Half (Patreon)

“Hey!” I heard a customer say from the back room of the coffee shop.

“Oh great, another Karen,” I thought to myself, while forcing “Yes? How can I help you?” out of my mouth as I finished up my inventory

“Where’s the waitress with the long black hair?” she asked.

“She finished her shift about 10 minutes ago, but I’m sure I can help… you?”

As I walked into the front room I noticed the customer was, well, half of a girl. She looked young, like she was in college, and for all intents and purposes was normal, except only half of her was there, like she was the subject of a bizarre magic act.

“I only got half of my order,” she complained. “Is this some sort of joke?”

“Sorry ma’am, I’ll happily check your order and-”

“I’m not half a woman you know?” she interrupted. “I’m a full woman, but my left side is invisible. I know it’s not a common mutation but it’s a fairly simple one.”

I did notice a floating glove and a high heeled shoe that seemed to move on it’s own. I guess she was telling the truth.

“Well, sorry ma’am but I haven’t seen a mutation like this before. It’s, kind of weird.”

“WEIRD!” she said angrily.

“I-in a good way you know. Like, interesting.”

“Hmmph,” she said pouting. “Do you treat all your customers this way or just the invisible ones.”

My cheeks went beat red. “I-i’ll go check the order,” I said going into the backroom to hide my embarrassment. I could hear her laughing to herself in the other room. Was she screwing with me.

I was a wreck for the rest of my shift. I couldn’t help looking at the corner booth where the half invisible girls was. Every so often I would see her cross her invisible leg, her shoe just floating in air. However, if she caught me looking at her, she would make that same pouting face, as if she disapproved of me.

Eventually she left, and it was up to me to clean the table. While I collected the dishes, I watched her walk out of the store, watching her hips sway and the invisible half of her just float. She left a big tip, and a small piece of paper.

There was a number on it, and an Instagram address with the words “In case you are still curious.”

A small smile crept across my face as I saved the number and the insta to my phone. I knew what I was going to be doing later that day. Fulfilling my “curiosity.”