Transition - Delta's Triad

[ Wyatt ] I glanced around the café and sighed. I couldn’t believe that once again Josh – the nightshift manager – hadn’t made sure that everything was completed before locking up. I growled out in frustration as I hurried to the back to check whether the shutdown had been done. As I moved through the building, I switched on lights as I went, grateful that it had at least been done. The second I walked into the office, I saw the printout of last night’s shut down and I breathed out in relief. At least Josh had managed to do that. I closed the office door and turned to the safe. It was locked. Good. After punching in the code, I pulled open the heavy door and saw the large black bag with the small piece of paper with last night's date. Cash-up had been completed. That meant it was just the general cleaning that hadn’t been done. I could live with that. I locked up the safe and left the office, heading to the storage room to get the supplies needed to clean up. I heard the front of the café’s door open, and I growled out. Damnit, I had forgotten to lock the front door. “We aren’t open yet!” I yelled out in hopes that whoever it was would politely leave. That was one thing about Apple Bridge County, the crime rate was low, and people around here had a good sense of respect. However, as I grabbed the broom and bucket, I realized that I hadn’t heard the door closing. I quickly rushed to the front and a strange feeling went through my entire body. That was not possible, even though I could feel Win roaring inside of me. I already knew who my mate was. “Hello?” I called out as I rounded the corner to see a young woman standing awkwardly by the counter. Win immediately called out “MATE!” but I hurriedly pushed him back as I eyed her. She was probably a few inches shorter than me with thick black hair that was pulled back into a neat ponytail. Her bright blue eyes shone as she looked around the café. “Can I help you?” I asked. The woman looked startled for a moment before she smoothed down her already wrinkle-free navy-blue slacks and smiled. My heart was pounding, and my palms were sweaty as we stared at each other. I didn’t recognize her, and I wasn’t sure why she wasn’t leaving, and she wasn’t giving any explanation as to why she is here. “We aren’t open yet,” I said once again, and she frowned before I watched as she lifted her hands and signed something. She could’ve been using the sign language for any reason, and I wasn’t just going to assume anything. “Could you do that again…a bit slower…it's been a while for me,” I said to her. “Sorry for barging in,” she signed, and I nodded. “I am here for an interview,” she then added, and I frowned. “Interview?” I was dumbfounded by that. Adam – the owner of the café – hadn’t mentioned any interviews. “Yes, I’ve been corresponding with Adam this last week,” she explained. “Oh…is he aware that he was supposed to interview you today?” I asked. As far as I knew, Adam only came round the café once or twice a week. “Yes, he said I should meet with Wyatt,” watching her sign my name did something to my insides and I tried to push back the rush of feelings that threatened to overwhelm me. “What is your name?” I decided to ask. Maybe if I knew that much, it might ring a bell. “Rain Matthews,” “Rain Matthews?” I repeated to make sure that I had translated correctly. She nodded but the name didn’t ring any bells. I then took out my phone and dialed Adam’s number. I held up a finger, indicating she should wait as I listened to the ringing in my ear. Finally, he answered. “Wyatt? It’s barely seven!” he groaned out, but I didn’t feel any sympathy for him. I turned slightly away from Rain just in case she was able to read my lips. “Does the name Rain Matthews mean anything to you?” I asked him softly. “Rain…Rain…ah yes! s**t, I forgot to tell you about her. She applied for the nightshift management position,” “Ah…ok…but isn’t that Josh’s position?” I questioned, now completely confused. “Yes, she will be replacing him. I fired him four days ago. I told him he could stay on until Rain started. All I need you to do is do a little interview and then I’ll come in to get all the paperwork sorted out,” I wasn’t sure which piece of information I should pay attention to first, so I opted to approach things differently. “She doesn’t talk,” I whispered. “No, she’s mute. That was one of the first things we discussed via email. Look, Wyatt, she doesn’t have to interact with any customers. All she has to do is paperwork and schedules, lock up and that’s it. She needs this job,” he paused as I tried to wrap my head around all of this. “How is she?” “She’s…” I wanted to say beautiful, stunning, and gorgeous. I wanted to say that somehow, someway this woman was mine. My mate, but I had a feeling that wasn’t what he meant. “She looks professional,” “Alright, have a little chat and then I’ll talk to you both soon,” “How soon?” “Like…just give me an hour or so to wake up and shower,” “Ok boss,” “Thanks, Wyatt, I owe you one,” and with that, he hung up and I turned back to Rain, who was now looking at me with an expression that clearly indicated that she wasn’t deaf and that she had heard my side of the conversation. I felt myself blush as I shoved my phone back into my pocket. “Sorry about that, um…I need to clean up before we have to open. Would you mind waiting in the office for