Two weeks later, Alejandra got her new restaurant. Today is the grand reopening of the Golden Castello. Everyone was so busy in side the kitchen, Alejandra had to prepare each dish and they were short on staff.
"Need some help?" Sunny asked from the door. Everyone was so excited to see her. "What? Did you think I'd miss this? Sorry I'm late, I had to take care of something" Sunny said. Everyone ran and hugged Sunny, Alejandra stood there looking at Sunny.
"That's too tight" Mariana said. "We've been worried about you" Ines said. "Thank you all for visiting me in the hospital tirelessly" Sunny said with genuine smiles. "Has the wound healed yet?" Samuel asked.
"Not fully, but I'm fine" she replied with a smile. "Ahem" Alejandra cleared her throat. "Yes, let's get back to work" Mariana said. "What can I assist you with?" Sunny asked.
"Help me stir fry the noddles" Ines said. Sunny quickly rolled up her sleeves and immediately got to work. Alejandra couldn't stop stealing glances at Sunny, she watch as she effortlessly handle herself in the kitchen.
{When did the entire kitchen visit her? Gosh, I don't know why I couldn't go see her. She kept flooding my mind the entire week. Looking at her right I'm captivated}
The day quickly came to an end, the entire kitchen sat around a table and drinks on each table. Sunny's phone rang. "Mama Bear when are you coming home? I don't like you staying out late" Sofia said. "Baby, I'm not done here. I'll come straight home when I'm done" Sunny said.
"No, I want you home now" Sofia said. "Baby you need to exercise patience" Sunny said. "Okay, please buy ice cream and pizza as compensation" Sofia said. "What? Baby you know I won't be able to buy ice cream"
Sofia whined from the other end of the phone. "Ok...ok...ok you win, I'll get it for you. Just don't call me for another hour" Sunny said. "Okay... Bye-bye mama bear. I love you" Sofia said. "Alright, bye-bye. I love you too, kisses" Sunny said.
Sofia ended the call. "So did she agree to buy them?" Ariana asked. "Yeah" Sofia said with a smile. "You are the best baby bear" Ariana said. "Urgh" Audrey said in disgust.
Back in the restaurant. "Mhmm... Is your boyfriend calling you home already?" Samuel asked. "Umm" Sunny could only mutter. "I'm so jealous right now" Mariana said teasing Sunny. "No, you misunderstand...."
A message interrupted them. Alejandra looked at her phone, it was Abuela who texted her. She sighed in exhaustion. "How about a toast" Samuel said. "Yeah" Everyone said in excitement. They all raised their glasses for the toast.
"A toast to Sunny for not dying on us... She's a valuable member of the crew now and to the chef who still gave us our jobs back" Samuel said and everyone cheers in merriment.
"Don't get drunk" Mariana warned. Everyone drank without thinking. Few hours later everyone ended up drunk, Samuel called a cab and took everyone home except Sunny. Her phone rang again, Audrey sounded panicked at the other end.
"Hey baby... " Sunny said flirtatiously. "Where the fuck are you?" Audrey asked. "I'm at work" Sunny whispered. "Send me your location"
"No, you may kidnap me" Sunny said. "Shit" Audrey cussed. She immediately hung up and tried to locate Sunny. "It's past twelve, where could she be so late?" She muttered.
Luckily she remembered she has a tracking device on everyone ever since Melissa died. She quickly search her phone and found her. In less than forty five minutes later she got to the restaurant. She pushed the door open, she found Sunny slumped on the table.
"You know your light weight" She said as she ran to Sunny. "Baby you came for me" Sunny said. "Yeah, I came" Audrey replied. Alejandra came out of her office, she found a girl with Sunny. "Who the hell are you" Alejandra asked as she placed her hands behind her jacket reaching for her gun.
"This is my girlfriend" Sunny happily blurted out. "Yeah we know, would you stop moving and sit still?" Audrey said. Alejandra slowly relaxed a bit but the word girlfriend stung her for an unknown reason. "Sweetie pie..... Ice cream.... Pizza.... Something... Something" Sunny spoke.
"Don't worry about that, I've taken care of it" Audrey said. "You're the best... You're like a superhero.... Are you here to rescue my heart?" She asked. "That's why I don't like it when you get drunk" Audrey said.
"Hey look at my boss.... Isn't she the most beautiful creation of the Lord. I wish I could just ki....." Audrey placed her palm on her mouth. Sunny licked it. "Ewww... If you weren't drunk I would have given you a punishment so bad you'll become sober"
"Ohhh are you going to tie me by the bedpost?" Sunny asked. {What the hell is she blabbering about? Is she unconsciouslly making her boss jealous?} "No this time I'll put you on handcuffs" Audrey said.
"What are we waiting for? Let's go home... You'll do that thing I like" Sunny stood up and pulled Audrey out but she tripped. Luckily Audrey caught her.
"Come on, hop on my back" Audrey gave her a piggy back ride. Alejandra stood dumbfounded after what she just witnessed. { Could she be a lesbian? Could they be a couple? What was she about to say before her girlfriend shut her up?} Shit this only leaves me with more questions than answers.
