Waiting For Delivery

CHAPTER SEVEN

It's morning and work day, again. The usual clatter of morning prep buzzed in the background—cutlery being lined up, tongs being clicked into empty air, silver trays warming under heat lamps. The breakfast buffet was already halfway through service, and the team moved like clockwork. Or at least, most of the team.

I had barely wiped my sweat for the third time when I saw him—Tongchai—leaning against the edge of the counter near the dessert station, arms folded like he was overseeing an empire.

He hadn’t cleared a single table. Not one.

“Tangina naman…” I muttered under my breath, reaching for the empty water pitcher to refill for the fourth table in a row.

“Hey! Table four, finish,” he called across the room with that tone—the one that grated under your skin like a dull spoon. “You go clean. Then table nine. And refill coffee.”

I blinked at him from across the station. “I’m already doing table seven. I’ll get to it.”

But he scoffed—scoffed—as if I was being lazy, as if I hadn’t been darting between tables since 7:30 AM while he wandered around like a guest. Like he was the supervisor and not just another staff like me.

“Why so slow? You walk too much. Not fast,” he added, gesturing with a flick of his hand that made my blood boil.

I bit down on the inside of my cheek. Hard.

I didn’t say anything. Just turned back to the table, started stacking plates quietly.

Because if I opened my mouth, I wasn’t sure what would come out. And I didn’t want a full-on confrontation. Not in the middle of service. Not in front of the other staff. Not when the buffet was still packed with sleepy-eyed guests looking for their coffee and croissants.

Still, he didn’t stop.

“Coffee machine need refill. You do,” he said as I passed. “Table six—many plates. Clean also.”

I froze for half a second, staring at the tray I was holding. The clatter of the dining room faded into the background as frustration flared sharp in my chest.

I turned slowly toward him, lifting my chin just a bit. Calm but cold.

“You’ve been standing there for fifteen minutes,” I said in low English, just enough for him to hear. “Why don’t you do it?”

He blinked—surprised, maybe. Not used to me talking back.

“I’m busy,” he replied, motioning vaguely around him, even though he was clearly doing nothing.

“I’m busy too,” I said, sharper this time, then turned away without waiting for his reaction.

I saw Janine watching from the soup station, brows furrowed. She gave me a quick nod—support, quiet and wordless.

By the time breakfast service wound down, I was still simmering. Not visibly. I was good at hiding that. Smiling at guests, greeting regulars, topping off juices. But every time Tongchai passed by with that fake helpful expression, I felt like I was breathing through a thick cloud of smoke.

Lea whispered as we were rolling up used napkins, “Anong problema ni kuya aircon?”

“Ewan. Feeling supervisor. Sa totoo lang, ‘pag wala si head, parang nawawala rin siyang parang bula,” I murmured, forcing a laugh.

“Eh di ‘wag mong pansinin. Sayang lang energy mo,” she said, patting my back. “You’re doing your job right. Kita naman ng iba.”

“I know,” I sighed, “pero nakakainis lang talaga. His whole vibe is like... a walking headache.”

I was just about to clock out for my lunch break when he passed by me again and muttered, “Faster next time.”

I didn’t respond. Didn’t even blink.

He wasn’t worth my voice.

I just let the plates clink as I dropped them into the wash tray, walked off like he was nothing but a gust of wind.

Because some people weren’t worth arguing with.

The cafeteria buzzed with clattering plates, murmured laughter, and the faint aroma of stir-fried basil and steamed rice. We took our usual spot in the corner, tucked between the water dispenser and a lazy oscillating fan that barely moved the humid air. It was too hot for anyone to argue. Or so I thought.

I slumped onto the bench like my soul had been extracted during breakfast shift. Janine placed a cold bottle of water in front of me without a word. She already knew.

P’Toon, sitting beside her, smiled softly. “You okay?” he asked in slow, careful English.

“Hmm… not really,” I sighed, poking at my rice. “Today’s menu: stress. Served hot.”

Lea chuckled beside me. “Same. Parang ang bigat ng hangin sa restaurant kanina, ‘no?”

Alex dropped into the seat across from me, already chewing. “Uy, ano na namang chika? Mukhang may sunog sa mata mo.”

I groaned and shook my head, then leaned forward slightly. “I’m just… I don’t wanna talk about him. Pero I swear, if I get scheduled with that person again tomorrow…”

“Ahhh,” Janine said knowingly. “That person.”

“The unspoken name,” Lea added, dramatically crossing herself like she was warding off evil.

P’Toon blinked at all of us, confused but curious. “Who? What person?”

Alex leaned toward him and whispered, “Secret. Bad vibes.”

“Someone with… strong energy,” I said, giving a dry laugh. “Very strong. Like… nuclear.”

“Radioactive,” Janine added. “Parang kapag malapit siya, gusto mo na lang mag-invisible.”

We all laughed, the kind of laugh that comes after holding too much in. P’Toon chuckled along, though I could see the curiosity itching behind his polite smile.

“Is he Thai?” P’Toon asked, still trying to piece together the breadcrumbs.

