and I almost tripped
yesterday. I ended up folding each leg and stapling the folds,"
I confess softly in the quiet room. Her brown eyes are wide and
unblinking. She doesn't speak for a full minute.
"Stapled?"
she finally breaks the silence. "You walked around with stapled pants on yesterday?"
"No one knew,"
I'm quick to say. "We were only serving customers for a few
hours." Like five.
She bites her lips as
if it's hard to contain herself. " That is not
professional. Next time please come speak to me before you make such
a stupid decision." Anna's voice shakes a little.
I had to do it. I
shouldn’t feel bad about it. I look at the floor, unable to meet
her eyes. Will I never fit in here?
"Do you
understand?"
"Yes," I
answer quietly. "I do."
Quietly, I slip out of
my old work uniform and put on my new one. The blouse barely fits.
"Barely" meaning the buttons are a millimeter away from
breaking. The pants are also snug, so much so that I can't breathe.
Quickly, I take it off and put it back where Anna had found it. I
drop to my knees, and open the second drawer underneath it. A row of
black pants are carefully folded inside. When I see the size three
tag, I take the pants out, and slip it on as fast as I can. They feel
looser, but still mold to my body enough that Anna won't notice. I
leave the old clothes in my locker and walk out the door.
Anna scrutinizes me.
"Much better." She says it with relief.
"I'm nervous that
the buttons will burst," I confess, trying to tug my blouse in
place.
"The buttons are
durable."
I wonder how "durable"
buttons will help them stay on blouses, but Anna turns away and I
know it's the end of the discussion. We walk down the stairs
together. Courtney and Stella are gone.
"Alex is waiting
for you by the cash register." She checks her watch. "Although
you're ten minutes late so he could be anywhere now." She goes
into her office and I continue forward, past the bustling kitchen,
and through the doors to waiting customers and an annoyed Alex.
Here we go.
Chapter 12
I'm immediately
informed there is a line two blocks long for lunch. Alex looks
irritable, but manages to give a compliment about my new look. Sort
of. "I can actually see you're a girl today," he says,
quickly glancing over me.
"That I am,"
I respond, attempting to be light.
"Don't talk. Just
listen." My mouth closes, and any lightness I hoped to have
evaporates like boiling water. He continues hurriedly. "I need
you on tables seven, eight, eleven, and twelve. Nine is red and the
guests won't be here for two hours."
Red means "special". What does "special" mean? Alex doesn't explain, and
begins walking to the host table. There is a group of college
students standing idly by. Alex gestures to them. "Seat them at
eleven. Smile. Get their order right. And try not to breathe too
much; that top looks like it's about to burst."
I turn two shades of
scarlet. Didn't I try to tell Anna that? I nod at his instructions,
and attempt my best smile. "Follow me," I tell the group.
Alex clasps my elbow,
pulling me close. "I can tell when you're faking a smile,
Jules."
I smile wider. "You
can, but they can't," I bluff, letting him watch me go. I
take the group's order, and while I wait for the girl to decide what
she wants, I make up my mind to smile with my lips only. I don't want
to intimidate any tippers.
Soon, I have no time to
think, only to move and carry tray after tray of food out. Maddie's
is a well-oiled machine. Once the crowd starts growing Anna is on the
floor, constantly checking on customers, and on us. I'm nervous
whenever she's near by. Her eyes are always assessing, noticing the
most minute details. I see her tap Courtney on the shoulder to let
her know a strand of hair had come undone from her braid. Anna even
has another waiter change his shirt when a guest spills water on him,
preferring him to wear something new rather than let it air dry.
Perfection at all times.
It's not what I'm used
to, but I adjust. I get my
yesterday. I ended up folding each leg and stapling the folds,"
I confess softly in the quiet room. Her brown eyes are wide and
unblinking. She doesn't speak for a full minute.
"Stapled?"
she finally breaks the silence. "You walked around with stapled pants on yesterday?"
"No one knew,"
I'm quick to say. "We were only serving customers for a few
hours." Like five.
She bites her lips as
if it's hard to contain herself. " That is not
professional. Next time please come speak to me before you make such
a stupid decision." Anna's voice shakes a little.
I had to do it. I
shouldn’t feel bad about it. I look at the floor, unable to meet
her eyes. Will I never fit in here?
"Do you
understand?"
"Yes," I
answer quietly. "I do."
Quietly, I slip out of
my old work uniform and put on my new one. The blouse barely fits.
"Barely" meaning the buttons are a millimeter away from
breaking. The pants are also snug, so much so that I can't breathe.
Quickly, I take it off and put it back where Anna had found it. I
drop to my knees, and open the second drawer underneath it. A row of
black pants are carefully folded inside. When I see the size three
tag, I take the pants out, and slip it on as fast as I can. They feel
looser, but still mold to my body enough that Anna won't notice. I
leave the old clothes in my locker and walk out the door.
Anna scrutinizes me.
"Much better." She says it with relief.
"I'm nervous that
the buttons will burst," I confess, trying to tug my blouse in
place.
"The buttons are
durable."
I wonder how "durable"
buttons will help them stay on blouses, but Anna turns away and I
know it's the end of the discussion. We walk down the stairs
together. Courtney and Stella are gone.
"Alex is waiting
for you by the cash register." She checks her watch. "Although
you're ten minutes late so he could be anywhere now." She goes
into her office and I continue forward, past the bustling kitchen,
and through the doors to waiting customers and an annoyed Alex.
Here we go.
Chapter 12
I'm immediately
informed there is a line two blocks long for lunch. Alex looks
irritable, but manages to give a compliment about my new look. Sort
of. "I can actually see you're a girl today," he says,
quickly glancing over me.
"That I am,"
I respond, attempting to be light.
"Don't talk. Just
listen." My mouth closes, and any lightness I hoped to have
evaporates like boiling water. He continues hurriedly. "I need
you on tables seven, eight, eleven, and twelve. Nine is red and the
guests won't be here for two hours."
Red means "special". What does "special" mean? Alex doesn't explain, and
begins walking to the host table. There is a group of college
students standing idly by. Alex gestures to them. "Seat them at
eleven. Smile. Get their order right. And try not to breathe too
much; that top looks like it's about to burst."
I turn two shades of
scarlet. Didn't I try to tell Anna that? I nod at his instructions,
and attempt my best smile. "Follow me," I tell the group.
Alex clasps my elbow,
pulling me close. "I can tell when you're faking a smile,
Jules."
I smile wider. "You
can, but they can't," I bluff, letting him watch me go. I
take the group's order, and while I wait for the girl to decide what
she wants, I make up my mind to smile with my lips only. I don't want
to intimidate any tippers.
Soon, I have no time to
think, only to move and carry tray after tray of food out. Maddie's
is a well-oiled machine. Once the crowd starts growing Anna is on the
floor, constantly checking on customers, and on us. I'm nervous
whenever she's near by. Her eyes are always assessing, noticing the
most minute details. I see her tap Courtney on the shoulder to let
her know a strand of hair had come undone from her braid. Anna even
has another waiter change his shirt when a guest spills water on him,
preferring him to wear something new rather than let it air dry.
Perfection at all times.
It's not what I'm used
to, but I adjust. I get my
Similar Books
