Page 264 of Falling Backwards
My stomach flips with displeasure.Luke scowls at Ronald, though by the time I turn to look at him myself, he’s already gone.
Iwouldhasten to make sure I’m not at risk of being late for my shift, but I know I’m not.I arrived in plenty of time because I wanted to catch Luke on his break so I could tell him about Kyle in person.Our assistant manager is just nitpicking at me.
More quietly than before, Luke tells me, “I am beyond sick of him.”
I am, too, but I still have to acknowledge, “Well, itisimportant for people to clock in on time if they can.”Nothing bad happened the one time I was a minute late, but I don’t want to make a habit of it.
“It’s not a big deal if someone starts their shift a few minutes late.That’s not what I mean, though, and you know it.”
I sigh because, yeah, I do.
Luke lightly raises his eyebrows at me.“He’s being an ass.”
“Yeah, babe, I know.”
“He’s being an ass toyou.I don’t fucking like it.And I don’t like that it’s retaliatory, ’cause you didn’t do anything wrong in the first place.”He crosses his arms and looks at the doorway of the breakroom.“You know what?He keeps this up andI’mgonna go to Mr.Polk.”
I start to tell him there’s no need for that, but the truth is, I generally agree Ronald is even more out of line than usual.
I think back to last week’s situation with Marcus, when Ronald wrote me up for‘being rude and antagonistic to a guest.’He said Marcus complained that I vehemently argued with him when he asked me to find his server for another drink, and that I commented on how intoxicated he already was and told him it was time for him to leave.None of it was true and I told Ronald so—I even told him Marcus is my ex and talked about howhehad been rude tomeduring his visit, plus that I’d previously known him to lie to get people in trouble—but Ronald didn’t believe me.He said Marcus requested I be dealt with lest he go one step higher and complain to Mr.Polk about meandRonald, and Ronald assured him that wouldn’t be necessary because he trusted his customer.That was when he bitched me out about the importance of being courteous to guests.
The next day turned out to be too much already without me thinking about all that; it was the day I spent on the couch until I went to Luke’s place and fixed everything with him.So the day after that, I filled Luke in on the work stuff—to the tune of him slandering Ronald up and down—andthencame here to Mr.Polk.And God, our boss was so great.He listened to me, spoke with the server Marcus had, even reviewed security footage.It was determined that I didn’t do anything unacceptable and that Ronald hadn’t explored every avenue before claiming I did…but that hehadknowingly overserved a customer.My write-up was revoked Ronald got a talking-to.
Since then, every time I’ve crossed paths with him, he’s had an even worse attitude than he did the night Marcus was here.He has hunted down reasons to make snide comments, watch over my shoulder while I work, even threaten a write-up that’ll stick.
The unnecessary thing he said a few minutes ago was barely anything, really.Just yesterday, a customer fell in the front area and Ronald tried to blame me despite the woman’s own insistence that her high-heel breaking was the problem.Hereallytried to blame me—I was accused of everything from not keeping the area clean and dry, to failing to report a dangerous crack in the floor, to paying so little attention to the woman that I didn’t notice her shoe was on the verge of cracking apart.
So, no, that didn’t go anywhere either, but not from a lack of effort on his part.
“I just….”Luke shakes his head, jaw clenching.He’s still looking at the doorway; I get the feeling he’s been lost in thoughts of his own.“He sucks.He’s a sucky assistant manager.I’dbe better at that job than he is.”
Curiosity piqued, I tilt my head and listen to him quietly go on.
“Not only does his attitude towards his employees suck, but this shit with Marcus was the second time he was cool with overserving people.That we know of.Sorry, I know we said this when we talked about it last week, but I can’t quit thinking about how wrong it is.It’s dangerous.Andit’s a bitch move, you know?He’s in freaking management and he still doesn’t have the balls to tell customers what’s what—I’m just abartenderand I’ve had no issue with cutting people off no matter how mad they might get or how much money I could still make off them if I let them keep going.It’s for their own good and for the good of our restaurant.I’d have no problem handling that part of his job.And I’d never accuse my employees of things without a solid reason.Or not hear them out about things.Or be mean to them for having a hard time at work ’cause they’re hurt.”He scoffs.“I’d respect peopleandthe job.Easy as that.Too hard for him, though, huh?”
While he takes a breath, I look at him through a new lens.
‘I don’t know what else I’d be good at.’
He said that to me once when we were talking about him tending bar.I asked if he wanted to do it forever and that’s what he said back.
It sounds to me like he’d do well at being Lucent’s assistant manager.
Does he really think so, too, or did he say all this in the heat of his strong dislike for Ronald?
“Anyway.”He shakes his head and finally looks at me again.The smile he gives me is one hundred percent present; the way he tucks my hair behind one ear is as intent as his mini-rant had been.
Guess he has made the decision to put work stuff on the back burner.I’m on board.
He says, “God, I’msohappy about how things with Kyle went.”
I nod and smile, too, because I’ve made the very last entry about Kyle in my log and because Luke is fascinating and because even the smallest of his touches delights me and because I just…love him.
Butterflies dance in my stomach.Breath skipping, I reach up and adjust his suspenders even though they don’t need adjusting—these things look so good on him.Then I touch his jaw, his hair.
And softness touches his eyes.
I tell him, “You make me infinitely happier than even that.”
