Chapter 14
BLISS
“Bliss, girl, you okay? I been tryna get your attention for a minute.” My coworker Angie touched my arm and I pulled my airpod out so I could hear her.
“Sorry, girl, I’m tired. I didn’t get to sleep ’til late last night,” I lied.
The truth was my mind was on Sosa and why I hadn’t been able to get in touch with him for days.
Going from talking to a nigga every day to straight radio silence had me reeling and trying to figure out if I’d done something wrong.
I could admit that the last time we’d actually talked, he was a little pissed because I’d declined another date with him.
It had only been a couple of weeks, and I felt like we were still getting to know each other, but he was clearly taking that shit to heart.
I simply wanted to be sure of his intentions before I opened myself up to him any more, and he was already showing red flags.
I’d let too many of them slide when it came to Jordan so I was trying to do shit different with Sosa, and now it was blowing up in my face.
Despite trying to guard my heart, my feelings were still hurt by the possibility that he was ghosting me over something so trivial.
“Ooh, I know how that is! One minute you’re up watching Martin reruns and eating snacks, then the next thing you know, I’m on the next season, and the sun is coming up! Girl, I be so mad!” she cracked, making me laugh.
Angie was the only one of my coworkers that I actually keekee’d with, which was why she’d felt comfortable checking on me.
In the years I’d worked there, she was the first person who didn’t immediately come in being all stiff and annoying.
She was a few years older than Essence, and a divorced mother of two college students, so she didn’t have time to play the usual workplace games.
She was no nonsense, and I loved that about her, so we got along just great.
“That was oddly specific, Ang. What the hell you be having going on?” I gave her a playful side eye, and she shrugged as she moved back over to her station.
“Hey, I’m a single woman of a certain age, so that’s how most of my nights end, unfortunately. Hell, I just found out I’m A-sexual!” She cackled. “I been feeling tired of niggas for years, and I’m just figuring out it’s a name for it!” She had me cracking up, and my vision got blurry.
“Oh, my God, Angie! Stop!”
“Shit, after so many years of messing around with ain’t shit niggas, I’m literally dried up! I ain’t got nothin’ for these niggas!”
“I know that’s right!” Nodding, I hit the ‘clock it’ finger tap in agreement.
The way the men in my life were acting was definitely, about to have me out here with a sewn-up pussy.
The sight of our supervisor had us piping down.
I put my AirPod back in and got back to work, filling prescriptions.
Sosa had me at work listening to Kehlani and reevaluating life.
My phone was burning a hole in my pocket, ready to check and see if he’d maybe messaged or called, but since I only had an hour left before break, I was fighting the urge to look until then.
“Umm, excuse me. Can I get some help, please!” Angie and I looked over at the same time, and she quickly snapped her head back to me with raised brows. I already knew that look meant she wanted me to take the customer.
Angie had already gotten in trouble a couple of times for matching energy with unruly customers, so any time somebody came in hot, me or one of the other techs would take over. I didn’t mind since I was much better with customer relations and was able to get them calm down.
Taking out my AirPod, I made my way over to the counter, instantly noting how pretty the woman was even though her face was screwed up.
She gave me Instagram baddie vibes from her long wig and nails to her thick body and BBL booty, but her attitude was taking away from how pretty she was.
Forcing a smile, I rested my hands on the counter and braced myself. “Hi, how may I help you?”
“I need a Plan B!” she said nastily like I should’ve known what she wanted without having to ask, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
There were plenty of women who came in for a Plan B, but it was rare that they were so fucking mad about it.
I real life wanted to know if she was pissed because she was trying to trap a nigga and it didn’t work.
“Okay, I’ll go get that for you.” My tone was clipped, even as I gave her a smile and walked off before I was no longer able to control my temper. Yeah, I wasn’t as hotheaded as Angie, but it was really too early for this bullshit.
Angie let out a low hum as I passed, clearly getting triggered.
I snickered, giving her a nudge to stop it.
I disappeared down the middle aisle, grabbed the box for her, and headed back.
