Seven

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

Celine is pretty much into her work. Until Penelope texted her about not having a job anymore. Celine basically dropped everything and drove home. She might have broken every speed limit known to man and maybe crashed her car into a pole, but it was an emergency...well to her it is.

She caught up with Penelope right at the door. Celine grabbed her arm and placed her hand over her chest. "You didn't?" she panted.

Penelope nodded her head vigorously. "I did."

Celine's mouth opened and repeated herself. "You didn't."

Penelope kept shaking her head as she opened the door and the two walked in their shared home. "I did." Penelope found her mother in the living room. "Mami, I did something terrible."

Lydia went to the worst thing she could think of. "It's ok, I have a shovel," she said. "Celine grab the gasoline and lighter."

"What?" Penelope and Celine asked as they took off their shoes.

"Wait, what do you think I did?" Penelope questioned her mother.

"It doesn't matter, amor. No one will ever know," Lydia rushed out.

Celine sighed as she wrapped her arm around Penelope. "Lydia...your daughter quit her job," she said.

"I don't understand," Lydia stuttered before looking at her daughter. "The job ended?"

"No, it didn't end," Penelope said.

"Did your boss die?"

"No."

"Was there a fire?" Penelope shook her head. "Scandal?" Another head shake. "Was he a sex offender and they closed down the business because of the shame?"

"No!"

Lydia threw her hands up. "I have just said all the reasons!"

Celine shook her head. "No, it's because the pinche bobo is making more than Penelope does," she snapped. "And he's only been there one month." She looked at Penelope. "Amiga, I'm not afraid to go down to that office and shove my heel right up his ass."

"Please, do," Penelope said.

Lydia's mouth formed an 'o' and said, "Oh, so you quit because of principles." The girls nodded. "Are you crazy?"

"I know. I know," Penelope began. "I did exactly what I told Elena not to do. I yelled, I screamed, and it felt great. But, now, we're all gonna have to live in the car."

Penelope hugged her mother while Celine hugged the back of her. "Or I could take more clients while we collect cans and sell them," Celine piped up as the door knocked.

"It's open!" Lydia shouted as she patted Penelope on the shoulder.

Dr. Berkawitz slowly opened the door. "Penelope?" he called out cautiously. His eyes widened when he saw Lydia and got a bit scared when he saw Celine with her arms crossed, giving him a dirty look with her brow raised. "Oh, hello, Lydia. You look lovely, as always. Celine, you're still scaring me."

"Good," Celine snapped while Lydia said, "I know."

Lydia pulled Celine towards her room. "We will let you two talk."

"Fine," Celine said and looked at Penelope. "Give me the word and hit him right in the -"

Lydia cut her off by pushing Celine inside and closed the curtains, which wasn't gonna do much.

Penelope sighed and asked, "What's up?"

"Penelope, please, come back to work. I'm begging you," Dr. Berkowitz pleaded. "I - I can't run the office without you."

"You're just saying that to be nice," Penelope scoffed.

"No, I'm not! I need you."

Penelope rolled her eyes. "Five bucks more an hour. That guy."

"Well, he's a good nurse..."

The two stopped when they heard a sarcastic cough going, "Bull shit." The two looked at the curtain as Celine poked her head out. "Sorry, I had something in my throat."

"Really?" Penelope asked.

"Well, it's true and it's not right," Celine argued.

Suddenly, Lydia's hand shot out and yanked Celine back. "You're being annoying," she said. Celine rolled her eyes as she went back.

"Celine's right," Dr. Berkowitz said. "It wasn't fair. But in my defense...he did ask for more than you did." Celine poked her head out and gave him an evil eye. "And I have a lot of trouble saying no. That's why Lori works with us."

Celine rolled her eyes. "We already figured that out," she said before going back in the curtain.

Penelope let out a breath. "To be honest, I don't know if it's a woman thing or what," she began. "I didn't even think about negotiating. I was newly separated. I really needed a job. You said, 'Do you want one?' I said, 'Yes.'"

"And you see, he made me feel that somehow I was lucky to have him," Berkowitz defended himself. "I even gave him my parking spot."

Penelope's eyes widened while her head tilted. "Oh, so the red Buick is yours? Good to know."

"But I'm sorry, and it was nothing personal. And...you deserve more." Penelope finally gave him a small smile. "How about this? How about this?" He sat next to her. "What if I give you a raise, and you make the same amount as Scott?"

"Plus a dollar more an hour," Penelope bargained.

"Done."

"Two dollars more an hour and Scott starts pulling his weight?"

"Done."

Celine opened the curtain and went over to them. "Which we know he's never going to do, so make it three dollars an hour," she said.

"Done! Please?"

Celine pointed at him. "Make it fou-"

Penelope shut Celine's mouth and said, "Ok." She smiled wider. "Ok." The three started to laugh excitedly. "That was fun. And I have to admit, Scott is not a terrible nurse. He's good with patients, you know?"

Celine gave her a look. "Oh, please," she began. "El bobo tried to flirt with me by saying 'Am I a menu because all I see is a me-n-u.'"

"Wow, that's smooth," Dr. Berkowitz said. "He's got that jock thing going on. I think that's what seduced me." Penelope gave him a sad pout while Celine gave him a confused look. "You know, all the nicknames and the fist bumps...I guess I got caught up in the bromance."

"I get it," Penelope said.

"Really? I don't," Celine argued.

"Think Scott and Dr. Berkowitz like me and you."

Celine scrunched up her brows. "Who's who though? None of us are major flirts and the other isn't -" Penelope gave her a look to not finish that sentence. Celine's eyes widened before looking to Berkowitz. "A really awesome person."

"Nice save," he said. He motioned to him and Penelope. "So, are we good?"

"Yes," Penelope nodded.

He held his fist up. "Boom?"

Celine grabbed his fist and gently pushed it down. "Don't do that, like ever," she said.

Penelope nodded as she held her arms out. "I do this."

She went up to Dr. Berkowitz and hugged him Celine smiled before glancing at the clock. Her eyes widened.

"Aye, I'm late!" she shouted before running to grab her shoes.

Penelope gave her a confused look. "I thought you left early?"

"I did, but I'm talking about picking up Diego and Josie from school. They're coming out of practice any minute and I promised to take Diego home."

Penelope nodded. "Then you should go." She saw Celine running funny in her heels as she slammed the door. "Maybe you should wear sneakers next time!"

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net