The absconded

2

What was I even thinking when I snooze the alarm and slept for thirty minutes more? I couldn't eat my breakfast because I had to rush here. I smiled at the security as he opened the door for me, I'm starving.

"Hey, Charles had asked you to assign the tables to the interns and also there is something you should look for in the kitchen, Adam's order." Josh shrugged with a tray in his hand, he looked out of order.

"Yeah, are you okay? You don't look so good." I muttered, concern laced in my voice.

"Cool. It's nothing.." his eyes didn't meet mine.

"Did he beat you again?" I whispered, my hand touching his cheeks where I saw a slight purple bruise.

"Oh God." I gasped as he winced away from my touch.

"You can totally stay at my place, we can file a divorce, you don't have to live like this." I held his hand, swallowing, his eyes shot back at mine as he shook his head frendzily, "No, he will find me and kill us both." He took his hand back, before I could say anything he walked away leaving me terrified.

I walked to the locker room and stuffed my clothes in my bag, keeping it safely in my locker, I tied the knot of my apron behind and was ready to go. My heels made a sound of confidence when it hit the crystal clear tiles on the floor, for reasons I fancied it.

"Okay, good morning everyone. I hope you had a good night's sleep, moving on," I clasped my hand, smiling, I continued. "Lionel you take the table…" I trailed off as my hand stuck in the pocket for the notepad, "table number three, five and seven," I said to the intern name Lionel.

"Okay, may I?" He asked if he was dismissed.

"No actually wait, there are some instructions."

"No problem.."

"Anyways, Sheila, you take the table one and two."

"Adam, four, six and eight,"

"Juniper, take nine and ten."

"Any questions?" I asked looking up to the interns who wrote down their table numbers on their notepads.

"No.." I heard them say.

"Right, things you should probably know are, one: don't be afraid, these rich people are just people, like you and me don't feel intimidated by them. Inside they tend to be more hollow than they show." I tilted my head.

"You're so cool!" Juniper said grinning.

"Further, even if you're not confident and feel like dropping the food in your hand, don't! The manager or a waiter under him will be keeping a watch on you guys, the other students who came here are in the kitchen, helping the other chefs….So stay calm." I nodded.

"Hey wait, were you an intern too?" Someone from the crowd asked.

"No, but that's not the thing we're talking about, think of this as a practical, you work here for a week with a mediocre pay and show that you're worth a placement here, kay?" I raised my brow.

"She's really good! God I'm not nervous anymore, I threw up my breakfast on the bus today…" Sheila said, making everyone groan.

"Shut up Sheila!" Adam cringed.

"All the best everyone, at the end of the week I will be incharge of your placement here, now I'm needed in the kitchen, see you!" I waved them walking away from the corner towards the kitchen, I don't know why Adam asked me to be in the kitchen, I wasn't in charge of the intern chefs, I hope I don't have to give them lectures. They're what? Five to six years younger than me? I rolled my eyes.

Pushing the metal door open I saw Josh standing facing the three interns and giving them the instructions, I thought Nathan was in charge, where did he go? I looked around.

"You guys will do what the chef here says, don't try to act smart in front of the head chef, he will piss on your career just like that, he won't blink an eyelash, he can literally fire you. The other chef which arrives before noon is cool, but again, don't try to be a smartass." He instructed.

"I've heard the owner doesn't like the chef but has to suck it up because of his waffles and other specials?" One of them with a nosepin asked Josh.

"And I've heard your aunt is sleeping with Ben Affleck." Josh said with a straight face making everyone snicker.

"Kid, you've got an opportunity to intern here, so make the most of it and don't sip tea around, understood? Everyone?"

"Yes."

"Dismissed." Josh turned around.

"Was that necessary?" I tilted my head, crossing hands against my chest.

Josh rolled his eyes, "he had it coming, God he has all the wrong rumours, he sure has done all his research." That made me chuckle.

"Curiosity isn't bad." I said.

