Basil Winters: Lies Never Stay Covered for Long.
Be seen and not heard.
Basil:
I sigh as my best friend Sophie whom was 12weeks pregnant begged me between her puking, to cover her shift, she was an event waitress, at the 'Party of the Year' she offered to buy me chocolate and cover my shifts in the cafe for the next week. I gave her a skeptical look, she couldn't handle the smell of bacon at the moment how would she cope when the cafe served bacon as a main staple. I sigh as she then pulls out the biggest sympathetic look she can and states "The Event pays thrice the normal pay, Basil. I need the money for bump." she rubs her small swollen stomach. I give in.
"I want a third of the pay as there is no way I am giving you my shifts in the Cafe, your dad would kill me when he returns from the 'quaint bistro convention.' he's inconveniently booked at the same time that building commences up the road on the new school, we have thrice the custom and builders like bacon not puke with their eggs." I laugh as she pukes again just from the thought.
About half an hour later I am dressed in her waistcoat and badge, with my short blonde tresses pinned back. She is rubbing her bump and apologising for the situation she is putting me in. I hug her and reassure her that I don't mind and that I'd do anything for her and the bump.
Her sister walks past and sighs sadly unable to revel in the excitement of becoming an auntie. Brooklyn - Brook had found it hard to get used to the fact her sister had kept the baby from the rape, worst though was that Brook's feelings compromised her catholic beliefs. Carter, Sophie's brother and Brook's twin, on the other hand had decided to ignore the conception of his niece or nephew and embraced the upcoming Uncle-dom.
I checked my make up and reapplied my deodorant. "Basil it's time to go. Now remember you are Sophie Fitzgerald, and the reason why its thrice the pay is that its for some guy whose parents are paying extra to have added privacy. Your phone will be taken off you, so don't be shocked if they also pat you down." she smiled, I nodded at her words as this was standard when waiting a party in this affluent part of London.
I grabbed my bag and removed my ID. Taking my phone and enough cash for a ride both ways. I wave to Sophie as she closes the door and probably running back to the toilet. I get the bus to Wimbledon and walk to the venue and gasp they had booked Cannizaro House, a large estate house, I walk up the drive to see a woman with a clipboard she see me and her eyes seethe with anger, "Miss, why are you walking towards the front entrance?"
"I'm looking for the organizer, I'm Sophie Fitzgerald, I'm one of the wait staff." I smile as she frowns.
"We've been waiting for you, your late. Follow me to the back entrance." She walks and I follow, we walk in to a locker room and she starts barking, "Phone, Jewelry and personal belongings in this zip bag please. I do as she says and then I am passed a wipe. "remove all of your eye make up, dress code is mascara and pale gloss." she leaves me and asks all of the other wait staff to be ready for instruction in five.
I wipe off my black eyeliner and reapply some mascara lent let off an other girl, her name was Bettine she looked me up and down and whispered "Your not Sophie Fitz, but your luck I'm the only one who knows and Sophie text me." She winked knowingly.
I smiled back as the Events manager gathered us around. "The venue is a large room with a circular raised dance space. Along the walls are seats and side tables. Drinks and Hors d'oeuvres are served in an arc from both sides when at the top waitstaff will pass each other and serve the opposite sides and then return to the kitchen, sending the next pair out. The main buffet will open on the sides of the arcs, drinks and cocktail sandwiches will continue to be passed out. Please note if you see somebody whom is drunk, and appears not to have eaten go over and ask if they find the buffet satisfactory or if they would like a fresh dish from the kitchen. I also ask both male and female wait staff not to fraternize or smile at the guests. You are to be seen not heard and also to be deaf unless required to listen. Thank you." she then walks off.
The head of Hors d'oeuvres gives us trays and tells us to learn our trays. They give me fish ones and fish wine. I then stand in line and two at a time we are sent around when the two return, another do the rounds. On my turn Bettine is my partner we walk out the double doors and to the split off into the circle and back to the kitchen nodding as we pass the other at due north, the party is in full flow by the sixth loop, we are on our second as the buffet is opened. we hand out napkins and side plates, knives forks and spoon sets. I notice that a booth around due north is where the party is the most concentrated, I end up spending five minutes with Bettine handing out a dozen dining kits. We then start back around. I get back to the kitchen and Bettine laughs "Did you see the girl draped over the birthday boy?"
"No, I'll look out for her." I smile. It is now near midnight and the champagne is due around. Bettine walks back from the buffet table and slips on some water, her ankle is twisted she is sent home. I smile and say that if a dispute over pay arises I'll help explain the situation. There was 12 sets of wait staff left and me. The Event lady returns and sends us around two by two to twelve different side tables one group per a side then she tuts and sends me to the thirteenth top table with enough glasses for two teams staff!, I nod nervously as she then sends the kitchen staff to prepare the thirteen champagne wells and they will be brought out in the speeches she says.
