Her Silence

Chapter Two

"The simple act of caring is heroic." Edward Albert

As I walk through the kitchen to the changing rooms the chefs and waiters steal glances at me. Of course, they know what happened. Gossip spreads like a wildfire amongst the staff at Tidy – one of the waiters must have seen me. I like to think that they are only concerned; we are like one big, disjointed family here. As I reach my locker I take a seat on the bench and run my hands through my hair in exasperation. Only Jacob and Sami know what really goes on in this head of mine. Within the first few weeks of working here one of the waiters was whispering about the death of someone he knew, caused by an overdose; after I began looking dreadfully pale and was visually becoming more jittery, Sami took the hint and roared at the waiter to stop talking about it. Hours later, after an apology from the waiter and lots of consoling from Sami who had also called upon Jacob, my secret was out. I trusted them though, even in the early days of me working here. They were both fatherly, a figure who was missing from my life. Or rather, a figure who had been taken away.

As I look up, a head pops round the door, and I see Amy. I like Amy. Although being oblivious and slightly naïve to the world, she has a big heart.

"Oh Rosie, let me give you a hug." She sighs. Whereas with James and Jacob I had shrunk back from their attempted contact, with Amy I just couldn't. So I welcome her, quite literally, with open arms. She pulls back and moves a stray hair from my face.

"For the record, I think you're incredibly strong Rosie." I scoff, almost ready to cry. She just saw me mid-break down and thinks I'm strong?

"Well I think you're incredibly kind! I'm sorry you saw me in such a state."

"Don't apologise!" It's a phrase I hear too often. "I dealt with the man just as you told me to Rosie. I kept him on his side." I shudder. Amy's naivety is both a blessing and a curse – she really doesn't understand that this is a topic I do not want to discuss. I simply smile and nod.

"Well done Amy. Do know what the time is?" I ask as a means of distraction, as well as a genuine question. She points at the clock. A quarter past midnight. My shift ends as soon as the bar closes, which is whenever the last person leaves. You can imagine how late that can extend to.

"Jacob says you should go home. He doesn't think keeping you on any later is appropriate tonight. I know you want to work Rosie, and how much the hours and money mean to you, but please think about yourself. Just this once." I sigh, deflated. Again, I am seemingly viewed as a piece of china. But after tonight, it seems silly to disagree. I am physically and mentally exhausted, and the thought of going back upstairs to a room full of faces who saw what happened terrifies me. Amy smiles, gets up, and leaves, shutting the door of the changing room behind her. I take off my name tag and apron and put them in my locker for tomorrows shift. I put on my jumper and coat and make my way back through the kitchen. My hood is up so I am hidden from view of the kitchen staff. When someone grabs my arm, I know it is Sami. He pulls me in for a hug and lands a kiss on the top of my head. He grants my leave with a swift, encouraging nod, and I head towards the back door.

I walk around the outside of the bar until I'm at the entrance. The siren of the assumed ambulance wails in the distance, and I ease at the thought of the man now being in safe hands. The openness of the street makes me regret not bringing an umbrella – I really should start keeping one in my locker just in case. The wind is howling, making the rain close to painful – like dozens of shards of glass being hurled at my face and bare legs. As one of the streetlamps flickers, the rain lights up from the headlights of a car. At such a speech it drives right past me, through a puddle, and drenches me. Stupidly thinking I couldn't have gotten any wetter, now I was soaked right through. As I leap back and shriek, I hear a chuckle. I spin round with blazing eyes, I'm sure, and come face to face with James. Again.

"It really isn't your day today is it?" My face heats up with what I think is embarrassment or anger, but I then come to the realisation that it is from fresh tears, miserably crawling down my face. As I sniff and hastily wipe my face to get rid of the fact I was crying, as though in denial of my emotions, the pungent smell of rainwater overwhelms me. I start on my journey home and hurriedly come to the end of the street, ignoring the apologetic calls from James.

I thank God that my apartment isn't that long of a walk from Tidy. The clock of the town hall strikes one o'clock as I clatter through the door. I make my way to shower and almost scald myself from the heat of the water; I must speak to my landlord about adjusting the thermostat before I one day melt my skin off. As I set my alarm for the next morning and settle into bed, my phone begins to ring. I leap out of my covers and scramble through my bag to find it and see that it is only Jacob, most likely checking I got home safely.

"Hi Rosie, just checking you got home okay?" I knew it. I text back that I've showered and am now ready for bed.

"Before you go, the man who took you outside wants to speak to you." I choke on my breath and Jacob snorts. It's nearly two o'clock in the morning, what on earth could he want to say to me? I hear a shuffle and a mild "thanks", before I hear James's voice.

"Rosie? It's James. You really worried me earlier when you ran off." Well I didn't run... "are you there?"

"Yes, I'm here" I type.

"Did you get home okay? You must have been soaked."

"Yes, I did. And yes, I was." James laughs, for what reason I cannot imagine. "What's funny? You're a complete stranger who has demanded to talk to me at two o'clock in the morning. I'm not amused." I just want to go to bed.

"Well you've just disproved my point there." James chuckles, "I was about to say you're not a woman of many words." Oh, the irony.

"Well I hope you're satisfied with my answer. I must sleep now. Tell Jacob I said goodnight and that I'll see him tomorrow afternoon."

"Do I get a goodnight too Rosie?" God, he is exasperating. I can almost hear his smirk through the phone.

"Goodnight James." And with that, I hang up. As I settle myself to bed, I wonder why I have a small smile playing at the sides of my mouth, fighting to appear. And then I begin to wonder, did Jacob even intend to call me, or was it James's idea all along?

*****

A slightly shorter chapter this time... but it doesn't make it any less important!

Poor Rosie, right? She really isn't having the best of luck, at all :(

Isn't Amy adorable? How many of you have a friend like her? A slight airhead, but she means well!

What about James's behaviour? I can't wait for his character development!

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