Silent Eyes

24, Inconvenience

It was storming outside, and Monica hurriedly made her way into the building. The door chimed as she entered, and she waved at her coworkers. "Hey!" Mrs. Antoni was attending to a table and turned her head to greet Monica. "Hello, dear. How are you today?" As Monica headed towards the back, she replied to her boss, "I'm feeling alright, thanks!" She quickly reached the kitchen, grabbed an apron from the counter, and slipped it on.

Alex remained silent. Ever since Andreas had attacked him, their working relationship had deteriorated. However, they would occasionally exchange smiles or assist each other when necessary. While Monica was away, Andreas stormed into the establishment, pressing a sharp knife against Alex's throat. Alex didn't want any trouble, so he chose to ignore Monica, even though she hadn't done anything.

Work continued as usual. Monica cooked while waiters burst into the kitchen, calling out orders. Soon, Monica had a plate of steaming food, which she placed into their hands. They repeated the process rapidly. As sweat streamed down Monica's face, she wiped it away. Alex noticed her pale appearance and frowned. "Monica, are you alright?" he asked. Monica stopped and faced him, and he continued, "You look a little sick." However, Monica shrugged and broke into a smile. "I'm okay," she said. Afterwards, she turned away and resumed her work.

But exhaustion was starting to take its toll on her, and her stomach felt queasy. Monica swallowed back the bile as she moved, but motion sickness overcame her, and she had to stop. Leaning against the counter with her eyes closed, Monica felt Alex stroll past her. However, he asked again, "Are you sure? If you need to, you can take a break. I've got this, Monica."

She wanted to decline, but as she considered it, Monica realized it wouldn't be wise to continue. She sighed, looked up, and forced a smile. "Thanks, Alex. I might need some water," she replied. Concern crossed his face as he smiled back, and Monica headed towards the break room, removing her apron. She was overheated and needed to cool down in the air-conditioned space. Sitting in a chair, she fanned herself and grabbed a bottle of water.

Monica hoped that the water would refresh her. However, as she stood up, she gagged and clutched her stomach. She was on the verge of vomiting and desperately searched for the nearest trash can. Thankfully, her gag reflex subsided, and she took a shaky breath. She returned to the kitchen, where Alex awaited her. "Feeling any better?" he asked. Monica smiled at him. "A bit better," she replied.

But she wasn't truly feeling better. She was struggling to fight off her sickness, and everyone could see it. Eventually, Mrs. Antoni entered the kitchen, heading towards her office. However, she noticed Monica leaning forward and stopped in her tracks. "Monica?" she frowned. Sensing her boss' presence, Monica quickly straightened up. "Um, yes!" she said, but it was already too late. Mrs. Antoni stood in front of her, and Monica needed to find an excuse.

"Head home," Mrs. Antoni said firmly. Monica's eyes widened, but Mrs. Antoni interrupted her. "Honey, you're sick. You don't look well at all. Although I appreciate your efforts to stay, you need to prioritize your health," she explained. With a warm smile, she continued, "It's alright, Monica. Everyone falls ill. Go home, and hopefully, you'll feel better tomorrow."

Andreas arrived just in time, jumping out of the car to assist Monica into the passenger seat. Despite feeling sick, Monica managed a soft chuckle. "Babe," she smiled weakly. "Relax, it's probably just something I ate." She had already informed him of her condition and the need to go home. Andreas was visibly worried, asking unusual questions.

"Did you accept food from someone?" he asked. Monica frowned, blinking at him. "No, why?" she inquired. Silence filled the car as Andreas struggled to come up with a response. He didn't want to reveal the possibility that people might try to poison her because of him, so he hesitated. "Um, it's nothing," he lied. "I'm just really concerned about you, Monica."

She offered a feeble smile and placed her hand on his. Closing her eyes, Monica let out a soft breath. "I'm fine. And no, I didn't take any food from others. Remember, we had those tacos last night? It could be that there was something off about them, babe." She gave his hand a final pat and leaned back, growing quiet. Meanwhile, Andreas kept his gaze fixed on her. Seeing her frail state was eating him up inside, but perhaps she was right. They had shared tacos the previous night, and maybe it was just a case of food poisoning, nothing serious.

Eventually, he turned away and exhaled his frustration. "Okay," he said. Starting the car, Andreas and Monica drove off together.