Casey

AMBER POV

Going to my work with this heavy feelings, I felt sorry for Nan that I cant even go there at the hospital and stay for her.

Good thing Casey has her business matters in the country so she flew away coming here.

She message me that she is already here and will go to the hospital right away,

I keep my cellpone for a while thinking things will get better since I already message Casey and Esther probably know that Nan is in the hospital.

Since today is the first day again here in the hotel, I need to see Sam first so I head to her office but before I enter I let out a huge air and close my eyes to calm myself.

As I open the door, I calmly greet her,

"Hey Sam"

"Oh your here sit down"

And I sit down while she is looking at me now, I try to avoid eye contact knowing that we dont have a good work relationship way back.

"Alright, I want to straight it up to you, the owner wants you back and be on your position before, you will still be the  head of kitchen but with the new crew"

"A new crew? What happen to Mr. Ben and the others?"

"That is what I am going to tell you, things has been change here since you have been gone, the owner pit some new rules and regulations, unfortunately, you old crew didnt like it and so they were all kickes out"

"Kicked out?"

"I have no time to tell you further details, so if you have question better tell me that now, I have no time to visit your kitchen anymore"

"Oh, part of new rules as well huh?"

"You can say that, anyway, you can start now, there are five VIP's and a mystery representative of food and Hotel critics association, make sure to abide the rule this time, your way before is not allowed anymore, things change, better follow what this hotel gives you"

She said and honestly, I dont know what to response, I am not even sure if I still want to work here!

"Ahmm okay, just give me details of what food should I cook"

"Seriously? You are the chef, better kno what to cook"

"Oh okay, so it is going to be my decision still, anyway, I should get to the kitchen, I guess I still need a further familiarization"

"Alright go ahead, and again, rules matters this time!"

After saying that I just smile at her then leave the office,

So It is five VIP, it will be a lot of instruction again with my new kitchen crew.

As I enter the kitchen, I guess new faces is the highlight of my day, they are all looking at me which is so unusual to me,

"Hi, ahmmm I am chef Amber and I am your new head kitchen, nice to meet you all"

As I state my name and my position I see some smiling face and some who just remain their expression...expression less...goodness!

Since no is trying to say something I guess I will be the one to do a lot of talk!

"Alright, we will have five VIP's coming in today along with one mysterious guest from food and hotel critics association, we must keep our best not only on the food but in a whole package, plating, serving, content of food, and quality of food, also the way we treat the customer and expected guest"

"So what are we going to serve all five VIP's?"

The woman whom I think at the middle age of 40 suddenly ask me.

"That is a good question, I have teach this few recipes to my previous crew here so I will teach it to you including the three main new dishes that I will introduce to the guest"

"How about the one mysterious guest you have mention?"

"About that we will need the cooperation of the team outside who serves the order"

The moment I said that all their expression change which keeps me wonder, what is in it with the team outside the kitchen...

"Cooperation of the team outside? I dont think so!"

Said by the man whom I guess a little younger than the woman who just ask the question.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they have a set of rules here, sometimes they dont obey what we discuss, I mean we serve food and we let them how to serve it like if it is needed to be on the table in no time, they dont care about it, they dont treat VIP as what Sam told us"

"Oh, so they have own set of rules huh, but why you didnt report it to Sam?"

"Sam didnt pay attention to that, she just said we must figure it out within us"

I was surprised with what they said about Sam, I mean she used to be a medller to everything in here, it is so unusual to hear that Sam didnt pay attention on the kitchen and in the serving dinning area...

"Okay, who is the leader of the team outside?"

"The bald one, that old grumpy man!"

"Okay, let me just talk to them, it is actualy part of my agenda for this day to talk to everyone including them"

"Alright goodluck to that boss!"

The others said with their smile, somehow I guess I already catch their attention to me...

I manage to discuss the recipes to them, and I can see that they are all good at it, I accept other's opinion towards it and put it all together.

After that, I head my way at the team outside and request a group meeting with them but they refuse, they dont need some words from me, all their task should only be discuss by their head.

I didnt push things hard today since it is my first day, I just let it pass for a while and focus on our priority as kitchen team.

After cooking all the VIP recipe, I keep an eye on how they serve it, so far things are all smooth compare to what they told us.

Since I got a little break for 15 minutes, I sit outside like how I used to do before and dialed Casey number.

"Hey hon, I just arrive here in the hospital, and grandma is not in her room, we are looking for her everywhere!"

"Oh, ahmmmm have you guys try the rooftop?"

"You think she is there?"

"Well yeah"

"Okay we will go there, I will get back to you later"

And then she end the call, so I head my way back to work.

