3 Years Later
Christmas Eve
"Marsela, one steak well done, a corn on the cob, grilled onions, and a chicken soup," I said sticking the order on the rotating belt. She nodded her head and grinned.
"Your baby girl back here is telling me you made some cookies for Santa at home," Marsela said laughing. I peered on my tiptoes to look over the counter and found Angela with an oversized apron tied around her waist and wearing a hair net.
"Oh yeah Angela decorated them all, did she tell you that? Don't let her make a mess Marsela, she's a handful that one. If you feel she needs a spanking you go ahead and don't be shy handing her one," I said while grabbing a new order pad and pen. "I can't believe it's been three years working here already," I said reminiscently. Marsela nodded her head and got a bit teary eyed.
"I can't believe that either. I remember when you first walked in asking for a job you looked so nervous! Angela's grown up so fast. She'll be four next year in August, right?"
"Yeah," I said with a heavy sigh. Though Marsela was in her late forties she was a nice lady and almost like a mom to me since I moved here. I had originally met her in my apartment complex because she lived next door and I found out that she had an older son who lived with her because she was diagnosed with a fatal disease and only had a few years left. I didn't want to think about her leaving me alone because I had depended on her help and guidance for the past three years. Marsela was a brave, independent woman and I had grown to admire her so much. She was a single mother like myself too and it wasn't a bother for her to help me out during the early years of my pregnancy.
"Oh honey you've got some customers waiting out there, you better go check them out," Marsela pointed out with her spatula. I laughed and tightened my ponytail. I had just begun to walk over to a group of guys standing around the front entrance when Kathy, another waiter helping out this Christmas Eve, stepped in front of me.
"Hi Valerie, it's okay I got this covered. You go spend some time with little Angie," she offered.
"Oh are you sure Kathy? Because I wouldn't want to impose-"
"Oh you're not Val! Go on," she said slapping my bum playfully. I swatted her hand away and laughed. She was another good friend I made at the restaurant and was obviously much younger than me by the way she acted. She was 16 and lively. Kathy always had a smile upon her face and though she hadn't planned on working during Christmas Eve, she had gotten into a little fight with her boyfriend and said she'd rather spend her Christmas Eve with us girls.
As I walked back to Marsela and Angela, I couldn't hear her familiar little voice or laugh and I felt my heart drop. I wasn't supposed to bring her to work but my boss was feeling a bit generous and allowed me to bring her on the condition that she stay put in the kitchen with Marsela while I worked. Angela was a bit of a trouble maker and she certainly had not inherited that from me.Now I had no idea where she went and Marsela suggested I look around the back booths in the restaurant.
"She ran away before I give her little bottom a tap after she stole my cooking oil!" She said trying not to laugh. I grinned sheepishly and ran out the swinging doors. I searched and searched for her because I knew she liked playing hide and seek once in a while, but I couldn't find her. I decided to go check the bathrooms and hoped my boss wouldn't come out of his office looking for me.
Niall's POV
"No one's in there," Louis pointed out. Harry immediately ran inside then and we all followed suit. Our last show in America just so happened to be here in Los Angeles and we were fortunate enough to sneak out sight from our security guards. All we asked for was for one night where we did as we pleased and spent Christmas Eve just us as the band. No management team, stylists, body guards, and etc. So when we were just walking down different streets in L.A. it was then when Louis found a lonely restaurant where we could have a Christmas meal. Our management team was going to roast us alive when they found us, but it would be worth it.