"Yes, but what he asked wasn't a curious question, seriously. You should've heard him say, "Hey is that true that valet gives 'special treatment' to special customers?" Dude he winked at me!" He exclaimed, widening his eyes at me.

"Tell me why was I needed here?" I asked.

"Yeah, grab a stool in the corner and I'll heat up your plate of French omelette, Nathan cooked." My mouth watered, the omelettes he made were beyond perfection, and I was hungry not gonna lie.

"Adam asked him to make it?" I frowned.

"Nah, I don't know, it just slipped from my mouth." He scrunched his nose walking away.

After devouring the omelette while Josh sipped his herbal tea I was ready to serve the customers without getting grumpy because of hunger.

"Enjoy your meal." I smiled, placing the customer's order on the table, smiling at him.

"Thank you." He nodded, I turned around to leave and look after other tables.

"Virginia! Can you look for table number three please?" Adam whispered yelled at me in the corner.

I nodded turning to the table which I assigned it to an intern, I saw the man mumbling things pointing at his steak to Lionel. And Lionel like a good kid hung his head low nodding at whatever he said.

"What's wrong gentleman? May I help you?" I asked politely.

"Yes, I asked for a medium rare steak and not a fully cooked steak, it's dry inside. And these mashed potatoes don't have diced onions and a cube of butter as I ordered. Get me another as I want it!" The man with Jamaican accent probably huffed.

"I'm sorry, let me get that for you." I smiled picking up his half eaten plate of steak and mashed potatoes, with my other hand I wrapped my fingers around Lionel's wrist and walked away with him from the table.

"Miss I swear I wrote down his order correctly and stuck it correctly." Lionel said quietly.

"Oh I know, don't worry about it, some customers from a thousand do it once in a while." I muttered.

"Do you see this steak that is eaten more than half and the mashed potatoes, I don't see the mashed potatoes just the remaining, I trust what you're saying." I took him to the kitchen and asked the chef to prepare what the man said back in the dining room.

"Are you sure Adam won't be pissed at him?" Nathan asked with a spatula in his hand.

"I'll take care of him, Nathan," I glared at him, although he was just messing with the intern it wasn't funny.

"Sorry." He mouthed shrugging.

Oh, Adam?

Ah, Adam is a sixty-seven year old man with salt and pepper hair with grey eyes and height about six? But trust me he doesn't look like he's in his sixties and yeah he's the owner of this five star restaurant here in Seattle.

I cleared up the issue with the table there and worked the whole day. Here it's really quiet, coming to a top notch restaurant you really don't wanna shout and giggle like you do in a normal diner, do you?

Now, don't get offended I would always prefer a normal diner over five star and seven star restaurants but here usually these rich asses bring their candies to show off and conferences and meetings are held, other than that you can see married couples celebrating and youths coming here for dates.

The ones who really like to show off of course.

Soon it was my lunch time as I walked into Adam's office and he gave me a knowing smile.

"Yes, yes, yes, I've sent my driver 'again' to pick up my grand-daughter from her kindergarten." I rolled my eyes knowing he's never going to stop that.

"They must be coming here in like-" he was interrupted when the door barged open to see my daughter standing there with Adam's new driver.

"Grandpaaaaaaaa!!" Lilith yelled running towards her grandpa and hugged his legs.

"My baby, how was your kindergarten?" Adam asked.

"The... boy... he... teased me so I.. slapped him..." she said and looked down in shame.

"Again?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest.

"Oh... hushhh, it would be taken care of if you get a call from the kindergarten." Adam said and kissed her cheeks.

"You know right you're spoiling her way too much?" I asked, looking annoyed.

"Tell me something I don't know about Virginia." He smirked.

"Don't sass me old man!" I glared at him.

"Mommy don't be like that with grandpa, that boy was bad." Lilith pouted.

That was not a good way to defend her grandpa but she's lucky she's my daughter and old man's lucky because I love him.

"Let's eat lunch now." Adam said, dismissing his driver.

"What do you say when one helps you Lilith?" I asked my four year old daughter, reminding her to thank the driver.

