Taryn struggled to open her eyes, registering her cell was ringing, but having only found her bed three hours earlier, her inner debate of bothering to answer it was in full flight. Rolling over, she gave in and picked up her cell phone, clicked the green button and said, “Are you seriously phoning me this early?” She exhaled into her cell.
“Ms. Miles?” the unexpected female voice said. Taryn sat bolt upright, her brain sparking to life as she realized it was not Kylee’s voice, but the voice of her boss.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, she said to herself and shook her head hard. “Ms. Cinders?” she asked with a light tone.
“Yes. And for the record… it’s not that early. It is after 10:00 a.m.,” Ms. Cinders tone was one of a condescending mother type. Even though the woman had no children that Taryn was aware of, she still had little to no tolerance for anything that even resembled fun. Taryn wasn’t sure if she’d ever seen the woman even smile.
“Really?” Taryn’s eyes went wide as she looked at the clock “Wow! So it is. I’m sorry, Ms. Cinders,” she said, begging for her brain to catch up with her mouth before she said something she couldn’t take back. “I was up late with… with…” Taryn paused.
Oy! Brain… anytime now, give me something. Anything? she yelled at herself.
“A headache.” Taryn sighed with gratitude. “Yes. It was a terrible headache. Kept me awake most of the night.” Confirming it again for the stability of her alibi within her own brain.
“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?” the reply came on a chilled breeze of disbelief.
“It can be quite disabling,” Taryn said.
“No doubt,” she dismissed Taryn’s poor excuse for sleeping in. “I have some discrepancies I need you to explain.”
“Discrepancies?” Taryn tilted her head as she suddenly felt a wave of nervous nausea crashing against her beach.
“Correct. So please come into work thirty minutes early on Monday, and meet me in my office,” Ms. Cinder’s voice was so even toned, it was hard for Taryn to get a reading of how deep was the shit she was in.
“Sure, I can do that,” Taryn replied.
“I wasn’t asking,” the reply came. “Monday. My office.” And the phone went dead with a click that caused Taryn to flinch.
“Shiit…” Taryn looked at the black screen of her cell. “What on earth is that all about?” The unease was making itself at home as it weaved into the muscles across her back. Taryn got up and went to the bathroom, a hot shower might help ease her tightening muscles, while her brain tried to sieve through the last few days at work to figure out what she’d done.
After taking her shower, she grabbed the towel as she rushed to turn off the water and get to her ringing cell again. A second before she pressed the green button she begged for it not to be her boss again. “Hi?” she asked a question tentatively into the mouthpiece.
“Hey bitch, what’s happening?” Kylee’s voice came booming through her phone.
Taryn sighed with relief. “Well, at the moment I’m all soapy and wet, trying not to slip on my naked ass as I make my way back to the shower to finish my rinse off.”
“I know I’m important, and as much as the thought of you slipping on your naked ass amuses me, you could have just called me back.” Kylee laughed.
“I thought it might have been my boss again,” she replied.
“Again?” asked her friend.
Taryn sighed “Yep. I have an early meeting on Monday to discuss whatever it is that I’m in the shit for.” Taryn stood looking in the bathroom mirror, a dark blue towel wrapped around her wet body, shampoo still in her hair, and suds sliding down her legs. She looked like a complete mess, and if the tone of her boss this morning was anything to go by, her life was about to get far worse.
“Fuck! Sounds heavy,” Kylee said. “Oh well, you have two days ‘til your impending doom then. Get dressed, and we will pick you up in fifteen minutes.”
“I don’t know…” Taryn started to say.
“Even the death row inmates get a last meal, Tazza. Get dressed and let’s go.” Kylee hung up without waiting for an answer.
The words ‘death row’ and ‘inmates’ caused a ripple of fear from her past to creep into her already tense shoulders. Taryn’s breaths increased slightly as she fought the panic rising like an active volcano about to blow. Turning on the water, she dropped the towel and hoped the high-pressure water would wash away more than just some dirt.
I need a full life cleansing, and before Monday morning would be great. Throwing her silent prayer skyward, she ducked under the water and got ready to meet the girls.
A knock at the door and Taryn grabbed her bag, had a last quick look in the mirror before she opened the door.
“Hey ladies,” she said with a smile that didn’t touch her eyes.
“Morning,” Payton said from behind Kylee’s shoulder “Wow! You look so different without all the…” pausing as she was seeking the right word, “… glitz.”
“So, we have hit the next phase of our friendship, huh?” Kylee teased as she looked Taryn up and down. “Don’t need to dress up for me anymore.”
Taryn looked down at herself, she was wearing a plain pair of dark blue jeans, a red singlet, and her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail. Taryn only had time to put some basic makeup on. Fortunately, she was blessed with naturally flawless skin. She had accented her face with an American colored bandana tied around her head, the tips forming a small red and blue bow just off center. Taryn completed her rushed look, and just slipped on some white connies and grabbed her black backpack.
“Sorry, girls, maybe I should just stay…” Taking a step back into her room.
“Fuck no. You look like you need girl time more than ever.” Kylee linked her arm, and the three of them descended the stairs two at a time.
“I’ve been waiting for this day for months,” Payton said. “I haven’t had some of these foods since we arrived here over a year ago.”
Kylee nodded. “I got my stretchy pants on for a reason.” She laughed. “We are in for a treat, ladies. A taste of the homeland.” Kylee had been on a countdown for this day. It was the #ForkYou - Food Truck Roll-Up, the first inaugural western food truck festival in Tokyo. Little did they know that western food had, had a surge in popularity in Japan over the past few years. They had advertised trucks cooking everything from their childhoods. The flyers promised culinary delights such as tacos, doughnuts, waffles, pizzas, poutine, burgers, pasta, and everything in between would be available. The festival organizers had booked some local bands to do western covers for entertainment. Kylee hadn’t eaten all morning with the vision of getting a shady piece of grass, flopping down the rug, and settling in for an afternoon of food, music, and hot man candy.
Turning the corner, Payton smiled brightly as she heard the music playing. She lifted her head and smelled the aroma floating toward them. The smell of food calling to them like a siren calling a sailor to his impending death. The girls quickened their step as their bellies answered the call.
Taryn sat down on the patchwork rug that Payton had laid on the ground. “Leave your stuff here, I’ll sit for a while.”
“You’re not hungry?” Payton tilted her head.
Taryn shrugged. “Maybe later. Right now, I’m cool to wait.” She waved them both off. “You both go and grab something. I can hear your stomach growling from here, Kylee.”
“I know right!” Kylee laughed. “Bitch needs to be fed.” Grinning. “I’ll grab you a drink.” And with that, Kylee and Payton took off toward the food trucks.
Taryn was happy to have a little time to just sit and gather her thoughts. They were still stuck with her early morning conversation with her boss. She couldn’t afford to lose her job, not financially, nor with her work visa. If she got sent back home… Taryn’s breathing hitched with the thought of what was waiting for her on home soil. Slowly exhaling she tried to slow her increasing heartbeat. She just wished she knew what she’d done, and to what degree she was in trouble. Until Monday morning, she needed to try and relax and enjoy her freedom, it might be her last chance.