Sigh of Relief

Chapter 11

Nila

Today is just not a good day for my sanity. We're understaffed, the restaurant's packed and one of the dishwashers has broken down. My phone has been buzzing like every other minute with texts from an unknown number which I've worked out to be Gabe's from the 'I miss you's and pleads to go out for dinner.

But I'm still all for service with a smile – those tips better keep coming.

If that wasn't enough, my mother showed up this morning. Drunk out of her mind, talking shit about owing some people money. And kindly threatening to give them our address if I didn't give her some cash. How loving.

I honestly couldn't tell if she was just using fear as a tactic or not but we have to be more on guard either way.

"Thank you dear," a customer quipped as I took their dishes away.

Once I drop them off in the kitchen, I take another lap around my section to make sure people are happy with their food or take away any empty plates. And apparently I forgot to remove parmesan from some guy's truffle pasta (he forgot to ask) so I find myself carrying a hot ass 35-dollar plate of food to the back even though he'd already started digging in.

Our hostess, Raina, seats another two people and pulls me aside for a second. "Hey, could you set a table for four real quick? I'm moving a res from Mitchell's section since they've upped the number of people."

"Yeah sure, what time's it for?"

"Umm, seven-thirty."

I nod and tell her I'll get on it after tending to the ones that just sat down. After a while I see an opening to take a bathroom break; there's practically nothing going on at my station and I've got about ten minutes until the res.

I'm about to go up to my coworker when Raina walks in with four more people.

What the hell?

I have to do a double take – is that... Noah?

Grabbing four menus, I clear my throat and temporarily forget about using the restroom.

The best way I can describe what this situation feels like is running into your 8th grade crush at Target after rolling out of bed ten minutes ago.

Unfortunately, I can't run and hide like I want to because I have to be an adult. As I walk up to the table to formally introduce myself, Noah's eyes find mine and widen with surprise.

Hopefully the smile/grimace and nod combination is good enough.

"Good evening, everyone, my name is Nila and I will be your server this evening. Can I start by offering you water?"

The woman who made the reservation, a Mrs Harred answers, "That would be great, thanks."

People usually only order a few drinks when they're here for meetings so I make sure to ask if they need menus or not.

"Are we going for dinner as well?" she asks the other three men.

"Oh, I'm ordering food. So hungry I could eat the southern end of a north bound cow."

If I had any doubt Noah came from the South, it was totally gone now. I laugh a little inside as the woman absolutely trashes him.

Apart from the younger man seated next to Noah who's a bit more reserved, they're laughing like old friends. It's a bit weird seeing him around other people because in most of our conversations he acts like he's shitting bricks but now he's.. normal?