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Dedicated to Cookey_kryptonite for totally rivaling me in my extensive Smallville knowledge. Consider me impressed.
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Soundtrack:
Can't Take My Eyes Off You by The Cary Brothers - when Will and Candice talk
Grieve by Peter Gabriel - when they are in the kitchens
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All around me the normal sounds of Rive La Belle echoed; sounds of water boiling and knives hitting chopping blocks and someone playing a fifties station over the tinny speakers. People talked casually as they seasoned steaks and garnished plates, but I kept to my own corner, head down as I perfect macaroons and created the perfect strawberry flambé. Normally I was talking, but I was definitely not in the mood.
Upon entering the kitchen and tying my apron around my torso, I'd seen Will at the other end, checking the rosters on his clipboard and biting the edge of his pen in the way I found achingly adorable. When he looked up and saw me, he'd offered an apologetic smile. In retaliation, I'd downcast my eyes and shuffled over to my station, preparing for the night. When we'd almost run into each other in our dash to grab ingredients, I'd simply moved past him without a backwards glance. Seeing him here made me angry as the memories of our pseudo-argument came back to me, and I wanted to be anywhere from here.
I'd just finished dusting a fudge brownie with confectioner's sugar when he walked over, and I tried to act so engrossed in my decorating that he would leave me alone.
He wouldn't.
"Can we talk?" Will asked softly, low enough so that only I could hear.
I sighed and cut up a small slice of strawberry to garnish the chocolate delicacy. "So you can accuse me of being a liar again?"
"Candice, please," he whispered, and it almost made my heart crack.
"I'm working," I told him, which should have been blatantly obvious.
"I'll get Lila to cover you for five minutes. Please, love."
I sighed and put down the knife. "Fine. Five minutes."
He nodded, and turned to the raven-haired woman in question. "Lila, can you take over for Candice for a couple of minutes?"
She smiled. "Sure, boss."
As if she did this on a daily basis, she slid into my bench, and I followed Will out. The sound of whoops and catcalls followed us as we exited the humid kitchens, and I felt myself flush.
Will and I had worked very hard since he'd been promoted to prove there was no favoritism going on in the kitchens-which there wasn't. I cleaned up when I had to, did my equal part, and turned up to every shift. We tried never to let our personal lives and feelings get in the way of working, but it seemed the rift between us could not be ignored, and it was best to just roll with the punches than to cause an uproar.
We emerged into the cold alleyway, and I shifted on my feet. "So, you wanted to talk," I said. "Let's talk."
He shoved his fists into the thigh pockets of his dress pants. "Candice, I am so sorry for how I treated you today. I just had so much on my mind, and I took it out on you."
"You didn't just take it out on me, Will," I replied. "You jumped down my throat for trying to be honest with you. You chose your parents over me! But then again, maybe it was stupid of me to think I'd come first."
He grabbed my wrists and pulled me closer, forcing my gaze to meet his blue one. "No, Candice, don't ever think that. You will always come first in my life, and I'm sorry I made you doubt that. I guess I've spent so much time respecting my father despite everything that I'd never want to believe he'd do something like that. And I realize now how wrong I was to do that. I know you'd never lie or make up a story to make me hate my parents, and I didn't mean a word of what I said. I was just being stubborn and thick-headed and stupid."
I looked away. "I get it, Will. I know that you'd never want to realize that your father may be cheating, but you also have to know I'd never lie."
"I know," he told me, running his fingers down the side of my face and inducing a shiver. "I know that. You're everything good in my life, and I almost ruined that. I am so sorry, Candice. The way I reacted was wrong. I love you."
"I love you, too," I said, and he wriggled the tip of his nose against mine, making me giggle.
"Does that mean you forgive me for being a first-degree douchebag?"
"Mm, I might need a little more convincing," I told him. He pressed his lips to mine, and I eagerly responded.
"How about now?" he whispered, pulling back.
Having him so close and warm and safe made my thoughts blur into one another, but I managed to choke out, "Almost. But still not quite."
"What could I ever do to make it up to you?" he asked, resting his forehead on mine and holding my gaze.
I thought about it for a second. "Well, I may know a thing or two..."
"Consider me your slave for the rest of eternity," he whispered, and grabbed my hands in his, swinging them beside us.
"I'll remember that for our honeymoon," I whispered. "Speaking of which, we still haven't picked a location."
"How about Paris?" he asked. "Cocktails in a hotel room facing the Eiffel Tower? Or Fiji? A beachside lagoon?"
"They both sound so good," I admitted. "You always have been a romantic..."
"I'll show you how romantic I can be," he whispered back, and brought his lips to mine. It was very hard to stay mad with such a smooth-talker, and I didn't have it in me to keep any residual anger inside me. I kissed him back as his arms twined around my waist and pulled me to him, and my arms found their way behind his neck.
