Page 87 of Enraged

Oh, so we are puttin’ on a show.

“I’m doin’ good,” I answered calmly. “How are you, Mrs. Linda?”

“I am heartbroken!” she wailed, pulling me into her cigarette and Chanel No. 5 scented chest.

You are in your place of employment, Lena. Mind your manners.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” I pulled away from her. “It will all be okay.”

The fact that I’m having to stand here and comfort this narcissistic bitch so that she doesn’t make a scene…

“I can’t wait to hear that you and Jace have patched things up!” she practically shouted.

“That won’t be happening, Mrs. Linda,” I spoke gently.

She put her hand to her chest in mock horror. “Jolene, you have to be reasonable!” she quietly scolded. “Boys will be boys!”

Bitch, I know you fuckin’ lyin’…

I forgot where I was. I forgot all my home trainin’.

“I think what you mean to say,” I began, “is that pieces of shit will be pieces of shit.”

“Jolene!” she chastised me. “That is unnecessary!”

“Do not tell me what is unnecessary! The whole time I was with that man, I was prayin’ that he would rise above his raising because Lord knows, if you had as many stickin’ out of you as you’ve had stuck in you, you’d be a primped-up porcupine! I guess the apple truly doesn’t fall far from the tree that everyone gets to climb, now does it?”

Her mouth hung open in genuine horror and dismay.

“You and Jace are both like a doorknob,” I continued. “Everybody gets a turn! Now, I have spent more than enough of my precious time entertaining you. Have the evening that you deserve.”

With a jaunty wave to my friends behind the counter, I walked out the front door.

Dakota

“Awesome job, y’all. Go on back to bed. I’ll get her back in service,” I gestured to the engine.

“I’ll help, Lieu,” Dedric volunteered.

“Thanks, Rook.”

We worked in exhausted silence to get the truck back in service.

We were nearly finished when I caught him yawning. “Go back to bed, D, I’ll get the rest.”

“Thanks, Lieutenant.”

“You did a great job today. Keep up the good work,” I told him.

He fist bumped me. “Learned from the best. G’night, buddy.”

“Goodnight.”

I walked around the apparatus, inspecting her to make sure she was locked and loaded for when the next tone dropped.

Three structure fires in one day is a sure sign that it’s space heater season.

I hung up the used hoses so they could dry.

---