MEETING AUDREY

                          AUDREY

"Ouch! That hurts, you know." Audrey said to her brother Eben. 

"Well, who cares? That's for not getting me the ice cream you promised."

"Well, who said I didn't get you the ice cream? Don't you believe in your big sis anymore? I was just pulling your legs."

"OMG, I love you so much, I'm sorry for hurting you...... " 

"You know you can't hurt me, your fingers are so little, they can't even hurt a fly." 

"That's a lie, you were Screaming in pain... Ouch that hurts." He said mimicking her.

"Screw you."

She said as he burst into an erupted laughter, Which made her join him instantly. Oh! how she dreaded his laughter, it was so crazy, that it made others join in and they might end up choking. They weren't done with their laughter when their mum Mrs Becky hopped in.

"Mum, good afternoon" Audrey and Eben greeted simultaneously, with a giggle.

"Mum... Where is your crutch?" Audrey said, visibly alarmed.

"I've told you countlessly mum, you need it. It will help you recover faster, the doctor said it not me."

"Baby, don't bother, I'm fine. I'm okay. I don't need that stick any longer, it's not convenient for me."

"Mum, I know, but you still gat to use it, no matter the cost."

"I'll try. Eben how was classes." Mrs Becky asked her son.

"Boring and scary as usual."

"Don't tell me you were bullied again"! Audrey screamed, staring at her brother.

"I was, but this time I was bullied with their tongues, i was tongue lashed. They rained insult on you, mum and Travis." That hurt more than anything else. He said with pain eminent in his eyes.

"Wow, those kids are something else. Someone has to deal with them." Audrey said with a red face. 

She couldn't believe they would go that far. What she hated and couldn't bear is her family being insulted or dragged in the mud. She would fight to the end not minding who or what it is.

" Take it easy dear, please don't do something nasty." Her mum said.

" I don't care Mum, by the way Eben, here is the ice cream I got for you.

"Eben"! His mum screamed.

"Don't tell me you've been billing your sister. You know she dropped out of school just to take care of us and pay your school fees. She's working so hard just to place food on the table, try to appreciate than bill."

"But mum! It was just an ice cream I asked for, it doesn't worth anything."

"You're too little to understand, I don't want you to disturb her again. You're stressing her". Mrs Becky said while trying to find her breath.

"Mum, it's..." Audrey tried saying but was interrupted by her mother.

"Audrey, you don't have a say in this. I want you to stop it. You work too hard, look at you, so lean. I hardly recognise you. Its all my fault." She said bursting into tears.

"No, mum. It isn't neither is it Eben's, pls I'm not complaining, let him enjoy his childhood to his fullest." Said Audrey.

"Eben, go to your room, I'm bringing lunch, come on stop crying. Its okay.

"No it isn't. Why's my stuff always different? I'm the only kid that gets bullied in class, the kid without a friend, the bovine in class, all the other kids in my class eat this. But mum's always complaining. I wish Dad was around, he knew my favourites were ice cream, but mum's always depriving me of it." He said in tears, while running to the room he shared with his brother Travis, even before Audrey could say a word.

"Mum, you shouldn't have scolded Eben, that was too much. I said I wasn't complaining, now you've reminded him of dad, that's what I've been avoiding."

"I don't want him to stress you. The burden on your shoulder is already much." She said, while Audrey placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Come off it mum. Then why do you think I'm doing this? Don't worry mum it's okay, come on, sit, let me get you a glass of water, this must have stressed you out." Audrey said.

