My Best Friend

Punishment

Mindy and Thomas showed up to work on time. They still had less than a month until the wedding. Luda Mae, Charlie and Uncle Monty were inviting the whole family to come.

"Get to work!" the boss yelled from his office.

Mindy glared the the window to the office and softened her features when she looked at Thomas. Thomas looked at her concerned. He had never seen her get mad at the boss before. Was she alright? Was she in a bad mood, something he can help her with? Mindy smiled and gently ran her fingers across his mask.

"I'm alright, Tommy", she said reassuringly. "I'm just feeling a bit grumpy. That's all."

He didn't look convinced. He wanted to be sure everything was alright.

"Tommy, I'm sure!" Mindy said. "It must be close to my girly time or something."

Thomas backed away. That was way more than he needed to know. Mindy giggled as she kissed his cheek.

"I'll meet you here after work, Tommy."

He nodded. They both went their separate ways. Thomas to the slaughterhouse and Mindy to packaging. For some reason, Mindy didn't want to be at work today. She had an upset stomach and felt she was going to puke at any time. She didn't know if it was because of breakfast or the awful smell in the packaging room. It was so hot and she still wasn't used to the smell of sweat and blood. It didn't help with the pigs locked in cages nearby and cows being butchered.

"Bailey!" the boss yelled. "Work! Now!"

"Yes, slave master", she mumbled.

Mindy stopped by the lockers to put on an apron. She stopped as she felt bile rising in her throat. She fell to her knees in front of a trashcan and started vomiting. When Mindy was finished, she put her hand on her forehead to see if she was running a fever. It was hard to tell since sweat covered her whole face. She didn't know if she had a fever or if it was just the warm weather.

"Are you alright, Bailey?"

Mindy looked up in horror to see the boss. She quickly stood up wiping her mouth.

"Yes, I'm alright", she said.

"Then why aren't you working?" the boss asked.

"I needed to get an apron."

"Don't give me any excuses. You've skipped out on five minutes of work. Until you make up for those minutes, you are not allowed a lunch break or a bathroom break."

"No lunch break?" Mindy gasped. "But I can't work on an empty stomach!"

"That's not my problem, is it? Now, get to work."

The boss turned and walked back to his office. Mindy kicked her leg in the air frustrated. She hated the boss with a passion. Mindy put on her apron and walked to her table. Sitting there was a pile of meat waiting to be wrapped. Her coworkers looked at her apologetic as they piled more meat onto the table. Today was going to be a long day if she wasn't allowed to take any breaks.

"I want to go home", Mindy softly whined.

She took a seat and tore a piece of butcher paper and started working.