Abby
Vanessa walks up to me, her heels clicking softly on the tile floor. The room slowly begins to pick up its volume again, but I feel lost in a giant void.
“Are you okay, Abby?” Vanessa asks, her voice pulling me back to the present.
“I-I’m fine,” I murmur, although the words feel like a complete and utter lie. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause a scene.” I glance at Karl, who's standing a few feet away, watching intently.
Vanessa smiles, a soft, empathetic curve of her lips that immediately puts me at ease. “Don’t be sorry. The culinary world isn’t exactly a bed of roses for women, you know? We’re already at a disadvantage just by being female chefs.”
“That shouldn’t be the case,” I find myself saying, a hint of bitterness in my voice. “Skill and talent should be wh