As I enter the kitchen, one of my crew approach me,

"Boss, you need to get out, Mr. Alfie and Jessie is having an argument outside, Jessie who is part of the server team doesnt want to serve the order of the certain customer, a seemingly homeless man over there!"

I head outside and talk to Mr.Alfie, one of my crew,

"What is going on here?"

"This ignorant kid who doesnt know how to handle a customer is trying to insult me!"

"Okay Mr. Alfie hold on there, please calm down"

"If you are trying to command us I dont think so, I only accept order to my boss!"

"I am not here to throw any command even to my crew! What I am asking is what are you trying to do? The customer can order anything he wants, this is a restaurant and anyone who has a money can eat here so what are you doing?"

"Look carefuly, do you think he is a capable customer? We dedicated the seats for for the VIP's and foof critics! You think they will still eat here seeing that poor man in here!?"

"VIP's and food critics are also customers! Your job here is to serve what we cook to a customer and not to treat them unfairly!"

I said and their head suddenly arrives and look at me from head to toe, he seems to start an argument as well, geez! What a day!

"We never care for what you cook, we never enter your kitchen and never question your function, so dont question what we do"

"And that is the problem, you dont care about things, so if ever we fail to serve a good food you guys dont even care or bother, your function is end by serving the customer and put the food in the table, that man which your team is holding his arms inappropriately and about to throw him outside the restaurant, do you think that is part of your job? I dont think so!"

And the head give a glare at those two who is holding the homeless, they let go and frees him but he stop in front of me and starts to speak.

"Once Sam knows this, you will be a dead meat! You let that homeless in front of critics and VIP's"

He said then walk away from us, I dont really care actualy, I am the chef and I do the cooking, I have all the right to check if my food is being well served at the right customer who ordered it!

Mr. Alfie and my other crew guides the homeless back to his seat and we serve him his order.

"Hi I am chef Amber the head of the kitchen here, I do apologize for the unfair treatment sir but I like to clear things, this restaurant do choose whom to serve, I have been working here for a long time, the previous server here isnt really like that, I am sorry again for what happen, here is your order, We also serve a good desert for you sir"

"Thank you very much, I appreciate this"

He said and then we just let him with his privacy eating his meal.

We walk back towards the kitchen and Sam is in there waiting with the head of the server.

"I didnt expect this on your first day!"

"What did I do?"

"Having an argument with the servers function, your job stays here inside the kitchen and only in the kitchen!"

"Are you serious? I am the chef here, and I cook to who ever order a food, it is my job as well to make sure my food will be recieved by who ordered it!"

"But it isnt part of your job in accepting customers that is not allowed here!"

"Oh, really Sam? As I remember rules has been change but not the policy for the customer, It is still the goal of this place to serve who wants to order and accept who wants to eat here! And treating a person like that in front of the other customer, I dont think the owner will like it!"

I can see that Sam was suddenly silenced, I know Sam, she might has this kind of attitude but she is bound by principles, and I bet she is aware that the principle of this place is to serve any kind of customer.

She was about to say something when suddenly two men in black get in with the homeless man earlier,

"You cant be here!"

The server head shouts and call for the security to put him out but Sam stops them, I can see the shock in her face.

"A-A-Ahmmm is he the homeless you were talking about?"

"Yes Maam"

The server head answer..

Sam suddenly holds the hand of the homeless man and say her apologies,

"I am really sorry Mr. Norman for this, I didnt know you has this kind of plan,"

"I am just very disappointed with the treatment I got here, I am sure this isnt the way my parents wants for this restaurant, you know my Mom and Dad, they always has the heart for a needy"

The shock is now at the server's face, he is now clenching his teeth in fear,

I honestly dont mean to any of this, specialy this kind of scene with the son of the owner, all I want is to just treat everyone fair.

"I am sorry sir Norman if I have treated you that way, I am just trying to make this restaurant looks good since the representative of the food critics will be here any moment"

The server head explains, sigh, simple things turns to this, I dont know what will Mr. Norman has to say but I hope they will all spare.

"About that food critic, Well, I am actually the representative send by the association since I am the son of this establishment that is why I am disguising like a homeless, unfortunately this isnt what I am expected to happen, I have been eating here and the server before is very nice, so what is happening here?"

Everyone was silenced again, at this very moment, I dont want to give any comment anymore.

"Mr. Norman, there are still three VIP's coming in today and we need to prepare the food for them, now may I excuse my crew Sir?"

