New Beginnings
1221 Words
POV: Brigail
Brigail arrived at Fiordillatte early the next day. She even helped Selah and Terry unload the fresh produce from the delivery truck.
She'd given herself a pep talk last night before bed. She wouldn't squander this opportunity by messing around. She would prove to Tara that she was professional and here to work and learn.
Head down, food warm.
Brigail was busy helping Selah prep for lunch service when she heard Tara and JV arguing in the office. She wasn't sure what time the owners got in because she'd been at the farthest corner of the kitchen with Terry, one of the line cooks in charge of fish dishes.
Terry was teaching her how to clean and fillet a salmon when Tara burst out the door. Terry and Selah exchanged quizzical glances when JV stepped out of the kitchen into the dining hall.
"Not our business," Terry murmured to Selah, who was craning her neck toward the back door to watch for Tara.
Terry was sweet and mild-mannered. Also from the South, New Orleans to be exact. Polite and hardworking. He was buddies with JV since high school, which was how he landed the job at Fiordillatte. Terry was among the first to give Brigail a warm welcome.
Tara went back in the kitchen and talked to Selah. From the corner of her eye, Brigail could see Selah bobbing her head in assent before Tara headed in their direction.
"Brigail, would you mind staying until dinner service? JV and I are meeting a few people later and Selah could use an extra set of hands," Tara asked evenly.
"Sure will," Brigail replied enthusiastically. Hello, overtime pay!
Tara gave her a soft pat on the back before the head chef clapped her hands twice to get the lunch shift in full swing.
The hours passed quickly. Brigail was on her feet for eight hours before she had the chance to take her break at four o'clock to rest between shifts. She went inside the employees' quarters and rinsed her face at the sink beside the lockers.
She sat on the small couch against the wall to rest her feet. She raised her legs on the plastic stool and started punching her calves to loosen her stiff muscles.
Then Selah came in and sat beside her.
"Fridays always make me wanna kill myself. People don't wanna cook at home anymore because they're so tired from the weekday and too excited for the weekend." Selah groaned. "And this is the day Tara decided to head out."
Brigail kept mum. She didn't want to make any comments that could get her in trouble later. She was the new kid on the block. She wasn't supposed to have any opinion about the boss.
Head down, food warm.
"Did Tara tell you?" Selah kept on. "JV was thinking of selling the restaurant. They're out to meet with the buyers now."
Well, s**t.
"What will happen to us if they decide to sell?" Brigail asked warily. It was dumb luck she was at Fiordillatte.
What would happen to her if the new owners decided to lay off the workers? Selah had job security because of her impressive resume, and the other staff had been in the restaurant business far longer than Brigail.
She could only imagine going back to New Orleans empty-handed, more desperate than before.
"Tara doesn't want to. That's what they were fighting about. But Tara said the offer is very tempting. And the prospective buyer wants to seal the deal before the week ends." Selah explained. "Probably some nouveau-riche who wants something to her name so she can rub elbows with Vegas royalty."
Brigail contemplated the idea. She didn't care if the purchaser had a severe case of impulse-buying. The only thing that mattered was keeping her job.
So when Tara asked Brigail the next day to sign a two-year contract with Fiordillatte, she couldn't ask for a pen fast enough.
After the end of the Saturday lunch shift, Tara and JV called for a meeting. They told the whole staff of the big changes that would take place at Fiordillatte in the next couple of days, starting with the employers.
That earned a collective gasp from the wait staff because, thanks to Selah, almost everyone in the kitchen knew about the sale.
Tara and JV thanked everyone for six years of loyal service. Some cried as they gave Tara and JV farewell hugs. But Selah was another story. The brunette sous chef could barely contain her excitement.
Apparently, the new owners were very agreeable to Tara's conditions to retain the staff.
Tara and JV were both ecstatic when they announced they'd be taking an indefinite holiday in Italy.
Tara had always wanted to go back to Europe, the place that kindled her love for food, but never really had enough money to just lay back and relax. But with the deal they got for Fiordillatte, they could finally afford to pamper themselves, with a lot to spare to start another business when they came back.
Selah would be taking the post vacated by Tara while the new owner had free reign to delegate tasks among the rest of the staff, with the caveat that the new employer would honor the workers' contracts signed prior to the sale.
Upon hearing the condition, Brigail checked the date in the copy of her contract and heaved a sigh of relief when she saw it was dated on the day she started working.
Brigail realized that her neurotic boss did her a huge favor. She suddenly felt the urge to hug her soon-to-be former employer.
Tara also told them that although the contract was yet to be formalized on Monday when offices resumed, the new owners would be starting with minor tweaking in the restaurant for the next couple of days. Which meant the rest of them could enjoy a long weekend before the welcome dinner on Wednesday.
Tara tasked Selah to plan a menu for the reopening dinner so she could start impressing the new owners.
Before Brigail left that afternoon, Tara called her into her office.
"Sit down, Brigail."
Brigail wasn't sure what to expect. Tara didn't ask the other employees for some one-on-one time. She didn't realize she was fidgeting in her seat until Tara gave her a sharp look.
"I signed a non-disclosure contract so I can't divulge who the buyer is until the big reveal on Wednesday. I can advise you, however, to read your contract thoroughly. It's the same with the others. The owners cannot terminate your services without solid ground, keep that in mind."
Brigail was taken aback by the seriousness in Tara's voice. She suddenly had an ominous feeling toward the new owners.
Tara sensed Brigail's anxiety and immediately relaxed her stance. She leaned back in her chair and started shuffling through a stack of papers on the table.
"Don't worry about it. As long as you keep your head down and do your job properly, you'll be alright," Tara said before she dismissed Brigail for the day.
But as Brigail walked out of the office, Tara's warning echoed in her mind.
Keep your head down. Do your job properly.
Something told her the new owner was going to be trouble.
She just had no idea how much.
- Writer
