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Workplace Rumours
It was flat out in the restaurant; we were completely booked out, and Trish was in a foul mood, swearing at everyone in her vicinity. Whenever she was in a bad mood, her nostrils would flare and she’d point at you. Not a fun experience.
Trish stormed over to me with a kilo’s worth of onions and dumped them on my station.
‘Peel and dice these, and make it bloody quick.’ She banged her hand on the bench, signalling for me to get moving.
It was my least favourite task in the world – chopping onions always made me cry, no matter what trick I tried to avoid it – but I obeyed and cut a slit in the bag with my knife to pull the onions from because the job had to be done.
Once I’d finished the onions and placed them in a large silver bowl, I positioned them on Trish’s workbench in the middle of the kitchen and ran back to my section to prepare for the pizza orders.
Lots of orders flew in, and I lost count of how many pizzas I prepared and cooked, but my arms ached enough to tell me itwas a lot. Today’s shift was go, go, and go some more, and it left me feeling as though I had stood in a sauna with heavy weights all day. And even though I received multiple compliments, Trish’s attention seemed to be targeted more on what I was doing rather than cooking her mains. She kept walking over to my station, watching over my shoulder, and saying things like:work quicker, too much sauce, not enough cheese, too much herbs, not enough seasoning.Trish was picking on me for ridiculous things that no one else in the kitchen or dining area seemed to have a problem with, and to be honest, it was annoying and grated on my nerves. If she wasn’t the head chef, I would’ve barked back, but I maintained placid and copped it.
After the afternoon shift was done, I exhaled a massive sigh of relief and watched Trish call Patrick outside to talk. A feeling in my stomach warned me something was wrong because, despite the swearing and nit-picking, she was usually pretty even-tempered. Why was she so angry and snippy at me? What was her problem? God forbid I was in the firing line for another strand-of-hair drama. Was there something I had done that I hadn’t been notified about?
Five minutes later, the back door swung open and Trish walked in with teary eyes.Oh shit. She stalked in my direction and stared at me for a moment with her nostrils flared.What have I done?
‘I caught up with Paul and heard about the shenanigans that happened at Mon Amour.’ She shook her head and sneered her nose in disgust at me. My stomach plummeted like I was on Dreamworld’s Giant Drop ride. ‘I should have called Daniel before rushing into hiring you.’
‘I’m not sure what you’re talking about?’ I asked with an eyebrow raised.
‘I just told Patrick about what happened, and you’ve made him sick.’ Her voice was filled with repulsion.
‘Excuse me?What supposedly happened? Where is Patrick?’ I had to grip the bench for balance as my head spun in confusion.
‘Just leave him be. Look, I think you should do yourself a favour and leave this restaurant before you make this mess of yours even worse. He needs awoman,’– she almost spat the word at me – ‘not a little girl impersonating one.’
‘I’m not a little girl. I’m twenty-five, and I have no idea what Paul or Daniel has told you, but I assure you, I haven’t done anything wrong.’ I could hear my voice shaking.Why was this happening?I thought I’d closed the chapter on Mon Amour, and now I was back in the firing line for something.
Trish scoffed and took a step closer to me with her finger pointed. ‘You and your little mate Debra both slept with Daniel and had a threesome, which broke up his marriage. Patrick doesn’t need a homewrecker working in his kitchen. We’re run with dignity, which seems to be something you lack.’
‘What?’ I was surprised at how loud my voice was in reply. ‘I never, ever slept with Daniel. I have no idea who told you that, but that’s the biggest lie I’ve ever heard.’
She screwed up her nose and folded her arms. We both turned as we saw Patrick come back into the prep area.
‘Naomi,’ he said with hurt in his voice that made my heart crumble to pieces, like an apple pie gone wrong.
‘Yes?’ My voice was steady, and I was ready to hear what he was going to say.
‘Did you sleep with Daniel?’ His green eyes looked straight into mine.
‘No, of course not.’I’ve already told you this.
Trish scoffed again. ‘Oh, as if she’s going to admit it, Patrick. She’s lying. Look how guilty she looks.’
‘I’m not guilty!’ I fought the urge to reach out and hit her. ‘I’d never sleep withDaniel, and, Patrick, if you believe that, then I’m more than happy to go.’
‘Maybe it’s best if you take the rest of your shift off, Naomi. I need time to think, and the last thing I need is lies. I’ll talk to you tonight,’ he said in a serious tone, one that made my heart stop. It was a tone I’d never heard him speak to me in before.
I couldn’t believe it. He was actually doubting me. I couldn’t hide my shock, or my disappointment. ‘Okay, Patrick, you believe what you want, but Idid notsleep withDaniel.’
And just like that, I’d gone from being Patrick’s loving, trusted girlfriend to being called a liar.How could he believe this? Didn’t he know me better by now?
A numb feeling came over me as I walked out of the kitchen to grab my bag from the locker. I left the restaurant and kept walking down paths, weaving through crowds of people, until I reached the taxi rank and hailed down a cab. I hopped in, and the whole drive home, I felt empty and sick. Did this mean I was going to lose my job? And my relationship?Everything was going so well, and I’ve just met his mother. What will she think? I guess she’ll think I’m just like Stephanie–a lying sleep-around.My God, things could change in a snap of the fingers.
The taxi pulled up at Mum’s house. I paid the driver and hopped out, feeling wobbly as I walked up the orange driveway. I was in love with Patrick Vitello,so in love, and now, I might have lost him forever because of some nauseating gossip.It’s actually utter nonsense he told me to go home instead of talking to me like he usually does. I didn’t think our relationship was so weak. Why would he even believe Trish over me?
‘Naomi? What are you doing home so early?’ Mum asked as I swung open the front door. I walked inside and stopped behind the couch. This feeling was way too familiar – another failed relationship in my life.
