Read Online Rock'n Tapestries by Shari Copell - Free Book Online Page A

recovered, and
came after me, clutching my upper arms in a death grip.  He let go and
backhanded me, and I swear I heard bells ring.  I collapsed back into the
chair, hand to my left cheek, my head spinning.
    Marybeth
must’ve been standing right outside.  She launched through the door at Scott,
fists flying, trying to finish what I’d started.   Scott retreated behind the
desk and grabbed the baseball bat he had there.  Marybeth backed off, but she
was so mad she was snorting.
    The
ruckus we were making was bound to attract someone’s attention.  Soon enough,
Bob Dreyfus stood in the doorway with a bewildered look on his face.
    “What
the glorious hell is going on in here?” He glanced between the three of us. 
    Scott
sounded as though he were going to cry when he spoke.  “I want these two
bitches from hell fired, Dad!  They assaulted me!”
    “It
this true?” I could feel Mr. Dreyfus’s gaze on me.  
    I
only had one shot at an explanation.  I inhaled, tried to calm myself, and
lifted my gaze to Mr. Dreyfus.  “I was nearly kidnapped last night by a couple
of customers. Marybeth and Asher saved me. If you’ll just give me a chance to
tell you what happened...”
    “Dad! 
Surely you aren’t going to listen to anything this little bitch has to say! She
hit me!”
    I
rubbed my cheek and glared at Scott. “Only after you asked me for sex. Does your
father know that you treat the waitresses here like your own personal harem? 
Does he know how many of the girls have given in and slept with you to get a
bigger share of the tips and a better schedule?”
     Up
until now, this had been an open secret.  I wasn’t about to let this asshole
make me the bad guy.  We would all be fired after this for sure, but I wasn’t
keeping quiet anymore.
    “Scott?” 
There was a note of horror in Mr. Dreyfus’s voice.
    “That’s
not true…” Scott looked like a cornered animal.
    “It’s
true, Bob,” Marybeth said softly.  “Ask any one of the girls that work here. 
They’ll tell you.” 
    “Scott?” 
Mr. Dreyfus’s head did a funny little jerk as he swiveled to look at his son. 
“You know how I feel about that sort of thing.”
    Scott
turned purple and stared at this dad.
    “I
want an explanation, son. If Chelsea and Marybeth are lying, I’ll fire them. 
But I can’t defend you if I don’t hear your side of things.  If I ask the other
girls about you, what will they tell me?”
    Scott
dropped his head, guilt all over his face.  Mr. Dreyfus exhaled all at once and
straightened.  His hands were shaking.  I felt bad for him.  
    “I’m
sorry to have to do this, Scott, but you’re fired.”
    Marybeth
and I both looked up. Shock ran through me like an electric current.  This was
certainly turning out to be the day from hell. For all of us.
    “Dad!”
Scott’s eyes were wide as he stared at his father.
    “You’ve
put us in a terrible position here.  Demanding sexual favors for better pay and
hours opens us up to all kinds of lawsuits, son.  If one of them would have
complained...Well, now that I know what you’ve been doing, I have to fire you. 
I have no choice.  I’m sorry. I had hoped one day to hand the keys to
Tapestries over to you, but I don’t think you’re adult enough to handle it.”
    Scott
narrowed his eyes and canted his head just a little.  The look he shot Marybeth
and me gave me a chill. Scott had a mean streak a mile wide, and we’d both just
painted a bull’s eye on our backs.  There were no winners here.
    Scott
whirled, rammed the door with the heel of his hand, and disappeared in a cloud
of obscenities.
    “I’m
sorry.” Mr. Dreyfus turned to us.  “Marybeth, you should’ve told me.”
    “We
were afraid of him, Mr. Dreyfus.” I was shaking so hard I could barely speak.
“Scott isn’t the nicest person when he’s crossed.”
    He
sighed again, a long, tortured sigh.  He suddenly looked like a very old man.
“I knew that. I guess I hoped