His Hired Lady

Episode 3: Job offer

I was really having a hard time accepting what this decision from the school truly meant for my life now.

I drove, absentmindedly, all the way to the little diner that I have worked at for the past six years.

I sat in the parking lot for quite a few minutes before I saw two huge charter buses pull up in the parking spaces behind me.

“Oh shit.” I whispered to myself. My co-workers were about to get slammed with orders and I knew that there was only one cook in the back with about two waitresses up front. There was no way that they’d be able to handle all of these customers alone.

I reached into the back of the car, retrieved my black slip-resistant shoes, and slipped them on as fast as I possibly could.

I grabbed my work apron from my glove compartment and quickly jumped out of the car.

I noticed the bus’s doors opening as I slipped inside the diner.

“ALAURA? What on Earth are you doing here this early? You should be in class, young lady.” Ms. Allison scolded me in a motherly tone.

I smiled as I kept walking towards the hostess’s station. I loved working at this diner. Everyone here was literally my second family. They knew my story, every bit of it, and they never once judged me. Ms. Allison took me under her wing when I stepped in the diner six years ago looking for something to eat with only seven dollars and twelve cents to my name.

She allowed me to come and stay with her, even though she had just met me that night. I thought she took pity on me, but she always told  me that she loved me from the very moment she laid eyes on me. I call her “ma” to show her that she is like my second mother.

“Long story, ma, but I promise I will tell you as soon as the rush is over.” I said as I grabbed a writing pad for the orders and some straws to place inside my apron.

“What rush?” She asked as she glanced around the empty diner.

No sooner than she asked the question did the doors to the diner fly open. It seemed like over a hundred people were trying to cram inside the diner and we were not completely ready.

I nodded my head towards the door. “That rush.”

“Oh my,” Ma whispered.

“No worries, you get them seated and Tori and I will handle the rest.” I said as Tori, the other waitress who was a mother of four beautiful little girls, came out of the kitchen door.

“What the…?” Tori started.

“No time to explain, I’ll take the ones near the door, and you take the ones in the back. We can split the middle tables.” I said as I hurried around the counter to take the first table order.

We worked like busy little bees for almost two and a half hours straight, but I didn’t mind it at all, since it was serving as a great distraction for me.

As I worked my way from table to table, I soon found out that the charter buses were here for some convention that was taking place downtown. Apparently, there were some pretty amazing speakers and investors there that everyone wanted to hear from.

I didn’t know anything about what they were talking about, so I just smiled and continued on with my job.

“You know, I’ve been watching you for the past two hours go from table to table with a genuine smile and friendly attitude towards everyone here. You haven’t gotten any of their orders wrong either, I noticed.” A very nice-looking man who looked to be around his early thirties or even late twenties stated as he drank his new cup of hot coffee with two pumps of cream and one pack of sugar.

“I try to make everyone’s experience here a great one.” I said honestly.

“I can see that.” He said as his eyes roamed over every inch of my face…like he was studying me. “My name is Houston. Bradley Houston.”

I could have sworn I'd heard that name before, but I couldn’t remember where.

“Nice to meet you Mr. Houston. I’m Alaura. Alaura Wright.” I said in a much more chipper tone.

“Do you like working here?” He asked inquisitively.

“I love my co-workers. They’ve become my family, ya know. But as for the job itself…it helps to pay the bills.”

“Hmm. Are you in school? You look a little young to say that this is your life’s goal.” He said in a more curious, more than creepy way.

“I was, but I guess life just has different plans for different people.” I said with a tight smile.

He didn’t say anything, just hummed as I slid him his check for his meal.

I checked on my other tables and gave them their checks as well. By the time I made my way to Mr. Houston’s table…he was already gone.

The part that surprised me the most was the tip that he left me for a “superb job handling a crowd without any notice” written at the bottom of the check.

One thousand dollars was neatly tucked under the napkin holder on the table.

I felt my eyes swell up with tears. This was by far the most anyone has ever given me for two cups of coffee.

By the time everyone left I had made over $1700 for this shift. I have never made so much money in a day and I was speechless.

When the last customer left, I finally had a chance to look back at the check that Mr. Houston left and on the back of it, he wrote a small note for me.

5443 King Arms Way, BLVD.

Dress in business attire, bring a resume and come ready for an interview tomorrow at 9:45am, although, it’s already yours.

DON’T BE LATE.

“What’s that, Alaura?” Ma asked over my shoulder.

I shook my head in disbelief. “I think it’s a job offer.” I whispered.