#there was supposed to be more moments but my computer couldn't handle the files so that's why is missing a SMFpt2 and like crazy perf ��

[jkvjimin]

PARK JIMIN + dominating the stage with his aura (cr. namuspromised, jung-koook) | [template]

happy birthday, annie! @kimtaegis 💜

[vegandoughnut]

PART 2: Cat Got Your Tongue?

Harper officially unlocks the front door to Furista's Cat Cafe. Carl helps her set out the chalkboard sign advertising their cats, cozy foods, coffees and teas.

"Who drew that?" Carl asks. Harper pauses with the store keys in her hand.

"What?"

"Looks like they drew Trump in the bottom right cor---"

"That's not Trump that's Johnny Bravo. Okay, now that the doors are open, customers are going to start filing in. What we do is we hand out a little info card. The customer fills it out with their name, a little bit about themselves and they wear it like a tag, see?" Harper pulls out some lanyards with cute index cards clipped to them. "Then we match one of our cats to the customer. Every now and then the folks from the animal adoption agency will drop by and see if we'd take in a new cat. But you won't have to worry about that for a while"

"Oh. Oh right" Carl stammers, scratching at his small beard. Harper clears her throat. "Try your best to focus more on the customers than... well you know" Harper bobs her head side to side. "The cats are more important. Keeping things in order and so on"

"So, no chit chat or buddying up basically?"

"Exactly" says Harper with a feigned show of being impressed. She puts her hands on the hips of her denim overalls then the two head back inside the cafe.

"Smells so good in here" remarks Carl.

"If you say so" says Harper. Then Carl breaks into a series of sneezes. "Are you okay?"

"Just need to take my Benadryl. Excuse me"

"Okay make it quick because honestly..." she waits till he darts over to the bathroom in the back with his hand over his nose. "That's a problem".

Kitt whooshes past Harper carrying Whiskers, a curious grey cat.

"Uh, Kitt, did you help Kumlyun with the baked goods? Should you be handling the cats if---"

"Harper. I literally spent all morning Bob the Builder'ing this place. I just got done with the cookies, and the cinnamon buns are in the oven now" Kitt replies through slightly clenched teeth. "And my daily program says I'm supposed to do cat duties now"

"Okay. Just checking in. Making sure you're alright...."

Kitt mutters to herself as she carries Whiskers away. Harper wipes at her brow.

Pradeep saunters up to Harper, adjusting his crisp shirt collar and brushing coffee grounds off his knit vest, which was a shade of brown that echoed his skin.

"Yikes" Harper mutters upon noticing.

"You say something?" Pradeep asks.

"Oh no. Everything alright Gupta?"

"Yeah, by the way it's okay to call me Pradeep" he says, arcing his perfect eyebrow. "Problem, though. So, Carl, we.... we need to make sure he learns everything step by step and doesn't get confused. He seems really flustered and I think he should be rotated between posts within specific time frames. My daily program doesn't say I'm training after 12:00"

"And you think I'm supposed to handle that?"

"Stephen put you in charge of that for today. I thought you had a plan"

"Stephen said I would be the opener and organize the shifts"

"Exactly. Exactly Harper. Spot on" says Pradeep, trying to stop a sarcastic remark from casually rolling off his tongue. "And, have you noticed something? I mean, Kitt does a lot of back and forth work. Shouldn't I take over the counter while she sticks to cat duties for the next post? Her daily program looks crazy and mine looks stagnant"

"Gupta what is this about? Like I feel like you're trying to tell me something but being really, really evasive about it" Harper says, looping her thumbs through the belt loops of her overalls.

"I'll... I'll just get back to work" says Pradeep with a sigh of exasperation. "I already know who put this schedule together. We all do"

"Boris..." Harper mutters.

Harper watches him walk off and towards Kitt. "I knew it" she grumbles to herself. She eyes the two, reading how their body language changes upon noticing one another. She crosses her arms and radios Stephen. "Stephen, can I see you in the office in a bit?" She says into the radio.

"Not... just give me 10" he replies over radio.

