You Will Be Found

Chapter Twenty

Since the first day on the job, I'd been working with Chef Charlie in the kitchen from four AM until ten AM, then he and I started spending a couple of hours until noon doing all of the sciencey stuff in the coffee house kitchen and exploring the extent of our ingredients and their scientific properties and reactions.

Mr Baxley caught us doing this on day two of out science experiments, before we had even explored anything past sugars in its various forms. We hadn't even started on live yeast or dairy cultures, or the number of different flours he had stocked in the kitchen stores.

So when Mr Baxley turned up and caught us in the act, not only was I worried that I was about to be fired, but I started grieving for the lost real-life science studies and experiments in a perfect well laid out lab (kitchen).

Chef Charlie obviously knew Mr Baxley, and in a surprising turn, defused his friend's wrath with his brash attitude and buddy-buddy behaviour, then winked at me and had me finish cleaning up and get home for the day.

I thought I was free and clear, but when I left the staff room with my bag, I found Mr Baxley waiting for me to have a word.

"Ms Laruna, please come with me." He turned around and strode out of the kitchen with his long legs and nice butt... I quickly shook that idea off and followed behind him. One of the things that I negotiated with Mr Leigh about my contract when I first applied for the job, was that I didn't work 'front of house' which means, not serving in the cafe seating area with the guests and customers. So when Mr Baxley sat down at a table in the corner of the coffee shop up near the servery, I felt very conspicuous and out of place. He waved at the comfy chair opposite him.

Just as I sat down, with my school bag in front of me like a shield, one of my work mates brought along a couple of drinks. An Americano in a shot coffee glass for him, and a pot of cherry vanilla tea for me. I wasn't sure what was going on here so I waited for him to explain.

"Drink up, relax. I just want to ask you how you're doing since you left the hospital. You left before I could say goodbye." I nodded in understanding and poured myself a cuppa. Great flavoured tea.

"So how are you?" he asked. I looked up at his face for the first time since sitting down and found his dark eyes watching me, looking all over my face like he was trying to see through my thoughts.

"I'm very good, Sir." I replied. He huffed in frustration, at what I wasn't sure.

"Are you well? Have circumstances at home changed? Did you get enough to eat since the hospital?" He shot the questions off quickly and ignored his coffee.

"I'm good, thank you." I smiled as I repeated what I'd just told him. "I moved into an apartment across the road. I love working here. I have kittens." I spoke lowly and quietly, but he still managed to hear me over the din of the coffee shop.

"That's good. Actually, you look much better than the last time I saw you. My Grandpa will be pleased to learn this. He worries about you," he explained.

"Yes, thank you." I didn't speak much after that, finished my tea quickly, asked to leave then left when he nodded. When I turned away from the seating area to leave, I heard him one last time.

"At least she doesn't tremble any more." It was a murmur that seemed to be filled with relief.

I was just incredibly grateful that I didn't get fired. I loved this job too much and I didn't want to miss out on learning from Chef Charlie doing food sciences.

When I came back into work the next day, there was a huge box on the work station in the middle of the kitchen. Pink baking utensils and equipment. Very bright pink. With a matching pink chef uniform double-breasted jacket as well.

"For you." Chef Charlie was certain they were for me because the jacket was pink and very small. "No way would that uniform fit me, even if I'd look fantastic in it." He then complained something about "Dates before mates" and went off in a snit the rest of the morning. I tried the jacket on. It felt batter quality that the one I was using, so I wore it. Perfect fit. I then pulled out all of the utensils: mixing spoons, whisks, ladles, piping bags, tongs, pastry knives (a whole set) and icing palates knives. I even found cookie cutters and silicon oven mitts.

"Who are these from?" I asked as I found a card at the bottom of the box. Should I open this?

"You even have to ask? Mr Baxley owns the place but invites you to tea once he's finished his monthly management meeting with Geoff." Geoff is Mr Leigh, the shop manager.

"Mr Baxley? That doesn't make sense." I shook my head as I opened the and read the card.

"Hope your new job continues to bring you joy. Just don't burn down the kitchen, the insurance won't cover damages. ~ Jaique B." Oh, he mentioned the fire making... I covered my face in my hands, wanting to bury myself in a crack in the floor.

"What does it say?" Chef Charlie pulled the card out of my hand as he passed me with an arm full of bags of flour. "Oh, he signed it with his first name. Wow, you two move fast, first names already!" He giggled as I snacked the card back. I tried to brush it off as just a welcome to work thing by the boss, but Charlie pointed out that technically, Jaique Baxley wasn't my boss, just the investor and owner of the place. Well, his family was.

I still tried to hide in the staff room until my flushed face turned back to normal. I went back to work, cleaning new pink utensils, making pastry and cake dough while feeling giddy inside.

That afternoon I came home to find Ms Margo on my doorstep with a bag of Thai curry takeaways in her hands. I smiled in welcome then jumped as she yelled at me.