Season: Summer
Weather: Fine weather with an ongoing heatwave. Top of 37 degrees Celsius. Patchy showers and high humidity.
Day of the week: Tuesday
Date: 31st January, 2024
Seeing so many of the bosses stealing Stony Boss's food yesterday, I decided to bake a cake and some cookies to prevent them from nabbing his lunchbox food. I made him omelette rice. There was tomato rice and vegetables with chopped bacon on the inside of the egg omelette. One day when I had the money, time and equipment, I might add flavoured popping pearls or 'caviar' to some of the food for something special. I didn't have the ingredients today.
On the side, I added fruit sticks with some home made dips with some cheese slices and crackers. For his dessert, I made him custard bread pockets, using the bread I already had. Hmm. This was using the bread up rather quickly.
For my own lunch, I just threw all the leftovers and odds and ends used to make his lunch into a small lunchbox of my own so that the food wouldn't be wasted. I would find a creative way to use up all the bits and pieces and make it into something akin to a fried rice or a pudding, but I was running out of time. I'd bring a boxed nutrient supplement drink for morning or afternoon tea.
For my own breakfast, I finished the pasta that had been sitting in the fridge for a while and grinned as I ate it. Pasta for breakfast is still amazing. Having food is amazing. Being able to eat to satiation every meal is amazing. Being able to eat food at every meal is amazing.
While I washed and packed up, I gulped down the vitamins that Stony Boss had left me with a cup of the mixed powdered supplement drink, feeling extremely blessed.
When I got to work, it was, of course, still early. I dropped my things off in my office and then went up to the boss floor. There, I put down the cake and using the paper mold I had cut out, dusted icing sugar on it so that it read, 'sharing is caring'. The plate of cookies, I emptied into the empty cookie jar that I had noticed yesterday.
Then I knocked on Stony Boss's door. There was no answer, and so peering in and seeing no one there, I dropped his lunchbox off on his table and went back down to my desk where I set my things up to get ready for the day. Not long before the official start of work time, I received a thank you message from him through the internal company chat software. There was a little hugging bear sticker attached, which made me smile.
Without a direct line boss to go to for some of our department's matters, the floor managers got together and decided they'd take on as much of that work load as possible, directing inquiries higher up the line if none of them could solve an issue. Those other people on the floor like me, just kept our noses clean and did whatever we could.
At lunch time, when I didn't go up to the boss floor, trying to avoid the frightening bunch of teenagers who were fire breathing dragons on the flip side, one of the lady bosses came down to take me up. My colleagues all looked at me with raised eyebrows, while I sweated.
"She's helping with an internal investigation and the only time we're all free is lunchtime," the lady boss noticed all the unspoken communication rippling around the office. "Come on, Miss Brown. Chop, chop. Everyone's waiting for you."
"You could have just called or messaged," I complained in the elevator.
"But then you could pretend not to see it," the lady boss chuckled at me. "Look at you. Don't sweat the small stuff. We know you're trying to hide it from us, but you're the one who brought in the cookies and cake, right?"
I bobbed my head and looked down at my little lunchbox.
"You know that's not going to stop anyone, right?" she patted my shoulder. "They've already started fighting over Stony's lunch. You're needed to help quell the brawl."
"How am I supposed to help quell a brawl?" I asked wiping my sweaty forehead and feeling cold sweat beginning to trickle down my back. "I can't fight. And you - you're all... nevermind."
I could hear the noise from the elevator, making me drag my feet and not want to go anywhere near the lunch room. The lady boss chuckled and pulled me along.
"Come on, scaredy cat. You'll be fine."
Entering the lunchroom, she pulled me out from where I was trying to hide behind her and hollered.
"Darlings, look who's here! I've brought Stony's little girlfriend over."
"Girlfriend? No! I'm not..."
Nobody could hear my protests.
With a whoosh, the crowd that had been surrounding Stony with forks, spoons and teaspoons surrounded me, all talking at the same time. The crowd closed in and I began to find it hard to breathe.
