A raise, in these times! Vincenzo must love me; Maryanne, not so much. But, more money later isn’t doing me a damn bit of good right now.

Every muscle is jumping. I go to the kitchen pick-up station, just as Amanda sticks a ticket on the spike. “Amanda, I need to do some stuff in the back. You’ve been here a while; you know the ropes. Take my place tonight.”

She pauses and considers it. “You know you want to,” I add. A cramp jabs my gut and I double over. I cover it by retying my shoe.

“Well – all right,” she says, pleased.

“If you have any questions, ask Jefferson,” I grunt and stand up. An advance on my pay is what I need; if I ask Vencenzo now, he’ll give me one. “Thanks, doll.” I touch her shoulder as she goes, avoiding skin-to-skin contact so she won’t think I’m dead.

I go through the kitchen and stockroom to the loading dock, and throw up over the edge. A little vomiting now and then is normal at a place like this, although we try not to encourage it.