Keeping count

"Look at that", a woman grumbled with distaste. She had eyes on Trivedi's. The view of the unending and envious queue at Trivedi's was reduced to fit the size of binoculars in the well manicured hands of the woman. She snorted, "Enjoy it while you can. That will soon be our reality again, like the good old times! Right, darling?" 

"Move from the window, someone might see you", her husband spoke from behind her. They were a little more than a mile away from Trivedi's but he still worried.

The woman spun around to face him. They were both in an office with large open glass windows. The woman wore a bright pink skirt suit with matching shoes and nails. 

Her hair had been tied up neatly. Her irritated mood mirrored the desperate protest the button on her jacket made against her protruding belly. It looked like it would pop with each movement she made.

"Have you confirmed if the delivery has been made?" She snapped at him.

The man leaned back in his seat, relaxing, his black and white chef uniform wrinkling from the position. "Of course. He sent me a confirmation text."

"Did you delete it?"

"Of course, I don't want to leave any traces. That was a lot of money we invested in this! We can only be successful", he replied, agitated.

"Good!" She attempted a smile amidst her cunning expression. "Now which news media should I leak this to? I have the perfect headline for it!"

"No, no! Don't! Not yet!"

"Enrique!"

"Listen to me", Enrique interjected, sitting up straight. Unbeknownst to them, their voices grew smaller and automated, resounding in someone's earpiece. "If you do that right now, it could...."

A woman's brows went up in amusement as she listened in to the conversation between the Rosarios. Her fingers moved swiftly on her computer keyboard as she handled some work. Her phone started to vibrate and glancing at the caller ID, she removed the earpiece and answered the phone. 

"Best friend!" Rung May's familiar voice. 

"Hey", Kareena answered calmly, not matching her energy.

"Oh! Your voice is back! How's your walk?" She teased.

"It's been three weeks", Kareena spat.

"So, we've been keeping count", she said, amused.

"May", she warned. 

"Fine! Frankie tells me someone is trying to screw you over. Ooh! I have a a nice comeback about screwing you-"

"I don't want to hear it!" She quickly interjected, making May laugh.

"So, who is it?"

"The Rosarios. I don't understand them. I found them in this line of business, and the fact that they have held out for so long only means they're as good. We've tried their food, you even said they're pretty decent. Plus, we serve different cuisines. I really don't understand their actions right now", Kareena shook her head. 

"That's just about it. Humans are pretty greedy, some more than others. Plus, your restaurant is doing amazing, too amazing", she praised sincerely, a shuffling sound being heard from her end. "But I have to say, they're a little daring. They wouldn't do this if they knew who they were up against."

Kareena gave a nonchalant shrug as though May could see her. The shuffling sound was heard once more. "What are you doing?"

"I'm wrapping up the paperwork. I need to report back to base, I could only stay away for so long."

"But you were supposed to do that for six months, it's only been three weeks!"

"I struck a deal with Miss Quinn, perks of being likeable you see."

Kareena's expression chilled at hearing that name. "Then who's supposed to do the rest of the work?"

May's sheepish laugh rung in Kareena's ear, irritating her. What the former heard next was the sound of the line gone dead. She could already picture her fuming face. Not only did she get to lose her virginity, but she would be stuck doing the damn paperwork. 

Manning two jobs at once was far from fun, and now on top of it, she had to deal with the now rival restaurant scheming against her. She hooked back in the earpiece. A storm brewed in her eyes as she concluded with one thought: they were going to get a taste of their own medicine.