Hey There, Delilah

Tea at the Country Club

Song: Chill playlist by Music Chill & Quotes

Ambrose groaned with relief once his back hit the chair. "Gesù Cristo. Do these people ever go home?"

Betty snorted, spearing a particularly big slice of lettuce and shoving it in her mouth. "This place is home for 'em." She wiped away the stream of Italian dressing trailing down her face and sucked it off her thumb. The break room was quiet with only the two of them in there. "The country club is basically like a holiday house that they go to for business and pleasure. You'd know that if you actually listened to the gossip that goes on around here."

The corner of Ambrose's mouth lifted into a sort of half smile. "I've heard so much bullshit since I've started working here. I can't possibly absorb anymore."

"Eh. After a while you learn to get used to it." Betty smiled and Ambrose didn't know if the sheen covering her plump lips were from the oil in the dressing. Or the obscenely sticky amount of lip gloss she slathered on before coming to work. Either way, that could not have tasted good once combined. "You sure you don't want a bite? Jill's kinda running late with your lunchbox, no?"

Ambrose shook his head. "Keep your rabbit food, Bet. Jill will be here soon."

He rarely messed up schedule wise. But today his brain was scattered after coming back from the Thanksgiving festivities. The holiday itself was uneventful (for them, he ignored Vincent's ramblings about the Carmichael's) and the food coma that followed was pure bliss.

It was dealing with Cameron's whining about going back to school after a one week vacation that was the root of his discombobulation.

It wasn't long enough. It was too cold. The snow was ugly. The snow was stupid. He hated math. He didn't want to go to art class. He just wanted to have recess all day. He was annoyed with Ambrose checking his homework. He wanted more freedom. He didn't like being reminded that at seven years old he wasn't entitled to the freedom he asked for.

The list was endless.

So they switched their schedule around again to accommodate Cameron's moodiness.

Ambrose and Jill would drop him off in the morning. Everyday. No more trading off. Then Jill would take Ambrose to work. He'd come home with Vincent while Jill picked up Cameron.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Or, so he hoped.

Mrs. Black reassured him that it was just a phase Cameron was going through. The move was a lot for a kid his age to handle. It would take him some time to get settled in his new surroundings, yadda yadda. Eventually, he'd come around and mellow out.

Ambrose prayed she was right. There were many things he could stomach. Many things he could endure. But failing Cameron, even just the tiniest bit, was the one thing that had the power to destroy him.

"Yo, Earth to Ambrose. You good?"

Ambrose blinked, yanked out of his endless thoughts by Betty's mousy voice. "Yeah. Sorry. I'm just hungry."

Betty hummed, sliding a peanut butter granola bar over the table. "Here. Since you don't like my rabbit food."

There was a teasing glint in her hazel eyes that Ambrose had come to really like. To be frank, there was a lot about her that Ambrose really liked.

Betty was a bit lanky and taller than him. She often rested her elbow on his shoulder like he was some kind of perch. She was calm and easygoing. Teasing but never mean.

So he never minded when she invaded his space or messed with him. Hell, she was a lot more chill about it than Vincent was. That was for damn sure.

The first time they met Betty had hair down to her waist in thick braids. The next shift they shared her mahogany hair was shaved to the scalp. She'd stopped wearing her modest engagement ring. Got rid of all the false eye lashes and bubblegum pink makeup. And went as far as wearing more masculine clothes outside of work.