Rhi Axtell – Writer

I tried a new coffee shop.

Walking into a sea of navy blue and black suits, my pink hoody is a lighthouse in a storm.

A woman nearby talks loudly to colleagues. I am unwittingly drawn in.

“I never took a career break. Never took time for myself. Never started a family. I worked for thirty-two years solidly, since I was sixteen.”

“I received a card from Head Office, thanking me for my years of service.”

“They spelled my name wrong. That’s when I realised my mistake.”

My coffee tastes a little more bitter after that.