After making sure her mum was relaxed, she went ahead to prepare lunch, she needed to hurry back. It will soon be time for her shift as a waitress in the hotel. She doesn't want to be late on the first day of work.

~~~~~

"Mum here, take this, my first pay from the cafe, I'd take my leave now." she said to her mum who was patting Eben's thick curly hair.

"Less, I forget, where's Travis? His dinner is in the ampulla. I'd return late today. So he better come back early and assist you."

"Well, he said he's going job hunting, I don't know why he isn't back yet."

"Mum, I hope you didn't give him any money, please don't tell me you did." Audrey said with shaky eyes.

"Well, he asked for transport fare, I couldn't say no."

"Mum! You and I know that he isn't going anywhere, rather he'd use the money to waste himself, and would return home drunk. He is ruining his life with those money."

"I couldn't say No."

"Mum, please I'm pleading, don't ever give him a dime anymore. I just hope, he doesn't turn out to be like dad. I'd take my leave now." She said, slamming the door behind her.

It is past five and she still has 3 more places to work in... Phew.... What a stressful life.

19 year old Audrey, is a school drop out. She couldn't continue education due to financial constraints. Her dad disappeared, last year and since then, she became the bread winner of the family, since her Elder brother Travis doesn't wanna do something useful with his life.

If you're searchingg for the definition of a workaholic, meet Audrey. She works at a mall, cafe, hotel, club and as a cook. I know, you might be wondering how she does it, well fortunately for her, she has shifts and they don't collide with the other.

Jeez, what's wrong? Are taxicab on strike? She thought as she frantically waited for a taxi. Eventually she found one, and madly hopped in.

"All Men's Hotel," she said to the driver, who nodded and ignited the engine. Jeez. Don't tell me, I'd be late on my first day at work. This isn't happening. 

Grrrrrrrth..... . she groaned out of Frustration, making the driver turn . ..

"Ma, are you okay?" the driver had asked. 

"Yes I'm fine, if you'd please, increase your cars velocity.

                 FRED 

"Where do you think you're going?" Clara screamed, she was obviously seething anger.

"You can't leave me in this house alone, our daughter needs us." She added.

"Oh! you mean the one you don't know of? Do you know if she's dead or alive? Huh, a child which you don't care of its existence?"

"Look! Clara, if you don't leave, then I would. I don't want to see your face right now. Its obvious that there isn't an atom of love in this relationship." Fred said, grabbing his keys.

"Oh! So you knew that. But you consented on Marrying me. We're now legally married and you're saying that there's no atom of love. I'm sorry, I've come to stay." Clara said, stubborness seen Cleary over her face.

"What did you say?" The shock on his face couldn't be compared to anything.

"You heard me Fred. I've come to fulfil my duty as a wife and a mother."

"Don't you dare say that, you're a prostitute. Are you tired of having affairs and sexual escapades? Don't you dare call yourself my wife, I don't ever want to see you close to my daughters. " Fred said, trying to control his Anger. Sometimes, he wonders why their path crossed. Nature had treated him badly.

"Our daughter you mean?" Clara said with a smirk.

"What exactly do you want? Why are you here?"

"I need you, I want you back. I was so blind and foolish for leaving." Clara said acting sexy.

"Seems you don't have anything important to say, I'm leaving." 

"Fred is late, do I disgust you that much that you can't even stand my presence?

Rather than replying her, he walked out of the house with his body guards behind him. He got to his garage and was about hoping in, when he found that his guards were with him.

"I want to be alone, it's time for you guys to rest." he said to them.

"Our Lord, we can't leave you alone, it's late. We've gat to always be by your side." His personal guard said.

"Don't bother, it's okay. I just want to be alone.

"Sir, we really can't, we can't let you leave the house alone, it's late."

"I'd be alright. If you really want me to be safe, make sure that bitch leaves tomorrow, and that she nevers sets her eyes on Eva and Eve till she departs."

He said as he got in the car and zoomed out, well he had no destination in mind right now. Normally, he would have gone to his hotel or one of his numerous houses, but he felt otherwise. He decided to just drive round the city, not minding the dangers.

                      AUDREY 

