Sequel: Flood ›
Tornado
Juniper
“JUNIPER!”
I woke with a start. “What’s on fire?” I mumbled stupidly.
Lisa shook her head and took a piece of paper off of my cheek. It had stuck there from drool and she wrinkled her nose.
“You were really out of it. You didn’t sleep last night?”
I stared at the wall. “Just a couple nightmares,” I said evasively but she understood.
“Well, Theresa is on the restaurant phone wanting to know if she can come in today instead.”
“Sure,” I said quickly and put my apron on.
It would be good having her come early. Then our waitress, Matilda, could get off prep and back on the floor. I knew Matilda enjoyed being on the line but she made a much better waitress than a cook. I went out into the kitchen and waited for Theresa, checking some plates before they were passed to Lisa. Theresa arrived about ten minutes later, her face pink from excitement.
Theresa was probably in her early 30’s. She had a lot of experience under her belt. After college she worked in several kitchens. Like most people, she started off humbly as a dish washer then went up from there. She had thick brown hair and brown eyes. She was about my height and I shook her hand with a grin.
“Thank you for letting me come early,” she said. “I’m just so excited.”
“That’s good! I’m really glad you are on the team. Follow me.” I led her back into the kitchen. “Now, I know I showed you everything during your interview and test but I want to cover everything again. You’ll be stationed here at the grill/fry during our busy hours. When it’s slow, I’ll have you prepping for dinner and that includes our desserts. If you need any help with the desserts, Eduardo is our formal pastry chef. People absolutely love our desserts, though, so he always needs the help.”
Theresa was nodding, her bubbly personality replaced with a more business appropriate demeanor. I was very impressed and I could tell she would do well here.
“Now, I know it wasn’t in the job description, but sometimes we get overwhelmed in other places as well. If the dishes pile up or if other stations need an extra hand, I expect you to take the initiative. I’ll be on the floor a lot because we’re short staffed on waiters and waitresses.”
“That must be hard,” she frowned but I shrugged.
“I don’t mind it. I like seeing our guests. Now, at the end of each night, you’ll put your apron in the hamper.” I showed her where it was. “Every Tuesday we send them down to the laundromat to have them cleaned. We have a special partnership with them; they give us a discount price and we put their name on the bottom of our menu. We have plenty of aprons between Tuesdays, though.”
“Will I be staying until close?” she asked.
I nodded. “A few nights you will. Mostly it will be the days when we’re busy. We have a cleaning crew that comes in the evenings to clean the kitchen. We do a deep clean, which includes steam washing, once a month. On those days, the kitchen staff will be helping so I hope you don’t mind scrubbing.” She shook her head quickly, showing me she was fine with that. “There is absolutely no smoking, drinking, or gossiping on the premises. If I catch you doing any of that, you’ll get one warning. After that, you’re out. Are we clear?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I think that covers everything. If you have any questions, feel free to come get me or ask one of your fellow cooks.”
“Is there a place I can put my purse and stuff?”
“Oh! Duh. Sorry. Yes, right over here.” I showed her the lockers. “Crap. I almost forgot the most important part. The fridges!” She laughed as we went into the far back. “We have two and one freezer.” I opened the first one. “In here is where we keep the vegetables and dessert ingredients. Everything, and I mean everything, is fresh. I don’t care if it takes an extra half hour, it’s fresh.” I opened the second one. “This has all the meats. I don’t tolerate cross contamination so make sure you label everything; that goes for the other fridge. The freezer mostly holds our ice and ice cream. Occasionally, Eduardo is asked to make a large batch of pies and cakes and he sticks them in here to freeze before they go out for delivery.”
“This is all very impressive,” she said as we walked back into the main kitchen and I handed her an apron. “I haven’t been in such a clean kitchen before.”
“I run a tight ship.” I heard Lisa calling for runners. “I’m going to give Lisa some help. Let me know if you have any problems.”
“Thank you so much, Miss Eaves.”
I smiled. “Call me Juniper.”
-
“Okay, boss,” Lisa said. “Home. Now.”
I shook my head, keeping my head bent over the paperwork. “I have to get these taxes done, Lisa. They’re due in three days.”
“How much do you have left to do?” I rubbed the back of my neck and she snatched the paper from my hand. She sighed. “Want to tell me why you don’t want to go home?”
I leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. “When I was out with Ryder, there was a tornado warning.” I saw her sit down on the desk out of the corner of my eye. “It threw me off. Bad.”
“I know how you feel about them,” she said softly, “but you need to sleep in a real bed. Do you want me to stay the night? We can invite Jennifer over and have a movie night.”
I smiled gratefully. “That would be great.”
She smiled back. “All right. It’s decided. I’ll order the pizza.”
