Dex Restaurant.
"What's up with Carl?" Dexter asked Veronica casually.
"Skipped school. No one knows where he ran off to," Veronica replied.
"Ah. Fiona's looking for him?"
"Yeah, she's frantic." Veronica paused, then added, "But he's probably fine. Carl does this all the time. Frank probably sweet-talked him into some 'scheme' or another."
Dexter smiled. "Carl's a good kid."
Veronica laughed at that. "Boss, are you being sarcastic?"
"No, really." Dexter shook his head with a smile, leaving it at that. "Alright then, I'm heading out for a bit. See you tonight."
With that, Dexter left the restaurant.
This was part of the arrangement they had agreed on. Once Dexter finished the lunch rush, he would head out.
Veronica and Vivian would stay at the restaurant. They could find something to do, stare into space, whatever they liked.
"Vivian, have you ever had a job this weird?" Watching Dexter leave, Veronica felt conflicting emotions.
Hearing the question, Vivian put down her book, smiled at Veronica, and shook her head. "No. But it feels great. Getting paid, having lots of free time... it's really nice."
That was the honest truth.
But this life of money and leisure was brand new to Veronica, and she hadn't adjusted yet.
"It is nice, I just don't know what to do with myself," Veronica admitted, feeling awkward. She looked at the book in Vivian's hands. "You've been reading that for a while. Is it any good?"
"It's pretty good. It's about vampires. Want to read it when I'm done? I'm almost finished," Vivian offered.
Reading?
Please.
She hadn't read a book in years.
Veronica felt ridiculous.
But even more ridiculous was...
There really wasn't anything else to do.
Veronica decided she might as well give it a shot, just to kill time.
"Sure. Let me see it when you're done," Veronica said—words she never thought she'd utter before today.
"Okay, just a few minutes," Vivian replied. Then, after a thought, she offered a genuine suggestion. "Do you have a laptop? I think you could bring it tomorrow. When there's nothing to do, you can go online. Don't you still need to study for your GED?"
Veronica hadn't forgotten. "Good point."
They chatted for a little while longer.
Veronica let Vivian get back to her book.
When Vivian finished, she handed the book to Veronica. "You can start reading. I'm going to the kitchen to make a few dishes. You can try them—I know how to cook food too."
Dexter had said that after business hours, both Vivian and Veronica could use the kitchen however they pleased.
Veronica was surprised. "Huh? You know how to cook food?"
"I learned it a while back," Vivian grinned.
Hearing this, Veronica couldn't help but feel a twinge of inadequacy. Vivian was beautiful, had a great personality, possessed an air of class, and could cook? She was almost too perfect.
"Impressive," Veronica praised her.
"Thanks."
Vivian ducked into the kitchen.
Veronica settled down and started reading the book, forcing herself to be patient.
---
Meanwhile.
Dexter, a cigarette dangling from his lips, drove to an electronics store. He browsed briefly, paid, and bought a new LCD TV.
After that, he hit a furniture store and bought a bookshelf.
Finally, on the way back to the restaurant, he stopped and bought a bunch of fruit.
When he arrived back at the restaurant.
He saw several dishes laid out on the table in front of Veronica. There were sounds coming from the kitchen—Vivian was clearly still busy.
Seeing Dexter, Veronica immediately spoke up, surprised. "Boss, Vivian's cooking is amazing. come try it."
Dexter knew Vivian had skills.
But after tasting the food, he was still a little surprised.
It tasted great, but that wasn't the main point. The point was that Vivian hadn't made traditional food; she had made Americanized food—dishes modified to suit the local palate perfectly.
For Dexter, this raised a question.
How long has Vivian actually lived in the US? Dexter wondered silently.
Just then, Vivian walked out. She was wearing a chef's uniform with her beautiful blonde hair pinned up under a chef's hat—a true beauty in the kitchen. She was carrying a steaming plate of vegetables.
"Boss, you're back," Vivian greeted him with a happy smile.
"I had to come back. If I stayed away any longer, this restaurant might have a new owner," Dexter's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but tease.
Vivian laughed even brighter. "Boss, you're such a joker. Did you try my food? What do you think?"
Dexter gave a decisive thumbs-up. "Very good."
As the words left his mouth, Dexter had an idea. "If I ever want to be lazy, you can take over. Half the profits from that day go to you."
This idea wasn't actually aimed at Vivian, but at Veronica.
After saying it, Dexter turned to Veronica. "Veronica, the same goes for you. But you'll need to learn how to cook food. After all, this is a restaurant."
Veronica perked up immediately. "Deal! I'll learn."
"Alright, you guys carry on. I'm going out to hang. Oh, I bought some fruit, and there's some stuff being delivered later. You guys handle it, okay?" Dexter put down the fruit and said.
---
Leaving the restaurant.
Dexter strolled over to the Alibi Room to kill time with Kevin. He wanted to chat about Kevin's engagement and help him solve his little "problem."
At this time of the afternoon, the bar was nearly empty.
Kevin was behind the bar with nothing to do. Seeing Dexter walk in, he immediately grinned and teased, "Veronica didn't screw something up already, did she? You here to complain?"
"You're so smart!" Dexter shot back, teasing him right back.
Hearing this.
Kevin's brain short-circuited. He jumped, startled. "Really?"
Look at that goofy face. So entertaining.
"I'm messing with you," Dexter laughed, sitting at the bar. "Gimme a beer."
Kevin let out a long sigh of relief. "Don't scare me like that. I almost thought she got fired on her first day."
"Not a chance," Dexter smiled. Then, changing the subject, he asked casually, "Speaking of Veronica, what's your situation?"
Kevin looked guilty. "What... what situation?"
"Your reaction last night was off. You seemed happy, but mostly... worried," Dexter said calmly. "What's the deal? You already have a wife?"
At these words.
Kevin was stunned. He couldn't believe Dexter had guessed it just like that. His eyes went wide as saucers!
Dexter saw this and immediately played along, feigning shock. "Holy sh--! You really have a wife?"
Kevin snapped out of it and hurriedly hissed, "Keep it down."
Dexter gave Kevin a look of disdain. "You're still trying to hide it? Kevin, that's not cool."
Kevin looked helpless, scratching his head. "I don't want to hide it. I just don't know how to tell Veronica. Sigh..."
Saying this, Kevin poured himself a beer and downed it in one go. "Actually, I don't exactly have a wife. I got married, but I split with that crazy woman ages ago. We just never got divorced."
"So, you abandoned your wife and child?" Dexter didn't hesitate. He put on a stern face, staring at Kevin solemnly. "Call yourself a man?"
Kevin panicked. Like, really panicked: "..."