Thrust Into His Arms

"Gina?" I asked confusedly.

She seems to be sure of what she is saying.

"Wait, is that the new girl you told me Richard is all over now? The one you said you were going to teach a lesson?" One girl asked the girl who had answered me.

"Yes. But we won’t be teaching her a lesson since she doesn’t like Richard."

"Are you sure her name is Gina?" I ask again. She nods, sipping an orange margarita.

"Where does she live around here?"

"I don’t know. But she works at my boyfriend Mom’s restaurant.

Why are you searching for her, did she do something bad?"

"This restaurant, where is it?"

GWENETH

"Are you sure you can make the clam sauce without ruining it?" I asked Richard again because he has been stirring the pot for long now. He seemingly doesn’t know how to but is claiming that he can.

His mother is at the hospital receiving a dialysis. The clam sauce that she had prepared for us to serve customers has ran out. That happens to be the signature dish because it’s the bestselling.

We recommend it to new customers who aren’t sure what to order. It’s so delicious that they always come for it another time.

Richard, instead of closing up the place is attempting to prepare it.

"You are worried about me? Thanks."

"I’m worried about the clam sauce." I answer.

"I know. But you should’ve gone along with it and not correct me. Have you forgotten that I’m your boss for today?"

I roll my eyes. Boss my ass. I should’ve sneakily left when I had the chance earlier.

But then I had taken pity on him as this is a bustling restaurant and he wouldn’t be able to deal with everything all on his own. "Let’s face it Gina, you do care and worry about me.

Otherwise you would not have stayed even though you wanted to leave."

I really can’t believe this idiot. I snort,

"You call yourself a boss? Right now I’m more of that than you because I’m being the most professional right now. Keep making the sauce!" I said in a bossy manner.

"Yes ma’am. How come you sounded like my mother just now?" He turns to face me again.

"You know my mom would really like if you can be an addition to our family.

There is a daughter-in-law vacancy, what do you say?"

My gaze flickered to one of the frying pans up on the high shelf. I need to get on a stool to reach it.

His gaze followed mine, "What are you looking at?"

"I’m thinking that it would make a good weapon.

There is a vacancy on someone’s head right now. What do you say?" I ask.

He claps dramatically. "Woah, bravo. Encore! That sounded so creative. So you do have a sense of humor."

"It’s not humor. I mean it."

"Well go ahead. I’ll take it since you are the angry in love type." I am so mad that my throat is tightening and I can taste my bile.

Soon my anger erupts, and I yell at him.

"What do the fuck is wrong with you?" He flinches at the sound of my voice. "Do you have cheese up there instead of a brain? How come you are annoyingly cheesy every single time you open your mouth?" I thunder.

He stares shocked at me for a while before he speaks. "Well, I’m sorry for trying to make your gloomy ass laugh.

You should have just stayed with that stepfather of yours since abuse would suit you better." The words land heavy on me because they are partially true. I was indeed abused. But not by a stepdad.

How does he know? I feel my lungs tighten. I forget how to breath, and then I grabbed my bag from where I had kept it and stormed out of the kitchen.

Unofficially quitting.

My eyes stinging with threatened tears. Richard runs after me and grabs my hand, apologizing but I shake him off, yelled at him to leave me alone. He came to block my path to prevent me from going leaving.

"Gina I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that."

"Get out of my way!" I seethe.

"You don’t have to go—

"What is going on here?" His mother asks, suddenly coming out from behind him. "Mom?" He goes pale. I’m surprised to see her too.

I thought she wasn’t going to come today. "What are you doing here?"

"I asked what happened. What did you do to her?" Her eyes fall on me. She holds my hand,

"What did he do to you?"

"It’s not what you are thinking mom."

"I told you I was going to kill you if you fooled around with her." Her gaze dangerously shifts to her son.

"No I didn’t. It’s not like that."

"Come here you brat. You need to be taught a lesson. It’s been a while." She hands me her purse and a hot chase started. With Richard running scared from his mother like a dog with it’s tail in between his legs. She has a black belt in taekwondo.

She did boxing and knows a little karate too. Even an experienced cop like my Dad would not be able to stand her in a fight despite her being a little advance in age. Richard knows this and that is why he is running.

The few present customers are watching. Richard’s mother does not care about that. "You better come here and accept your punishment while I’m being nice." She tells him. "I told you already. You’re not listening to me!" He turns to me for help, "Gina, tell her that it’s not like that."

I burst into uncontrollable laughter staring at the two of them. What an entertaining show!

CALIX

I had been on the verge of stepping in to tell the bastard off when that woman suddenly came in and started chasing him around.

The woman seems to care about Gweneth a lot from the way she acted just now. Are they relatives? Whatever she is to her, I’m glad. Coming to this place, I did not allow myself to have any hope at all.

I truly believed that girl had mistaken her for someone else. I only came down here upon the tiny probability that it might be her. But now I’m actually seeing her in stark reality. I pinched my cheek so hard to be certain that it’s not one of those illusions that my brain sometimes creates as both consolation and agony when I get too pathetic thinking about her.

My mind and soul both unable to believe that I had found her.

It’s indeed you.

A feeling of relief and happiness flooded my heart for the first few moments. ’There you are.’ I had thought. I should have gone to her that instant.

I should be in front of her right now, on my knees perhaps telling her how sorry I am. But instead I’m here hiding and hoping that she won’t notice me first.

I’m filled with panic at that. I’m lucky to have put on a face cap, now I’m pulling it over my head every five seconds and being paranoid self-conscious like a fugitive. Come to think of it, that wasn’t a good opportunity just now. This place isn’t too.

I would have to get to her when she is alone. Surely she would throw a tantrum when she sees me and that would not look good for me at all. Damn it, I shouldn’t have seated at all. Idiot. I am subtly watching her, lost in her possessed fits of laughter. At how radiant it is making her look. She has a beautiful smile. It’s the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. The way her face brightens, and how her eyes sparkle when she smiles, even the brightest star cannot compare.

I bring up one of the memories of her smiling at Rex. Before then, I had always derived fun from seeing her cry and look glum. Defeated. But the first time I saw her smile genuinely and radiantly with Rex, it really got to me. I wanted to be the one she smiled at. The only one. I started hate it knowing that she would never do that with me.

It became something I never knew I wanted. Needed. Hearing her laughter now is giving a more significant plus to that feeling. She started to go to the counter and I quickly get up, moving behind her to leave.

"Hey, Mister! You’re leaving?" I pause when she calls out, seemingly addressing me. My panic reached the roof for a split second thinking that she had seen and recognized me. "I was planning to go bring the menu to take your order. I should have done that a while ago. I’m very sorry for that, I was distracted.

Please do seat down. I’II be back in a jiffy, and I’ll also bring you some appetizers, okay?" She deeply persuaded. Perhaps I should stay and let her see me? I dared to peer over my shoulders and eventually look back when I hear her footsteps leaving. Then I briskly walked out. That is nice, Gweneth. If only things weren’t so bad and ugly between us.