She hopped off from her grandpa's lap and walked towards the driver, gesturing him to bend down to her height, he did as asked, she kissed his both cheeks and said "Thank you."

"Anytime baby." He pulled Lilith's cheeks and walked away.

After lunch Lilith was with her grandpa in his office and I was working, taking orders and directing the customers to their assigned tables and stuff.

"Lilith, stop running around it's not good!" I heard someone running and talking.

"I want to see mommy..." Lilith yelled hugging my naked legs.

"Baby... you don't do that, I've told you before, if you will be a good girl I will get you another doll of your choice." I bent down to her height and scooped her in my arms as she wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Okay mommy." She giggled and kissed my cheeks.

"This little brat." Adam sighed, taking her from my arms.

"Behave" I mouthed to Lilith, making her nod.

"I'm sorry Adam." I apologised for Lilith.

"Don't be silly, I'm here for a reason though." I nodded for him to continue.

"Josh is not well so I have given him the day off and today this conference is going to be here and he was supposed to attend it, I know your shift ends in about an hour but will you... ?" He trailed off ashamed.

"Of course I will fill in for him Adam." I smiled and his face lit up.

"So I'll take Lilith with me?" He asked knowing it's Friday and she doesn't have kindergarten until Monday.

"Yeah... sure.." I said.

"Mommy will miss you, and behave there, don't eat too much chocolates or your teeth will be rotten." I rambled, it's my every time lecture when it comes to Lilith going to Adam's house.

"Spare her Virginia." Adam shook his head, I rolled my eyes and hugged Adam and kissed Lilith.

"Bye baby." I said.

"Bye.." they both waved and I walked up to do my work.

"I suppose... who is coming for the conference though?" I asked myself.

"This CEO from where? Ah, London, his Secretary had set up this conference, seven CEO's from around the world are gathering here." I gasped and turned around to see who was speaking.

"Charles..." I released a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Don't scare me that way please." I removed the hand from my chest and took my coffee sipping it.

He chuckled, shaking his head mumbling something under his breath as he spoke.

"Lilith?" He asked.

"Went to Adam's, I'm filling in for Josh." He nodded.

Charles is the manager here, he is a very handsome guy but we never really went for being more than just colleagues.

"Lilith is a beautiful girl." He said, making me nod in agreement.

"She is." I smiled.

"She has brown eyes and hair, her father's?" He asked and my eyes widened like saucers when I recalled the night in California.

Flashback

I was heartbroken. Broken emotionally, mentally and physically, I had marks all over my body. The dress which I wore was my mother's. I don't know how it ended up in my closet. My father, well step-father, abused me and hit me when he's drunk and sober, he blamed me for my mother's and his wife's death.

Today I gathered all the courage I had in me and took a long shower and slipped into the maroon V- neck backless bodycon solid mid-calf dress. I didn't wear any makeup because I don't know how to apply it and I don't have any.

I brushed my blonde hair and slipped into the heels my mom bought for me.I waited for the devil; my abusive stepfather to arrive and abuse me. I made his dinner and walked upstairs hoping that this is the last day here in this hell.

After what felt like forever I jolted up on the sound of the main door being slammed shut, I knew it was him, it had to be him. I prayed as I grabbed the vase beside me and cautiously walked to the door and stood there for him to enter. My breathing was uneven and heavy as the sound of footsteps got more and more clear, the lock of my room jingled as the door creak opened.

"Hey... daugh- daughter... come to daddy..." He spoke out.

My heart was in my mouth and my intestines and liver replaced the place of my heart when I heard his voice.

No, Virginia you have to get the hell out of here and get a life. And it is only and only possible when this monster is not in your life! I repeated this in my head like a chant as he walked further in my room, searching for me.

"Daughter... b***h! Where the f**k are you!?" He yelled and chugged down the whole bottle of liquor he had in his hands and threw the bottle across the room as it smashed hitting the wall, resulting in breaking into uncountable pieces.

