"What is it? What happened?" Ruffles says looking surprised when I hang up, "I haven't heard you curse like that since you converted to that Christian sect two years ago."

I groan, holding my head, trying to think but unable to. Dammit, I don't need this. Not now, not when the dinner shift starts in less than an hour. "Shut up, Ruffles."

"What happened?" Sabritas looks out from the truck where she'd been working, "anything wrong?"

"YES!" I say barely able to contain my temper. I take a deep breath and continue, calmer. "Yes. She left her keys in the car. She's locked out"

"Oh, f--" Ruffles begins, but I cut him off.

"Yeah. Let's go." I hop on the driver's seat and calculate the amount of time it will take for us to get there and shop for the things while Ruffles opens Candy's car. "Ruffles, do you think you can come up with a slim jim, or do we have to stop to buy one?"

Ruffles scoffs as he finishes the "Buy one? You're offending me Gaspacho. I've got in the toolbox some--"

"Great," I say, "then while you open the car, Sabritas and I will get the stuff from the Depot."

"Yes sir," Ruffles mumbles, and if I weren't in such a hurry I would have worried that I was beginning to act like some kind of jerk who bosses people around, but right now there is traffic to maneuver, a car to break into, last-minute shopping to do, and less than an hour to get to our next shift. I'm in such a hurry that I step on the gas trying to make it past the amber light. The light turns to red, but we coast through.

Dangerous move. 

"Shit, man, you just ran a red."

"That wasn't a red." I say defensively. But I know otherwise.  

"You're f--ing kidding me," Sabrita laughs from her seat behind me as I run an amber light, "All that yelling to get her to hurry up and you make her lose her keys. And now we're going to be late anyway. You're such an ass, Gaspar. I keep telling you to watch that temper of yours. Every single time it gets you into trouble."

Ruffles, ever loyal, gives her a dirty look, "Damn it, Mami, you're not helping. Just shut up, will you? He's not the one that left the keys inside the car. And never, ever, nag or scold a man while he's driving. Ever."

Sabritas scoffs, but leans back, "Fine, I'll shut up. But I just want to make it clear that it wasn't all Candy's fault. She was doing her job when he called her up to add more to her list, and then started yelling at her."

"Alright you two!" I say exasperated, "Shut up!"

We pull into the Restaurant Depot in record time. I spot Candy standing next to her pickup. Her expression is impassive. Her beautiful features shaped into an ice-cold expression. I'd best not approach her for now. Ruffles has his job to do, and I mine.

I park the truck and then we all jump out and get to work. 

Hours later, after a dismal sale at the shopping center I decide to clean things up a bit, figuring that the guy that bought the two bowls would be our last customer. The girls are chatting, and as I clean up the station I was using Ruffles approaches me.

"You ok?" 

"What?" I say looking up.

"You feeling better? You had me worried for a second there... The way you were driving."

"Oh." I frown. "That."

"Yeah. That. You just snapped. Hadn't seen you that angry since--"

"I know. I know." I cut in, "Since I joined the cult. Will you ever drop it?"

Ruffles shrugs "Well...I'm not saying it's all bad. You seem to be at peace with yourself since you met that pastor--"

"It's fine. I'm fine." I say, wanting to change the conversation. No good will come from me talking about my beliefs with Ruffles who is a proud atheist and who takes great delight in poking fun at me from time to time.

Ruffles takes the hint and changes the conversation, "You know," He says leaning closer dropping his voice to almost a whisper, "she's going to expect you to chew her out again--but she'll let you this time around. She's a weird one." 

I glance at Candy, who is leaning on the driver's seat, looking tired but listening with what seems to be polite interest at Sabrita's description of her pet pitbull.

I don't relish the idea of chewing her out--or chewing anyone out. I've had enough anger, and today's outburst almost made me sick. I sigh, and look at Ruffles who is looking at me expectantly.

"Well?" He'd prompts, "So, are you going to establish yourself as her boss, her lord, and her master? This is a good opportunity as any you'll have. She really f--ed up back there. Made us late."

"It wasn't her fault entirely." I say, grimacing at the ugly picture Ruffles paints of what could become my working relationship with Chito's daughter. "Sabritas was right. I'm as much to blame for it as she. More, actually. I shouldn't have distracted her from her task. And I really shouldn't have lost my temper."

"Well, just sayin'" Ruffles shrugs, "It's awkward that you have your boss' daughter working for you. And she's got an attitude too. I'm just trying to help you."

"It will be fine. I don't think it's us, Ruffles. I've been thinking about this situation. I used to think she just hated me--and hated having to end up working with us--but I don't think its us. I think it's being thrown in a situation where she's not in control or can't feel confident in herself. She's just wired differently, you know."

Ruffles laughs softly, "Yeah, she was totally frazzled that first day. Remember?"

"Shh." I said, glancing at the other two to make sure they couldn't overhear our conversation.

"Well," Ruffles says, "Sabritas likes her--I'll give her that."

I laugh softly, as I overhear the other two talking. Or more like overhear Sabritas doing all the talking. Why can't she see that most people don't care about her ugly dog and about the dog fights she rescued him from? I have to hand it to Chito's daughter, she's certainly trying to feign interest by nodding and smiling. 

As I finish up and wipe clean the counters, I steal a look at her.

You have to be Chito's confidant, or have studied her in the past two weeks as I have done, to know how much his favorite step daughter struggles with communicating with others. She's not shy or afraid. It's just some kind of barrier she has. I can see how Ruffles might chafe at her seemingly prissy attitude--up until last October when I'd actually spoken to her for the very first time I'd done so too. And yet it is not so very hard to spot the earnestness in her eyes. Behind that beautiful but stern mask you can see that she is struggling, but she is doing her best. That's admirable.

I have to admit that I actually sent her shopping for some stuff earlier because I had thought that after taking orders and interacting with customers for four hours straight during the lunch shift she would have been exhausted. I'd thought to give her a break. I guess my good intentions backfired, though.

At that point, as if sensing my thoughts, she turns my way, and our eyes meet. She always looks down or away when this happens, but for some reason she does not break eye contact. Two things come into my mind at that moment.

1: She has beautiful eyes. Dark and expressive. Truly beautiful eyes that are  chocolate colored and rimmed with long lashes. But I don't dwell on this at all because of number 2:

2: Her eyes widen fractionally when they meet mine, and in this short space of time I see--Great. the girl is actually afraid of me.

What? Why?

Well, you did lose your temper on her, you damn fool. A small, mocking voice in my head says.

Two short weeks and she goes from hating me to fearing me. How damn depressing. 

After today, I wonder if there is any way to salvage our relationship. Or is it all a lost cause?