"Essa!"
The short, red haired girl called from the other side of the room.
The expression on her face was one of annoyance. "Earth to Essa!
We need some help here."
Heath
recognized her as the one Essa had been fussing at when he arrived.
He bridled when he saw Essa's expression. He took her hand,
squeezing. She nodded, inhaling slowly. He saw her expression change
from loss and sorrow to irritation. She stepped away, frowning at the
girl.
"You
can't set a table without me watching? I thought you'd been trained
by the best. Apparently, I heard wrong." She stood with her hand
on her hip, foot tapping impatiently.
"Sorry,
we didn't all go to charm school, Miss Jaymes."
"Get
out," Essa said, pointing to the door. "I've had it with
your incompetence, and bad attitude. Out. Anyone else want to walk?"
She glared at the other waiters.
No
one moved, including the redhead.
"You
can't fire me," the girl snapped. "You aren't my boss."
"Oh,
really? I assure you, I have the authority. Go. Now. Don't let the
door smack your freckled ass on the way out.
"You'll
hear about this. This will not go away!" She advanced on Essa,
taking off her apron and bow tie.
Heath
stepped between the two women, putting Essa behind him. "The
lady told you to leave," he cautioned.
"Yeah,
okay! You're her guard dog now?" She barked, snapping at
his face.
"Miss,
I'll ask you to stop that."
"Why?
Don't like being called a dog?" She barked and snapped again.
"Not
the words that I find offensive. What you're doing, that's assault.
I'd hate to have to ruin the day of these fine people by making them
be witnesses when the police arrest you for it. Cause I can make that
happen." He had his phone in his hand, thumb poised over the
emergency button. "Leave quiet-like and nobody gets in trouble."
The
girl paled slightly, causing her freckles to stand out on her square
face. "You're still gonna hear about this," she told Essa.
"You and your lap dog."
Heath's
smile was cold and dangerous. "Even a lap dog can bite, baby."
He tipped his head, smiling again.
The
redhead grabbed her purse and ran from the building. The others on
the wait staff cheered and clapped.
"Thank
you!" a tall, muscular young man said, clapping loudly. "What
a bitch! Been bossing us around like she was in charge."
"And
she' a dumb ass," a shorter, stockier man said. "Tried to
tell me that corn rows aren't sanitary. Dreads maybe, but this here?"
He pointed to his neatly braided scalp.
Heath
wasn't sure what to think about the reactions of the others. He
looked for Essa, but couldn't find her.
"She's
in the ladies," one of the young women said, pointing to the
restroom door.
"Thanks."
Heath tapped on the door. "You okay?"
"Fine,"
she said in a broken voice.
"You
decent?"
"What?
Why?"
"Cause
I'm coming in and don't wanna see more than a I should."
©
2017 Dellani Oakes
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