me?” I watched her closely, she wasn’t reading my lips – another confirmation – and then she nodded. I quickly led her to the back and into the office, gesturing to the wingback chair in the corner. I left her there and went back to the storage room to finish getting the supplies. After filling the bucket with warm soapy water, I got started. The next hour seemed to fly by as I swept and mopped the floors and washed down the tables and chairs, including the counters of both bars, before I checked the time. I had a good hour before we opened and although Adam hadn’t shown up yet, I figured I should probably get the little chat over with. However, when I entered the office, I froze. It seemed that while I had been cleaning up the front of the café, Rain had taken the initiative to clean up in here. The desk was clear of all the clutter. Two piles lay neatly in the middle of the desk, one being a pile of paperwork that probably needed to be filed away and the other being files that needed to be filed away. All the rubbish had been thrown away, although I wasn’t sure where she had thrown it. The floor had been swept and mopped and, clearly, the desk and desk chair had been wiped down as well. She turned to me and blushed as our eyes met. “I was bored,” she explained, and I smiled as I went around the desk and sat down. I pulled open the top drawer and looked around until I found what I was looking for. I noticed that she had even cleaned up the stationary and I didn’t need to hunt around for a pen. I gestured for her to take a seat as I picked out a pen and carefully moved the two piles to one side. I then opened up the folder and handed over the first sheet of paper to her with a pen. “I need you to fill this out for me,” I said to her as she accepted the items. Rain got busy and I couldn’t help but subtly check her out. The white shirt had been pressed and suited her dark skin rather nicely and her thin fingers held onto the pen with ease as she filled out the form. I couldn’t understand what was happening and, although I had moved out of the pack three months ago to avoid Luca, I suddenly felt the need to see him. Surely the goddess hadn’t blessed me with two mates. When she was done, she handed over the items and, without looking at the form, I placed it back inside the file and closed it. “I’m going, to be honest with you, Rain,” I said softly as we looked at each other. “I’ve never conducted an interview before, but Adam should be here soon,” “That’s alright,” she signed, and I nodded. I wasn’t sure what more I could say but I knew I had to say something. “Are you from around here?” I then asked and she shook her head. I opened my mouth to ask my next question but then she lifted up her hands and I waited. “I’m originally from Auckland,” “Oh…sorry, I don’t know where that is,” I said with an awkward chuckle. Rain smiled but didn’t say – sign – anything further, so I decided to keep up with my questions. “What brings you to Apple Bridge County?” “My father recently passed away and I wanted to make a fresh start,” she explained. I wanted to give her my sympathies, but I somehow knew that she didn’t want me to do that. “Well, welcome,” I remarked, just as Adam came rushing into the office. “The front door is unlocked, why?” he asked as he gave me a pointed look and I blushed as I jumped up. “Rain?” she turned to him and stood up as she nodded. “Wonderful to meet you,” “I’ll leave you two to it,” I said as I inched toward the door, but Adam suddenly stopped me. “I need you here,” he said softly before he went over and sat down behind the desk. “Is this her file?” he asked as he flipped open the file I had taken out for her. “Yes, I had her fill in the personal details page,” “Good, thank you,” he said before he looked over at Rain, who was now seated once again. “Alright Rain, well, as we discussed over the past week, you’ll be shadowing Wyatt for a few days while Josh finishes up the week and then you’ll take over the nightshift. We do try to switch it up a bit, but that is something you and Wyatt will work out. Do you have any questions?” even though he had asked the question to Rain, he turned to me, and I frowned. “I don’t understand sign, Wyatt,” he informed me, and I nodded before I turned my attention to Rain. “I don’t have any questions right now,” she signed, and I quickly translated to Adam. “Alright then, well, let’s finish up this paperwork and then you can join Wyatt,” he then dismissed me, and I went to the front to check on the machines. I spotted the morning shift staff hanging around outside and I waved them in. “Huh…why isn’t the door locked?” Olivia – one of the baristas – asked as she led the group inside. I waved away her question as I watched each one come inside. All of the morning shift staff were accounted for and they immediately all went to the back to use their lockers for their personal items. I continued to hang around the front. “Who was that I saw with Adam in the office?” Isabella – one of the waitresses – asked curiously as she stopped in front of me. “She is Rain Matthews, the new nightshift manager,” I informed her as I looked her up and down, simply checking that her uniform was correct. Some of the staff members liked to take chances. Isabella nodded but didn’t ask anything else as she went to the front of the café to push open the doors. We were officially open for business.