"You're late," Carolyn from the night shift announced as she watched Jewel log in.

"Thank you. I know I am," Jewel returned sharply. Losing her phone and planner to the intruder had her mad at the world.

The dark-haired teen heard the irritation in Jewel's voice and left the backroom to warn her friends. An irritated Jewel meant a day of cleaning for everyone.

A clean store lifted her spirits.

"Hey," Jewel greeted Lindy as she entered the staff break room; the tension resting in her torso eased at the sight of her best friend.

"Are you all right? Jeffrey told me what happened." Lindy tied her apron around her waist.

"You are my best friend, and I don't know what I would do if something happened to you." Her voice trembled, giving away the depth of her concern. Nonchalantly, she wrapped her arms around Jewel, pulling her into a tight hug.

"I am fine." Jewel returned the embrace, allowing Lindy's compassion to chase away her lingering fears.

Jewel pulled her apron over her head, tying the strings together in the back. She smiled to reassure her friend she was doing well.

"How can you say you are fine when someone was in your apartment?"

"That was last night! Now, I am at work surrounded by people." Jewel collected a couple of rags, a bucket, and some cleaners out of the stock room.

"Is that why you are about to start cleaning?" Lindy raised a single eyebrow.

Without looking at her friend, Jewel continued to make cleaning water to wash the backroom walls. An awkward silence filled the room.

Lindy broke the silence by clearing her throat.

"I take it you are waiting to hear what happened?"

"Of course!" Lindy exclaimed.

Jewel shut the door to the backroom, seeking privacy from their passing co-workers.

"I need details!" She said, pulling the green plastic pickle bucket off the shelf and sitting on it.

Jewel quickly conveyed the details of the robbery.

Lindy sat up straight.  "Jewels!"

"I thought leaving the door ajar would be all right. I mean, there was no one in the hallway when I left. It was safe. Or so I thought."

"Is that when you found the intruder?" Lindy's saucer-sized eyes widened in anticipation.

"No."

"Well... what happened?" She demanded.

"The door I left open was closed."

I went inside..."

"You went inside? Isn't that how women die in the movies?" Lindy gave her friend an 'I can not believe you could be so careless' look.

"I thought Ryan had returned and shut my door for me. Besides, I searched my apartment. No unwanted visitors lurked inside."

"Weren't you scared?"

"A little scared. I called the police when I realized my items were missing."

"Oh, Jewels!" Lindy covered her mouth with her hand.

"It's all right." Jewel tried to dispel her friend's fear. If Lindy broke down in tears, she was afraid she'd join her. The whole situation left her stomach unsettled.

"You are staying with me until we know what is going on," Lindy said, wiping imaginary dirt from her lap.

"That is sweet, but no. I promise I will be all right. The police took a report, and the department is  increasing the patrols in my neighborhood."

Lindy snorted. "Increased patrols! Is that all?"

"That is all they can do. I haven't been threatened or attacked."

"So, do they have any idea who it was?"

"The police believe a wayward teen saw my door open and took advantage of the opportunity. He would have stolen my money, except I caught him off guard when I returned."

Jeffrey's head appeared inside the doorway. "Are you two going to get to work or chat all day?"

"I am working, Jeffrey." Jewel tossed the rag into the cleaning bucket.

"We do not need cleaning! I need someone to wait on the customers. Do you think you can do that - considering you were late today?"

Summoning them to the front meant Pizza Island was busy, and he wanted them to ease his burden. His irritation and laziness exasperated Jewel.

"Of course, I can. We know you wouldn't do it, no matter how busy or shorthanded we are." Jewel retorted. She picked up the cleaning bucket, splashed water on the walls, and washed away the soapsuds.

"We will wash our hands and be out front as soon as possible," Lindy interjected, trying to prevent an argument.

She put the mop away while Jewel dumped the solution out of the bucket.

"He is so lazy," Jewel snapped, slightly offended Lindy did not stick by her side.

"I know, but he is our boss and making him mad won't make our day any better."

Jewel followed Lindy to the front counter to greet and wait on customers. The restaurant was bustling, leaving the friends little time to think about the break-in.

Jeffrey had a rough morning as well. His night of partying resulted in a hangover. Jewel's lateness and their last customers aggravated his throbbing head. All he wanted was to relinquish the shmoozing of customers to her and escape to the silence of his office. The busyness of the store kept him from retreating to the back, and he spoke brusquely to Jewel and their employees without any remorse.

Upset by the morning events, Jewel riposted back at him. Lindy tried to referee, but the constant bickering proved a losing battle. The two managers butted heads until Jeffrey went home early.

"I cannot believe he has not fired you," Lindy laughed, watching her boss strutting to his car.

"He can't, or he might have to do some work. As long as he has me around, he is comfortable sitting in the back while we work. It did not hurt him to lend a hand today."

"Jewel be careful of what you say and of whom you are saying it near," Lindy rebuked, glancing around at their co-workers.

Some of their employees spent time with Jeffrey after work. Hoping to earn his praise, they filled him in on what transpired while he was not around. They would easily repeat Jewel's conversation with Lindy.

What would happen if she pushed him too far? Especially if he heard she was chitchatting about him at work. He might use the gossip against her, and Jewel did not want to give him any leverage to dismiss her. She needed her job to pay bills. Breathing deep, she calmed her wayward emotions and decided to reign in her reckless comments at work.

"Hey, ladies!" Reynolds greeted, placing his Pizza Island cap on his head. "I passed the boss man on the way in; he was talking to himself. What happened today?"

"Someone broke into Jewel's apartment!"