“Dude, all I know is what I know. When I opened up all these shampoos and conditioners when knocked to the floor. The grocery aisle was trashed. Maybe Becca and Marasol did roller derby for Christ’s sakes. I don’t know. I didn’t close. I came to this. I didn’t close,” Jon said one hand on his hip the other holding a dirty mop.
“Stow it, stop repeating yourself. I just want answers not excuses,” Jeffrey hissed.
Jon slung the mop out of its bucket almost missing his manager’s loafers. He mopped quickly.
“Just cart the damaged stock and clean up as fast as you can.” Mumbling to himself, Jeffrey skirted around customers for the safety of his office. “Must I do everything myself.”
“Thanks for the support, Jeffery. It’s a pleasure to serve you.”
“What’s the deal? What went down last night?” Jeffrey pounced as soon as Marasol entered the staff room. Marasol hung up her parka and slipped into her Drugs & Co royal blue polyester vest. “The restocking was only half done. Crap was thrown all over. I was working all morning.”
“Becca closed on her own last night. You know how Becca’s been the last couple of shifts. Well I was real worried about her last night. Her eyes were swole from crying and Jamie was blowing up her phone like crazy. I told her to leave early go to her mom’s while Jamie was still at work. But she let me leave early because my baby is getting over an earache…..” Marasol said. Her voice trailed off as she watched her manager’s red angry face.
“I didn’t ask for a Lifetime movie. We have damaged inventory. The store wasn’t properly closed. I have to fill out forms for this. I’m accountable for your screw up. If you can’t handle your job I can find someone else who will.” Marasol folded into herself and stepped back.
“They need me on checkout.” Marasol slipped away to the front of store.
“What’s the tea? Why is Jeffrey’s panties all in a bunch?” Yvonne’s pretty hazel eyes glittered with the hope of juicy gossip.
Marasol was lining up bottles of rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizers. She stood stretching her back and dusting off her hands.
“Maybe he’s afraid he might actually have to do some work. Mira estoy preoccuidad, like really worried about Becca. She’s not answering my texts. I hope she’s at her mom’s place without her phone charger.” Marasol headed to the stockroom and Yvonne followed.
“Didn’t you know they don’t speak,” Yvonne said. Marasol froze in place.
“No talking not no more. Something happened last summer. I heard her on her phone a lot. After Becca came out the closet her mom was cool with it at first but then her mom moved in this new guy and now there were problems or something. Her mom dropped off Becca’s backpack at the store in August I think.” Yvonne examined her fuchsia French tips. “Didn’t she tell you? I thought you were tight.”
“No she never— I didn’t know. But I’m sure she would let Becca come home, right. That’s her mom. Family comes first. At least for one night. I told it would okay to take a break from Jamie for a few days to get her head right. I told her I knew what it meant to be in a bad situation, to not feel safe in your own home to not trust the one you love, but she said ‘if I don’t make it work with Jamie it would be like I wasted three years of my life.’ Her mom would take her in, right,” Marasol said, her chin quavering.
“Prob.” Yvonne said with a bored shrug.
Will handed the customer her shopping bag. “Have a good evening.” Will flashed a friendly smile that flashed off when the store’s door slid stuck. “I can’t believe Jeffrey called me on my day off. I’m not the assistant manager. I’m not trying to be the assistant manager for free.”
Yvonne flipped through Glamour magazine. “Becca pulled a no call no show. She got into with her girlfriend or something. It is what it is.”
“I don’t get paid assistant manager money,” said Will.
“And Marasol left early about something. Did you hear what Marasol told Jeffrey to do before she left?”
“So I shouldn’t be expected to work assistant manager hours,” Will continued.
“Seriously you could hear them arguing in pharmacy. I don’t know if Marasol is being a drama queen or if something serious—“
“What is this Where’s flipping Waldo? No offense but women equal drama and I don’t do drama. Becca isn’t here, her girl isn’t hereMarasol isn’t here, I’m here, and I have to close the damn store by my damn self on my day off.”
Yvonne rolled her eyes and flicked through the magazine.
“Why don’t you stop playing with the magazines and mop the shampoo aisle. Jon did his usual piss poor job there are dark specks splattered—“
Yvonne shoved the magazine she was reading upside into the rack and walked away. “Don’t give me orders. “Member you’re not the assistant manager.”
Customers lined up, annoyed by the chatter.
“Hello welcome to Drugs & Co. Did you find everything you needed?” Will smiled brightly as he loaded the shopping bag.
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