Life, primarily work, drained Jewel, robbing her of her energy and strength. All she wanted was to escape, perhaps go on vacation for a week or two, but, unfortunately, a trip required time and cost money. Being overworked and underpaid, she had neither.

Imagining her dream vacation, she nearly ran into her third-floor neighbor.

"Hey, head up!" He put his hand out to steady her.

Ryan's cobalt-colored mechanic uniform made his blue eyes stand out. His hair had grown since the last time they talked, and the curls of his light brown hair bowed under his collar.

"Another long day at Pizza Island?"

"One of the longest," Jewel said, bypassing him to enter the elevator.

"Relax, you're almost home."

'I have the best neighbors. They are always looking out for me, especially Ryan.'

"I'll try. Aren't you are working late?"

"I received a call for an emergency tow."

"Your work hours are insane."

"If it were a competition for who worked the hardest, we would be even," he laughed.

"We would." Jewel laughed. "But you would win for the oddest hours."

"Money is money, regardless of the hour." Ryan waved as he exited the building. "See ya!"

"See you later and be careful," Jewel said as the elevator doors closed.

The smell of pizza and sweat clinging to her uniform filled the small closed-in box and assaulted her nose.

'I can't wait to get out of these clothes. They reek.'

It was a relief to leave the crowded, dimly lit dining room at Pizza Island behind. Her apartment, thanks to Jenni, the saleswoman at Recycled Treasures, was a restful space away from work's chaos. Her cream-colored furniture with colored lamps and pillows made her small apartment airy and bright.

As she entered her living space, Jewel placed her purse on the round dining room table and poured herself a tall glass of homemade tea. Sipping the sweet, medicinal liquid, she kicked off her shoes to free her swollen, throbbing feet.

She set her drink on the coffee table in the living room and stripped off her smelly uniform before she sprawled on the plush couch in her underwear. She withdrew the orange rubber band securing her ponytail and fanned her black hair over the blue striped throw pillow supporting her head.

Jewel reflected on her arduous night, filled with demanding customers, arguing couples, and unruly children. She wasted no time locking the doors after the last customer departed.

The store manager, Jeffrey, took an unscheduled day off. Being the assistant manager, Jewel operated and maintained the eatery in his absence. Tonight, he left her to replace the no-show employees, repair the broken meat slicer, and handle the angry customers from his abandoned shift.

Working as a manager required her to be multi-talented: a therapist, a server, a busboy, a bookkeeper, and an accountant. Her work responsibilities drained her physically and mentally.

Jewel started working at Pizza Island the day before she turned fifteen. Over the years, she climbed her way up the chain of command. Restaurant work was all she knew how to do. The thought of working at another job outside of fast food frightened her.

The extra pillows on the couch fell to the floor as she extended her legs. With a yawn, Jewel pondered Pizza Island's evening rush.

In the middle of their busiest hours, she called Jeffrey. "Hey boss, I can't locate the sub rolls. Do you know where they are hiding?"

"Look around. I know Kevin ordered them."

Jewel hated his laziness, but Jeffrey was the reason she received her promotion. So, she dealt with his shenanigans out of obligation. Unable to remember the last time Jeffrey ordered anything other than alcohol, she sighed.

"Never mind, I'll send Reynolds to the store," she said, watching the worker run around serving customers like a chicken without its head.

"Make sure you put the receipt in the petty cash drawer," Jeffrey said, followed by a dial tone.

"Why do they have to be so complicated? How many people actually have celiac disease?" Reynolds grumbled, exciting the dining area. "It's a pizza place, for goodness' sake! Who even likes cauliflower crust?"

Hearing Reynolds's humorous rant, Jewel smiled.

"What?" He asked.

"I need you to go to the grocery store," she said.

"Phew! I need a break." Reynolds placed the tray he carried in her arms. "What do you need me to pick up?"

Jeffrey hired the employees; Jewel trained them. One year, while he was on vacation, she hired Danny Daniels and his older brother, Fred. In the beginning, the brothers were dependable. Their commitment to the job earned Pizza Island its first positive online review. But Danny changed when he started dating Kris. He was consistently late for work, distracted by calls, and left customers unattended to return her text messages.

Jeffrey insisted Jewel terminate the brothers' employment. Instead of firing them, she defended them. The brothers were her top employees; she could, against her better judgment, put up with the phone calls.

The cash register came up short during one of Pizza Island's busiest nights. Misplacing a dollar, even five dollars, employees received a simple write-up. A shortage of one hundred dollars meant an investigation and termination. The brothers' register was short one hundred and five dollars.

Jeffrey made inquiries about the loss and demanded the brothers confess. They refused. Neither wanted to accuse the other. Neither accepted the blame. Angered by their stubbornness, Jeffrey fired both of them.

Jewel missed the brothers. Losing them left a void in her work life and her personal life. Her boss lacked morals, but fired the brothers for not having any.

'Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?'

Lost in her memories, Jewel bolted upright when a loud, sharp ring filled the air. She groaned, reaching for the cordless phone.

"Hello?" she prayed it wasn't someone from work.

"Hey, Jewels! It's me. Your favorite person." Lindy snorted.

"Reynolds?"

"He wishes." Jewel pictured Pizza Island's shift manager rolling her eyes.

Three years after Jeffrey fired the brothers, Jewel met Lindy. The shift manager shared how her ex-boyfriend tossed her away like a worn-out undershirt and the two co-workers forged a bond of friendship. Jewel understood her pain; Danny discarded her. Sharing the painful experience stimulated the tears in Jewel's heart to mend.

"I tried calling and texting you on your cell phone."

"I turned it off at work. I guess I forgot to turn it back on. I don't know why he came back, his shift was over. By the way, is Jeffrey still there?"

"Yes, he is," Lindy said huskily. "All six-foot-three of him. I want to brush up against his tanned skin and rub my fingers through his curly brown hair."

"Stop! I can hear you drooling. Is everything alright at work?"

"Yes, I didn't call to bother you with work. Did you receive my card?"

"What card?"

"The card I left in your mailbox?" Lindy said.

Jewel heard the disappointment and pictured her friend sticking her bottom lip out, pouting.

"I was tired, Lindy. I came straight upstairs."

"Well, can you go get it? The card is hanging out of your mailbox," Lindy urged. "I hope no one bothered it."

"Alright! Let me go before someone else takes it."

"Okay. Goodnight. See you tomorrow."

Jewel gathered her clothes. Putting on her pants, she hobbled towards the door.

'What could be so important that I need to get the card tonight?'