"Thank you so much for keeping the backdoor open for us, Lillian." Tia said, blowing her a kiss.
"Come on guys," Lillian waved Tia's appreciation off.
"You guys would have done the same for me," She replied, peering into the paper bags Tia held.
"Still does not mean we should not show our appreciation Lillian," Lucy said, tracing where Lilian's eyes were glued to.
"Are those from D'Angelo's?" Lillian questioned, gulping down.
"Yes, they are from the one and only D'Angelo's," Tia replied, tilting her head sideways as she stretched out her hand for Lillian to take the paper bag she held.
"This is yours," she added.
"Oh, really?" Lillian asked with so much delight and happiness in her eyes.
"Yes, that is for you," Lucy confirmed.
"You girls really do not have to get me snacks from D'Angelo, everytime. I feel like a burden to you," She complained with her eyes still glued to the paper bag.
"Come on, Lily," Tia said, hitting her shoulder.
"You should never think like that," she scolded.
"We love you and you know we will never have such thoughts about you," Lucy assured her.
"I love you girls," Lillian blushed.
"Do you mind taking the paper bag from me now? I think my arm may be paralyzed any moment from now," Tia whimpered.
"Ohh, I am so sorry,Tia." Lillian said rushing to take the paper bag from Tia.
"I will enjoy this," She promised as she picked up her bag.
"Yeah, you should," Tia and Lucy chorused.
"See you ladies tomorrow and do not forget to be weary of the evil squirrel," She quietly advised as she shut the door.
"She is such a a handful," Lucy heaved a sigh of relief.
"I know, right," Tia said, slamming the paper bag she had left on the silvered slab before her.
"And why are you here talking precious time away when you should be taking orders and making them?" An harsh voice that would make even babies cry said, almost immediately the door flung open.
"Madam CJ!" The girls exclaimed and hurried off to their duty posts.
"Why is your hair not fully covered Lucy?" Madam CJ roared as soon as she spotted her
"I am sorry, ma'am," She quickly apologized as she adjusted the head cover she wore.
"You would be so sorry for yourself and your paycheck when something like this happens again," She replied, looking down from her big glasses.
"I so hate the sight of incompetent workers," She huffed as she walked around the kitchen to see if there was something that seemed off or out of place.
"They do not do the right things at the right time, but instead, they waste away precious time that is also precious money," She nagged, fitting her glasses perfectly on her nose.
"If only they know what it takes to be in this position and meet with rich and high class individuals everyday, maybe they would work harder," She said, picking up a French fry from a plate.
"Ma'am!" A voice called running into the kitchen.
"What is it and why are you trying to burst my eardrums, and that of our prestige customers?" She sharply replied, squeezing her face like she had just had an extra sour lemon.
"I am sorry ma'am," the lady apologized.
"You should be sorry for yourself," Madam CJ replied, looking at her scornfully.
"What were you shouting all over the place splashing saliva from your smelly mouth?" She said without remorse.
"I am sorry ma'am, but I think we might have a bad situation in the restaurant," the lady said.
"What have you lowlives caused this time around?" Madam CJ asked as she stomped out of the kitchen.
"Lucy accidentally spilled some wine on a customer and I do not think it is going to end well," she explained, running after madam CJ.
"But I saw that nuisance in the kitchen a moment ago. Why is she causing trouble already when her shift just only started?" She said as she rubbed her forehead.
"Good afternoon, sir." She greeted, rushing to where Lucy had spilled wine on a customer without even looking up to see who the customer is.
"I am so sorry about this act of...." Madam CJ trailed off as she raised her head up to see who it was.
"My goodness!" She screamed and almost fell due to shock.
"Mr. McCormick!" She exclaimed as she quickly covered her mouth.
"I am so sorry," she apologized, her eyes darted from one table to another to see if she had not drawn attention to them.
"You lousy woman!" He said, closing his eyes as he rolled his hand into a fist.
"I am so sorry sir, I totally had no idea it was you," She said, clasping her hands together before falling to her knees.
"Please do forgive my incompetent staff and pardon me," She pleaded like her life depended on it.
"Right!" He scoffed, using the napkin on the table to dab the wine on his expensive looking trousers.
"Only an incompetent boss would breed an incompetent staff," he replied, dunking the soaked napkin on the table.
"I do not think it is going to be fair if your employee goes down without you or what do you think?" Folding his arms against his chest, directing the question to Madam CJ.
"I am so sorry sir, but please do but make them fire me, I promise to do anything to please you, but please help me and save me," she pleaded endlessly.
"And what could you possibly do for me miss CJ?" He asked, rising to his feet.
"Anything, anything you want. Just name it," She shivered, still on her knees sweating profusely.
"This is the best feeling ever, having to see the almighty madam CJ beg endlessly for her job and life," one of the waiters said laughing.
"You can say that again," another confirmed, nodding his head in satisfaction.
"You will do nothing but embarrass me the more," Mr McCormick said, looking around trying not to draw attention to himself.
"Lead the way to your office and come with us," He instructed madam CJ and Lucy who stood dumbstruck and very sorry for herself not knowing what her fate would be.
"You witch!" Madam CJ cursed under her breath, holding herself from yelling out loud and scratching Lucy's eyes.
"You had better pray that he tempers justice with mercy and be kind enough to let us keep our jobs," She advised as she hurriedly ran after Mr McCormick.
"But why does he seem awfully familiar?" Lucy asked herself, biting her nails as they went up using the elevator.
"I am so sure I have seen him somewhere before," She said thinking very hard, staring at him to know where she had seen him before due to her inability to recognize faces easily.
"And why do you keep staring at me?" Mr McCormick asked Lucy after noticing that there has been a gaze fixed on him.
"I.. me.. no, no, no," she stammered.
"You look familiar though," he took a closer look.
"I am so sure I have seen you somewhere before and it is recently," slipping his hands into his pockets as he moved about an inch closer to her.
"Yeah. You were the one who bumped into me at the park," He chuckled.
"You must really have a knack for wealthy men" he sized her with his eyes.
"I am so sorry about earlier, sir but I promise you, I am not what you think I am," Lucy pleaded with her head down.
" How do you know what I think of you?" He scoffed. "Do you know this trouser you just ruined should be about your salary for a year and six fu*king months?" He questioned, raising his brows.
"My office is right this way sir." Madam CJ said, wearing a weak smile as soon as the elevator beeped open.
"I do not have so much words to say. I just do not want to draw unnecessary attention to myself," He said, relaxing well in madam CJ's seat.
"Pls, I will do anything to make it up to you sir, but do not make her fire me," she pleaded with tears welling up in her eyes.
"You will never cease to amaze me," he laughed. "Do you think you have the right to give me a condition?" He continued.
"That is not how I meant it, sir," she quickly said.
" Will you just shut your rotten and deathtrap of a mouth up, huh?" Madam CJ yelled at her. " You should be begging, rolling on the floor if you have to but you have the guts to stand there and roll out orders and conditions to an esteemed customer like Mr. McCormick,"
"Enough!" Chris said, holding his head. "You both are going to make me go crazy with your noise," he got to his feet, hissed and walked out of the office.
"Sir....um....I am sorry," Madam CJ shouted after him.
"See you next time," Chris said, without looking back.
"You are just so lucky that we have been spared," Madam CJ said, sending daggers to Lucy as she hurriedly picked up her handkerchief to wipe away her sweat.