"Hey Harper. You look tense. Need a minute?" Asks Kumlyun very suddenly. "We have a scheduled Special Guest coming in apparently, who ordered a doughnut box. Want me to take oversight for a sec?"

"Uh. Sure" says Harper. Kumlyun flashes a quick friendly grin. Harper watches her shiny black bob bounce as she returns to the counter, rolling up the oversized sleeves of her slouchy knit turtle neck sweater.

Harper takes over behind the counter with Anekke and the very quiet and antisocial older guy Humbert, who came in for the noon shift.

"Am I good to go?" Anekke asks Harper. "I was literally only supposed to cover for Kumlyun's morning post in case she couldn't make it but she's here"

"Gotta ask Stephen. We might need an extra hand when our Special Guest arrives" she replies. "We might have an uptick in guests because apparently this person is a well known local artist"

"Great" says Anekke grumpily, folding up a doughnut box from flat cardboard into a functional vessel. She squints at the guest order on the computer screen. "Oh crap. Are we out of blackberry sauce?"

"I'll go run and get it" says Harper, light on her toes. "Um, Gupta, I mean, Pradeep? Do you mind?" Harper calls across the cafe. Pradeep puts down Shadow the cat and walks over to the counter.

"I'll barista there" he says. "Get it?"

"That's a horrible joke. It doesn't even work. You should be arrested" says Anekke rolling her eyes. Harper exits the cafe, stepping over black and white cat Bon Chan playing with yarn.

"Hey, the credit goes to Carl on that one" says Pradeep.

"Oh gosh what's wrong with him?"

"Guys" Humbert says with a condescending tone of warning in his voice. The door chime jingles and a customer walks in.

Kitt dashes over to greet them and give them a tag.

"Where the hell is Carl?" Pradeep asks.

"Probably in the office?" Anekke suggests.

"While he should be training?" Pradeep sighs and opens up a bag of sugar cubes to put into the display bowl on the counter. He eyes Kitt as she greets the customer, takes a look at their now filled out card, and matches them with one of the cuddly cats. The customer, cute kitty in his arms, takes a seat on a velvet stool at one of the dark chest table pieces.

Kitt goes back to tending to some of the other cats.

In moments Carl shows up, his nose red. Pradeep furrows his brows and folds his arms as he watches the scene unfold.

Carl tries talking to Kitt who tries her best to be friendly but dismissive. Then the customer ring the little bell on their table and Carl goes straight for them.

"I'd like a black coffee please" says the guest.

"Coming right up, William sir"

"I go by they/them pronouns"

"Oh s-sorry, William.... person"

"You literally can just say William" the guest says through a forced toothy smile.

A flustered Carl goes to the counter to prepare the black coffee.

Pradeep passes him a mug then watches intently. Carl lifts the cafetierre from off the old ceramic hot plate plugged in on the prep counter and pours the coffee. Pradeep hands him the card swipe tablet and watches Carl walk back to the customer to give him his order and accept payment.

"He's doing well" says Anekke. Humbert grunts. Pradeep and Anekke ignore it. More guests come in. Kitt hands them name tags and pencils. Some walk up to the counter. Things start getting busy at the bar. Harper returns with a reusable tote over her shoulder and joins the barista crew.

"Blackberry sauce for the doughnuts" she says, carrying with her the crisp autumn air.

"Perfect" says Anekke. Anekke sets the completed order box on the counter near the register.

"Hi, black tea latte, with sugar, great"

"The Feline Green smoothie please. Extra kale"

"Waffles, no butter. Just berries and maple syrup"

"Pink Paws smoothie. Can I get a salad with ummmm.... the tricolor peppers and the house olive oil vinaigrette"

"Waffles with butter and sliced bananas, hold the maple"

"Tabby Citrus smoothie but combined with the Feline Green except no avocado"

The counter and kitchen becomes frantic with activity.

Kitt prepares the daily raffle box but stops when the door chime jingle.

"Oh no.... is that.... the Special Guest?" She whispers to herself. She could not believe her eyes.

TBC