Chapter 10 #3
I am just finishing my treat before Jada and Brittany enter together.
I wave while attempting to choke down the last bite; however, they don’t wave back.
Instead, I am met with a tight-lipped smile from Brittany, and Jada didn’t even bother to look my way.
They make their way to the backroom, carrying on as if I am not even in the room.
I pocket my notepad and join my coworkers in the backroom, secretly hoping this wasn’t the beginning of an ugly working environment.
“Hey,” I say upon entering. “I wanted to ask you both where you would like to be stationed tonight? I know the schedule usually determines where everyone is, but today I wanted to—” I trail off.
Brittany appears deeply pained, rubbing her upper arm with a downcast gaze, while Jada’s narrowed eyes lock onto mine. Her lips narrow at the corners before words form like darts being thrown at its target.
“What makes you so special?!” Jada all but spits. Her arms cross over her chest as she steps forward.
“I’m… What?” I expected tension, but she already has her claws out, and we aren’t even open yet!
She continues, “You haven’t been here as long as I have been! Even as long as Brittany. What makes you so qualified?!” Any semblance of a friendly working relationship has all but turned sour overnight. Brittany seemed to shrink back slightly.
“I didn’t ask for this!” I protest.
“Sure, you didn’t… but I’m positive that sleeping with the boss helped.”
Is that what they think?! My hands shoot out from my sides. “I’m not sleeping with Eamon!” This time, both girls share a look.
“Right… just couldn’t even wait until Cassie’s funeral to steal her job!”
My next words get stuck in my throat. All the comebacks I had cued up vanished. I hold myself steady, clutching at my upper arms.
“Wait… what?” I look between Brittany and Jada, but neither regards my shock.
“Oh…” Jada’s downturned mouth instantly flips to that of the Cheshire Cat. “Your Eamon didn’t tell you?”
Tell me what? I couldn’t voice.
“Cassie is dead!”
The room seems to sway. Like ripples that follow along the top of the water when you drop a heavy rock into a lake. I lean against the ice machine for stability. The two simply stroll past me and push the swinging door outward.
I remain in the backroom while I collect my thoughts.
Dead? How?! She was fine! Has been fine.
Now she’s gone! I could feel myself growing more upset by the minute.
I was, of course, sad. Sad for her son. Upset how I’ll never see her again, yet I’ll have to be reminded of her endlessly each time I work at The Black Sheep.
Then my mind diverts… instantly going to Theo…
Brodi. The pain of another loss begins to fester in my stomach, and I don’t want to go there.
Not now… Not today! Why? Determined, I swap out my anguish for anger.
Why? He must have known! He could have just told me? !! Eamon lied to me!
The monotonous ringing in my head seems to be getting louder by the second.
Not giving myself a second to think better of it, I pull out my phone and send a strongly worded message to Eamon.
Then slip it back into my back pocket. I don’t want to see the response.
Too filled with everything right now, I am confident I would say something that could get me fired.
I go to my bag, apparently disconnected completely at this point from my prefrontal cortex.
Switching out my right hearing aid, for the piece of tech that bears the purple star.
There was no plan, no analysis of what putting this earbud back on meant, just doing.
Acting. Perhaps I was searching for something, but as soon as the plastic antenna hung from my ear, I felt soothed.
Will I hear something? Only time will tell, but as of late this thing…
whatever is happening… has been the only situation I can count on.
I peek through the port window of the backroom door, finding both Jada and Brittany beginning the opening tasks for the evening.
Spying made me feel like I was back in grade school.
Not wanting to leave the bathroom because I knew all the kids were talking about me.
They thought I wouldn’t notice. The way they would turn just enough, so their backs were to me or using only a whisper voice; believing that I couldn't hear the mean things they said about me. I’m deaf, not dumb!
Plus, I learned how to read lips pretty quickly.
I knew what they said about me. The names.
The jokes. The isolation. As I got older, I tried to steel myself, ignoring the banter.
