The Assistant

Zak wrapped his straw wrapper around his index finger as his eyes grazed over the restaurant’s interior. Deep red walls with black and gold accents, expensive pendant lighting, oriental decorations, and happy couples, friends, and families sitting and waiting on their drinks or food. He envied all of them, for not one seemed to have a single care in the world, while his life was, as of this day, loaded with problems.

“Hey! Sorry, I’m late. I got caught in traffic.”

Zak looked up and smiled at his friend, co-worker, and audio/visual technician for Ghost Adventures, Billy Tolley.

“Nah, bro. It’s okay. I just got here,” Zak replied.

Billy smiled and sat down across from Zak. As if on cue, a waitress approached to take Billy’s drink order.

“What would you like to drink?” she asked, her Asian accent harshly pronouncing every word.

“Tea is fine. Thank-you,” Billy replied.

The waitress nodded and scribbled his order onto her notepad.

“Are you two ready to order, or are you still waiting?” she asked.

“We have one more coming,” Zak replied.

The waitress nodded.

“Okay. I’ll check back soon,” she replied, then turned to leave.

“Thank-you,” Zak said.

Billy scooted up and clasped his hands together on the covered tabletop.

“Dude, where is Aaron?” he asked curiously.

Zak solemnly shrugged and leaned back in his chair.

“I don’t know, G. I called him when I arrived, but his phone went to voicemail,” he replied.

Billy frowned.

“That’s not like him,” he said.

Zak nodded.

“Well, if he isn’t here in ten minutes, I’m ordering!” he declared.

Billy said nothing. He could tell before he even sat down that his friend was in a foul mood. He was not sure what could have angered Zak, but he had a feeling his friend was just hungover, and a hot meal would bring him back around.
After receiving his drink order, Billy made idle talk with Zak, trying to cheer him up and get his mind off of whatever had put him in a bad mood, but nothing seemed to work. Zak just sat, slumped over the table, his jaw propped on his hand as he scrolled around on his phone. He looked up every once in awhile at a waitress who passed by, but remained with his eyes trained on the screen. Soon, fifteen minutes passed by with no signs of Aaron.

“I’m going to text him,” Billy announced and fished his cell phone out of his pocket.

Zak said nothing. Billy unlocked his phone and began to scroll through names when a familiar voice made him and Zak jump.

“Hey, guys! I’m sorry I’m late!”

Zak and Billy looked up to see their tall, bald, bearded friend approach and sit down beside them.

“I was trying to make it to the post office, and my stupid printer died on me. It’s a mess,” Aaron said.

Zak sighed and slipped his phone back into the pocket of his jeans.

“It’s okay. Things happen,” he said.

Aaron grinned and scooted up closer to the table.

“Have you guys ordered yet?” he asked.

“Just our drinks,” Billy replied.

Aaron nodded.

“We would’ve if I could find our damn waitress,” Zak growled.

Aaron was alarmed by Zak’s tone.

“Are you okay, bro?” he asked.

Zak sighed and leaned back in his chair.

“I’ve had a really shitty day is all,” he replied, rubbing his eye, “Had to fire my assistant this morning.”

Aaron and Billy stared at Zak in shock.

“Whoa!” Billy said in surprise.

“What happened?” Aaron asked.

Zak watched Aaron, his eyes turning from dull to blazing with anger.

“You wanna know?” he asked.

Aaron cowered.

“Maybe not so much anymore,” he mumbled.

Zak held his hands in defense.

“No, it’s not bad. I mean, it’s bad for me, but...you know,” he replied.

“Well, what happened, man? I thought you were pretty pleased with her,” Billy said.

Zak glared at Billy.

“She put a dent in the side of the Bentley,” he said flatly.

Aaron and Billy both stared at their friend in terror.

“What?” Aaron exclaimed.

“How?” Billy asked.

Zak shook his head, obviously torn up about the situation.

“I don’t know. Before we left, it was fine. When I came back, it looked like someone had thrown a brick at it,” he replied.

Billy winced.

“Wasn’t it in the garage?” Aaron asked.

Zak nodded.

“That’s where Gracie’s dog food is,” he replied.

Billy gritted his teeth.

“Well, it had to be an accident, right? I mean, it was probably dark. She could’ve tripped or something,” Aaron tried to reason.

Zak turned to Aaron.

“You would think that she would call me and explain it if it was an accident, though,” Zak replied.

“Oooh,” Aaron mouthed.

“She didn’t say anything about it? She was just going to pretend like it didn’t happen?” Billy exclaimed, aggravated.

Zak’s widened and he nodded.

“I guess so! I could have let it go since I can’t actually prove she tore up my car, but she’s been slacking off a lot lately. Dog crap isn’t getting picked up. She’ll so called ‘forget’ to get some of my groceries. I keep finding water stains on countertops. Hell, I found fucking potato chip crumbs in my couch!”

At the sound of the F-word, several diners surround them looked up. Billy lowered his head.

“Zak, cool it,” he whispered.

Zak looked around to see people turn back to their meal. He bit his lip and turned back to Billy and Aaron.

“My bad,” he said quietly.

“So you confronted her?” Aaron asked.

Zak nodded.

“I asked her if she was going to admit to banging up the Bentley, and if she did then she could keep her job, but she was paying for the damages,” he replied.

“Well, she’s not gonna admit to that!” Billy said.

Zak snorted.

“She stood by her word. I said ‘See ya!’” he replied.

Aaron looked up to see their waitress approaching, ready with a pen and notepad to take their orders.

“Man!” Billy said.

“Now, I guess I’ll have to put ads out for a new assistant,” Zak grumbled.

Aaron and Billy nodded silently. The waitress came and took their orders, then hurried to the next table, momentarily taking the guys’ minds of Zak’s assistant and his poor car. Like the optimistic he was, Aaron quickly and easily changed the subject, for he had exciting news to share anyway.

“Well, I’m probably not going to be able to stay long,” he announced.

Billy and Zak looked over at Aaron, mixtures of surprise and disappointment on their faces.

“How come, bro?” Zak asked.

Aaron smiled.

“Dani’s coming in today. I have to pick her up at the airport,” he happily replied.

Billy looked a little confused. Zak choked on his drink and went into a coughing fit. Billy narrowed his eyes at the younger man, not sure what to think of his reaction.

“Danielle?” Zak managed to ask.

Aaron grinned and nodded.

“Yeah, man! I though I told you? She bought the house that’s been for sale across the street.”

Zak stared at Aaron with a look that Aaron could not recognize. Was he angry? Was he happy? Was Aaron about to get murdered by his best friend in the middle of one of Vegas’s most popular Chinese restaurants?

“You haven’t told me shit, Aaron!” Zak hissed.

Aaron knew to be afraid, but he could not help but bite his bottom lip and try not to laugh.

“Would somebody please tell me who the hell Danielle is?” Billy asked, frustrated.

Aaron looked to Billy and smiled.

“The only woman to turn Zak down. Twice,” Aaron said teasingly.

“That’s not how it happened!” Zak growled.

“He cried,” Aaron told Billy, causing the oldest of the three to burst out laughing.

“Bullshit!” Zak snapped.

Just then, the waitress returned with a tray full of steaming plates.

“Eat and shut up. This conversation is over,” Zak ordered.

Aaron snorted and Billy rolled his eyes.

“I gotta meet this woman. The one female who didn’t fall for Muscles,” Billy teased.

Zak unwrapped his silverware and stared dangerously at his friend.

“I’m going to kill you two,” he threatened.

Billy and Aaron just laughed and dug into their meals.