As I settled into my routine at work, our boss swept in, a vision in red her dress and lipstick a vibrant match. I bit back a smile, not wanting to laugh at her expense. She strode into her office, only to emerge minutes later, her expression stern.
"Who's supposed to clean my office today?" she demanded, her voice firm. We all chimed in, "Anita!" She asked, her tone growing angrier, "And where is Anita?" Tara spoke up, her voice timid, "She's not in yet, ma'am." I couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at Tara's goody goody attitude.
Our boss's expression darkened. "I see how it is. You all think you can just slack off, don't you?" She glared at us before shouting, "Get back to work, all of you!" With that, she stormed back into her office, leaving us to our tasks.
As I worked in the kitchen, prepping food for delivery, Anita burst in, tears streaming down her face. "What's wrong?" I asked, concern etched on my face. "Madam is being unfair," she sobbed. "I was late because of traffic, and now she wants to cut my salary!" My heart went out to her, and I couldn't help but think, That could never be me. Madam wouldn't dare.
Just then, our boss's voice cut through the air, "Olivia!" my full name, pronounced with a local twist that always grated on my nerves. "The dispatch rider is waiting for you." I shot her a stern look before walking out, my dignity intact.