Chapter 7

EVERETT

"What were you thinking was going to happen, Everett?" Juan speaks to me with anger lacing his words. "Was that the best way to get rid of a problematic customer?" He shakes his head. "How many times I have told you to not get into a verbal confrontation with an angry jerk? They always deflect blame, but you end up putting your physical safety and dignity at risk." He puts some more distance between us. "What if he had hurt you?" He glares at me. "What if I hadn't stepped in at the right moment or if I wasn't around?"

Priscilla steps into the conversation, breaking his line of thought.

"This situation is entirely your own making, Juan." She scoffs. "How are you any better than that asswipe you just threw out minutes ago? You're the pot calling the kettle black."

"Don't interrupt me like that again, darling." He runs a hand to the back of his head. "I'm just trying to put some sense into Evie's head. She keeps getting herself involved in physical altercations. Some day she's going to get seriously hurt, and we won't be able to do anything about it."

Priscilla rolls her eyes at his words as she sets some more clean dishes on the countertop to prepare more food for me to take out for another order.

"Juan, have you ever thought about not bringing people you barely know into the restaurant?" She puts a hand on her hips as she stares him down. "If you had stopped doing that, maybe Evie didn't have to explode on them like that." She strolls toward me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "She's just doing what's best for the restaurant. Evie is getting rid of the jerks you can't possibly seem to get rid of yourself." She exhales, cleaning the moisture off the plates with a clean rag. "Why can't you just listen to me for once?"

I watch them both fight over me, taking my side in their own way, but I know I need to put an end to this before it escalates.

"Anyway, I'm so sorry for acting like that." I bow my head down. "I guess if he hadn't touched me inappropriately, I wouldn't have reacted like that, but the thing is, I still reacted to him because of what he did, so I need to apologise for it." My lips stretch into a thin smile. "I can't say this enough to both of you. Thank you for looking out for me."

Priscilla shakes her head. Juan offers me a hug that I take and return. 

He speaks first.

"Just be careful, okay?"

"I'll try my best."

"There's no need to apologise, sweetie. You can't control all the creeps in this world from offending you even if you tried." Priscilla moves the plates around as she adds some sauce to the dish. "We are going to close soon. Do you want some spaghetti that I cooked extra in this last batch? I don't have the stomach for more pasta since Juan already made more tacos than we could eat for lunch. There's still a bit of it left in the fridge." She belches. "I think I'm still full from them."

Hearing about free and delicious food makes me smile.

"I'd love some." I smile brightly. "Please put some more of your homemade sauce with the parmesan. I think my roommate would love it!"

As Priscilla lays out the food, she talks without looking up.

"How is Caiti? I haven't seen her in a while."

"Yeah, she doesn't come over here anymore." Juan gives me a look. "Is it because of that boy she broke up with who used to bring her with him to our restaurant?" Then he scratches the stubble on his chin. "Didn't we see them regularly on the weekends for months?"

I smile sadly.

"How are you reading my mind, Juan?" I nod my head. "Well, after they broke up, she made a pact with herself." I put my fingers on the countertop. "She decided she would not frequent the places she has memories attached of him."

"Awwh." Priscilla sighs. "That makes me sad, but I understand what she's feeling. Before meeting Juan, I was like her. Things change with time, and she'll find that out sooner than later. Just wait till she meets the love of her life. She would want to visit back to all these old places to make new memories."

"I sure hope so."

I grab the plates before heading out to take the order to the next customer.

***

I keep banging my fists against the hardwood surface, standing at the door, thinking I don't have my keys. Did I bring my keys to work? Then I fish for them in my purse because I'm exhausted, and for some reason, Caiti isn't opening the front door. Our doorbell randomly stopped working last week, and it was on our laundry list of things to get fixed. As my fingers fish around my overcrowded purse for the apartment keys, my ring finger accidentally gets looped inside the key ring. I pull the keys out swiftly and then unlock the front door.

The hallway to the living room remains dark, so I take off my shoes near the entrance and walk bare feet to the living room. My cat meows as I tiptoe around the room, standing up in the cat pen where we generally put the baby to sleep for the night. I pet him under the ear, and he mewls happily, and when he's happy with the amount of petting he wants, he goes quiet again. He falls asleep as he closes his eyes in his little cat bed. My feet stroll to the kitchen, where a small night light is on, and I take a quick look inside it before walking towards Caiti's bedroom.

It's late.

Maybe she's sleeping.

I put down the box of spaghetti I'm carrying on the coffee table as I head over to her bedroom door and give it a couple of soft knocks. Not a single noise comes through the door. Then I put my ear to the surface to hear any noise, but it's dead quiet. I pull out my phone to check what time it is and see how late I have been. Then I notice on the phone screen that it is ten p.m.

That's awfully early for her to go to bed.

My fingers find the doorknob, and I can't stop myself from checking up on her, even if it angers her. The moment I twist it, the door gives way to the inside. I pivot on my feet, closing my eyes. When I don't hear Caiti's insults after a long minute, I turn around to find an empty bedroom.

Where did she go?

Why didn't she text me where she was going off for the night?

She usually lets me know about her plans beforehand.

Could she be in trouble?

I shake my head at the intrusive thoughts. Caiti can't be in trouble because she's a siren herself.

You're a coward, Evie.

And a worry wart.

Live your life.

You've only got one of those.

Her words come back to me as I close her door behind me. She might have found someone online to go on a date with, and if she doesn't return till the early morning when she usually does her walk of shame, then maybe I'll worry about her. Shaking my head, I pocket my phone as I get out of the panic mindset.

Then I walk to the living room to eat some spaghetti and chill, watching some new crime thriller till I can fall asleep.