Page 9 of Coming Home for Love

She stepped back so we could enter.

“Oh, okay.”

“Hi, GG.”

My mother bent down and picked Osiris up. “Good morning, my little handsome man.” She kissed his cheeks, and I laughed when he wiped them off.

“Don’t be wiping off my kisses,” she teased, and he wiped them off again, causing us to laugh. She sucked her teeth, then put him down. “That child is a mess,” she said as he ran off.

“That he is. Is Daddy home, because I’m sure that’s where he was going?”

“Yeah, he is.”

A second later, we heard the two of them talking.

“Well, I guess he found him. I can’t stay. Olivia is coming this week.”

“Oh yeah?” My mother smirked. “Maybe she’ll find out about her nephew. We haven’t eaten there in a while.”

I cut my eyes at my mother. She and Osiris came into the restaurant sometimes, but I didn’t need her coming this week at all.

“You wouldn’t.”

She smacked my arm. “Of course not. You know I wouldn’t do that, but I do think it’s time to tell someone.”

My phone rang in my pocket. “That’s my cue to go.” I giggled.

She rolled her eyes. “Sure, but you heard what I said.”

I didn’t get to tell my baby bye because he completely forgot about me every time he got to my parents’ house, especially when my father was around.

“Sure did. Byeee.” I waved as I opened the front door.

I could hear her laughing as I shut the door.

When I got in my truck, I got my mind together to focus on the day.

Thirty minutes later, I arrived at work and was in the kitchen getting the day’s menu together, when my boss, LaShay, came in. People always mistook us for sisters, but we weren’t related. We did resemble each other, though.

“Hey, Wynter. Today might be the day Olivia Gray comes. Are you prepared?”

“Of course, I am.”

She smiled. “I don’t know why I asked. You are always prepared. That’s why you are here.” She giggled. “I know I don’t have to worry about you, but I wanted to make sure everything was good.”

I wouldn’t tell her that I was nervous in more ways than one, so I simply smiled and said, “Everything is great! I played around with some stuff last week and over the weekend, and Iam one hundred percent confident that Ms. Gray will not have a single bad thing to say about us.”

LaShay had nothing to worry about. She had the best and most competent staff. From the busboys up, everyone did their jobs. Even Nicki. She may have bullshitted more than anyone else, but when it was time to work, she worked.

The food was top-notch, and the restaurant was impeccably clean. Olivia Gray wouldn’t be able to give us anything less than a five-star rating.

“Okay. I have faith in you. Let me go check on these other people.” She tapped my arm, then left the kitchen.

I finished preparing for the day and prayed everything worked out.

The day had flown by, and there was no sign of Olivia, so I thought we were in the clear for the day, but boy was I wrong.

An hour before closing, I was told we had a special guest. They said it wasn’t Oliva, but it was someone from the Gray family.

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