Page 44 of Change My Mind
I couldn’t quite figure out why she seemed so excited by this development when it was quite clearly a terrible idea.
“How did that come about?” I asked as I picked up amenu and studied it, even though the kitchen wasn’t technically open yet, and the only thing we could order was coffee.
“The Dick is the new executive chef or something at the building she works in, so she bumped into him and his very pregnant partner, and I guess she panicked and said she was also happy and settled. Enter Jesse’s brother stage right.”
I put down my menu and looked at my sister, who did not seem remotely concerned. Even though it was very out of character for a woman she had known for nearly thirty years. I could see that, and I had been on the edges of the inner circle for a decade now.
“Does that sound like a smart idea to you? Did you not think you should maybe talk her out of it?”
Clara quirked an eyebrow at me. She looked so much like our mother in this moment, I almost felt like I was about to get into trouble.
“Addie, you know as well as I do that if Rachel wants to commit to something, then there is nothing I, or anyone, can say that will sway her. Do I think it’s the smartest idea she has ever had? No. I also don’t necessarily like that she has involved other people in her charade. But at the end of the day, they are both adults, going into whatever this is with their eyes wide open. So there isn’t really much that we can say or do to stop it. Our only job now is to be there to catch her if she needs it again.”
I knew Clara was right, but still, I worried about Rachel.
“Speaking of Bounds brothers, Jesse’s been acting?—”
A shadow fell over our table, cutting Clara off. We looked up at the familiar figure now standing there.
“Are either of you two busy?” Dad asked. We had both heard this tone enough to know he was about to ask us a favour.
“At this moment, no. But I have meetings after lunch,” Clara answered easily as she pulled her laptop out of her bag.
I took a deep breath. Part of me hoped it was front-of-house help he needed, but I knew deep down he wouldn’t be this frazzled if he were down a member of his waitstaff. He could cover that issue in his sleep.
“No, I’m not busy today. What do you need?”
“To not hire a couple.” It was his turn to take a deep breath. “No, that’s harsh. Carrie and Noelle are both out with food poisoning. We were already going to run tight today, but now we don’t have the bare minimum kitchen staff to cover the service.”
I nodded. “What do you need help with exactly?”
“Eli doesn’t think he can cover two sections and the pass. Can you do that?”
I had experience running the pass. It was years ago, but as jobs go, running the pass was better than the alternative of covering a section in a kitchen I didn’t know the rhythm of.
“Okay, fine. I’ll jump in,” I said.
Dad visibly sank with relief.
“You’re an angel, macaroon.” He kissed my temple before disappearing back into the kitchen.
“Good thing I wasn’t going to use today to study, I guess,” I said, turning back to Clara.
“And very annoying for me. I actually have to write now. My plan was to spend all this time talking to you until my meeting, and then we’d carry on chatting shit until I had to get home for dinner. It was supposed to be a write-off… You sure you’re gonna be okay in the kitchen?”
I nodded. “Yeah, it’s the pass. I can run the pass.”
“Well, good luck then, chief.”
I laughed as I got up from the table and headed to the kitchen.
This would be fine.
Twenty-Eight
ADDIE
Eli and I hadn’t talked.
