“Okay, so meat, potatoes, and Oreos. I can definitely swing that, champ. Let’s do it Sunday night. That way I can go shopping tomorrow after Janie’s gone and get crack-a-lackin’.”
“Nice. I’ll bring the wine. Just let me know what kind goes with Oreos.”
She clapped. “This is going to be so much fun! My very first kitchen, and my very first meal to cook. I’m so excited,” she smiled, and her eyes glittered.
“You look good when you’re happy,” he said with a lazy half smile.
“Well, then I must look absolutely fucking fantastic right now, because I am happy. Day 27 is turning out to be a really good day.” She smiled widely, and settled her head back on the seat to sigh.
They drove the rest of the way in comfortable silence and when they got to the cross streets, she told him to stop so she could hop out.
“Thanks again, JBG. You can pick me up right in front of the restaurant. I’ll see you later tonight. I’ll text you,” she said as she got out.
“Have a good one. ”
She got out and skipped to her last day of work.
……
Hours later at the end of her shift, she stepped into the Owner/Manager’s office and knocked to get his attention. Jonathan had texted a couple of minutes earlier to tell her that he’d found a parking spot outside in front of the restaurant and was waiting for her. She hadn’t bothered texting him back, knowing she would only be a minute.
She had already told the chef she was leaving and although Catherine was sad to see her go, she was thrilled about this new change for her. Now Ayanna just needed to hand in her resignation letter to Robert Rivera, the owner, and she’d be good to go.
“Hi , Robert. Do you have a sec?”
The middle aged man looked up and smiled. “Hi, Ayanna. I always have a sec for you. Come on in.” He cleared his papers from his desk and pointed to the chair in front of him.
Rather than sit, she stayed standing and handed him the envelope. Just as she did that, her phone went off in her satchel again. She was sure it was Jonathan. No one else would be texting her that late and she had already kept him longer than she’d intended.
He looked down at the envelope then looked up at her. “Don’t tell me this is what I think it is.”
She gave him an I’m afraid so smile and said, “I’ve had another job offer I’m really excited about. I’ve enjoyed working here, you know that. I just can’t turn this one down. Tonight is my last night, I’m afraid.”
He sat back. Ro bert was a paunchy, balding man. And truth be told, she had never really liked him. He settled into his chair, his beefy arms resting on the chair arms. “We should’ve moved you to head chef ages ago.”
Ayanna, a bit surprised by his comment, said, “No, Catherine is great. You did the right thing in choosing her. It’s just time to move on and try something new.”
He looked at her for a beat, then said, “Well, I can’t say we’re not gonna miss you something fierce, little lady.”
Ayanna internally rolled her eyes at his remark. He was an okay manager if not a little flirty, but definitely antiquated when it came to his endearments with the women working for him. Ayanna may have been an outrageous flirt with men in social settings, but she was the consummate professional in the work realm.
“I’ll miss you guys, too. I left my uniform in the locker room by the washers.” Then she put out her hand to shake his.
Instead of shaking her hand, Robert stood up and walked around the desk. When he stopped in front of her, he reached his arms around her and hugged her, pressing his entire front to hers. She was a little shocked and stood stiffly.
She pried her way out of his arms and stepped back. “O-kay. I gotta get going, Robert. Thanks for everything.” She turned, but felt his hand on her arm.
“You know, Ayanna. I’ve always thought you were a
“Nice. I’ll bring the wine. Just let me know what kind goes with Oreos.”
She clapped. “This is going to be so much fun! My very first kitchen, and my very first meal to cook. I’m so excited,” she smiled, and her eyes glittered.
“You look good when you’re happy,” he said with a lazy half smile.
“Well, then I must look absolutely fucking fantastic right now, because I am happy. Day 27 is turning out to be a really good day.” She smiled widely, and settled her head back on the seat to sigh.
They drove the rest of the way in comfortable silence and when they got to the cross streets, she told him to stop so she could hop out.
“Thanks again, JBG. You can pick me up right in front of the restaurant. I’ll see you later tonight. I’ll text you,” she said as she got out.
“Have a good one. ”
She got out and skipped to her last day of work.
……
Hours later at the end of her shift, she stepped into the Owner/Manager’s office and knocked to get his attention. Jonathan had texted a couple of minutes earlier to tell her that he’d found a parking spot outside in front of the restaurant and was waiting for her. She hadn’t bothered texting him back, knowing she would only be a minute.
She had already told the chef she was leaving and although Catherine was sad to see her go, she was thrilled about this new change for her. Now Ayanna just needed to hand in her resignation letter to Robert Rivera, the owner, and she’d be good to go.
“Hi , Robert. Do you have a sec?”
The middle aged man looked up and smiled. “Hi, Ayanna. I always have a sec for you. Come on in.” He cleared his papers from his desk and pointed to the chair in front of him.
Rather than sit, she stayed standing and handed him the envelope. Just as she did that, her phone went off in her satchel again. She was sure it was Jonathan. No one else would be texting her that late and she had already kept him longer than she’d intended.
He looked down at the envelope then looked up at her. “Don’t tell me this is what I think it is.”
She gave him an I’m afraid so smile and said, “I’ve had another job offer I’m really excited about. I’ve enjoyed working here, you know that. I just can’t turn this one down. Tonight is my last night, I’m afraid.”
He sat back. Ro bert was a paunchy, balding man. And truth be told, she had never really liked him. He settled into his chair, his beefy arms resting on the chair arms. “We should’ve moved you to head chef ages ago.”
Ayanna, a bit surprised by his comment, said, “No, Catherine is great. You did the right thing in choosing her. It’s just time to move on and try something new.”
He looked at her for a beat, then said, “Well, I can’t say we’re not gonna miss you something fierce, little lady.”
Ayanna internally rolled her eyes at his remark. He was an okay manager if not a little flirty, but definitely antiquated when it came to his endearments with the women working for him. Ayanna may have been an outrageous flirt with men in social settings, but she was the consummate professional in the work realm.
“I’ll miss you guys, too. I left my uniform in the locker room by the washers.” Then she put out her hand to shake his.
Instead of shaking her hand, Robert stood up and walked around the desk. When he stopped in front of her, he reached his arms around her and hugged her, pressing his entire front to hers. She was a little shocked and stood stiffly.
She pried her way out of his arms and stepped back. “O-kay. I gotta get going, Robert. Thanks for everything.” She turned, but felt his hand on her arm.
“You know, Ayanna. I’ve always thought you were a
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