5 A Bad Egg Read Free

counter, he dug into the pie with so much vigor that I
considered joining him, despite the fact that I was still working the floor
with Ellen.
    “Ellen, I
hate to complain, but I didn’t order this,” I heard Reverend Mercer say a few
minutes later as Ellen dropped off his plate. As Ellen apologized, the reverend
added, “Usually I wouldn’t complain, but I’m allergic, you see.”
    “I’m so
sorry. I’ll fix it right away,” Ellen said as she picked the plate up as though
it were toxic. She was clearly off her game; for the first time in a long time,
she was getting orders wrong. Even when they were right, she was delivering
them to the wrong customers.
    I decided
that enough was enough, for both our sakes.
    “It might not
be a bad idea if you go on and head home early,” I said as I followed her into
the kitchen.
    “I don’t want to leave,” Ellen said, though I was
having a hard time believing her. She handed the plate to my mother, explained
what she’d gotten wrong, and then she turned to me, tears welling up in her
eyes. “Maybe you’re right. Victoria, I don’t know what’s gotten into me.”
    “Come on,
don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re under more strain and pressure than any
normal person should have to endure. Go home before the kids get off the bus,
take a long hot bath, and turn the ringer off on your phone.”
    “I couldn’t
do that,” she said.
    “Which part?”
I asked. “I’m willing to negotiate here,” I added with a grin.
    “Going home
probably isn’t a bad idea, and the bath sounds wonderful, but I have kids. I
could never turn off my ringer. What if something happened to one of them?”
    “Okay, leave
your phone on, but the other two items aren’t really an option. Go on. Things will
look a lot better after a long hot soak.”
    “You’re
probably right. After all, I’m not doing much good here. Are you sure you don’t
mind?”
    “I can have
Moose drive you, if you’d like him to. I’m sure that he wouldn’t mind.”
    “No, the walk
home might help me clear my head. If you’re sure, I’m going to take you up on
it. Thank you for being there for me, Victoria.”
    “You’re part
of our family, Ellen. If there’s anything I can do, all you have to do is ask.”
    “Do you mind
if I sneak out the back way?” she asked me. “I don’t want to be around anyone
right now.”
    “That’s fine.
I’ll see you in the morning, but don’t forget, if you need me before then, I’m
just a telephone call away.”
    “I know, and
I appreciate it. Bye.”
    After she
left, my mother handed me a new, properly filled plate. As she did, she asked
worriedly, “Victoria, is she going to be okay?”
    “Honestly, I
have no idea. This thing with her ex-husband really has her rattled.”
    “You did a
nice thing sending her home early today,” Mom said.
    “For us, or
for our customers?” I asked with a grin. “After all, she almost killed Reverend
Mercer.”
    “For her,”
Mom said. “Now, go deliver these orders before they get cold.”
    “Yes, Ma’am,”
I said with a soft smile.
    I did as my
mother suggested, and when I came back over to Moose, I saw that he’d finished
his pie and drained his glass.
    “Feel better
now?” I asked.
    “You were
right. Pie never hurts,” he admitted as he looked back toward the kitchen. “Is
Ellen coming back out soon?” he asked with concern.
    “I just sent
her home,” I said. “She was a wreck.”
    Moose looked
alarmed. “Victoria, you didn’t send her out alone, did you?”
    “She’s a big
girl, Moose. She can take care of herself.”
    “Ordinarily
I’d agree with you, but not with that fool of an ex-husband walking around
Jasper Fork. She needs someone with her.”
    “You don’t
seriously think that she needs to be protected, do you?”
    “She’s not
the one I’m worried about,” Moose said as he headed for the back. “What do you
think she’s going to do if she’s worried that Gordon’s coming after