My lunchbox was snatched away and I caught a glimpse of the empty cookie jar and what crumbs were left of the cake. I felt myself being jostled around and the sounds around me suddenly became muffled, as if I were underwater.
Somebody shouldered their way into the crowd and took me by the shoulder, leading me over to a seat where I was sat down.
There was a cough and clearing of the throat from the lunch door and with another whoosh, the bosses all rushed back to their seats to pretend to be obedient little boys and girls once more. THE biggest boss of all looked around the room with a baleful eye, and then came to a stop in front of me.
Someone had leaned me against their shoulder, patting my shoulder, while I was struggling to come to terms with what had just happened and breathe.
"She's gone completely white," commented THE biggest boss of all, kneeling down to look at me. "Her lips are white. Who bullied our lunchbox girl? What happened? Where's our first aid officer?"
"First aid officer? Oh! Oh, that's me! I'm coming! Uh, she's gone cold. We'll lay her down. She might have just had a big shock. She should be alright after laying her down and putting her legs up to encourage some blood flow."
"Clear the couch. Let my future lunch maker lie down," THE biggest boss of all announced, and I felt myself being carried over to a very soft couch and covered with a blanket. "If you all offend her, I won't ask her to be our lunch room snack supplier or let her be our special Wednesday caterer."
"What?"
"No way."
"Boss, you're going to ask her to make lunches and snacks for us?"
"She's free on Wednesdays, Stony told me. If she's willing, you can all put in orders every week and she will cook lunch for us on Wednesdays. We'll pay her for it. It won't be free."
"So you don't need to worry about not being paid or not earning enough money," Stony Boss whispered in my ear. "Just close your eyes and rest for a moment. I apologise for my colleagues scaring you."
I closed my eyes for a moment. Just a moment. But the moment turned into a long moment and before I knew it, Stony Boss was nudging me awake. The sun outside the lunchroom window was already setting and I felt drained. Uncomfortably tired.
"Stony, if you don't look after her better and marry her in the future, you'd better look out, because I will," I heard a familiar voice saying and figure of THE biggest boss of all walked out of the lunchroom, lit in a rosy orange hue. "If you can't get her to agree to make her your girlfriend, I'll make her mine. Her cooking is too good to pass up."
"Stony Boss, I think I saw and heard something wrong," I mumbled, sitting up groggily, holding my head. "What happened? Is it the end of the day already? Why didn't you wake me up?"
Stony Boss sighed, putting on his coat and helping me put on my jacket. All my things were on the coffee table by the couch.
"Come on, Miss Brown. I'll take you home. Thank you for lunch today. It was delicious - or at least, whatever I managed to eat of it before those hungry ghosts stole it all. They even ate your lunch before you passed out and scolded me for making you eat leftovers. I'll take you out to dinner and go grocery shopping with you on the way back if you're feeling well enough."
"I don't get it," I said, leaning tiredly into Stony Boss's body. "Why am I so tired?"
"You're still not completely better and you had a fright at lunch time," Stony Boss shook his head. "Boss gave everyone a good telling off, so it shouldn't happen again. Don't worry. Come on. How are you feeling? Need to go toilet before we go?"
I nodded and he considerately walked me down to the toilets and waited for me outside. Afterwards, he put his arm around to support me, carrying my bag for me and helping me to his car.
"I'm - I'm not your girlfriend," I mumbled to him. "Why do they think I'm your girlfriend?"
Stony Boss chuckled.
"It's the lunchbox. The lunchbox of love, some of the others call it," he said. "It's what couples give each other sometimes to show off their love."
"But we're not in love," I pointed out, allowing him to help me sit down in the front passenger seat of his car. "I'm just thanking you for all your help. I'm only making you lunches for this week. You've been very kind to me, although I was a bit rude to you on Sunday."
"I deserved it," Stony Boss shrugged it off, "although I was very shocked and surprised."
"No. You didn't. I was just so stressed at the time. I had a panic attack and just needed some space."
