Chapter 1. The Empire

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Waiters Swan

ALL HIS LIFE WAITERS had lived without any complaint. He went to school in a moderate bus and gave his moderate American lunch to his extremely pricey bullies without any complaints even though they had more bucks in their pockets than he could collect in three birthdays combined. He never complained when he went to a public highschool where girls sat on his lap just so that he would do their assignments and homeworks. He did not complain when he had to take his job here in The Empire, a coffee shop that smelled constantly pungent because of the nearby gas station. His parents waited tables and this seemed nothing short of a destiny he was born with. Hell, he was even named Waiters. But, Waiters did not complain and kept moving on in life until today. Today he stood in front of the manager of The Empire with nothing but complaints. How could he just say that he was getting fired when he had worked 9 to 5 sincerely?!

"But, honey," The Manager's voice was laced in spite. He wore sparkles and bling all the time, but only the cheap ones you get at the mall for nothing but somebody's charity "Your shift is from 6 to 2."

Waiters looked offended. Ofcourse, the manager wanted him to work late nights and he had but that was not productive. Nobody served Big Macs here in The Empire and who would want coffee at night?

"I'm sorry, Waiters, but we cannot encourage our employees to be delusional." The Manager was just too mean.

"Here's your apron." Waiters threw it dramatically on his face, "And listen, you disco ball, nobody needs a cappuccino at night."

With this he walked away, holding his jobless head high, but not before he heard the Manager shout at his back:
"WE SERVE BURGERS AS WELL!"

                        *************
Businessa Tygers

Businessa Tygers walked out of the meeting with her secretary on her heels to the lift of the ten storey building she called her 'Office'. Her secretary without a word handed her the cup of espresso she had been carrying with a grim face. Businessa took a sip of it gracefully, making sure that none of her red H.Couture Beauty diamond lipstick got disturbed.

"Tell me, Samantha," Buisnessa mumbled and the secretary was already on the verge of crying. If anyone could imitate Severus Snape with perfection it was Businessa, "Why does my coffee taste more like something died in it?"

It did not. The secretary had tasted it before she gave it to Businessa but why tell her when she could get fired for serving a second-hand coffee. Infact, she regretted not spitting in it.

"I will get another one." She said politely and carefully avoided meeting the eye of Medusa.

"So, am I to wait for a coffee now?" Businessa's words were getting heavier and slower now.

"You don't have a choice." The secretary blurted out. Oops.

The silence in the lift could either have meant somebody's absence or somebody's death. Since, there were two people in it evidently it certainly meant somebody had died and Businessa was definitely not the one to die this early and easily.

"Cool." She mumbled to the timid Secretary. And for once the Secretary looked at her face without turning into stone. " Get me a better one ASAP."

Businessa and her abbreviations!

"Yes, ma'am" The secretary responded and hurried to get her coffee the minute they were out of the lift.
    
                      *********

Ten minutes later Businessa sat in her posh office room, reading an unpublished edition of Vogue. Her diamond crusted nails tapped on a cheque on her table in a boring rhythm and it would have driven the furniture insane out of boredom had the secretary not knocked at the door right then.

"Ah!" Businessa smiled pleasingly "My coffee, of course."

The secretary handed her the coffee and looked at Businessa earnestly as she took a sip of it.

"Adequate." She mumbled with a faintest hint of a smile.

The secretary smiled in  relief.

"Here," Businessa said handing her the cheque she had been tapping on.

"What's this?" The secretary looked wide-eyed and pleased. Had she judged her boss all wrong?

"Your pay cheque for the month's work." Businessa replied "Take it, go home, don't come back. You're fired."

Nope. She was never wrong about Businessa. It was done. She was fired and there was nothing more she could or would do. She took in a deep breath and said straight to Medusa's smirking face :

"I. Spat. In. Your. Coffee."

                       ************

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