"I hate to break the mood, but I have to ask," I said, stepping out of his embrace. "Did you talk to your dad?"
He nodded. "Yeah. After I left, I went straight over there. At first he wasn't happy about you telling me, but after I reminded him it's what couples do when they're actually in love with each other, he calmed down and admitted to it. They've been seeing each other for a few months now, and I told he needed to tell Mother and either work it out or divorce her, but I wouldn't go along with her charade. My mum and I might not be on the best terms..."
"But no one deserves that," I concluded, stepping forward and wrapping my arms around his waist. I snuggled into his warm chest. "I'm sorry about everything, Will."
"Me, too," he told me, kissing the top of my head. "I'm sorry for storming out today."
"It's okay. Just promise that next time you doubt me, you'll at least hear me out?"
He pulled back. "There won't be a next time," he told me solemnly. "Because I'll never doubt you again."
"Thank you," I whispered, and he had no idea how much that meant to me. Something I'd never realized in my childhood were that fights weren't just a heartbreaking experience; they were also a learning curve, and a test of strength. And Will and I had emerged stronger than ever.
"So, are we still on for Fairview tonight?" he asked, naming the local homeless shelter we donated spare food to and volunteered at.
I nodded. "Definitely. I hope you don't mind, but I kind of invited Ava, Jamie and Chance over to see it, too."
"Of course I don't mind," he replied. "The more, the merrier."
I sighed and kissed him lightly, savoring the taste of his warm lips. "I really love you, Will Winchester."
"I love you, too, sweetheart," he replied.
I grabbed his hand as we entered back into the kitchens of the restaurant. "Please don't call me sweetheart. It makes me feel like your daughter, or something."
He laughed in surprise. "All right. What would you like to be called instead?"
"Love will do just fine," I told him, pecking him on the cheek with a grin.
He smiled sheepishly. "Yes, it will."
~ * ~
Fairview was alive with late-night customers as we made our way through the crowd. Ava glanced around sketchily, as if afraid of being mugged, and I couldn't blame her trepidation. The first time I'd come down here I'd been similarly worried about being mobbed, but one night here proved that everyone here was as friendly as could be. They didn't want our money or possessions; they only really craved the food and shelter and companionship.
We made our way into the bright room, and I glanced around. It was very sterile and clean, and was light brightly with a metal counter at the front like in a cafeteria, where people in hairnets were preparing to serve up food for the customers. Already tables were filling up, and the place was abuzz with chatter as everyone prepared for dinner and a sleep.
Fairview was a lovely little place, with an on-call doctor in case of injuries, a lot of bunk beds for sleeping and two free meals everyday-the rest were paid on food stamps. It wasn't much for the people here, but it was all they had, and I wanted to make their time as worth it as possible.
Our group all held bags full of extra food, and people visibly brightened as we entered. Normally they got meals like mashed potatoes and crumbed chicken, but we always came bearing gifts like sirloin steak and extravagant salads. It was the best we could provide, and it was better than just dumping it into the bins outside.
We made our way behind the counter, and people walked over and met us with the usual enthusiasm. We couldn't come as often as I wanted to, but we tried to come at least once a week. We'd been dropping the ball in that department lately, but I was glad to be back. It was sad, but also very eye opening to be there. It kept my priorities in check.
"Candi! Will!" a woman called, rushing over to greet us. I knew immediately from her glittering eyes and flushed cheeks who it was, and welcomed her with a hug I knew was coming.
"Hey, Maggie," I said, hugging the podgy older woman. "How are you?"
"I'm good!" she replied. "And who may these lovely people be?"
"Maggie, I'd like to introduce you to some of my friends who have offered to help out tonight. This is Ava, Chance and Jamie."
"At your service, ma'am," Jamie said happily, never losing the buoyancy in his step.
"How do you do?" she replied, smiling widely. "In that case, doors open in five. Let's get ready."
We left the bags on the table for Maggie and her team to unpack, and I led them over to wash our hands, don a pair of latex gloves and a hairnet, and get set up. Jamie offered to take washing up duties, and Will went off to do his usual food prep. I grabbed some condiments and led Ava and Chance to the counter to start serving up.
"All you have to do is make polite conversation, dish them up some food and wish them a good night," I said. "They're great people. Really. And Hannah will be here to help you," I said, pointing to a girl in her mid-twenties setting up plates of meatballs and stew.
"How do we know what they want?" Ava asked, clearly anxious at such a new task.
"Easy," I told her, winking as the doors slid open and people began piling in. "They ask."
