Shawna was glad to get the job at
Honey’s Café, even though she expected it would be tiring work. Honey’s was one
of the most popular restaurants in Charleston’s historic district, and Honey
Jameson had a reputation as a great boss. Shawna dreamed of opening her own
place someday, and she knew she could learn a lot from Honey’s.
So she walked in, ringing the
hanging door bells, Wednesday morning ready to take on anything and everything.
The young man wiping down the tables smiled as he looked up. “We don’t open
till 11, sugar.”
“I’m starting work today. Honey
told me to come in at 9?”
He flipped the towel over his
shoulder and came toward her with his hand out to shake. “Oh, yeah, she said
something. Shawna, right? I’m Adam. Honey got all your paperwork done the other
day, didn’t she? Come on, I’ll show you around and we’ll get you started.”
Shawna followed Adam in a bemused
daze as he chattered non-stop, pointing out features in the dining room, the
kitchen, the pantry, and the walk-in fridge. “Okay, hon, here’s an apron. Go on
and finish up in the dining room, will you? The cleaning crew does a good job,
but we just like to go over everything before we open. And set the window seat
for Miss Mary, will you?"
Adam left her at the counter and
bounded back into the kitchen, calling out to the staff already beginning to
prepare the day’s food. Shawna wandered around the dining room, making sure the
tables and chairs were straight and there was a bud vase and shakers on each
table. There was a small table set in the front bay window, and she supposed
that was the one Adam wanted her to set for Miss Mary. She was just wondering
what to set on the table when a cute Latino came out of the kitchen with a tray
and flashed her a bright smile.
“You can set these on the table
for Miss Mary, por favor.”
As Shawna took the tray, he
grinned and added, “She likes to sit on the left side. Don’t stand there. She
doesn’t like that.” He turned and was back in the kitchen before she could ask
what he meant. Who was this Miss Mary? Why were they catering to her?
Shawna shrugged and took the tray
to the table. She set it on the right side while she placed everything on the
left. As she lay down the napkin, it fluttered out of her hand and onto the floor.
Not thinking about the warning she had just received, Shawna bent over the seat
to reach for the napkin. As she leaned down, she felt a shiver of freezing cold
sweep over her, and a sharp rap on the top of her outstretched hand.
She jumped back and bumped the
table behind her. “What the...!” She stared at the table, rubbing her hand. The
door bells rang, and Honey walked in.
“Ah, you’ve met Miss Mary, I take
it. She really doesn’t like it when we get in her space.” Honey looked at the
table and saw the napkin. She walked behind the chair and stooped behind it,
reaching in carefully as if to avoid touching someone. When she picked up the
napkin, she snapped it back into a clean fold and placed it carefully on the
table.
She rested her hand lightly on the
back of the chair and said, “Miss Mary, please allow me to introduce our new
staff, Shawna Whitson. She’s from over yonder past Orangegrove Creek. Please
excuse the boys. You know how they like to joke. I see Juan Martin brought you
a fresh cinnamon scone and some of your favorite peach tea. I hope you rest
awhile and enjoy it.”
She stepped back and turned
towards Shawna with a smile. “So, sugar, you ready to run out the door yet?”
Shawna followed her into the
kitchen. “Miss Jameson, um, Miss Honey…”
Honey laughed, a rich, warm sound.
“Just Honey will do, sugar. That’s what everyone calls me. Now, you’ve got
questions. Let’s hear ‘em, and see if you still want the job.”
Shawna resisted the temptation to
look back at the window table. She saw the expectant looks on Adam and Juan
Martin’s faces as they studiously avoided looking at her. She saw the patient,
accepting look in Honey’s eyes. Shawna shrugged. They were crazy, or putting
her on, no doubt. She didn’t know how they’d pulled their little practical
joke, but she wasn’t going to throw in the towel as easily as that. She could
play their game just fine. “No ma’am. That is, what do you want me to do now?”
Honey’s smile lit her eyes. Adam
nodded, and Juan Martin jumped a little in excitement. Shawna guessed she’d
passed some sort of test. The slight sound of a chair scraping on the concrete
floor made her jump. Honey picked up a knife to chop vegetables with Adam.
“Why don’t you go get the butter
out of the fridge and start cutting pats to lay on the bread plates. Before you
go in there, though, take a glass of water out to Miss Mary, will you?”
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Dogs in house:
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Houdini
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Time writing:
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~1 hour
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June word
count:
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16,434
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