"That is fine Amber, but before that, I want to say my thanks to you for treating me better earlier, the kind of  chef every restaurants need"

"Thank you Sir, it is my honor to recieve such a good words from you"

After that, my crew starts to cook other recipe's for the VIP, and they have learned my new recipe right away.

It has been a long day when all the VIP's visiting our restaurant came and we satisfy them with our menu, Mr. Norman didnt say any punishment about what the head server did to him but since he is also a food critic, that is a different story.

I get out of work at exact 8pm and head to the hospital, Casey is still there looking after Nan.

As I enter the room she quickly hug me and kiss me on my lips even there is a present of a nurse checking Nan's vitals.

"Good thing you are here, I try to talk to grandma about going to the rooftop, it isnt safe there but she seems not to listen to me"

"I am sorry, dont worry I will talk to her instead"

I walk towards her bed and hold her hand, I thought she is sleeping but she open her eyes.

"Hey gorgeous, how do you feel now?"

"I am okay Ambi now that you are here"

"I am sorry for not being with you but I am thankful that Casey is here for you"

She look at Casey and mouthed her thank you then look at me again.

"Although, please Nan, stop going to the rooftop, everyone has been looking for you earlier, what if something bad happens to you there"

"Well I guess I am just always lucky...I always catch Esther in there, whenever she is around I feel safe.."

I was stop when she says that and I slowly gaze Casey, I know that reaction, I know she already know that Doctor Esther and Esther that I told her which is my ex is a same person.

While things suddenly gets awkward, Nan holds her stomach and cries for pain, I press the emergency button and then the doctor quickly enters the room,

My eyes were widened seeing Esther check on Nan, she is so great with what she do, the way she ask a patient is so nice, within me somehow felt regret...I have never seen her being an actual doctor.

I have never seen her this fantastic...being a hero in her own way...and then I was stop from my thoughts when she suddenly face us behind her.

Damn, seeing my Ex and my present isnt a good scene specialy when I introduce them to each other, Casey dont seem to be happy about Nan's going to the rooftop and I know now the reason why.

It is about Esther...

The way Esther response to Casey's attitude towards her is very unusual, She seems so cool this time, I never seen her that cool to any people throwing sarcasm on her,

She is way a different Esther than what I have been with for how many years.

She explains what Nan's health state and what test she should undergo, she might get a surgery after the test,

They bring Nan at the facility where they will do the test and Esther left the room as well.

Casey and I sit at the couch and silenced surrounds us for a second before I start to speak.

"So, you have met Esther earlier already"

"Yeah your ex"

She said then gives me a look...

"Ahmmm she is, but we are good as friends now"

"As friends? Dont make me laugh hon, you know it will always be personal between you two..."

"Maybe but not what you think, we really are good friends now, and we both change a lot, we are not what we used to be before"

"Okay, but I will be the one to prove that, how about you invite her for a dinner next week once I get back here"

I was surprised by what she said, I didnt expect that.

"I will try to ask her, but you see she is a surgeon and she really has a busy schedule"

"That is fine if she cant go to our planned dinner, I will be the one to do a surprised visit on her and invite her for a dinner"

She is indeed sure with what she wants to prove, I dont know why we get to this part,

"If that is what you want"

"Okay, but for now, I will attend the meeting tomorrow at the hotel and head to the airport, I understand if you cant send me there, let me just finish all my meetings with our clients and then I can take a one weel leave"

"Alright hon whatever you want, and thank you for understanding my schedule"

"Ofcourse honey, since day one you always told me that story, where you and Esther ruins everything just because of schedule misunderstanding, so I wont let us ruins by the same mistakes"

It is almost one hour had passed and Nan was brought back here in her room, they said the result will be out tomorrow so we need to wait.

I send Casey out of the hospital and get a cab to go to her meeting, I am now left with Nan here at the hospital.

Honestly, I am still in the middle of my thoughts about what Casey said, I am not sure if what she wants is a great idea,

I let out a huge air and sigh when Nan notice it.

"Something bothering Ambi?"

"It is nothing grandma"

"You that is not true, come on tell grandma what makes you look like that"

"What? Look like what???"

"Look like  a person who cant poo! Hahaha"

"Funny grandma!"

"Hahaha, okay kidding aside, you look bothered Ambi and I know why, it is about your past and present huh?"

"Well kind of like that, ahmmm Casey wants to invite Esther for dinner"

"Okay, then invite her, go to her house now and talk to Esth, make this thing right so you wont feel burden, just make things simple, do not think too much and I guess you owe an apology to Esth, Casey says something to her earlier, please tell her my apologies as well"

Nan said and I guess she is right....the only thing that can make me feel better and out of burden is to go and see Esth....

I guess tonight is the right time....