“And I’ll get the ice cream.”
-
It had been a long time since I hung out with Lisa and Jennifer. I loved them both but I was so busy with work. Now, it was about 11 and we were all smashed.
“Tornadoes are so overrated,” I giggled, taking a swig of the rum.
Lisa took it before I could drink it all. “Nah. They’re just nature’s way of saying ‘fuck you’.”
I snorted, eating the last pizza slice.
“Hey!” Jennifer whined, pouting at me.
“Suck it up, buttercup,” I teased.
“Is there any ice cream left?”
I stood and stumbled to my freezer. “Uh…. We have some chocolate. At least, I think that’s what the container says.”
I laughed, taking it back in the living room and passing it to Jennifer. She took a bite and grimaced.
“It’s coconut, retard,” she said.
“Ah, well, they both start with a ‘C’,” I said, laying down on my back. “You know what’s better than chocolate ice cream?”
“What’s that?”
“Ryder’s chocolate brown eyes,” I sighed, grinning like a fool.
Lisa giggled. “I knew you had the hots for him!”
I propped myself up on my elbows. “Well, duh! He’s freaking hot!”
“I bet he is ripped under those business shirts,” Lisa said.
“Who is Ryder?” Jennifer asked and Lisa filled her in. She giggled, too. “You’ve always had a taste for business men.”
My phone rang and I looked at it, trying to read it. I frowned and answered.
“Stop calling me!” I yelled and Matt sighed.
“One more chance, babe.”
“Call me again and I’ll report you.”
“You’re drunk. Sure you don’t want me to come over?”
I groaned and hung up. “Why can’t he just leave me alone?”
“What happened between the two of you, anyway?” Lisa asked as Jennifer fed her a spoonful of ice cream.
I rolled my eyes. “It was my mom’s funeral and I got drunk. He took advantage of it.” I shrugged at the angry looks on their faces. “You should’ve seen the look on Zachary’s face when he found out,” I added with another drunken giggled.
“You are going to have the worst hangover tomorrow,” Lisa snorted. “What are you doing?”
I had sat up and got my phone out. “I’m gonna call Ryder,” I said with a grin.
Before I could press the call button, though, she snatched my phone.
“Hey!”
She shook her head and tossed it in the other room. “I’m not going to let you make a fool out of yourself.”
“Meh,” I groaned and lay on my stomach. “I think I’ll go to bed,” I added but before I could get up I passed out.
I woke with a start. “What’s on fire?” I mumbled stupidly.
Lisa shook her head and took a piece of paper off of my cheek. It had stuck there from drool and she wrinkled her nose.
“You were really out of it. You didn’t sleep last night?”
I stared at the wall. “Just a couple nightmares,” I said evasively but she understood.
“Well, Theresa is on the restaurant phone wanting to know if she can come in today instead.”
“Sure,” I said quickly and put my apron on.
It would be good having her come early. Then our waitress, Matilda, could get off prep and back on the floor. I knew Matilda enjoyed being on the line but she made a much better waitress than a cook. I went out into the kitchen and waited for Theresa, checking some plates before they were passed to Lisa. Theresa arrived about ten minutes later, her face pink from excitement.
Theresa was probably in her early 30’s. She had a lot of experience under her belt. After college she worked in several kitchens. Like most people, she started off humbly as a dish washer then went up from there. She had thick brown hair and brown eyes. She was about my height and I shook her hand with a grin.
“Thank you for letting me come early,” she said. “I’m just so excited.”
“That’s good! I’m really glad you are on the team. Follow me.” I led her back into the kitchen. “Now, I know I showed you everything during your interview and test but I want to cover everything again. You’ll be stationed here at the grill/fry during our busy hours. When it’s slow, I’ll have you prepping for dinner and that includes our desserts. If you need any help with the desserts, Eduardo is our formal pastry chef. People absolutely love our desserts, though, so he always needs the help.”
Theresa was nodding, her bubbly personality replaced with a more business appropriate demeanor. I was very impressed and I could tell she would do well here.
“Now, I know it wasn’t in the job description, but sometimes we get overwhelmed in other places as well. If the dishes pile up or if other stations need an extra hand, I expect you to take the initiative. I’ll be on the floor a lot because we’re short staffed on waiters and waitresses.”
“That must be hard,” she frowned but I shrugged.
“I don’t mind it. I like seeing our guests. Now, at the end of each night, you’ll put your apron in the hamper.” I showed her where it was. “Every Tuesday we send them down to the laundromat to have them cleaned. We have a special partnership with them; they give us a discount price and we put their name on the bottom of our menu. We have plenty of aprons between Tuesdays, though.”
“Will I be staying until close?” she asked.
