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“What?” I ask.
“You wanna take five?” She doesn’t wait for me to say anything, just walks out of the back door.
I follow her and find her outside, leaning against the wall. I settle in next to her. We’re quiet for a little while. I take deep breaths and feel marginally calmer. Fresh air helps.
“What’s wrong with you?” Maggie asks. She’s always been straightforward like that.
“No—”
“Don’t say nothing,” Maggie warns.
I sigh and rub my hands over my face.
“Just had a few shitty days,” I say.
“Okay, well, spill. Maybe I can help?”
I bark out a laugh.
“I doubt it. I… I need to quit, Mags. This job… I love Mobius. I really do. It was a good restaurant.”
“Exactly,” Maggie interrupts. “Was. Let’s not kid ourselves. Trent is slowly sinking this place, and we can be as loyal as we want to each other and this place, but there comes a time when we all have to say that enough is enough.”
I close my eyes and exhale.
“We have a good team,” I say in a low voice.
“The best,” Maggie agrees. “But we don’t have to work together and be in each other’s pockets all the time to still be friends.” She straightens herself up. “In fact… You know what we’re going to do?”
“What?”
“We’re going to start a new tradition. We’re going to meet up at the Blue Fox every Thursday from now on. All of us. Keep the friendships alive. That way it’ll be easier for all of us to move on. We should all quit together and really let Trent see what happens to dickwaffles like him.”
I nudge her with my shoulder.
“It’s good to have you as a friend, Mags,” I say. “’Cause I wouldn’t want you as my enemy.”
She snorts.
“Naturally. I’m vicious.”
“You really are. And Trent really is a dickwaffle. And a terrible cook. Just… the fucking worst. There’s no imagination in his food. It’s all safe and boring. I’m cooking pork and potatoes. Just pork and potatoes, for fuck’s sake.”
Maggie laughs.
“You remember how proud he was of that asparagus chicken thing? ‘It’s going to revolutionize the industry!’” She laughs and shakes her head. “Chicken and asparagus. Jesus. To top it off, everything on his plate was overcooked. I don’t think that’s the type of revolution any of us need.”
I let out a tired smile, pick up a pebble, and throw it across the courtyard, watching it bounce a few times until it skitters to a halt.
“He’s sucking all the joy out of this job. I used to love coming to work. Now the highlight of my day is the subway ride. Or, it was the highlight, at least.”
“The subway?” Maggie asks.
I’ve said too much.
“I like the trains.”
Maggie snorts.
