Petit Café

Mason Sarratt took a bite of his muffin, and stared out the window of his grandmother’s café, wishing he could go back home and play basketball. The timer above the oven went off for what felt like the millionth time this morning. Mason turned to glare at the timer above the purple oven. Today, January 12, was his birthday, and he was stuck in the café.

The café’s door opened, and he crouched down beneath the counter. If anyone from school saw him in this pink and purple apron, three sizes too small, he would never hear the end of it. Mason hated spending every morning and afternoon at Petit Café, but now his mom was working two jobs. Mason’s grandmother needed more help now that her husband had passed away, and her other daughter, Monica, was busy working.

“Mason, open the oven and take the cookies out, dear.” his grandmother said. Mason grudgingly stood up and took the cookies out of the oven. He removed them from the pan and set them on a cooling rack.

Mason looked at his watch, which was displaying the time in bright blue. 7:43 a.m.

“Well Grandma,” he said, “looks like it’s time to head to school.” He struggled to contain his excitement as he stuffed the last bit of his muffin into his mouth. Mason threw the apron on its hook, swung his backpack on, and rushed out the door. The frigid winter air chilled him as he jogged to school, glad to be rid of the pink and purple apron. 

As Mason walked towards the basketball courts and field, people surrounded him. 

“Hey Mason, come play basketball with us.” Shira said, the most athletic girl at school.

Jack said, “No, play soccer with us, Mason.”

“Happy birthday, Mason.”

“Come on, Mason. We’re playing catch and nobody else can throw as far as you.” Malakai yelled to Mason.

The other kids playing pass good-naturedly punched Malakai, and then continued their game.

Mason’s best friend, James, said, ”We’re playing baseball over here, Mason. Oh, and happy birthday.”

Mason hadn’t played baseball for a while, so he joined James for a short baseball game before school started.

Thirty minutes later, the bell rang and everyone ran to their classes. Mason’s first class was social studies, his least favorite. 

With ten minutes left of class, the speaker next to the clock clicked, and the vice principal said, “Mason Sarratt to the office, please. Mason Sarratt to the office.

Mason gathered his things, and happily left the boring class ten minutes early. On his way out the door, the social studies teacher, Mr. Porter, said, “Don’t forget to do your homework Mason.” He knew Mason hated his class and would always forget his homework, but he felt it was his duty to remind his students.

The high school’s halls were deserted as Mason walked to the office. He entered the office, where the secretary, his aunt, had a sympathetic face. 

“Aunt Monica, what happened? Is my mom alright?” Mason struggled to keep the panic from his voice.

“Your mom is perfectly okay, if a bit shaken up. Your grandmother had a minor heart attack, and she’s at the hospital right now. Your mom said she’ll meet you at the café in ten minutes.” She replied.

“Okay, thanks Aunt Monica.”

“You’re welcome, Mason, and enjoy your 16th birthday. Let me fill out a dismissal sheet for you, and then you’re free to go to the café.”

Mason bolted out of the office, and jogged to Petit Café. A sign on the door said ‘closed’ in a fancy script, and Mason unlocked the door with his key. From the moment he walked through the door, the sweet scent of chocolate filled his nose with it’s sugary perfume. Chocolate, his favorite kind of cake.

He walked over to the counter where a chocolate cake sat in all its deliciousness. Frosting in a pipette sat beside the cake, and on the cake were the words “Happy 16th Birthday, Maso”, as though his grandmother had stopped halfway through his name. Mason continued to study the cake, and noticed the frosting and all the decorations were green, his favorite color. 

The bell above the door rang and Mason looked up to see his mom walking in. Her eyes were red and puffy, as though she had been crying for a while. She carried handfuls of used tissues, but still managed a weak smile.

“Mom, are you okay?” Mason asked his mom.

“Yes, I’m fine sweetie, thanks for asking. I’m very worried about your grandmother. The doctors said she’ll be just fine, but it terrified me when I heard she had a heart attack, even a minor one. What’s to stop her from having another one?” she paused for a moment to blow her nose, then asked, “I’m sorry, Mason, I know you’re worried enough already. Anyway, how are you, Mason? I know this must be very surprising.”

“Don’t worry about me, Mom. I’m doing okay, even though this whole thing is pretty shocking.”

“Mason, I watched video from the security cameras, and she had her heart attack while making this cake for you. I know you don’t like it here, but I’m so busy since your father left-“

As his mom started to cry, Mason said, “Mom, it’s okay. It’s not your fault he left. I know it’s hard, and Grandma needs help in the café now. Mom, it really is okay. Nobody else would hire me anyway…” His voice trailed off as he thought of the many jobs he had applied for that had turned him down.

“Are you okay on your own? I think I’m going to go visit Grandma and see how she’s doing.” Mason walked toward the door as he spoke.

“Yes, go ahead Mason. See you later.” Mason hated seeing his mom so sad, but he needed to see for himself that his grandmother was okay. 

He walked into the hospital and went to the main desk to ask which room his grandmother was in.

The secretary said, “Room 177, and visiting hours are over in thirty minutes.”

“Thank you.” Mason said.

Mason easily found the room, and asked his grandmother how long she would have to be in the hospital.

“Overnight, the doctor said, just to make sure I’m all right and nothing new will come up. I’ll be back in my house tomorrow morning.”

Mason stayed and chatted with her until visiting hours were over. He explained to her how much he appreciated her, and spending time with her. He also explained how he felt bad because she had been making a chocolate cake for him, and had a heart attack while doing something for him. He had never considered how a life could end so quickly. Mason thought maybe working at Petit Café wasn’t so bad after all.

One month later…

Mason stood behind the café counter, the too small apron worn proudly as he served James, Malakai, Jack, and Shira their chocolate chip muffins, and they chatted about the latest school sports games. Petit Café had become their favorite after-school hangout, and the popularity of the small café had increased once everyone found out the cool crowd hung out there. 

Mason enjoyed helping his grandmother out, and his mom had been able to help out after she got a promotion at the office she worked in, and was able to quit her other job at the laundromat. Mason’s grandmother had been on heart medication, and it was greatly improving her health.

“Mason Sarratt, thank you very much for helping me out at the café lately,” his grandmother said, “I haven’t been able to tell you how grateful I am. I know you used to hate it here, and didn’t want anyone you knew within one mile of this place, but I can see now you like it here a lot more than you would probably admit. You can leave now to go to that football game, if you’d like.”

“Thank you Grandma, but I think I’ll hang around here, if it doesn’t bother you. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Of course I don’t mind, Mason. You can stay here until we close or until you get bored.”

“Thanks Grandma. I think you’ll see me here a lot more often.”