I nodded. “A few nights you will. Mostly it will be the days when we’re busy. We have a cleaning crew that comes in the evenings to clean the kitchen. We do a deep clean, which includes steam washing, once a month. On those days, the kitchen staff will be helping so I hope you don’t mind scrubbing.” She shook her head quickly, showing me she was fine with that. “There is absolutely no smoking, drinking, or gossiping on the premises. If I catch you doing any of that, you’ll get one warning. After that, you’re out. Are we clear?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I think that covers everything. If you have any questions, feel free to come get me or ask one of your fellow cooks.”
“Is there a place I can put my purse and stuff?”
“Oh! Duh. Sorry. Yes, right over here.” I showed her the lockers. “Crap. I almost forgot the most important part. The fridges!” She laughed as we went into the far back. “We have two and one freezer.” I opened the first one. “In here is where we keep the vegetables and dessert ingredients. Everything, and I mean everything, is fresh. I don’t care if it takes an extra half hour, it’s fresh.” I opened the second one. “This has all the meats. I don’t tolerate cross contamination so make sure you label everything; that goes for the other fridge. The freezer mostly holds our ice and ice cream. Occasionally, Eduardo is asked to make a large batch of pies and cakes and he sticks them in here to freeze before they go out for delivery.”
“This is all very impressive,” she said as we walked back into the main kitchen and I handed her an apron. “I haven’t been in such a clean kitchen before.”
“I run a tight ship.” I heard Lisa calling for runners. “I’m going to give Lisa some help. Let me know if you have any problems.”
“Thank you so much, Miss Eaves.”
I smiled. “Call me Juniper.”
-
“Okay, boss,” Lisa said. “Home. Now.”
I shook my head, keeping my head bent over the paperwork. “I have to get these taxes done, Lisa. They’re due in three days.”
“How much do you have left to do?” I rubbed the back of my neck and she snatched the paper from my hand. She sighed. “Want to tell me why you don’t want to go home?”
I leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. “When I was out with Ryder, there was a tornado warning.” I saw her sit down on the desk out of the corner of my eye. “It threw me off. Bad.”
“I know how you feel about them,” she said softly, “but you need to sleep in a real bed. Do you want me to stay the night? We can invite Jennifer over and have a movie night.”
I smiled gratefully. “That would be great.”
She smiled back. “All right. It’s decided. I’ll order the pizza.”
“And I’ll get the ice cream.”
-
It had been a long time since I hung out with Lisa and Jennifer. I loved them both but I was so busy with work. Now, it was about 11 and we were all smashed.
“Tornadoes are so overrated,” I giggled, taking a swig of the rum.
Lisa took it before I could drink it all. “Nah. They’re just nature’s way of saying ‘fuck you’.”
I snorted, eating the last pizza slice.
“Hey!” Jennifer whined, pouting at me.
“Suck it up, buttercup,” I teased.
“Is there any ice cream left?”
I stood and stumbled to my freezer. “Uh…. We have some chocolate. At least, I think that’s what the container says.”
I laughed, taking it back in the living room and passing it to Jennifer. She took a bite and grimaced.
“It’s coconut, retard,” she said.
“Ah, well, they both start with a ‘C’,” I said, laying down on my back. “You know what’s better than chocolate ice cream?”
“What’s that?”
“Ryder’s chocolate brown eyes,” I sighed, grinning like a fool.
Lisa giggled. “I knew you had the hots for him!”
I propped myself up on my elbows. “Well, duh! He’s freaking hot!”
“I bet he is ripped under those business shirts,” Lisa said.
“Who is Ryder?” Jennifer asked and Lisa filled her in. She giggled, too. “You’ve always had a taste for business men.”
My phone rang and I looked at it, trying to read it. I frowned and answered.
“Stop calling me!” I yelled and Matt sighed.
“One more chance, babe.”
“Call me again and I’ll report you.”
“You’re drunk. Sure you don’t want me to come over?”
I groaned and hung up. “Why can’t he just leave me alone?”
“What happened between the two of you, anyway?” Lisa asked as Jennifer fed her a spoonful of ice cream.
I rolled my eyes. “It was my mom’s funeral and I got drunk. He took advantage of it.” I shrugged at the angry looks on their faces. “You should’ve seen the look on Zachary’s face when he found out,” I added with another drunken giggled.
“You are going to have the worst hangover tomorrow,” Lisa snorted. “What are you doing?”
I had sat up and got my phone out. “I’m gonna call Ryder,” I said with a grin.
Before I could press the call button, though, she snatched my phone.
“Hey!”
She shook her head and tossed it in the other room. “I’m not going to let you make a fool out of yourself.”
“Meh,” I groaned and lay on my stomach. “I think I’ll go to bed,” I added but before I could get up I passed out.