I make it to the top table and start placing out champagne flutes on the small side table opposite ready to serve each person one by one once the champagne arrived. I am counting glasses when someone taps me violently on the shoulder, I wince but compose myself as I turn.
I shoot out the spiel "Is the buffet satisfactory..." he buts in.
"I prefer yours, Sophie." he smirks I then see his face properly as the lights change, its him. Harper Rhymes, Sophie's rapist. He knows me and I know him. "Your not Sophie!" he grunts.
"I am, I'm just the not the Sophie you want sir," I say hoping he'll disappear.
"Your Sophie's friend the herb one. She told me you were feisty and that she looked up to you. Well she's a Whore and Whores are only friends with other Whores." he spits at me and I smell the pure liquor on his breath, he grabs my waist and puts his hand in my hair, I push him off gently.
Then suddenly, a guy with shoulder length hair appears behind him and says in a posh voice, ah its the Eton Accent according to the shows that Sophie watches. He is dressed smartly, I can't see exactly how for the poor lighting but his voice is a god send when I realise he's not drunk or here to take advantage of me too.
"Harper, let her go." he says and my heart melts as Harper's grip lessened.
"Shut up, James. She's a common whore, she's not even supposed to be working..." Harper shouts drunkenly, he angrily grabs my wrist and suddenly James grabs his shoulder and spins Harper off balance and thwack, Punches his face. Harper topples and releases me at the same time I am thrown slightly on to the table of glasses, which shatters and cuts my arm, hands and slices my face slightly.
"Ah!" I scream as the music cuts off and the bouncers come around.
"Here," James hand is under my wrist and helping me up the lights are back up as the first aiders and bouncers walk us to a side room and carry Harper to another.
I am helped on to a chair once my injuries are decided to be minor, James uninjured looks at me and smiles. "I'm glad your okay."
"Yeah, thanks for that," I smile looking my shirt over I was going to have a few small scars. I unbutton Sophie's waist coat not wanting to get blood on it.
"So, why did Harper go..." James started as a bouncer returned and announced the arrival of an ambulance for me.
"Happy Birthday" I say as I notice the T-shirt saying kiss me its my party. I walk off and that was the end of it.
I was taken to the emergency room and had glass removed and some larger cuts stitched. my face cuts were superficial. I then phoned for a cab and paid them from the cash on my dresser when I got home. I sighed as I climbed into bed.
That could have been my world, if I'd stayed in america but then again I could have been murdered if I had stayed. I'm happy for the blessing of this simple life I was living in the U.K
I sigh as my best friend Sophie whom was 12weeks pregnant begged me between her puking, to cover her shift, she was an event waitress, at the 'Party of the Year' she offered to buy me chocolate and cover my shifts in the cafe for the next week. I gave her a skeptical look, she couldn't handle the smell of bacon at the moment how would she cope when the cafe served bacon as a main staple. I sigh as she then pulls out the biggest sympathetic look she can and states "The Event pays thrice the normal pay, Basil. I need the money for bump." she rubs her small swollen stomach. I give in.
"I want a third of the pay as there is no way I am giving you my shifts in the Cafe, your dad would kill me when he returns from the 'quaint bistro convention.' he's inconveniently booked at the same time that building commences up the road on the new school, we have thrice the custom and builders like bacon not puke with their eggs." I laugh as she pukes again just from the thought.
About half an hour later I am dressed in her waistcoat and badge, with my short blonde tresses pinned back. She is rubbing her bump and apologising for the situation she is putting me in. I hug her and reassure her that I don't mind and that I'd do anything for her and the bump.
Her sister walks past and sighs sadly unable to revel in the excitement of becoming an auntie. Brooklyn - Brook had found it hard to get used to the fact her sister had kept the baby from the rape, worst though was that Brook's feelings compromised her catholic beliefs. Carter, Sophie's brother and Brook's twin, on the other hand had decided to ignore the conception of his niece or nephew and embraced the upcoming Uncle-dom.
I checked my make up and reapplied my deodorant. "Basil it's time to go. Now remember you are Sophie Fitzgerald, and the reason why its thrice the pay is that its for some guy whose parents are paying extra to have added privacy. Your phone will be taken off you, so don't be shocked if they also pat you down." she smiled, I nodded at her words as this was standard when waiting a party in this affluent part of London.
I grabbed my bag and removed my ID. Taking my phone and enough cash for a ride both ways. I wave to Sophie as she closes the door and probably running back to the toilet. I get the bus to Wimbledon and walk to the venue and gasp they had booked Cannizaro House, a large estate house, I walk up the drive to see a woman with a clipboard she see me and her eyes seethe with anger, "Miss, why are you walking towards the front entrance?"
"I'm looking for the organizer, I'm Sophie Fitzgerald, I'm one of the wait staff." I smile as she frowns.