I realised that he's now unarmed so I can quickly hit him with the vase and find my escape. I took steady steps towards him, he was way too drunk to even realise I was behind him, the grip on the vase tightened as I gathered all the courage I had left inside me and hit him with the vase. He fell onto the ground and I didn't waste any time running inside his room and taking all the money he had left inside the locker. I found five thousand dollars inside the safe, I took them and put them in my wallet and ran from the house.

I stepped outside as the cold air hit my face, shivering and rubbing my palms against my forearm as I walked down the block. I hailed a cab, the driver looked in his mid 70's, I smiled at him and slid inside as he asked me where to go.

"I want to forget everything." As I said the vehicle started moving, the car soon came to a stop and I looked around to see it was a club. I smiled at the thought of getting wasted tonight and running away tomorrow morning to God knows where.

I paid the fare and thanked him walking inside, a man who I suppose was a bodyguard stopped me and asked for my id as I showed him my mother's, we both looked kind of the same, plus it was very crowded so he let me in.

I was welcomed with strangers grinding on each other and some songs booming in the speakers, the air smelled of weed, liquor and sweat. I saw an empty stool near the bar as I sat and ordered myself a drink.

After drowning myself into shots I saw a figure coming and sitting beside me, I rolled my eyes knowing I'm not getting laid with any stranger tonight because my intentions were very clear.

Get wasted tonight. Run away tomorrow morning.

The stranger beside me smiled, I just rolled my eyes and waved my hand and pushed him away. After a few minutes the bartender gave me a drink and pointed towards the person who ordered it. It was a man, I couldn't see his face. Shrugging, I chucked down the shot.

"Hey!" Someone said beside me, I turned around to see the same man who ordered me the shot.

"Heyyyyyyyyy!" I slurred.

"You... are... the...one... who" I hiccuped "sent... me... the... drink?" I asked between my hiccups.

"Yes, I suppose?" He said.

I laughed.

The next thing I know is I dragged him to the dance floor, making way for us and started dancing with him. Well, I was dancing and he stood like a statue.

He moved his hands and placed it on my waist, I came closer to him and started grinding, his erection twitched inside his pants making him more uncomfortable than he already was.

I giggled at his uneasiness.

"I loveeeee thisss song!" I yelled through the music.

"Yeah?" he asked, adjusting his bulge under his pants with his movements.

He thought I wouldn't understand. Too late, I already did.

"Yesssssssssss!" I squealed.

We both went silent after that as I leaned more close to him and rested my head on his chest, I was short compared to him so my head was on his chest as I hugged him.

"Make me forget... all of this... please..." I pleaded.

Tears were running down my face making his suit jacket wet.

I was shaking against him.

"Are you sure muffin?" He asked me.

I didn't say anything just nodded on his chest.

He hugged me for the last time as I wrapped my small arms around his torso and muffled my cries. He pulled away and grabbed my chin and made me look in his eyes. Shaking his head, he wiped away all my tears.

The people around us at that moment became the least important people, as we both were lost in each other's eyes.

Flashback over.

"Zoning out, aren't you Virginia?" Charles broke the chain of my thoughts.

"I'm sorry, I was... just... just thinking." I mumbled quickly.

He nodded but didn't say anything.

"Ah, there they come. Come on, I'll welcome them and then you can go and take their orders." Charles got up and clasped his hands, walking past me.

I saw men walking inside as Charles attended to them. They were all in suits and looked handsome.

Charles showed them their room and walked back to tell me to go attend them.

Sighing I walked towards their conference room and pushed the door open. All eyes turned to me and a blush crept on my face as I neared them.

"Good afternoon gentlemen, I'll be your waitress today, are you ready for your orders?" I asked them politely, I saw an empty chair.

"No, the one who is supposed to be the head isn't here, ah... there he comes.." one of them said and everyone diverted their eyes from me to the person who was about to come.

So did I.

The blood drained from my face and the air around me felt thick, I wasn't able to breathe. This can't be happening right now.

But who was I kidding, it's already happening.

It was him.

☆☆☆