"So it's like a high school cafeteria, then?" Ava checked, nibbling on her lower lip as people approached. Most wore rugged clothing and held blankets with holes in them, but I knew that at least tonight they had a safe place to sleep and would go to bed well-fed.
"And you're the lunch lady," I replied, as people approached. There were always different types of people in Fairview; always new faces and some old ones. Some were mothers with small children; some were old men and women who had been left to fight cold and alone for far too long.
"Hey, Kara," I said, smiling as the young woman approached me, holding the hand of two twin boys who beamed at me with matching toothless grins. She was another old face, and had been coming here since her boys were three. She'd been the victim of an abusive marriage, and, since her raging ex-boyfriend had been a lawyer, he had gotten her evicted and failed her court attempts. It wasn't fair, but she knew she had to save her little boys from any pain-no matter the cost.
"Hi, Candice," she said, smiling at me.
I looked down at the two boys, who fidgeted in her grip and looked around with wide eyes. "And Ben and Tyler! How are my two favorite twins? Just the usual?"
They nodded, and I busied myself dishing up sausages and mashed potatoes for the boys and a salad and some stringed pork for Kara. I poured them a few cups of water and then handed it to them on a tray.
"Thank you," she said, and the boys chimed matching words. I smiled as they found a seat with other eating couples, and glanced at my friends.
Chance was making conversation with an older woman with a dirty crocheted blanket tattered around her shoulders. He poured in some soup and a piece of buttered bread, as well as a glass of milk. She thanked him and walked off, and I smiled.
When I turned to Ava, she looked somewhat flustered, but still smiled kindly at each customer and dished up beans and cold cuts of lamb. She kept up a polite conversation, and moved a little inelegantly, but they were all patient with her, offering her smiles and words of encouragement. It had always puzzled me how people with so little going for them could manage to be so truly inspiring to others, but it just seemed to be the way for these people. When the chips were done, they kept their chins up.
I continued serving customers, pouring in beef stew and mashed potatoes and glasses of water and buttering potatoes when supplies ran low. We switched out trays as food scraps dwindled, and I kept up a busy conversation with all of them, welcoming newcomers and conversing with older ones as if we'd been friends for decades.
"I haven't seen you for a while," I said as a boy I recognized walked to my table surrounded by his siblings.
Charlie Danbury was only about nineteen or twenty, and though I didn't know his story well, I did know that his parents had abandoned him when he turned eighteen, leaving him to look after his four siblings. From what I'd heard, he would not allow foster homes to take them away, saying that he didn't want them separated. As he was eighteen, he went for legal custody of the kids, and won. Because of the high strain looking after the littlies had put on him, he lost his job, and eventually his apartment. Now he was homeless, getting by on whatever he could. They moved from hostel to hostel, and he did the best he could for them. I wanted to help him in any way I could, and Will and I had discussed getting him a job at Rive La Belle. But in the rush of everything, we hadn't had the chance. Every time we came to Fairview, he never was, and now he was here, I knew we had to seize the opportunity.
He smiled. "We went to Brighton for a little while for a change of scenery before Ashleigh started middle school," he said, indicating his twelve-year-old sister.
"And I know in a month or two Oscar starts kindergarten," I said, smiling at the adorable little boy with the big brown eyes. He beamed back at me.
He nodded. "Yeah. Can we get the usual, please?"
I nodded and dished up salads for the kids-Charlie tried to feed them as healthily as he could-and some assorted meats. I poured water and milk for them, moving with the precision of someone who has had a long time memorizing orders.
I held out the tray, and he smiled. "Thanks."
He turned to walk away, and I knew I couldn't miss the opportunity. "Hey, Charlie," I called, and he turned around with a kind smile. "See me after?" I asked.
He frowned, but nodded nonetheless, leading the kids over like ducklings to a goose. Ashleigh was the oldest, and then there was ten-year-old Dustin, seven-year-old Marlee, and five-year-old Oscar. I sighed and tore my gaze away, continuing to dish up the food.
Eventually the crowds began to dissipate as everyone finished their meals and slowly walked to the bedrooms to sleep. Beside me, I watched Ava sniff and turn, unexpectedly walking towards the exit and pushing out into the alley.
I turned to another girl dishing up, Reagan. "Cover me?" I asked, and she nodded.
I walked out and made my way into the alley, to see Ava shaking silently as she leaned against a brick wall. "Ave?" I asked.
I touched her on the shoulder, and she turned around. I jolted as I saw her tear-stained face and brimming my eyes. "Hey, are you okay?" I whispered.
She wiped her eyes feebly and let out a sob. "It's not fair, Candi," I said. "These are good people. They don't deserve this!"
I nodded. "You're right. They don't. But we can't stop it. All we can do is help them in any way we can."