The next morning, Sunny woke up hung over but still had to go to work. Ariana went to work, she had to round up some documents. She went straight to Roberto's office to return the files. Jessica stormed into the company and slapped Ariana hard across the face.
"It was YOU..." Jessica said. "What was that for?" Ariana asked. Roberto sprung up from his seat. "You are the one in this pictures aren't you?" She asked. Ariana was surprised, Roberto had promised that no one would find out she was the one. "I don't understand" was all she muttered.
"It was also you in the hotel with Roberto" Ariana was genuinely confused. She had never gone to a hotel with Roberto so what was all this about? She admitted being with Roberto that night after the incident but now Jessica seem to be speaking a foreign language.
"Jessica stop this outrageous outburst" Roberto said. "Outrageous outbursts? You told me that day you proposed to the mysterious woman and she said yes. Are you dating him?" Jessica turned to Ariana as she asked the question.
"No... no.... We... " Ariana couldn't put a simple sentence together. "Wait please don't tell me you're the one who spent a night at the bar and then his house that night?"
"Bar?" Ariana asked as she looks at Roberto. "Don't deny it" Jessica pulled out pictures of them coming out of the bar, pictures of them entering the car and few of the stepping out of the car and entering his house.
Ariana stares at them in disbelief. "Jessica get out of my office, I don't ever want to see you" Roberto said in anger. Ariana dropped the pictures on the table and walked away. {If she leaves now I may never see her again. I can't afford to lose her, not again}
Roberto grabbed her wrist, not firm just soft. He felt that if he grabbed her roughly she my break like a glass. "Ariana pleas wait" Roberto said softly. Jessica scoffs. "You have never begged anyone before, not even your own mother but here you are begging this trash" Jessica snorted.
Roberto felt enraged, he slapped Jessica across the face causing her to fall to the floor. Ariana felt terrified watching the scene unfold before her. Roberto pulled out his phone and called security.
They came within minutes. "Take her out of the building, I don't ever want to see her step a foot here or else you'll all lose your job" Roberto said. "Yes sir" they replied as Jessica was dragged out.
Ariana could only pull away trying to leave. "Ariana please let me explain" Roberto said. She ignores him, she placed her hand on the door knob but Roberto placed his hand on hers stopping her. "Don't leave... I can explain" Roberto said. "You.... Slapped her"
"I lost control... I wasn't thinking. She called you names" Roberto said. "I knew returning back here was a big mistake" Ariana said. "No, no, it wasn't a mistake"
"You claim to protect me but so far you seem to be creating a lot of problems for me" Ariana said. "I was planning to tell you about that night at the bar so badly but I didn't want you to view me differently" Roberto said.
"You told her you proposed to me. Why? Why do you always take decision without considering other people's feelings" Ariana said. "I just wanted to get her off my neck"
"So I'm just a back door for you? Seriously? I hate you" Ariana said. Roberto pulled her into his embrace. "You are not a back door, I want to keep you by my side. I want to always see your face every morning when I come to work and the last thing I see when I go home"
Ariana broke from the embrace. "Mr Roberto, I think I'll submit my resume tomorrow morning" Sunny said. "I promise no more shenanigans, just sit down"
Ariana sat down obediently on the couch. "What happened that night in your house?" Ariana asked. "You said you wanted to keep it in the past" Roberto said. "I want to know" Ariana said. Roberto took a deep breath, calculating his decision .
"I found you in the bar that night, you were drunk and some guy was hitting on you. I stepped in, I asked for your address but you said you didn't remember so I brought you to my home" Roberto said. "What happened next?" She asked.
"Nothing... I brought you home and you... Went to bed" Roberto said. "You're lying"
"What? What do you mean?" Roberto asked. "When you lie, you pause before completing the sentence. I've worked with you for a while and I know you by now" Ariana said.
Roberto sighs. "When we got home I went to shower while you drank the entire beer in my fridge, I came out to stop you but you were adamant. I sat by your side so you wouldn't feel lonely but..... {Sigh} you asked me to hug you"
"Did you" Ariana cut him off with her question. "Yes. You asked me never to abandon you like they did and how you weren't useful to anyone. I was so bored about you looking down on yourself that I.... I kissed you"
Ariana paused. "We kissed?" "Yes but you fell asleep immediately so I just put you to bed. I promise we didn't have a one night stand but after that night I never stopped thinking about you"
"Please stop, I think I've heard enough" Ariana said. "I know how you feel, you feel disgusted but I mean no harm. Give me a chance" Roberto said. "I want things to go back to the way it was" Ariana said.
"Things can never be the same. After everything that has happened, we can never be normal again" Roberto said. "You are my boss and I'm your employee"
"We've passed that. I will do anything just to keep you close to me" Roberto said. Ariana paused, Sunny wants me to show him I have dignity of a woman.
"Mr Roberto, don't think I'm like other girls that you could buy with money. If you're so bored and think I'll fall for your charade then you must be delusional. I am not part of your games, I am your employee not your puppet. I have to get back to work, I expect you to snap back to reality" Ariana said.
"Ariana" Roberto softly called out. "You have a meeting by two don't be late" was all she could say as she left.