One of the other girls, the one who had suggested the vacation to McKayla, now felt guilty. She could tell how her boss 

Imogen Howe

felt about McKayla's departure. It was no surprise to anyone that McKayla was leaving in this way. No word about where she was going, and no mention of how long for.

"Any place but here." McKayla had said. The other girl said these words herself. Quiet enough that against the espresso maker nobody else could hear her.

It was true that times were tough at the cafe. People didn't drink coffee like they used to. The

millennials

who used to live in the cafes were now too busy and cheap to come spend half an afternoon in a coffee shop. They used their disposable income on gadgets at home, watched 

Youtube

to learn how to make their favorite drinks. Once in awhile they would come out to the 

cafe

to meet up with an old friend, but it wasn't an everyday thing.

The youngsters were less into cafe culture. Books and cozy culture weren't as in for them. They would rather play games or do something on their phones. Stuff that didn't need to take place inside a cafe. All of this coupled with the fact that the cost of everything was rising made cafes feel a bit like a doomed business.

This other girl could see it in her boss. The bags under her eyes. The lackluster motion in tthe way she walked and in her posture. For this other girl it wasn't so bad. This was a part time job for some beer money on the weekends. She never planned on working at a cafe forever. She wondered if Imogen Howe even intended to work in a cafe forever. What was her boss' long term plan?