THE DEAF BILLIONAIRE

2. Chapter Two

“ me...muff ! Orry ! ”

“ Lily! ”

A choke.

A gasp .

A gulp.

A complete swallow, “ Yes ma'am! ”

“ What is wrong with you ! ”

“ I can explain ! ”

“ What is this ? Why are you stealing pizzas ! ”

“ I'm not stealing ma'am, they had gone stale, ”

Her big frame hesitated by the door, piercing grey eyes narrowed, “ Is that so ? ”

“ Yes, come take a bite ma'am. These would've chased the customers away so fast, ”

“ I see, ” her eyes narrowed to small slits,“ you seemed to be enjoying them awhile ago.”

Lily's eyes darted around in panic, “ I love stale food. ”

“ Even bread, I usually eat it after the first week. I love the mould, heard it was good for a weak heart, you should try it ma'am! ”

Mrs. Heather's face morphed into disgust, “ Get out of here and complete your shift ! ”

Lily bolted past the manager.

She sighed in relief but it was short lived.

In an apron and tray in hand, she approached a couple to take an order and that is when her stomach growled loudly, clearly upset that it was deterred from finishing the pile of pizza slices in the kitchen.

The dramatic two hollered for the manager. Apparently, a growling stomach was a sign of poor hygiene.

“ She's sick ! ” He complained.

“ She'll infect us with that rumbling disease!” She shuddered.

“ Her hands are so greasy ! ”

Lily silently cursed, she forgot to wash her hands.

“ Her shoes are dirty ! ” He yelled.

“ Goodness, gracious ! Is that a flea jumping from her shoe . Jesus! She has jiggers! ” She jumped out of her seat, keeping a good distance from Lily.

Lily scrutinized her two worn out pairs. She had only fell into a dirty puddle on her way to work in the morning, she cleaned up but her boots never dried. It did not help that they looked sorry.

She had no other footwear in the premises, unless they preferred her to serve barefoot ?

“ I'm so sorry ! ” Mrs. Heather finally said after a bout of laments and complaints, “ Let me make it up to you. I shall personally serve you the day's special, sir. Keep calm please, ”

A sardonic smile flashed at Lily before her hand was grabbed and she was dragged back into the kitchen.

“ Do you intend to chase all the clients away ! ”Mrs. Heather fumed.

“ No but - ”

“ First, you came late by thirty minutes! ”

“ I fell into a puddle ! ”

“ Second, you steal the customers' pizza ! ”

“ They were stale ! ”

“ Third, you ... You ! Are a jiggers infection threat ! ”

“ A lie ! ”

“ You dare call me a liar ! ”

“ Ma'am no. I - ”

“ Oh ! I've had enough ! ”

“ Please no, ” Lily whispered.

“ You're fired ! ”

“ Please ! Please! If it's about the shoes, I can serve barefoot ! ” Lily begged.

Mrs. Heather glared angrily, “ OUT THAT DOOR! ”

Dejectedly, shrugging out of her apron, and leaving it on the counter. Lily walked out the door. A door she had faithfully walked in by half past six each morning for the last two years.

***

“ Looks like I've got only you, mate. ” Lily muttered to the self distracted roach.

It lounged on a stool adjacent to her bed. Its antennae constantly wiggling as if in complaint that Lily did not bring any food that night.

“ I'm hungry too, ” Lily assured the tiny creature.

The roach hovered over the stool before pausing, its little head seeming to stare at Lily inquisitively.

“ I got fired today ! ”

At the proclamation, the roach's antennae stilled.

“ The boss caught me stealing pizza ! ”

The antennae kept still as if willing her to go on.

“ Luckily she forgave me for that, then two clients walked in and I had to serve them, ”

An antenna wiggled, go on...

“ My stomach growled and they started complaining it a was a show for poor hygiene, ”

Antennae wiggled as if to scoff.

“ See, even you agree that's petty ! ”

The roach was still.

“ Then they complained about my overall presentation and that is when I was fired,”

Lily whimpered.

The roach seemed to tilt its small head at her.

“ Sad, ain't it ? ”

Antennae wiggle.

“ No rent, no food, guess you'll have to leave too, ”

The roach hovered around the stool for awhile and she narrowed eyes at the miniature creature wondering what it was up to.

Lily saw that it actually had a crumb in its mouth.

“ You traitor! You had food! ”

The roach seemed to look at Lily for her outburst.

“ I wonder if human beings can eat roaches.”

The roach paused and stared at Lily for a daring while before quickly crawling down the stool and disappearing from her sight.

“ Naughty roach ! ”

Lily complained before switching off the dim light and allowing her body to fall asleep.