Chapter 123: Funny, but No Laughing Matter
Human beings were funny creatures. Even when they knew that something was not likely to work out, even if the chance that it would be something positive was close to nothing, they still held out hope. And then, when the failure that they knew was coming actually happened, they were still disappointed, as though they did not know that it was the most likely outcome. At least that was what Emily had discovered when it came to her own experiences.
Once again, Derek had not shown up at the diner. And yet, she was still holding out hope, still waiting for him to show up, despite knowing that most likely he would not be coming yet again. She had just about two hours left on her shift. And during that time, he was not likely to make an appearance, but she was still waiting. It was hard not to. It was a slow night. So far, there were only two customers in the diner, and she did not think there would be any more coming in during her shift.
The customers were two police women. Unlike the usual members of the police who came as customers. They were not calling her around and making crude jokes, or looking at her all paranoid like she was about to attack them. In fact, they barely noticed her. The two of them engrossed in whatever it was, that they were talking about. They sat across from each other. Their foreheads almost touching. As they whispered furiously. Their food was barely touched. And Emily was just itching to know what it was that had their attention so completely. It seemed to be either very important, or it was some fairly hot gossip, about work.
Emily had to remind herself to stay out of it, that it was none of her business. No matter how juicy the conversation looked. It did not mean she had any right to know what it was that they were talking about. And so she moved as far away from them as possible, busying herself with wiping down the tables, and rearranging the salt and pepper shakers that were in the middle of each table. But even from a distance, snippets of what the women were talking about, still made it to Emily. And the longer they talked, the louder their whispers got until she heard them even when she was not trying to eavesdrop.
"You have to report him, he cannot keep getting away with this," Emily heard as she wringed the cloth that she was holding in her hands. She carried on working and then a few seconds later, something else reached her
"Are you kidding me? If I dare to open my mouth. My career is over. You know that’s the way the police station works," Emily stilled, her whole body going tense. Clearly the conversation was about one of the police officers doing something illegal. And the younger of the women that were currently in the diner knew what it was. But she did not want to report it.
Ha! It seemed that the police station was the same as any other place in the working world.