I nodded, then gave him a little shrug. “Yes. But not like you. You’re… different.”

“Good different,” Lea quickly added.

“Chill. Mabait. Hindi plastik,” Alex piped in, then turned to me. “Pero seryoso, anong ginawa this time?”

I leaned back, exhaling heavily. “Grabe, Alex. I’ve been running around since six-thirty. Refill here, clean there, smiling even though I’m dying inside. And he’s just… standing. Tapos mag-uutos pa. As if hindi niya trabaho ‘yung mga pinapagawa niya.”

“Power tripping,” Janine said with a shake of her head. “Kahit di naman siya head.”

“I know! And I don’t even like confrontations,” I added. “Pero kanina, I almost snapped.”

“Almost?” Lea said, smirking. “Mukha kang nakapatay ng tao with your eyes kanina.”

P’Toon gave a soft smile again. “Maybe he… not know how to work with people?”

“He knows. He just doesn’t care,” I muttered, stirring my soup absentmindedly.

Janine patted my hand lightly. “Ay, don’t let him get in your head. Mahalaga ‘yung peace of mind. Not worth it.”

P’Toon glanced between us again, tilting his head. “You say… peaceful mind?”

We nodded.

“Yes,” I said, turning to him. “Because if I don’t keep mine, I’ll throw a plate.”

Everyone burst out laughing again.

Alex raised his spoon like a toast. “To peace of mind… and to never being in the same shift with him again!”

“To peace!” we echoed in unison, half-joking, half-praying.

For a while, the air felt lighter, even with the fan still failing to do its job. Maybe it was the food. Maybe it was the unspoken bond between coworkers suffering the same nonsense. Or maybe, it was just knowing I wasn’t alone. Even when someone’s name was never said out loud—everyone still understood.

The cafeteria cleared out after the lunch rush, plates clinking into bins, rice crumbs scattered like confetti on trays. As the morning team slowly clocked out or changed uniforms, the afternoon crew started filing in—fresh uniforms, groggy faces.

Mark entered first, flashing his usual half-awake smile. “Ang saya n’yong lahat ah. Anong chismis?”

He slid into the seat beside me, eyebrows raised like he already knew the answer.

“Guess,” I said, arching a brow.

Mark smirked. “Ah. Si ‘No Name.’ Classic.”

Ivy followed right after, tying her apron as she entered. “Uy, ano na naman ginawa? May bago ba?”

Lizel and Mariel from FO walked through the back door and headed upstairs to their station, waving casually. Alex followed, but not before he looked at us from the staircase with a grin and whispered, “Good luck sa shift n’yo. ‘Yung topic natin... baka marinig.”

“We’re not saying names!” Janine called out softly.

“Pero mukha n’yong sinisigawan kahit di kayo nagsasalita,” Alex laughed, disappearing upstairs.

It was just us now—me, Mark, Ivy, Janine, Lea, plus a few Thai staff lingering by the sink and prep area, pretending not to eavesdrop but definitely listening.

We huddled in the corner table, away from direct view of the cameras. No guests were dining at the moment, so we kept it low-volume, but full of expression.

“I swear,” I muttered, leaning in, “he was just walking around. Again. While I was refilling coffee, clearing five tables, and refilling the juice station.”

“Girl, bakit parang ikaw ‘yung head?” Ivy snorted.

“Exactly! Feeling boss. But only pag wala ‘yung boss,” Mark added, biting into a leftover spring roll from lunch.

Janine, still in her kitchen uniform, leaned forward, whispering. “Kanina pa nga kami ni Lea nagkaka-eye contact habang siya lumalakad. Kasi hindi namin alam kung multo ba siya o staff.”

Lea nodded, wide-eyed. “Promise. He moves in silence. Pero only pag trabaho ang usapan.”

We stifled our laughter behind hands, biting our lips as one of the Thai staff glanced over with a knowing look.

“Did he… make trouble again?” asked one of the Thai kitchen staff, P’Mook, her English light but clear.

We all exchanged glances.

I answered cautiously, “Not really. Just… same old same old. You know?”

P’Mook chuckled softly. “He like… tiger in forest. Look scary. But do nothing.”

Everyone burst into laughter. Mark practically choked on his drink.

“Best description ever,” Ivy said, wiping her eyes.

“Dapat gawin nating codename ‘Tiger in the Forest,’” Janine suggested, wheezing.

“Akma. Dahil laging nawawala rin,” I added with a smirk.

We heard a clatter in the kitchen and immediately straightened up. Voices from the front office floated down the stairs—FO team, settling into the afternoon lull. Upstairs, business as usual. Down here, the war against fake energy continued.

“Guys,” Mark said, lowering his voice with mock seriousness, “if mawala ako bigla sa shift, alam n’yo na. Kinuha na ako ni Tiger.”

“Hayaan mo siya,” Lea muttered. “Hindi siya takot sa workload. Takot siya sa accountability.”

“Boom,” Janine said, tapping her spoon like a mic drop.

We all cracked up again, the kind of laughter that lifted the weight off the day. Even the Thai staff we barely knew were quietly chuckling near the kitchen sink.