Chapter 2 -MARY
1176 Words
Chapter 2 - MARY
The restaurant bell rang!
- Mary! Can you check the new customer for me?
- on it!
Mary turned to greet the new arrival. It was a busy day. People had been coming to eat since noon till 2 PM, then many others just came to order take away food. Today's specialty was "Gnocchi polpettino alla Sorrentina". It was basically a traditional "Gnocchi alla Sorrentina" with gnocchi full of meat. There was a vegetarian version and everyone loved the dish. People ate it inside the restaurant, then order take out.
They were now in the evening service and the place was crowded. Mary had just made the new customers seated when the chime rang again. She sighted, smiled and turned.
- Good evening! Do you have a reservation?
It was a good evening.
At 10 pm, they finally thanked the last customers and closed the door.
- I think this was one of the busiest days we have ever had here, said Mary.
- I am beat! Feels like a truck just rolled all over me. Just let me curl up and sleep here, Milly said. Curling on one of the benches and closing her eyes.
Mary chuckled and went to seat next to her.
- still, I am happy the business is picking up!
- that’s all thanks to you. All the dishes you added were fresh and creative, I would’ve closed a long time ago if it wasn’t for you.
Milly stared at her for a moment.
- Why work as an accountant when you are so gifted at food?
Mary picked at her apron for a moment.
- We needed the money, she simply said.
- You could’ve demand alimony. He cheated, and he is loaded. He needs to be taught a lesson in life.
Mary smiled.
- It was a long time ago.
- It was 3 months ago. How long time is that? You even forsake your name for that little piece of…
The chime rang, interrupting her.
- MOMMY!!!! Said a high-pitched voice.
She turned and caught the small 2-year-old baby boy who had just launched himself in her arms.
- Oh my little boy! How was your day?
- Pofessor gave me aïe keam! A biiiiig aïe keam
- Ice cream! Really?! Look at that big stomach here, she said, tickling the little one's stomach, making him laugh uncontrollably.
Mary smiled and turned to the person who had come in with the boy.
- Professor HENRY thank you for taking Lorenzo with you. Today was a busy day.
- I feel like I should be the one saying thank you. He is always so cheerful and friendly. Everyone loved him.
- Do you want something to eat?
- whatever was the specialty today, I will have it if there is any left. Your food is divine.
Mary blushed and hurried to the kitchen. Milly and Professor Henry were always complimenting her and telling her how perfect she was. At first, she didn’t believe them. Why would a man cheat on a perfect woman?
When she signed those papers 3 months ago, she thought she had just lost the best thing that had ever happened to her. She had resigned from an accountant job because Mattew wanted to take care of her. Well, that’s what he told her. It seemed to her now that he just wanted a doormat. Now she had no job, no husband and no best friend. At least this last one could go to hell for all she cared.
She booked a room at the hotel and cried herself out for 3 nights and 3 days. Yeah, she couldn’t even cry in her own home since it wasn’t hers anymore, and she HATED it. Why did she never tell her husband…, ex-husband, that she hated that cold apartment which was too high for her comfort and too far away from her job? What a failure she was. Then she cried some more.
She felt like fainting on the fourth day and went to buy something to eat. She was mulling over her sandwich and wandering the street like the homeless woman she was when she saw it. An Italian restaurant with shattered glass and broken doors. There was a redhead picking up the shattered pieces while swearing. On one of the wall was an advertisement asking for a waitress. It didn’t seem smart to work in that place, but she needed a job, since her cheating ex made her quit her realllllly good accountant job.
- can I help you? She asked the woman
The redhead turned, she was beautiful! Smoking! Slim, maybe 5’3, with blue eyes and dark eyelids. Round cheeks and full plump lips.
- Fiona? Is it really you? The redhead said.
- do… do you know me? She asked, confused. Where could she have met such a person?
- It’s me! Melissa, Milly! We met at your engagement party with Mattew. I am one of his classmates.
Oh man! Now she was crying again. She totally forgot that others people were going to know about her failure of a marriage. How was she going to cope?
- Darling, why are you crying? Did something happen? Are you ill?
She just kept crying and Milly took her inside the restaurant. After weeping for fifteen minutes, she was able to calm down enough to tell the story to Milly. She listened without interrupting, then when she finished, she said.
- I need a partner. Are you interested?
- I have never managed a business in my life.
- Neither have I, but here I am. You once told me you loved cooking, and I need some improvement on my menu.
- I… I really can’t
- Fiona, we have all started somewhere, and I really need help.
It was a trap. She could let herself die but couldn’t just leave someone that needed her help. So she said yes and now, 3 months later, she doesn’t regret it.
- is it ready? Professor Henry asked from the kitchen door.
- Almost, I am heating it up. You can wait with Milly and Lorenzo.
- They left. Milly wanted me to tell you to “Please close everything and be late tomorrow”. Her words.
Mary laughed. Milly thought she was too diligent and was always encouraging her to “be bad”. She served a plate to professor Henry and started cleaning the restaurant. After eating, he helped her tidy up what was left.
At midnight, they closed the restaurant, and he accompanied her to her building, which was nearby, and waited till she went inside. Mary went to her apartment on the first floor. It was small and cozy. She loved it. It was when she was opening the door that she heard it.
- Fiona.
She froze. She didn’t need to turn to know who was calling her by that name, who this voice belonged to. She knew he had found her. Mattew had found her.
- Writer
