Heartbeat Song

Chapter 26

Anna

It's Monday.

But we don't have classes.

It's a Semestral break!

Finally, I can go, get my ass off my bed and work.
I am just on my way to the back door when I see someone comes out of it.

Fiona.

For goodness sake, why is it that the first person I could come across this early in the morning is Fiona?

She's throwing the garbage bags.

"Good morning, Fiona." I greet her, enthusiastically. Her very person must not put me in a bad mood. I'm not up to that point.

"What's good in the morning?" she sneers at me.

"What's good in the morning? Well, you're alive and breathing. I think that's good enough that we should be grateful for." I smile at her.

"Great." she just rolls her eyes at me and shut the door in front of me. You know what? There are really some people that you could come across in your life who are difficult to get along with. And I'm definite and hundred percent sure that Fiona is one of those people. I just sigh.

I head straight to Mrs. Engel's office. Knocking three times, I open the door. Sometimes she's busy with the phone, that's why.

"Good morning, Mrs. Engel." I greet her politely and with delight.

"Oh, Anna dear, there you are! Just wait a second, I'm with the phone - oh yes! I'm still here..." See? That's what I'm talking about. Mrs. Engel is always hands-on in everything at this restaurant.

I sit in front of her table just as Mr. Engel comes in.

"Oh, Anna. Here you are!" I come to stand again and hug him. His grip on me is strong enough. It seems like he is already fully recovered from the last incident. That's a relief.

"It's been long since I last saw you." He taps my shoulders while smiling widely at me.

"Yeah, I'm just sort of busy about school." I smile back.
"Of course, yes. School." I return to my sit. Mrs. Engel is still not done with the phone.

"Is everything alright?" Mr. Engel asks as he cleans the papers off his table.

"Oh, yes. I'm good. Everything's good." I say.

"So you're here to work again? That instead of rendering your days off from school, you're going to spend them here?" Ever so straight, Mr. Engel.

"Haha, yes. That's it, Mr. Engel."

"I see."

"Oh, at last!" Mrs. Engel drops the telephone down with such a force.

"Are you okay, honey?" Mr. Engel asks.

"Yes, yes, I'm okay. It's just this - the new supplier, she's not easy to coordinate with." she complains.

"But have you sealed the deal?" Mr. Engel inquires.

"Oh yes, good thing I have!" With a big smile on her face, she makes that goofy dance which is cringey enough for me. It was part of their good old days, I guess.

"I'm glad everything is good, Mrs. Engel." I say.

"Oh, yes, dear. How about you? Have you come to work again?"

"Yes, Mrs. Engel. I decided to use my free time in a much productive way." she holds my hand.

"Dear, you are welcome here anytime." she responds with a gentle, warm smile that can penetrate deep within my scarred soul. I am forever grateful to her.