Babygirl and the Mean Boss (14 page)

It made Nicole nostalgic for a mother.  She had to wonder if this is the way a normal Mother
would be
.
  Nicole had never had one or been one.  Her mind slipped back to the past and once more she could see the drug paraphernalia spread out on the cocktail table.  James was nodding and Alicia…

She picked up the telephone.  She had one purpose and one purpose only, and that was to move ahead; even if she had to live in a crappy one bedroom efficiency, even if she had to work with Marty and Kendall
and their budding love affair
.

Despite her resolve her palms began to sweat as the phone began to ring.  She hated that she felt the least bit of nervousness at speaking to Marty.  She refused to entertain that it wasn’t nervousness but anticipation.

With relief she heard Fred’s voice instead of Marty’s.

“You know you don’t need to come ba
ck so soon,”  h
e said.

“I feel better and I need to get back to work and school.  What’s the schedule like Friday?”

“Kendall was scheduled at your station.  But she’s here now.  I’ll let her know to either take the day off or do prep.  Guess what?”

“What?”

“Marty made me m
anager.  And I got a big-ass raise.”

Nicole screamed and jumped up and down happily.

“It
’
s about time!” 

“Yeah, it was right on time.  The dang fool went and broke his hand so he’s out today.”
             

Nicole felt an unwelcomed jolt.  “Marty broke his hand?  How?”

“You know
Marty.  He probably punched a
wall or something.”

“Alright
Fred.”  She said,
forcing
thoughts of Marty out of her head.  “Are you going to be in tomorrow?”

“
I’m not s
upposed to be, but I’m like a d
octor on call…”

Nicole chuckled.  “I hear ya. 
Well I’ll talk to you later
.”

Friday
evening
Nicole strapped on her new helmet and tentatively sat on the bike.  As she pedaled into the street she dry swallowed and realized that she was afraid.  She looked at the busy traffic, heart hammering in her chest.  With sweat pouring down her back she kept pace with the traffic.  Her thighs burned a bit from a lack of exercise but after a few moments her confidence returned in small baby steps. 

With the better bike she was at work in next to no time.  She chained it out front and walked through the back door removing her helmet.

“Hey, Nicole.”

“What’s up Baby Girl
?
”   She heard the familiar greetings and instantly felt at home.  This restaurant was more th
a
n a job to
Nicole;
it was her family
--
h
er only family anymore.

Marty was grilling T-bones, some burgers, and making a deep fried catfish, expertly juggling each task
even with the cast on his hand
.  He didn’t raise his eyes once to greet her. 

God he looked good, she thought.  He was just wearing the same clothes he always wore; jeans and a t-shirt
with the sleeves cut off
.  But somehow his arms looked bigger and the tattoo on his bicep stood out more.  His shaved head gleamed still retaining the summers tan, smooth and newly shaved.  Marty’s goatee even looked…better.  And not to mention his muscled legs in the faded jeans…booty looking like it should be pinched…full lips looking like they should be kissed…

Nicole’s cheeks felt suddenly warm.   She inhaled slowly and approached her station.

Marty paused long enough to glance at her.  “Baby Girl, I need two banana puddings.”  Although his tone was flat, the use of the nickname surprised her.  At his house he called her Baby Girl, or Baby, all the time—but had never done it at work.

“Thank you.”  She replied and quickly plated the desert.

Fred gave her a quick hug.
 
“You ready to take over?”  She smiled and nodded.  “Okay, then I’m outtie.  Yo, Marty.  Call me if you need me.”  Fred said as he headed out the back door. 
Marty just grunted some reply. It
Looked like he was back to his old self.

“Nicole.”  Marty said.  She turned to him, heart racing in expectation.

“Yes?”

“You’re going to need to do some stock.  We’re almost out of 10 inch lids and carryout trays.  Also bring back some condiments; salt, pepper and ketchup.  When you get back make salad dressing.

“Okay.”  He turned back to the grill and plated some burgers.  She went out back to the shed a little hurt that he was so impersonal.  Didn’t he care how she felt anymore?  He was setting the stage.  It only made it easier for her to play the game.

The next few hours went just the same.  He wasn’t mean to her, nothing like that.  But she couldn’t stop remembering evenings on his oversized sofa watching movies and munching popcorn, laughing and going for walks…not to mention the feel of his rough hands again as they stroked her breasts.  But, at the same time, she could still see him in the freezer kissing and moving his body intimately with Kendall in the way she had hoped-

With a grimace she closed the door on the memor
ies of good times with Marty. 