"We've been waiting for you, your late. Follow me to the back entrance." She walks and I follow, we walk in to a locker room and she starts barking, "Phone, Jewelry and personal belongings in this zip bag please. I do as she says and then I am passed a wipe. "remove all of your eye make up, dress code is mascara and pale gloss." she leaves me and asks all of the other wait staff to be ready for instruction in five.
I wipe off my black eyeliner and reapply some mascara lent let off an other girl, her name was Bettine she looked me up and down and whispered "Your not Sophie Fitz, but your luck I'm the only one who knows and Sophie text me." She winked knowingly.
I smiled back as the Events manager gathered us around. "The venue is a large room with a circular raised dance space. Along the walls are seats and side tables. Drinks and Hors d'oeuvres are served in an arc from both sides when at the top waitstaff will pass each other and serve the opposite sides and then return to the kitchen, sending the next pair out. The main buffet will open on the sides of the arcs, drinks and cocktail sandwiches will continue to be passed out. Please note if you see somebody whom is drunk, and appears not to have eaten go over and ask if they find the buffet satisfactory or if they would like a fresh dish from the kitchen. I also ask both male and female wait staff not to fraternize or smile at the guests. You are to be seen not heard and also to be deaf unless required to listen. Thank you." she then walks off.
The head of Hors d'oeuvres gives us trays and tells us to learn our trays. They give me fish ones and fish wine. I then stand in line and two at a time we are sent around when the two return, another do the rounds. On my turn Bettine is my partner we walk out the double doors and to the split off into the circle and back to the kitchen nodding as we pass the other at due north, the party is in full flow by the sixth loop, we are on our second as the buffet is opened. we hand out napkins and side plates, knives forks and spoon sets. I notice that a booth around due north is where the party is the most concentrated, I end up spending five minutes with Bettine handing out a dozen dining kits. We then start back around. I get back to the kitchen and Bettine laughs "Did you see the girl draped over the birthday boy?"
"No, I'll look out for her." I smile. It is now near midnight and the champagne is due around. Bettine walks back from the buffet table and slips on some water, her ankle is twisted she is sent home. I smile and say that if a dispute over pay arises I'll help explain the situation. There was 12 sets of wait staff left and me. The Event lady returns and sends us around two by two to twelve different side tables one group per a side then she tuts and sends me to the thirteenth top table with enough glasses for two teams staff!, I nod nervously as she then sends the kitchen staff to prepare the thirteen champagne wells and they will be brought out in the speeches she says.
I make it to the top table and start placing out champagne flutes on the small side table opposite ready to serve each person one by one once the champagne arrived. I am counting glasses when someone taps me violently on the shoulder, I wince but compose myself as I turn.
I shoot out the spiel "Is the buffet satisfactory..." he buts in.
"I prefer yours, Sophie." he smirks I then see his face properly as the lights change, its him. Harper Rhymes, Sophie's rapist. He knows me and I know him. "Your not Sophie!" he grunts.
"I am, I'm just the not the Sophie you want sir," I say hoping he'll disappear.
"Your Sophie's friend the herb one. She told me you were feisty and that she looked up to you. Well she's a Whore and Whores are only friends with other Whores." he spits at me and I smell the pure liquor on his breath, he grabs my waist and puts his hand in my hair, I push him off gently.
Then suddenly, a guy with shoulder length hair appears behind him and says in a posh voice, ah its the Eton Accent according to the shows that Sophie watches. He is dressed smartly, I can't see exactly how for the poor lighting but his voice is a god send when I realise he's not drunk or here to take advantage of me too.
"Harper, let her go." he says and my heart melts as Harper's grip lessened.
"Shut up, James. She's a common whore, she's not even supposed to be working..." Harper shouts drunkenly, he angrily grabs my wrist and suddenly James grabs his shoulder and spins Harper off balance and thwack, Punches his face. Harper topples and releases me at the same time I am thrown slightly on to the table of glasses, which shatters and cuts my arm, hands and slices my face slightly.
"Ah!" I scream as the music cuts off and the bouncers come around.
"Here," James hand is under my wrist and helping me up the lights are back up as the first aiders and bouncers walk us to a side room and carry Harper to another.
I am helped on to a chair once my injuries are decided to be minor, James uninjured looks at me and smiles. "I'm glad your okay."
"Yeah, thanks for that," I smile looking my shirt over I was going to have a few small scars. I unbutton Sophie's waist coat not wanting to get blood on it.
"So, why did Harper go..." James started as a bouncer returned and announced the arrival of an ambulance for me.
"Happy Birthday" I say as I notice the T-shirt saying kiss me its my party. I walk off and that was the end of it.
I was taken to the emergency room and had glass removed and some larger cuts stitched. my face cuts were superficial. I then phoned for a cab and paid them from the cash on my dresser when I got home. I sighed as I climbed into bed.
That could have been my world, if I'd stayed in america but then again I could have been murdered if I had stayed. I'm happy for the blessing of this simple life I was living in the U.K