"That's understandable, given the position you were in. If I were you, I would have been ruder and thrown me out even sooner. You've been very patient and accepting of me so far. More than I expected."
"You're the one who's been patient," I sighed. "I keep owing you more before I can pay you back."
"You're already paying me back , aren't you?" Stony Boss put on his seat belt and started the car, casting a look at me and reaching over to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "You're making me lunches and making me the envy of the entire floor. Even the big boss is envious of me. You've made me the proudest man standing."
"I don't get it," I tucked my hair away again before he could reach out and touch me again. The brush of his fingertips had made my skin tingle earlier. "Why does it sound like you're showing off couple love? We're not a couple."
"We could be if you want to be," Stony Boss said in a light voice, reversing the car and driving out from the underground car park. "If you agree to be my girlfriend, I can continue eating your lunchboxes beyond this week. How wonderful that would be. If you don't want to be my girlfriend, the boss is hoping he can swoop in to sweep you off your feet. He wouldn't be a bad choice for you either. You definitely wouldn't want for money if you got together with him."
"I'm confused."
"Don't be," Stony Boss said, signalling left to bring the car up the ramp toward the street. "Either you agree to be my girlfriend or not. If 'yes', I will be very pleased and will request a copy of your apartment keys so that I don't have to stress about you living alone and can come and check on you when I need to. If 'no', then the boss and a few others are going to be pursuing you instead. Mostly so that they can claim your culinary skills for themselves mind you, more than anyone else. Except for maybe the boss. You're the first woman he's shown such care and interest in and nagged me about repeatedly."
"But I'm just a little worker," I protested. "Why and how and when would he have noticed me?"
The night was falling rapidly and a light drizzle was making the warm air outside increasingly humid. Stony Boss didn't reply, driving slowly in the rush hour traffic with a strange calmness.
"It seems he first noticed you and your department a while ago, not long after the big storm. I reported to him about you and everyone else who had stayed over in the office, you see. He had a look at some of the video surveillance. I think it might have been from that time, but I'm not sure. We'd have to ask him for specifics."
"Stop pulling my leg."
"After the issue with the pig face, he's been all the more naggy. Naggy to the point I can't stand it. He's been worried about you and your health. Worried about how you're doing and coping. I initially only stayed over at your place because I was worried and because of his nagging more than anything else. But you've kind of grown on me and you're cute. The fact that you're creative and a good cook is just a bonus. I'm willing to have you as a girlfriend if you are."
"No way. You're all my bosses. I can't afford to..."
"Stop," Stony Boss said in hard voice. "No more of this 'can't afford' business. The boss is wanting to make a catering deal with you for Wednesdays, only this time you'll be paid to cater for those who order your lunches and you can make snacks and cakes like you did today. It won't take too much of your time. Or so I hope. This way you can earn some extra money and don't have to be so stressed about your rent and bills. You don't have to work extra hours or overtime. And it'll only be on a Wednesday. Not any other day, so as not to overload and inconvenience you."
"Why didn't your boss come to ask me himself?" I mumbled.
"The boss, he's a bit shy. No. Very shy. Especially around you. He's scared that you'll get scared of him and run away."
"Stop the car," I gripped onto the car door handle. "I'm getting out to run away."
"Don't freak out," Stony Boss said. "Calm down. Take a few deep breaths. I'm taking you home now. Don't do anything drastic."
How could I not do something drastic?
The moment the car stopped at a red traffic light, I grabbed my bag and ran out into the rain, leaving the shouting Anthony Duin behind.
I didn't know where I was, but I chose a random direction to run in.
Needless to say, he parked the car somewhere and chased after me. After catching me and wiping my tears, Anthony Duin led me back to his car and we finished the drive to my apartment in silence. I fell asleep in the car and didn't even know when he had carried me in.
He had taken off my jacket and shoes and tucked me into bed.
This was becoming a bad habit. I have to change it. Even so, can you believe everything that he said? I can't.
I'm going back to bed.