Page 3 of Caution Tape

“I’m not stupid.”

“I never said you were. The coupon has already been applied—“

She cuts me off, laughing in my face. “Try it again.”

“It’s already been applied,” I say once more.

“What do you know? You’re just a girl,” she utters dismissively.

I can see the customer behind her roll his eyes.

“I’ve been around a lot longer than you have, sweetheart—“

“Do you work here?” I interrupt her this time.

She frowns. “Pardon?”

“Do. You. Work. Here?” I slowly let out, ensuring I enunciate to dumb it down for her. “At Target?”

“No.”

“Then let me do my job. You’re holding up the line,” I point out.

“I don’t like your attitude,Cora. Haven’t you heard the saying ‘the customer is always right‘?”

“Sure have.”

She scowls. “I’d like to speak with your manager,” she demands, folding her arms across her chest.

Lauren strolls up behind me right at the perfect time. “Can I help you?” she asks.

“Manager. I said I need a manager.”

Lauren releases a small, annoyed breath before replying. “You’re looking at her,” she confirms, opting for a grin. “What can I do for you?”

“Did you hire her?”

“Excuse me?”

The lady shakes her head in frustration. “Cora has been nothing but disrespectful. I’d like an apology from her.”

Lauren flashes me an unbothered stare as I pop a piece of gum into my mouth. Amusement flickers in her eyes.

“Cora?” she questions, arching a brow.

“She doesn’t believe that I’ve applied the twenty-five percent off,” I tell her. “I’ve assured her multiple times that I have.”

Lauren steps in front of the register with a nod. “Let me take a look,” she says, her voice trailing off as she looks over the monitor. After a few seconds, she nods. “Yes. I see it right here. The coupon has been applied, ma’am.”

The color immediately drains from the customer’s face. For the next several minutes, they go over the numbers in depth until Lauren finally dismisses herself from the register, leaving the bitter old bat to turn back to me with a look of defeat.

“Now, are you ready to pay, Karen?” I ask, leaning forward. “Or are you going to continue being a miserable cunt?”

Her eyes nearly pop out of her head.

I blow a bubble and let it burst right in her face.

Without another word, she hands me a twenty and a five before snatching her bag from the counter and darting toward the doors. I turn to the next customer with a smile.

---