Chapter 2 Late Arrival

Ava caught a quick glance on her phone, the time read 1pm. She packed up her bag ready to meet up with her second shift, although she look exhausted from her first shift, she still needs to make it in time for the next shift. She twisted the door knob of the kitchen ready to make her exit.

"Goodbye, everyone," she greeted. They responded back.

She stepped out of the restaurant, she took a deep breath and gets it altogether for another shift. Flagging down a cab she gets in, sinking into the seat of the cab, letting it take in all her weight.

"Relish delights," she said faintly.

"Okay, Miss," the cab driver answered.

Throughout her journey, she sunk into the soft seat of the cab, her eyes felt heavy. With every burps from the car, her eyes seems to flicker open. She must have dosed off all throughout her ride. That didn't really matter, catching a quick nap in the cab was what she needed, at least before a tedious shift.

Soon she arrived some few meters to her supposed location, walking to the work did help her get started. Ava gently tapped on the cab driver's shoulder.

"I think I'm okay, thank you very much," she alerted the driver, making her way to the door handle, she opened the door and made her way out.

Searching through her bag, she asked, "What's the bill, sir?"

"That should be five bucks," the cab driver answered, with his hands still grabbing on to the steering wheel.

Ava searched frantically through her stuff, soon she landed her hands on her purse. She took out a five dollars note and handed it over to the cab driver. She adjusted her clothes and also stuffed some of her things sticking out into her bag.

She looked at her watch and then it dawned on her. She was six minutes late for work, wearing a worried face she mumbled, "Oh my goodness, I'm late, I'm so dead."

She looked at the few meters she did have to walk in order to get to work. Walking to work didn't seem like a good idea to her.

She tried flagging down another cab, the cab closed in on her and she noticed a passenger in the back seat. Her breath hitched, her face flushed with frustration, she tried flagging three more but they still had passengers. She couldn't waste any more time, she decides to start her walk from there, but this time instead of strolling as she does, she increased her pace.

Xavier sat in the comfort of his Rolls Royce Cullinan, he steered outside the window of his car. His eyes soon noticed Ava walking, she looked like she was in a rush. His eyes still fixed on this beautiful mystery woman, his face seems to lit up. Her beauty had an effect on him already: blue eyes, hourglass shape, wavy black hair that complemented her tanned skin, her physical appearance was indeed divine. She had the face of a supermodel; she was a definition of his dream woman, everything he looked for was coupled into one individual.

He fought the urge to look away but she was too beautiful to ignore. His eyes soon lost track of her, their distances increasing as a result of his car speeding. He had a meeting to attend and was running late. This was his reality at this point but all he wanted to do was to feed his eyes on this beauty. He could still see her image lingering in his head as his thought ran wide. It was too good to be true, how someone with such beauty existed, he thought to himself.

He has seen very beautiful women in his lifetime but their beauty didn't match up to this lady's beauty, she struck up something in him.

This fueled his determination to have her at all cost, she ticked all his boxes well, no ifs or buts.

Peter his right-hand man slightly taps his shoulder, shifting his attention to him.

"Sir, we have words from the Deputy CEO. The whole board of directors are all seated in the conference room," Peter said.

Xavier adjusted himself, he picked up a glass of champagne and sipped it.

"Tell him I'm on my way," he answered Peter, who nodded to his command and replied back the text as told. As the car moved, he had his mind fixed on only one thing, his dream woman and how to make her his.

---

Ava walked at a very fast pace, at every chance she looked up the time on her watch, she increased her pace. This was the last thing she wanted, coming to work late. She searched her head for an excuse to tell her boss but nothing seems to come up. Her boss had no tolerance for lateness, that she knew too well. There was a policy at her job about coming late for work, every employee had to make it in time for their shift.

Each pace faster than the other, everyone who looked at her couldn't wrap their heads around why she was in a rush. She caught a quick glance at her watch and at this time she was running, not wanting to be a minute later. She soon arrived at work, she pushes the door open. She caught her breath, tension crawling up her spine, her eyes surveyed the environment just in case her boss was around.