If I didn’t give them a reaction, they would eventually stop.
When my brother found out, he wanted to get back at them.
I never figured out how he learned about the teasing, but the main one’s responsible wound up with gum in their hair or their clothes being riddled with itching powder.
I don’t care for this empty feeling and right now, I would prefer just about anything to take up this space.
Tonight is a brutally slow night. I don’t even have to bother Connor with any silly questions the entire shift.
Both Jada and Brittany insist on being on the floor, in turn making me behind the bar alone.
I know they want to be as far away from me as possible.
They barely even speak to me the whole night, besides the reluctant drink request that they can’t fill themselves.
Even my musical stalker was radio silent! For once, I wanted to interact beyond, “What can I get you?” But tonight had to be quiet.
I counted the drawer twice at closing and still I couldn’t get it to balance. Admitting defeat, Connor came to my rescue and recounted. That’s all I need right now… a short drawer on my first shift as the “acting” manager.
I check my phone. Disappointed that not even Eamon has attempted to communicate. Rereading my text, I doubt if I should have even sent it, until I tell myself that he is the one that withheld information. I shouldn’t feel bad, but I kind of do.
Connor totaled the drawer with the initial count I made, finding two sticky twenties that most likely caused the discrepancy. I’m both thankful and embarrassed.
Jada flips each chair onto the small tables with a spin, causing the stool to make an unnecessary tottering sound. Connor notices me wince. He snaps his fingers loudly across the bar at Jada, telling her to drop the attitude. She does.
Brittany gives me a small wave before walking out the door with Jada, who doesn’t spare a single glance in my direction. I couldn’t have picked a more perfect time to take time off.
Connor sticks around a little later than usual, even watching me lock up. He’s a pretty nice guy and I’m thankful for his help today. We go our separate ways, him slipping down a side street while I continue along my usual path to my apartment building.
Alone again, I walked quickly. Hoping to find Andrea already home, snuggled up with her fuzzy bat blanket waiting for me on the couch.
We’re overdue to catch up. I don’t care if we talked or watched a movie.
I’m desperate for any positive interaction.
A movie would be perfect. What’s the name of the one where two unlikely partners suck at communicating, get caught up in embarrassing situations, and eventually the two wind up perfectly matched right before the ending?
Miss Congruent? No. Miss Congenerous? Whatever its name is, I really don’t see her appeal to these types of movies, but I was willing to sit through the film just to spend time with her.
Pushing my key within the lock, I realize I am holding my breath.
Whether it’s because I am anxious about her not being there or actually being present was debatable.
I let the air out slowly as I push the door open to our apartment.
Both will be difficult… and there she is!
Like the sighting of a silvery-haired nymph in their natural habitat, but instead of a magical aura, she was cast in the glow of the television.
The small adjacent table was covered with a candy-filled charcuterie board, complete with plastic skeleton.
“No way!” I skip to the table, half haphazardly removing my shoes and dropping my bag to the floor. “Are those gummy worms crawling out of its mouth?”
She nods her head.
“With Twizzler pull n’ peel for intestines?!” I marveled.
Her cheeks raise, causing her eyes to nearly disappear. Her smile disintegrates any current worries. “Couldn’t think of a more delicious organ,” she admits.
I let myself fall on top of her and proceed to plant a big kiss on her forehead. “You're a genius!” I tell her.
Without delay, I unwrap a Rolo and pop it into my mouth. I love the way the chocolate oozes out caramel, when I crush it within the inside of my cheek.
Andrea doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth. She’ll cheat occasionally by adding extra chocolate chips to one of her protein shakes, but she’s all about gain and rarely misses her gym days.
This entire spread is all for me. So sweet of her! Figuratively and literally. I move onto the mountain of candy corn, surrounding the skeleton’s plastic skull, as Andrea cues up a movie. The words “Miss Congeniality” fill the screen.
“That’s it!” I shout at no one in particular. “Congeniality!”