Now the woman was on the phone talking loudly.
I already knew she was about to get pissed off from the news I was going to tell her, but it was my job to inform her of her options.
“How much?”
“The pill is $49.99 plus tax, but I would advise that you consider trying Ella instead since it’s geared more toward women who are over 165―” I tried to explain, but she quickly cut me off with a wave of her hand.
“Okay. How much is that one?”
“Well, for Ella, you would need to have a prescription, but―”
“What you mean a prescription? Why would you even suggest it to me if I couldn’t just get it now? This is obviously an emergency!” she shrieked, leaning over the counter.
I took a step back just in case she got stupid.
“Girl.” I let out a bitter chuckle that should’ve been a warning for her, but she was clearly not reading the room.
“It is recommended that you take Ella because the Plan B can be ineffective for women over a certain weight. I would hate for you to take it and think it worked, then you end up having a baby in nine months.” I tried to get her to understand, but the look on her face said I was only pissing her off.
“What the fuck taking so long?”
Sosa’s voice had my neck snapping in his direction, and I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from cursing.
I’d been racking my brain trying to figure out what had made him start treating me different, and the last thing I considered was another woman, and a smaller one at that.
He’d talked all that shit about me being perfect and trying to get me to spend time with him, just to be a typical ass nigga.
A stupid expression covered his features when he recognized me, but I was already back in work mode and focusing on my ratchet customer.
“This bitch saying I shouldn’t get the regular Plan B, but the one she wants me to get, I need a prescription for!”
“It’s no need for that. Now either you want to take a chance with the Plan B, or you’re gonna go make a doctor’s appointment. Either way, I need you to make a decision so you can stop holding up my line,” I told her in the nicest way possible, even though there wasn’t anybody in line behind her.
“Aye, Bliss―” Sosa tried to speak, but I held up my hand to stop him, instantly noting how his ass had called me by my name instead of the nickname he’d been calling me.
I really shouldn’t have been surprised, but I was, because clearly he’d talked a good game.
I was just glad I hadn’t let my guard down enough to give in to him before he showed his true colors.
“Sir, either you’re buying or I’m gon’ need you and your future baby mama from hell to get the fuck out of my line.” I’d been handling the situation as best I could so far, but something about him resorting to calling me Bliss took me clear over the edge.
“Excuse you! Aye, somebody better get a manager over here right the fuck now!” his BBL bird started getting louder, drawing the attention of my coworkers.
Two of them, along with Angie, rushed over. I took the opportunity to slip out of their way and leave the area, ignoring Sosa calling my name.
A half hour later, I was sitting in my supervisor’s office, trying not to cry.
I prided myself on my professionalism, and the fact that a nigga and some bird-brained bitch had taken me out of character had me disgusted with myself.
My supervisor, Smith, cleared his throat and leaned over his desk with a disapproving scowl.
I wanted to roll my eyes so bad, but I was already on this ice.
“Bliss, I’m not sure what happened out there, but I must say I’m very surprised. Obviously, Angie is beginning to rub off on you because having a screaming match with a customer is not how we do things here,” he said sternly, and I quickly wiped a tear that had managed to slip out.
I hated that I even allowed myself to let Smith, of all people, make my emotions spill over.
The nigga was hardly able to handle his own job, let alone supervise his staff.
But at the same time, having him chastising me was only making me feel worse about the situation.
“Under normal circumstances, I would’ve just written you up, but the fact that the general manager was here during the incident is going to require more severe punishment―”
“Smith, you know me! I would never intentionally do anything to jeopardize my job, and I don’t think one mistake should constitute me getting fired! If you just give me another chance, I promise nothing like this will happen again.” He was already holding his hands up to stop me.
“Who said anything about firing you? Since this is your first offense, we’re going to suspend you for a week. Hopefully when you come back, you’re in a better position to handle your duties with professionalism.”
“Oh, my God, really? Thank you! Thank you so much!”
“Yes, really. Take seven days from your upcoming schedule and come back ready put this whole thing behind us.”
“Of course. Thank you again!”