Her coworker flashed her a stare, they all looked confused by her facial expression. She threw them a quick glance and rushed to the kitchen. Her presence soon distorted everyone at work.

"Why are you late for work, Ava?" Jon the head cook asked concerned.

"I can't really say for now," Ava answered, setting her bag down as she rested her whole weight on the door, struggling to catch her breath.

"You look stressed, hope you are fine, dear," Alice one of the cook asked.

Ava nodded her head reassuring them that she was alright.

She reached out for her apron and slipped into it.

"What about Mr. Dan?" Ava asked, eager to get a response.

"He is in, he inspected the restaurant. I can't really say if he noticed your absence," the Alice answered.

This answer wasn't really what she wanted to hear. Fingers crossed, she only wishes he doesn't notice her absence.

Ava quickly blends into the very busy work environment, she takes up an order and gets started on boxing up the order. Soon she gets carried away with work as more orders came in. For a minute she felt relaxed about her boss not noticing her absence in the morning. She boxes up more orders and chatted with coworkers.

Everything seems to be perfectly well for her when a man with an average height in his mid-forties walks in on them. It is Mr. Dan, the atmosphere that was once lively, soon looked and felt calm. Everyone looked very focused carrying out one task or the other, refusing to meet his gaze.

Ava tries her best to remain focused on work, she keeps her cool. Tension sets in as she notices his eyes fixed on her, she becomes clumsy around things. She could only hope he doesn't remember her absence in the morning.

Mr. Dan cleared his throat, he asks Ava to meet him in the office. He takes his leave, anxiety, tension, fear all wrapped up in Ava's person feeling. Ava heard the thumping sound of her heart in her ears. She stares at her coworkers, as they all flash her a pitiful look. She hides her expression, making her way toward Dan's office.

---

Ava holds on to the door knob; crossing her index finger against her first finger, she took a deep breath before ushering herself in. Her eyes meet a very busy Mr. Dan, his stern look made all her confidence melt away. Her legs were shaky but she still managed to take two steps forward. Her hand twitching but she still manages to find her balance.

Mr. Dan leaned into his chair with one hand on the armrest and the other on the table. He assessed Ava and finally asked his question,

"Why did you come in late for work?"

Ava quickly searches her head for an excuse but can't come up with any. She then finds her voice.

"I just finished from one shift and tried to make it in time for this shift," she said in a shaky voice.

Dan throws her a stare, Ava could feel the ground opening up on her. What could she probably do, all she did was tell the truth?

"You do know the rules, right?" Mr. Dan questioned.

"Yes, I do," Ava answered.

"And you still went ahead to violate one of them if I'm not mistaken," he said, throwing her a judgmental stare.

She remained silent, as though that was all she could do at that moment.

Dan points to an envelope on his desk. At this point Ava knew what it was.

"Miss Ava, I'm afraid we have to discharge you of your duties here," he said.

Ava approached the table, she picks up the envelope. At this point it looked more real, not just words alone but also a written letter.

Holding her dismissal letter in her hands she raises her head meeting Mr Dan's eyes.

"I'm sorry but your services are no longer needed here. Do have a good day," he said, returning to work.

Her body felt weak, she tried to find her balance at this point.

"Keep it all in, don't show him your weakness, Ava," she said in her mind, fighting back tears.

She turns to take leave, staggering towards the door handle. She felt a big weight on her as she made her exit.

She left the office, still holding her tears back. It was as though her world had crumbled.

At this point she thought of her mother and sister. Her salaries from her three jobs could barely do enough for them. Losing this job was the last thing that she wanted for herself. She went to the kitchen to pack up, everyone seeing her expression could tell what had transpired.

They all comforted her, leaning in for a hug as they only get to see her today. Ava was moved to tears but the comforting words made her feel a little better. She bid them farewell, leaving the restaurant.

Once outside, she picked up her phone and put a call through to Jane. She didn't seem to answer.

"She must be busy," Ava thought to herself.

She sent a message instead:

"Just lost my job at Starbucks, I'm so sad. Call me as soon as you get this."

With this message, she puts her phone, cleans her tears and heads home.