Jaxon had been in exile for four years. The first year was rough, sleeping in makeshift shelters and stealing what he could in order to eat. With no work experience or references, Jaxon was often looked over when he applied to jobs no matter the position. He applied to work as a fry cook, ranch-hand, shelf stocker, and over a dozen other positions with no luck. If he ever made it to the interview stage that was as far as it went. It wasn’t that Jaxon was anxious talking to other people, he was just never raised to communicate and when he did he was very direct, often answering yes or no with zero context. Can he work the night shift? Yes. Does he have any experience managing his schedule and turning in paperwork on time? No. Most people fib just a little during an interview, or at least know how to talk up a lack of experience, but Jaxon was never taught to bend the truth. He was aware that his manner of speaking was not conventional, however it was what worked for him and felt no need to change who he was, especially for something as trivial as a job. That first year he lost a lot of weight and was sick more often than not, but by chance he was able to turn his luck around and things began to change for the better. 

After spending a particularly difficult day unsuccessfully looking for work, Jaxon stumbled upon a coffee shop. Stepping inside the smell of freshly ground coffee beans and bitter chocolate surrounded him. Closing his eyes, Jaxson took a deep breath allowing the smell to tickle his lungs and settle his mind. Upon opening them a small brunette was standing before him. “Hi I’m Emma. Can I help you?” Jaxon thought a moment before shaking his head no. It was then that he noticed the wall of books, especially the poetry and classics sections. Emma giggled “a reader I see. Feel free to peruse- if you want any coffee I’ll be behind the counter. First cup’s on the house”. With that she waved and briskly walked back towards the register to help another customer. That was all the permission Jaxon needed before tracing his fingers over the much used spines. After a few minutes he chose one of his favorite novels The Cider House Rules by John Irving before settling down in a well loved settee by the wall of windows. The book was considered taboo by some as it discussed the topic of abortion, but that only played a part in the intricate web of characters that Irving was famous for creating. Jaxon was so absorbed in the novel he didn’t even realize when Emma brought him a large cappuccino. She waited a few seconds realizing just how well the man could concentrate before smiling and heading back to work. Hours slowly passed and dozens of customers came in and out of the shop, some talking quietly amongst themselves while others practically yelled across the small cafe. All the while Jaxon read, softly sighing to himself when he finished a particularly moving or insightful passage. He only noticed how late it was when the sun started to set and the shop had gone silent. He only had a few more chapters to go, but having read the novel before and not wanting to be a burden to Emma he closed the book and glanced up. Looking around he realized he was the only one left and that Emma had begun cleaning and sweeping up quietly around him. Without saying a word Jackson quietly returned the book to the shelf and began to help Emma clean, lifting chairs and wiping down countertops. They worked in silence for the next several minutes wrapping up just before 8pm. “ Thanks for helping!” Emma chirped. Jaxon nodded in response. “ Do you know anything about making coffee?” Emma asked. Jaxon shook his head quietly. “ That's okay” said Emma. “ you don’t mind working and you seem to enjoy reading, so how would you like a job here? I just opened a few months ago and it’s been really hard being the only employee/owner. The hours are kind of long, but you can have as much coffee as you want and you can always borrow the books so long as you bring them back.” Jaxon let a small smile peek through with just a hint of his dimples showing before nodding firmly. “Awesome! Then I will see you here at 5 o’clock sharp!” Jaxon nodded affirmatively before heading towards the door. He did it! After all this time he finally got a job, and it's one he might actually enjoy! Jaxon was practically on cloud nine as he headed towards the exit. “Wait!” Emma all but yelled, stopping him in his tracks. “ I still don’t know your name. What should I make up for your name tag?” She asked with a smile. Fearing for a moment that Emma had changed her mind about him, Jaxon sighed internally that it was just a question and not a rejection he turned around slowly. In a voice deep like the ocean and as thick as honey he said “Jaxon. Call me Jaxon,” before smiling and exiting the cafe.