Read with BonusRead with Bonus

5. Questions

Jodie

"Look, I'm your mom, and I worry about my kids. Okay?"

I can't even remember how many times already mom told me to take the day off. But after paying rent and utilities. We have barely enough for food if I want to get Miley her new ballet shoes. I was lucky enough when Billy told me that the hospital cost was covered by our boss, or else I wouldn't even go to the hospital in the first place.

"I need tonight's tip, Mom, you know I want Miley to be happy. She's too young to be cut off from her hobby and you know how much she's looking forward to her recital. She already lost her friends when we moved out of our house. I need her to be happy." It is a cry for my happiness, to tell the truth, but Mom is just being Mom. She always takes things in stride and still seriously thinks that Dad will someday be back and take us back to live the life we used to have.

"Hi, Mrs. H., I'm here to pick up Jodie for work."

"Oh, Billy, can you tell her that she's not well enough to go to work?" Mom gave him her pleading eyes and it was all I could do not to roll my eyes at her.

"Um...it's basically up to Jodie. But don't you worry, I'll be watching her like a hawk and I will personally take her to that Diner she loves to fuel up before work. This will be our second date." He winked at me and Mom smiled at Billy. She always liked him and she had asked me many many months before, why I never dated him since she didn't know that Billy is gay.

Yes, as proud as Billy is of being a gay guy at work, he hadn't come out to his family. So, I can't actually tell Mom that he's gay since our Moms talk. But of course, it fits perfectly for my benefit, with him being my fake boyfriend where we go on our fake dates.

"Billy, you don't have to take me here. I ate already." I say the second we are seated in an empty booth.

"Yeah, right. Come on, it's me, Jodie. It's okay." He puts his hand on mine, soothing me with his touches. He knows that I probably eat less than I should since he was there when the doctor diagnosed me with malnutrition on top of exhaustion.

"You know I'm letting you come to work just because you begged me and I love little Miley like she's my sister. Anddd... I'm still pissed that you won't let me buy her that ballet shoes or at least chipped into her ballet funds." He rattles off before pausing to order for both of us.

"I told you this already Billy. You have helped me enough to get a job, and I am forever indebted to you. And I wanted to buy her that shoes."

"Yeah, but you're killing yourself in order to buy it. What if you're dead and she still won't get her ballet shoes?" He raises his perfectly shaped eyebrow challenging me. I sigh and hide my argument behind a big glass of cocoa drink that he knows I like from the Diner.

I had toast and cheese at lunch and they're usually enough to get me through until my break for dinner at work. But seeing the greasy fries and the Diner's specialty of big chunks of a meaty cheeseburger deluxe, they had me salivating. I chomp a big bite of the burger and look at Billy. The man grins, looking satisfied with himself knowing that I can never resist the greasy concoction in front of me. I am pumped when we arrive at the bar. Doug is already there helping Zak with stocking the wet bar before opening hour.

"Hey, Jordan...how are you feeling tonight?"

"I'm better, ready for work, boss." I give him my most confident smile though I can see that he still has doubts about me working, tonight. Billy had told me so and I am seeing it for myself. I mean if it is not for Miley, I will probably be resting in my bed right about now.

Hours later when I am due for my break, I go to the employee lounge to take my rest. I am thinking of having a nice relaxing drink of soda when the door opens and Doug comes into the room.

So, apparently, he was checking in on me, or so he said. "I brought a homemade sandwich. I thought you should eat more meat in your diet."

Yeah, he saw my last miserable-looking jam sandwich and now he's offering me a very large meaty-looking sandwich that I can't possibly finish in one sitting. Not after the greasy meal I had earlier with Billy.

"Billy took me out to eat greasy food already. I can't possibly finish that alone. I was thinking of drinking a can of coke while taking my break." But the man is not listening when he divides the sandwich into half and gives one of the halves to me.

"I don't understand why people go on diets, but you're not even fat and Billy told me that you were diagnosed with malnutrition. I'm not having you fall on your shift again. Eat, or you can go home and rest."

"I...I'm not on a diet," He sighs as if the guy doesn't believe me. The fuck?

"I have a sister. Ames does this diet thing once in a while, she's better now. But back then...ugh, just don't do it okay? It's not worth it. Health is more important than your body image."

"But..." I was trying to stand up for myself, I hate to be called out. I am not concerned about my body image, because honestly I just don't have the time to care about what people think of me. But I shut my mouth, thinking Doug didn't know me. He couldn't possibly know about my real reason for not eating.

He doesn't know that I have a very healthy appetite, it is just that my finance is not accommodating the so-called body image. At least for the time being. My Mom and Miley come first. They always do.

"Eat," he says again, pushing the sandwich to my front, so I eat. I take the sandwich and take a big bite of it, and

"Oh...Godddd..." My eyes go wide as the burst of flavors fills my taste buds.

"Good huh?" He chuckles and takes half of the sandwich through his delicious lips. Um...okay, I should stop watching my straight boss's lips while I'm dressed as a dude.

"Why haven't you put this on the menu?" I ask with my mouth full, chewing the delicious combination, and can't wait to take another bite of it.

"I haven't thought of that. I think this is too simple to be on the menu."

"You're kidding me, right?" I say once I manage to swallow it. "You just need to come up with a fancy or even lewd name for the sandwich and make an excuse to put it as a monthly special or something. Dude, take this to Billy, he'll back me up on this." I tell him with more vigor while swinging the sandwich before taking another bite of the delicious thing.

Doug laughs but then tells me to finish the sandwich and he promises to talk to Billy later. But I am not going to stop talking while he watches me eat, because it is obvious that he is here to make sure I finish my meal.

"So, what else did Billy tell you?"

"Don't blame the guy, it was me who asked. I just saw that Kirk nudged you a bit too hard and you fell. I just thought that you should not fall easily if you watch what you eat and oh...I don't know, maybe take a day off of work?"

Okay, the man is getting somewhere here and maybe I should stop talking. Maybe I am digging myself into a hole.

"I don't know if I can afford to take a day off of work." I sigh, knowing he knows that I need the work. Maybe he just doesn't know how badly I need it. Maybe it's time that I tell him the truth. Well, obviously not about my real identity, but maybe if he knows the dire situation of my finances he may cut me some slack.

"Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"No...no trouble. Well, financially I'm fucked. I told you already about my family, right? Well, on top of all that I need to pay for my Mom's medication and insurance. I need to cut down on groceries. But then I sometimes slept through breakfast and lunch unintentionally. I know it's stupid, but still." I shrug, feeling defeated by my situation. People have it easy, I just need to push through.

Dough lets me carry on and I eat the sandwich, chewing in between my words. "I just need the extra hours for that then Billy can put me back on my regular schedule."

"See, you're a good guy Jordan. You just need to tell me the truth. Okay, I'll make sure Billy gives you the best shifts until you can buy your sister's ballet stuff. And make sure you eat regularly. You can't expect to work when you're not fit to do so."

"Thank you, I really appreciate this. And if you need me to do some extra stuff I can help you out." I offer because I can't believe that Doug is okay with my issues.

"Okay, I will remember that. But for now, just take care of your health. You can't be the backbone when you work yourself to the ground." He put his big hand on my shoulder, and pat me on my back before leaving me to finish my soda. I didn't even realize that I was done with the sandwich.

Previous Chapter
Next Chapter