She hurriedly walked into the Hotel, after passing through a tight security. She needed this work badly, the pay is triple of what she receives from working as a cook, at the cafe, club and the mall. This place was so big, this is a dream come true. She said as she was directed to meet the head.

It was obvious that she was intrigued in the place. She just couldn't hold her surprise, she had never seen a place so big and screaming wealth.

"We're here," the security said to her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"I'm sorry," she said to the girl she almost bumped into.

"Thanks" she said to the officer, as she knocked and patiently waited for the head chef permission.

"You can come in." A hoarse voice said from the room.

She opened the door to see a huge man, sitting.

"Good day sir"

"I guess you're...."?

"Audrey" she replied

" You're late, do you have an explanation for that,?"

"No sir, I don't, I'm sorry."

"In this hotel, we don't condole such behaviour, wasn't it stated clearly in the file you filled? "

"It was."

"We stick to our rules."

"Let this not repeat itself again. Normally, I would have fired you, or cut your pay, but I don't know why I'm leaving you." He said.

"Thank you sir"

"You're a temporary worker right?"

"Yes sir"

"Alright, you'd be working for 4 hours. You'd see a security at the door, he'd give you the directions to the kitchen. you'd get your uniforms and badge there."

On getting to the kitchen all she could do was Wow. The place was so indescribable. She could see the other cooks, and waitress working like bees.

"Hey, newbie, a voice called out to her".

She turned and headed to the direction, a slender woman with a pale and scary face beckoned on her. 

"I'm in charge here. My name is Genevieve, These are your uniforms." She said walking out.

"Hey!" a girl called out to her. She remembered her, she's the girl she had bumped into on her way to the office. 

"Hi, I'm jasmine, we met earlier".

"Yeah, hello, I'm Audrey, sorry for bumping into you earlier."

"No, it doesn't matter."

"Temporary worker?" Audrey asked

"Yeah, you?"

"Same."

"Don't, mind that, she's always like that." Jasmine said.

"Jasmine!" Mrs Genevievecalled out.

"Table 105 and 106."

"Audrey, Table 09 and 10." Now! She said with an eye roll.

"Well, I think we would part now" jasmine said with a sad eye.

"Don't worry, we would have a lot of time to ourselves after this. " Audrey said.

"I hope so" Jasmine said with a sad eye as she went for the orders.

Audrey, had served about 25 tables. She was assigned to the first row, that was from table 1-50.

It wasn't an easy work as men and women from all work of life trooped into the Hotel. It got her wondering if it was actually a Hotel,meant for men. It seemed the name wasn't effective.

The order was getting much. She found it strange for a hotel cafeteria to be crowded. Seems the work isn't as easy as she had thought. carrying a glass of milk and strawberry juice, she headed towards table 15, she wasn't comfortable with her uniform, her shoe wasn't exempted. It's not like she's a pornstar or an air hostess. Ewwwww, she can't wait to get back to her comfortable clothes. With this thought in mind and a bright smile on her face, she walked to serve her orders, when she suddenly tripped, emptying the contents of the tray on a big mouthed, spoilt rich kid, who immediately screamed attracting everyone's attention to the scene.

"I'm sorry, I really am." She said to the kids mother, as she bent to clean the child.

" Don't you touch him with your filthy hands" the mother screamed and in the process of protecting her child from the clumsy Audrey, pushed her off the stairs. 

Just like the movies, when ever you're close to death, your life is gonna play before you slowly. She prepared herself for the worst, it's either she's going to die or break a leg, cause she's going down. 

The thought of her mum and brothers immediately came to her. How would they react when the news of her death get to them? She never wants them to feel sad.

Bracing herself for death, she landed with a loud thud, but surprisingly, nothing happened, she couldn't feel any pain.

Wait! Is she in dead already? Has she made it to heaven? All this thoughts kept running in her mind. 

She laid still on the soft thing she fell on, scared of getting up, when she heard a groan beneath her. 

Turning round, to see what that was, her breath immediately seized.

Her mouth became dry instantly, she knew he could feel the vibration from her. What's she seeing? 

"What's he doing here? She don't know but he seems so familiar, is her mind playing a trick on her? That perfect oval face. Blue eyes, she continued staring, lost in his beauty, when he cleared his throat, jerking her out of the numerous thoughts that clouded her mind.