Page 30 of Possessive Greek Chef

“Why me? I won’t be in the kitchen,” I ask.

“Oh, I was told that you’ll be making a cameo. We want you to look your best, don’t we?”

“I guess. I just didn’t think that would be necessary for a quick shot of me in the background.”

“Well, better safe than sorry, then, right?” she smiles and places a paper towel around my collar.

Aria and my mother look perfectly at home standing side by side on the pass. Even my uncle smiles and chats away during his interview. It was unexpected but I’m enjoying my family getting the celebrity status. As I wait for my anticipated cameo spot, I open the browser on my phone to check for any news of Bedros hearing. My eyes light up when I see that his parole was denied. It will be five years before he becomes eligible again. Aria will be so happy when I tell her.

The boys get a little antsy so I go to the bar and pour some juice into their cups for them. From the bar, I have a perfect view of the sidewalk outside and see that there’s a small crowd gathering in front of the door. I expected the restaurant to be closed for the filming, but I didn’t expect a whole crowd of diners to show up and get turned away. Something just isn’t adding up, so I check on the kids and move closer to the door for a better look.

The crowd that’s assembled isn’t made up of locals. There are too many suits and fancy dresses for this to be the regular lunch crowd of miners and farmers. I’m considering barging into the kitchen and stopping the entire production unless someone comes clean with me, but just as I’m about to make my move, the front doors open and the crowd of people barges in. Men and women that I’ve never met before walk up to me and shake my hand.

“Congratulations, Atticus,” one man says.

“We’re very happy to be here to share this special moment with you,” a woman tells me.

Dazed and bewildered, I wander back to the table to check on the kids who are still waiting for the juice I picked up from the bar. The hair stands up on the back of my neck as I turn my back to the crowd. I can feel every set of eyes on me. If someone doesn’t tell me what’s going on soon, I might start throwing tables, and I don’t want to make a scene like that in front of my wife and kids.

Someone touches my shoulder, and I spin around. Aria bats her eyes and whispers, “I’m sorry that I just sprung this on you like this, but I wanted it to be a surprise. You’re about to receive a World Culinary Award. Can you think of a better way to get it than in your mother’s restaurant on your wife’s show?”

Stunned, I look around and see the President of the World Culinary Institute.

“Is this for real?” I ask.

“Yes, Daddy. This part of the show is for you,” Aria sits down beside the children, leaving me standing alone and gawking at the one man that every chef dreams of seeing in person.

“Mr. Adimos, can you move into the center of the room?” The production assistant leads me away from my family.

“Ladies and gentlemen, as you might know, the World Culinary Awards celebrates and rewards excellence in the culinary world each year in many categories. Some years ago, our honored recipient was granted the award for best restaurant for his flagship Andromeda. Today, we are here to present him with his second World Culinary Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award.

“Atticus Adimos is a smart businessman who has successfully launched the three top fine dining establishments in Athens, Greece but that isn’t why he was chosen for this award. He was chosen for this award because of the passion and perfection that goes into his cuisine. He is a true artist and artisan of food who not only creates astonishing dishes but shares his knowledge and skill with the next generation of head chefs that are produced in his kitchen. Including of course his lovely and talented wife, Aria.”

He pauses and the crowd applauds.

“So, it is with great pleasure that I have the honor of bestowing the World Culinary Lifetime Achievement Award to Atticus Adimos. Congratulations, Atticus,” the President shakes my hand and presents me with my plaque and medal.

I look across the dining room to my lovely wife. She’s clapping for me with tears of joy in her eyes. It’s odd, but if it weren’t for her, I might not be standing here now. When I met her, my career was winding down, the cameras looking for someone younger to put in the spotlight. Meeting Aria breathed new life into me.

She made me feel better, work harder, and regain my place in the spotlight. Without her, I might just be spending my time pushing pencils in my office and battling with my rival Lucas Bedros from down the street. My single-minded obsession with this girl changed me, and now, the children she’s given me will make me work even harder.

I walk back to the table and take Aria in my arms. The last clip of her show before the cameras fade is this shot of me holding my plaque in my hand and kissing my wife as our children smile and clap along with the crowd.

We return to my mother’s home in the village and put the children down for the night. The rest of the family is still at work, so we take this opportunity to watch the sunset with a glass of wine.

“I can’t believe you did this to me, princess,” I say as I put my arm around my beautiful wife.

“What did I do? Oh, you mean how I set you up to receive one of the highest honors that anyone in our profession could ever receive?” she gloats. “I won’t apologize for that. No, Sir.”

“Yes, exactly that,” I squeeze her. “How did this even happen? I mean, why me?”

“Well, as you know, the winner is chosen each year from a list of qualified nominees.”

“Right, that’s the point. Who nominated me?”

Aria looks down at her shoes and takes a sip of her wine.

“You? Did you nominate me for this? When did you do that?” I ask, shocked by this revelation.

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