I apologize," he said softly, stretching himself awake. He was tired, that was saying a little. "But if you were by chance gracious enough, a cup of coffee and your most sugar full desert." He sighed and nodded. "Please." He rubbed his eyes and yawned again, stretching until his back popped and he was tempted to make a small mewling sound of satisfaction.
 
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