The bell rings in the front of the shop. I quickly turn around and pick my cold scoops out of the foggy water. Looking up, I begin, “Hi how can I h-” but the words never make it out. In walked the most celestial girl I had ever seen. Her long brown hair was tucked behind her ear, falling over her left shoulder, revealing the glow coming from her cheek. Her eyes, though hidden behind dark green sunglasses, held my attention as the door slowly shut behind her. She isn’t like most of the girls that come through here, loud and obnoxious with their friends leaving sand behind as they walk back in their bikinis to the beach across the street. She was wearing a comfortable looking t shirt that read “cross country” on the front and a pair of simple khaki shorts that fit her just right.

Forgetting I was standing behind the counter in an apron and hat, I came back to the routine: “Hi what can I get you?” She stepped up and crouched down a little to look at all the flavors while humming out her uncertainty.
“Hmmm. Um can I try the cake batter?” She hesitantly replied. As if I possibly wouldn’t have given it to her.
I grabbed one of the miniature spoons and made sure to put as much as I could possibly fit onto it. I handed it to her and she tasted it. By the slight raise of her eyebrows, I could tell this would be her pick.
“Mm yeah I’ll take a two scoops of this in a cup,” she requested proudly.
“Okay. Any toppings on that?” As required to ask, but this time I was truly curious. You see, you can tell a lot about a person by their ice cream. Some people go for a small amount of ice cream with a more extensive selection of toppings. But the true fan sticks to the classics with multiple scoops of varying ice cream complemented with a smaller amount of one topping.
“Maybe just have some marshmallows on top please.”
I smiled and began to scoop her ice cream and prepare it for the mallows. I tried to have a little fun and impress her by making it very swiftly while still being smooth about it. Out of the corner I watched her smile grow and listened as a small laugh exited her mouth. After mixing the mallows in, I placed her creation in a cup and led her on over to the register. I punched a couple buttons making some noise as the computer registered. “That’ll be three fifteen please.”
She opened her nicely organized wallet and handed me four singles. “Outta four?” I placed them in their resting spot in the register and counted out three quarters and a dime and handed them to her. “Eighty-five cents is your change,” I informed her.
She looked me in the eyes, smiled and sang the most touching thank you I had ever experienced in my year and a half working there. She continued to drop the change in the tip jar on the counter and walked out of the shop into the sunlight.
I stood there for a while after she left. Just watching the spot where she turned the corner and walked out of my view. I had no other customers to make ice cream for so it wasn’t a problem. “Cake Batter and Marshmallows,” I thought to myself before I turned to begin making waffle cones.

The rest of my four hour shift was a blur and ended without anything more exciting. The next day I showed up to work and did the usual: wipe down tables and counters, refill the ice cream case, make waffle cones and bowls. Had a few customers but not too many due to the clouds out this morning. About an hour and a half through my shift, while I was finishing up a family of four, in walked Cake Batter and Marshmallows. I gave her a quick look while mixing the second to last cone for the two kids. The pressure was on all of a sudden and I had a harder time finishing up their order.
Finally, I rang them up and they took a seat down at a table. I turned and wiped my hands on my apron while taking a deep breath. “Sorry for your wait. Welcome back!” Shoot. I don’t want her to think I remember her from yesterday!

She laughed a little quietly followed by an awkward pause not knowing how to respond.

“What can I get for ya?”

She was not hesitant at all this time. “I’ll get a two scoop of cake batter with marshmallows please.”

I had practically already started it before she finished her sentence. Trying to act like I just remembered what she ordered the day before, “Ahhh,” I sighed. “You liked it yesterday?”

“Yeah!” She replied. “It was so good I had to come back and get another today.

I laughed and smiled. “I’m glad,” I replied. I made the rest of her ice creaming giver a little extra marshmallows this time. Walked her down to the register and gave her her ice cream. I picked up one of the discount cards we were giving out that day punch it for her. “Here. We are giving out buy three get one free cards. I punched you for today and yesterday so you have to come back in to get your free ice cream.” I handed her the card.

“Oh awesome! Thank you so much!”

“Sure thing! Well, it’s three fifteen today.”

She began to look in her wallet and took a little more time this time. She finally just handed me a credit card. I grabbed it and swiped it in the register. While it was processing though, I tried to steal a peek at the name on it. “Leah.” It fit her perfectly. It wasn’t too over the top and wasn’t too common.

The transaction came through and I gave her the card and her receipt. I smiled at her. “Thanks for stopping in.”
“Thank you! I’ll be in soon for that free ice cream.” We laughed and she left around the same corner as she did the day before.

“I have to get this girls number”, I thought. She is too sweet and kind to pass up on. I don’t know why I am caught up on her, but she is just different. My shift ended that night with only a few more customers and no extra work to do.

The next morning, I came in to work wearing the cleanest and freshest uniform I had. I rolled up the sleeves just like I always did but made sure the were folded just right. My apron was perfectly clean. The skies had cleared up and the sun was out. There is nothing that could keep her from coming in today. The place was hopping and I was running around making ice cream left and right. Two hours passed and no Leah. So I kept myself busy in the breaks between waves so I’d be doing something when she walked in. Another hour passes and she hadn’t shown up. The place slowed down and we were an hour from close now.
The whole hour, about two couples came in and left right away. Seemed as if the sun had gone right back down and it scared everyone away. I went in back with ten minutes left to close to start making more ice cream for the next morning. It was then that I heard the bell ring. I stopped what I was doing and collected my thoughts. I just have to start a conversation and ask for her number. I was ready.
I walked out slowly, pretending to be looking for something. I rounded the corner and looked up. Sure enough, Leah was there. Smiling and looking right at me. I walked up to her and was about to say something smooth when the bell rang again. In walked another guy, tall and built. Leah turned to see who it was and I watched. The guy walked up right up to her, put his hand on her back, and said “What are ya gunna get babe?” I stood there in shock. Made her two scoop cake batter with marshmallows and his order. He paid for her ice cream and got his for free.