The Fighter

2

Rune's POV

"Rune! BLT for table six!" The cook yelled from the kitchen as he slid the plate into the slot. We were slammed, people at every table and even a few families standing by the door waiting for a table to become available. Now was one of those times that I wished Tessa was still here, still working with me. I was the only waitress on the floor that day and with sixteen tables to handle, I couldn't do it on my own. 

I moved behind the counter and grabbed the plate for the BLT, looking at my cook as he slid another plate and told me it was for table fourteen. I grabbed the second plate and walked back out, onto the floor to deliver the food to the people waiting on it. 

I was supposed to be working with another girl who was meant to take Tessa's place, but she called out sick two hours after she was supposed to be on shift. So that meant that sixteen tables were mine to handle until the next waitress got to the diner. 

"Okay, one BLT for you. Can I get you anything else?" I asked, balancing the cheeseburger on my arm to take to table fourteen after making sure table six was okay. The couple shook their heads and gave me a smile as they went back to their conversation. 

I went to table fourteen and repeated the process, the woman telling me she needed a refill on her Coke. Today was gonna be a long day. 

I felt dead on my feet. The walk up to my apartment was hell. My entire body ached after working a twelve hour shift at the diner. This wasn't anything new for the weekend. People loved going out for lunch on Saturday and Sunday, which were also the days that I worked. I was so tired and worn out by the end of my shifts that there was nothing I could do except sleep. I couldn't sleep today though. I had way too much cleaning to do after work. There wasn't any time for me to take a nap, no matter how desperately I needed one. 

Thankfully, I had put all of my laundry in the basket next to the tiny stacked machine I had in the apartment. I dumped the clothes into the cylinder and put the detergent into the slot for it. Closing the lid, I pushed start and waited for my super old washing machine to turn on. It whirred to life and I walked into the kitchen to start on the dishes. 

The life here was very boring since Tessa left. She had been the only person I got along with and I had no idea if she was going to come back at all. It was kinda hard to be in the house without her. Maybe I should look for a new roommate? It would be easier than living by myself. 

My phone started to ring and I looked down at the caller ID. I didn't recognize the number, but my coworker had put me as a reference on some sort of paperwork for a new couch. I pressed the green circle and put my phone against my ear. "Rune speaking." I said.

"Rune, don't hang up." A familiar voice said, the tone was begging. And completely sober. I could picture Sam sitting on the couch and staring out the window. I knew that's where he would be, it's where he would always sit when he tried to apologize to me. He thought that damn chair was lucky. He took my silence as a cue to keep talking. "I'm sorry Rune. I'm sober, I stopped drinking. Please come back to me, baby. I love you. I miss you so much." He said, going quiet. 

I felt my lower lip start to tremble, my throat closing up. Sam knew what buttons to push and he knew when to push them. He seemed to know when I was in a low spot and that was when he would call me. "Sam..." I trailed off, looking down at the floor. 

I heard Sam's sigh and a soft sob from the other line. I felt my heart crack. 

My soulmate was literally crying on the other end of the line. I had built up so many walls around my heart, but I was so scared. Besides, Tessa was going to be with Bucky. I knew she was. The love that Tessa felt for Bucky hasn't gone away. I knew it didn't. I saw how much pain she felt when Bucky showed up. If I hadn't been there, I knew Tessa and Bucky would have made up and probably been married in Wakanda by now. 

If Tessa was willing to make up with her cheating soulmate, how could I tell my soulmate no for simply asking me to lose weight? All he wanted was for me to lose weight so he is attracted to me. 

"Rune! Pack your shit beautiful!" A feminine voice yelled as the door swung open. Tessa burst through the door and smiled brightly at me. Her face held so much joy, I wondered if her and Bucky had made up.

I froze and looked at Tessa, her being the only person I'd told about Sam during her stay with me. She frowned and stared at me then my phone. 

"Rune! Who the fuck is on that phone?" She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms at me.