Page 28 of Inglorious
“Okay, leave this to me, Pres. I’ll do this,” King offered.
“King, I can help,” I replied.
“No offence, Pres, but right now you look like a strong wind will blow you over. I suggest you get a coffee and straighten up. You’ve got interviews this afternoon,” King reminded me.
“Well, fuck, that told me,” I muttered.
King chuckled. “Yeah, it did.”
I acknowledged King’s words and headed for my office. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw King leave, no doubt to fetch thepictures, cuts and plaques. I couldn’t watch him put them up, not after what I’d just done. The task wasn’t finished by a long shot, but I couldn’t stand any more grief, and painful, although happy, memories.
I was engrossed in reading the reports Vortex had prepared on our businesses when there was a knock at the door. King stood there, and I called out for him to enter.
“The first interview is here for the cook’s spot.”
“Thanks, King,” I said as he moved aside, and a woman entered.
She was about forty and slightly on the round side, but greeted me with a warm smile. I noted the tiredness around her eyes and the lightly greying hair. Despite her weariness, she was cleanly put together, although her clothes weren’t of good quality.
“Hi, I’m Nanci, the president here,” I introduced myself, holding out a hand.
“Meadow, thank you for interviewing me,” Meadow replied, and I liked her voice.
“Take a seat. Tell me a little about yourself.”
“I’m forty-one and divorced with three children. Their ages range from six to fifteen. I’ll be honest, Nanci; I’m a housewife and haven’t worked for a long time. Being at home made me a decent cook. The soon-to-be ex used to hold a lot of dinners, so I’m able to cook for multiple people,” Meadow stated, holding my gaze.
“What do you enjoy making?”
“Wholesome dishes like stews and casseroles, pot roasts and comfort food. I can do fancy too, though, and I love to bake,” Nanci said.
“Can you work from nine to five, Monday to Friday? How will that impact the school runs, etc.?”
“I can drop them off if I’m not needed till nine. The fifteen-year-old can watch over them, and there’s a neighbour who’ll help, if I need them.”
“What time do the kids finish school?”
“Around half four or five. They all have after-school clubs.”
“Okay, that sounds fine. The club only has nine members currently, but we’re growing. Breakfast, we can sort ourselves, but I want lunches prepared. Nothing complicated. Bikers aren’t all up in your face. Hell, a stack of sandwiches and fries will do. I’m also looking for dinners. Again, nothing fancy, stews, casseroles, bolognaise, and so on. We’re simple folk. Saturday and Sunday, we usually grill. But I’m hiring for a Saturday and Sunday person to do breakfast and lunch. Those are the two positions we have,” I explained.
“Full time, please. I’m not proud, but my ex cheated on me with my best friend and is now shacked up with her in hog heaven. He’s being a bastard and refusing to help with finances, and has cut me off from the joint bank account. Unluckily for him, I have proof of the bank balances, so even if he tries to hide money, he’ll fail. While the courts are processing the divorce, I have work. My children need food and clothing, and he’s providing neither,” Meadow said. Mortification crossed her face, and I noted some shame mixed in with it.
“Meadow, I understand. You have my sympathies. Don’t worry, life happens. Part of your interview is making a meal. It’s easy to say you can cook, and we possibly hire you, and then you’re awful at cooking! Not that I’m saying you are, but it has happened.”
“That makes sense. I arranged for someone to pick the children up, so I’m happy to cook dinner tonight. If you have ingredients, I can make something for you all,” Meadow offered.
“That would be great. The kitchen is stocked, so go nuts. Come, I’ll show you it.”
I rose to my feet, hoping Meadow could indeed cook, because I liked her attitude. I had three more interviews planned for today and tomorrow. But I did like Meadow; however, in all fairness, I had to give the others a chance.
Meadow cooked a hearty stew, which went down well with everyone, and she also made some homemade bread. The guys loved it.
The next interviews were hit and miss. Actually, the first was awful. She was young, couldn’t cook, and was clearly looking for a sugar daddy. The second one was similar to Meadow, but she didn’t have a pleasant personality and was rather sour. However, she could cook. The third was okay, but nothing special. In the end, I offered Meadow the position and was only too happy when she accepted.
We agreed she would prepare a menu a week in advance. On Monday mornings, Meadow would buy groceries and make a simple lunch of sandwiches, fries, chips, and salad. I also agreed that Meadow could bring the children to the clubhouse if needed, as there were holidays when the kids would be off.
That reminded me of the small park behind the hotel, which might be suitable for a children’s playground. I made a mental note to speak to Apache about it.
