The next day...

27th of December, 1964

Jude's POV

Today I needed to reborn back at work due to my boss's order, otherwise I would be fired if I didn't. 

As I had on myself a pair of deep gray trousers, followed by white blouse with long sleeves, an apron, black knee length boots, the precious sapphire-ruby bracelet on my right wrist, ending with the silver earrings on my ears currently.

It was my first working day after Christmas. It was miserable the feeling when I needed to seperate with Tim and home for a several hours due to my schedule, whilst on other hand I love and relish a lot to be in that restaurant by serving the clients' ordered food and drinks. 

Moreover, it was snowing outside again, the ground blanketed in a pure, solid and white snow. Luckily, there weren't any blizzards and powerful winds. 

Until I was interrutped by my boss Mr.Smith as soon as I finished with the serving process:

-Excuse me, Jude! Would you like to come with me and light a cigarette with me by taking a brief break, please?- I couldn't decline Jonathan's invitation to smoke together outside whilst taking a break for a handful minutes.

-Of course, Mr.Smith!- I answered hastily by putting on my coat in case to not freeze outside though it was a bit warmer than the last days. 

I gripped my coat, going outside by insisting from Jonathan one cigarette, lighting it for me as I was grateful to him for his politeness, striking a conversation along:

-How your Christmas holidays passed, Miss Judy?- He questioned with a light chuckle, puffing from him cigarette.

-*giggling in goofy way, our eyes meeting, developing an outgoing eye contact* They passed super! Thank you. How about yours, Johnny?- I inquired with a kind smile.

-Glad to hear that! Mine passed well, thanks. 

-That is amazing! With your entire family, right?- Puffing of my cigarette casually as I questioned with a little envy by noticing how the others are blissful and blessed to have their whole family together on Christmas or another remarkable day with their own grandchildren and children unlike me who don't have somebody from my family who could be that relative to me. I am such unlucky lady for sadly. One of my most precious things that I recently possess is my Tim including his home or with other words said our sanctuary and the fact that I am still alive.

-Yes! Including My wife, mine and my wife's parents, our 2 sons and 1 daughter, my younger brother. How about you too?- Once he posed the question to me, I blushed, feeling totally embarassed, not knowing what to give him as a response to the question or not exactly knowing his primary reaction until he listens to me. I dislike very much those mixed emotions or 2 faces that are living inside me- my first face is careless about the society's worldview and visions on me and what I like or even dislike whilst my second one is the unconditional opposition of my first face, wondering and caring, being hurted once the society's opinion is being heard by me. It renders me quite desperate, to be honest.

-I am delighted to hear that!*afterwards mumbling* Just me and Timothy only.- I uttered insecurely, attempting to avoid the awkwardness.

-Just you and Tim, right?*nodding my head by confirming* That sounds sad. Don't you have somebody from your family with whom you celebrated Christmas except by yourselves? - Jonathan didn't sound cheerful as he syllabled.

-Tim's family is in England whilst...*swallowing a lump in my throat, inhaling and exhaling in the same time* I don't want to talk about my family, admitting it frankly. - I exclaimed slightly annoyed.

-Okay. Pardon for the question, Judy!- My boss apologized me cordially while puffing of a cigarette, near the end.

-No problem! Everything is fine, Johnny. I just would like to discuss by ourselves about my family another time. I don't think...it is really comfortable currently. To open it as a topic, you know.

He just nod his head with a little smile across his dark lips during this second he had finished smoking by puffing the last centimetre of his cigarette, a dim surrounding us like a fog.  A couple of minutes later, I got back to work by stripping my coat, hanging it in the locker room, carrying on to take orders and serve the clients what they do require. 

In addition to that, I hope I don't see this imbecile Casey either on my working place or somewhere else ever again. I don't want any dramas, nerves, consequently ruining my good and joyful mood that was fulfilled since Christmas Eve's day. 

Later on...

It was high time to end my working day by going home, saluting with my boss by taking off from myself the apron, thus putting on my fragile torso my black coat and as my boss were about to leave with a couple of colleagues who were 2 more waitresses. They were younger than me with 20 years at least. Nonetheless, one of the young waiteresses was rather chubby but she looked cute and pretty, although she wore usually under her apron light clothes like an angel. Whilst the another one was pretty skinny, in spite of her old-fashioned dressing style in teal, yellow and pale pink colors. The chubbier waitress's name was Charlotte Rose while the skinny one's is actually Ramona Grace. 

As I pulled the both doors, letting Charlotte and Ramona to arrive outside as well disciplined lady, the slim waitress noticed on my ring finger the proposal ring, given by Timothy which rendered her to be like "Woow!" with widely opened eyes, her mouth widely opened, remaining speechless, announcing in front of Jonathan and Charlotte Rose with loud voice:

-Oh my! Judy, you have been proposed? Congratulations!

My face all flushed like a blossoming rose with its exquisite and glittering rosy petals, little did I know what to say right away. Meanwhile, Jonathan and Charlotte turned their backs, pierced their eyes into my proposal ring, woowing. All what I can recognize their facial expressions were stunned and euphoric, wearing rejoiced smiles. 

-Wow!- The plump young woman woowed.

-That is wonderful, Jude! Tim proposed you? - Johnny enquired in awe with a large and radiant smile across his lips.

I was such breathtaking moment once I got proposed, besides my both colleagues including my boss himself to find out what a miracle has happened to me. Thanks to that, I was somewhat prepared to say something but I was rather impotent, just nodding my head instead of exclaiming with a plain "Yes!".

-That is not particularly believable. Anyway you deserve congratulations and applauds from us, dear!- The skinnier colleague of mine patted my back friendly as she was with 4 inches taller than me, bending her head as peaking at my face's level, kissing my cheek tenderly.

-Thank you...thank you very much for your kind words, girls and Jonathan! I couldn't be much happier for that. - As I spoke the first words after the speechless reactions, I stuttered with heating cheeks, hugging my both colleagues, swapping cheek kisses together.

To be continued...