Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 26265 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26265 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
I pause for a moment, wondering if I should rummage around for the spoiled food, but then shut the door resolutely. No, Tommy has to clean up his own messes and hopefully he gets fired for doing this. Again.
But then, I turn to Tanya.
“So where do they want us today?” I ask my friend. She nods.
“I think you’re in the A Wing, and I’m backstage the entire time. You might want to check the line-up though because you know they change these things last minute sometimes.”
“Oh, nice,” I say. “Sure will do.”
Then, heavy dance music starts blaring before going off abruptly, and my friend and I jolt. Evidently, practice is getting started, and it’s time to assume our positions. Tanya grabs her sewing kit and throws me a grin.
“See you in a couple hours? We can eat lunch together.”
“Sounds good,” I nod. “Enjoy yourself, girl.”
With that, I step into the A wing and get to work. It’s my job to make sure all the costumes are ready, and I rummage around the clothing racks, prepping gladiator costumes, firemen outfits, and even several suits for when the guys pretend to be Christian Grey from Fifty Shades of Grey. I don’t know how they do it because there should be only one Christian Grey right? But I guess all the dancers dress as billionaires before stripping off their suits, much to the delight of the female audience. It works, and so what if it doesn’t totally make sense? We’re creating a fantasy, and that’s what our customers want.
Finally, however, practice is over and I return to the break room. Tanya’s already there, chugging a soda.
“How’d it go?” she grins. I smile, my shoulders slumping with exhaustion.
“Same as usual. You know how our job is,” I quip with a funny grin. “It’s just a bunch of naked guys putting on clothes before taking them off again. Nothing ripped, nothing tore, so it was a great day.”
Tanya bursts out laughing. “That’s an excellent way to put it! Maybe I should add that to my resume. ‘Nothing ripped, nothing tore, we’re all good.’”
I grin.
“Hey, at least it rhymes sort of.”
“No it doesn’t,” she smiles while rolling her eyes. “But come on, grab your lunch and we’ll eat together.”
I nod as my stomach rumbles. “Thank god it’s finally lunch time because I’ve been looking forward to my sandwich and apple for hours. I feel like I haven’t eaten in weeks.”
Of course, that’s not true but the fact is that I’ve been a little short on grocery money lately, so I’ve been skipping meals. I only had an apple last night for dinner, and I skipped breakfast because I want to save my dry oats for an emergency.
But when I open the fridge door, my brown bag is gone. What the hell? I rummage around because there are multiple shelves in the fridge, and maybe someone moved it. Tanya sees what I’m doing and nods.
“Could it be on the fridge door? You know people are so thoughtless and just put things wherever when they get their own lunches.”
I rummage around more, the panic rising in my veins. I’m literally starting to sweat because my stomach is growling with hunger and this was going to be my only meal of the day. But finally, I step back, baffled and frustrated.
“Where’d it go? It was just here! You saw me put it in.”
Tanya shakes her head with puzzlement.
“I have no idea. Maybe someone mistook your brown bag for theirs? I mean, all brown bags kind of look the same.”
Tears rise in my eyes as my stomach literally cramps a bit in pain. This can’t be happening because again, the sandwich and apple were going to be my only meal today. I bought a loaf of bread, almost-expired lunch meat, and a bag of apples with my meager paycheck last week. My cupboards pretty bare, and my body already feels weak. I can’t go an entire day without food, but I have no money for even a snack from the vending machine. Tanya sees my stricken look and pipes up.
“You know, I’m pretty sure I saw that new guy, Jethro, grabbing a brown bag from the fridge,” she offers tentatively. “Maybe he took your lunch by accident?”
Steam pours from my ears. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I grind out. “Really. Somehow I doubt it was an accident.”
Tanya shrugs. “I don’t know but these things happen, girl. Plus, he’s new. Maybe he thought the fridge was a free for all? I mean, it’s possible.”
I grind my teeth together.
“The dancers aren’t even supposed to be in our break room because this is reserved for staff. They have their own dressing room with their own fridge. What was he doing back here anyways?”
Tanya shrugs again.
“He probably didn’t realize, Jess. He’s new, remember?”
I clench my fists. “I’m getting my lunch back.”