11:00 couldn’t come soon enough.  She hurried to leave bidding everyone goodnight.  Marty was staring at her so hard that she
hesitated;
remembering how he had said that he didn’t think it was safe for her to be riding her bike at night
.  But when he didn’t speak she
silently
strapped on her helmet and left
.
  Marty no longer had a say in her well being.
 

Saturday dawned bright and sunshiny.
  Saturda
y and Sundays were her long days
where she worked ten hours
each
.
  Monday was the only day a week that she had off and it made it very difficult for her to get as close to a 40 hour work week as she could.
  Sometimes she didn’t make it and had to juggle everything but the essential—schooling, which always came first.  Eating, electricity, heat came last.

  After taking a long hot bath
she examined herself critically.  The bruising had faded considerably
.
T
he cuts and scrapes were for the most part gone. Her shoulder no longer hurt when she raised it and other then some bruising still visible on her legs and thighs Nicole felt pretty well onto good-as-new.

She slipped on a pair of black jeans that she hadn’t been able to fit into for months and then a sleeveless t-shirt.  Even though it was fall you could count on it being hot in back.

She pulled on her bomber jacket and secured the helmet on her head.  Then got on her bike and pedaled quickly to the restaurant. 
Her resolve was even stronger to put thoughts of her and Marty’s past week together out of her mind.  It was quite possible that he would be starting something with Kendall and if that was the case
s
he
had
to ignore it
—at least until she found a better job
.

‘Lord, just let me finish school.  That’s all.  Then this nightmare can end.
’  She prayed.  With one
final
thought she lowered her head before she pedaled off.  ‘Lord, I think I
’m in
love
with
him
…
’

When Nicole got to work Kendall was already there and at Nicole’s station.  Awkwardly she walked up to her.

“Hey, what’s going on?”  Nicole asked in the way of a greeting.

Kendall gave her an up and down look before answering.

“Somebody needs to let me know where the hell I’m supposed to be working.  The schedule had me on this station this weekend.”

Marty flipped a sheet of bacon on to the grill.  “That’s not your station.  That’s Nicole’s station.  You’re filling in for
her
.”

With that said Nicole tied on an apron and moved on to check her stock.  This wasn’t her fight.

“Well what do you want me to do, Marty?”  Kendall asked with an attitude.

Obviously she had forgotten who she was giving attitude to; King of the bad attitudes.  Marty turned to her slowly.

“Kendall.”  Marty’s voice was even but his look was heated.  “Do cold prep.”  That’s
your
station
, isn’t it?
”  Kendall huffed but retreated.  Nicole just kept loading her station thinking the same thing that Marty was probably thinking; th
i
s
is
what happens when you screw your employees.

“How
are
you feeling?”  He asked matter-of-factly.  Well at least he was back to acknowledging her.

“
Fine
.  Thanks.”
  She responded politely.

He hesitated. 
“
It’s going to be a long day, Nicole.  If you
feel
tired
just let me know and you can go
into the office and rest.”  He
took in the sight of her faded
bruise
s
but instead of commenting
on how good she was looking
he turned and went to the walk-in, which happened to be where Kendall was.  Nicole dismissed her curiosity
although she couldn’t completely rid her mind of an image of their
previous
refrigerator unit humping
.  She made herself an extra large coffee and hunkered down for a long day.

 
             
At six Marty sent her on break before the dinner rush.  Unfortunately he sent Kendall on break as well.

Nicole didn’t have much of an appetite but she ladled up a small bowl of chili and a large glass of iced tea.  She sat down at the bar to talk to the waitresses and get caught up on gossip, which politely didn’t include her.

Kendall suddenly appeared beside her with a plate of
f
rench fries.  She sat down. 

“Why didn’t you say you were fucking Marty?”  She asked in a casual voice.  The front line waitress gasped and then there was
almost
a stampede as the
others
rushed to witness
,
what they assumed would be
an impending fight.

Nicole’s mouth dropped and she looked at Kendall in shock.  “Kendall, are you out of your mind?!
”

“
Whatever.
”  Kendall placed a french fry nonchalantly into her mouth.  “I
came
to you and told you exactly where I stood, and you could have said something at that time.
”

She gave
Kendall
an amazed look.  “Why would I tell your flighty ass anything significant about myself?  Look at you
; t
elling your business to the entire restaurant
!
”

Kendall’s green eyes took on an evil glint.  “Just back off, because you don’t need to interfere with what we got going on.”

“
You truly are psycho.”  Nicole said
as if she were seeing her for the first time
. 
“This conversation is over.  You do what you need to do, but keep me out of it because I haven’t done anything to interfere in your life.”
  Nicole stood up but Kendall wasn’t finished.