"Did you know I dropped a plate earlier, and everyone just started calling out words of encouragement? I dropped an older woman's dinner, and all she said to me was, 'It's okay, sweetie. You're doing just fine.' These people have been given the worst lives and they're comforting me?"
"It's hard," I said. "There are people here who come from abusive relationships or have three kids and no food to feed them. That's why Will and I come here. To help them. It may not seem like much, but we just gave them a bed and some food to eat. And maybe it doesn't seem that amazing, but it's all we can do. So let's do it."
She nodded. "I know. I just never realized how hard some people have it. I mean, I knew, but it didn't sink in until I came here."
I nodded. "But despite everything, they're happy with what they have. We just need to give them that little bit more."
She breathed out and composed herself. "We should probably go back in, huh?"
I nodded. 'Yeah, that might be a good idea."
We walked back inside, and I excused myself from Ava to walk over to Will, who was bringing dishes over to the sinks to be washed. Jamie was busy scraping bits of gravy off of a large tray with a scourer, and I moved Will aside. "Charlie's here tonight. Think we got a spot on the team for him?"
Will grinned. "Definitely. Let's go talk to him."
We excused ourselves and walked out into the dining hall, searching for Charlie. We found him by one of the tables, stacking the plates. Ashleigh was chattering to her siblings, recounting a story of a dragging in a far away cave made of diamonds. The children were totally transfixed, and hardly noticed when I approached. "Can we talk?" I asked in a low voice, smiling as I heard Ashleigh talk about the princess, whose glittering jewels had been stolen by the scaly purple dragon.
He nodded and followed us over to a quiet corner. "What's going on?" he asked, and I could see the worry lining his eyes. With four siblings and his own safety on the line, there was a lot riding on this not being bad news.
"We had a proposition for you," I told him, smiling encouragingly.
"What's going on?" he asked, interest piqued.
Will looked at me and nodded for me to tell him, and I was more than happy to. "Will and I have been talking, and we actually have a position open for a waiter at Rive La Belle. We think you'd be perfect for it, and we'd like to offer you a job as part of the team."
"You'd be trained, of course," Will said. "We'll train you in hospitality and give you all the vital skills you need for the food and retail industry. When you get back on your feet with a steady income and are ready to pursue more high-paying jobs, we'll be there with a recommendation and all the credentials you need to succeed."
"What do you say?" I asked, smiling brightly.
Charlie looked completely awed. "Guys, I can't tell you how much this offer means to me..."
"Why do I feel like there's a 'but' attached to the end of this sentence?" Will queried. "Charlie, what's wrong?"
Charlie blew out a large breath and ran a hand through his hair. "But I'm looking after four kids here. If one gets sick, they all get sick. And with the fact they're all in school now come September, I have to be there for them. And I'm not sure I'll be able to give my full time and commitment to the job. I may miss some shifts in order to look after the kids. I'm just not sure I'll be the most reliable team member, and I don't want to lie and take the job without telling you the truth."
"Charlie, we picked you for a reason," I said. "Whenever I see you come in here, you're always followed by four children who depend on you for everything. When they get sick, you take them to the doctor. You fight for every scrap you can and then give it all to the kids. And now we want to give you something in return. You're so young, and you've been burdened with such a big responsibility, and we see you work so hard. And that's why we're offering you the job. We are well aware that sometimes you'll have to take time off to look after the kids, and we're willing to cater for that. But if you join us, we promise no matter what you'll always have food and a steady income. There's also a loft above the restaurant we can turn into an apartment for you and the kids. No one deserves this more than you, Charlie. We're trying to give you the life you deserve."
Charlie's eyes brimmed with tears, and I knew that in a life he'd been trapped in, he'd probably lost hope of ever finding his way back. But he'd resigned himself to that fate in order to make sure his little brothers and sisters could have the life he never could. And he deserved something more as much as them.
"Thank you so much," he said, his voice cracking as a tear spilled over. He pulled us both into a large hug, and I hoped that he'd see this as a light at the end of a very dark tunnel. We knew how much of a hard worker and genuine person he was, and if he missed the occasional shift to look after his little siblings, we could make an exception for that. We saw so much sadness pass through Fairview, and Will and I just wanted to make someone's life a little happier. "You have no idea how much this means to us."
I smiled. "You deserve it, Charlie."
He pulled back and wiped his eyes. "When do you want me to start?"
"Would a week be okay?" Will asked. "I just have to get the loft cleared out and redone before you move in. It might be a little small, though..."
"It's a home," Charlie said. "Something me and the kids never had much of. Anything is fine; we appreciate it no matter what."
"We'll find you next week," I told him, patting his arm.
"Thank you once again," he said. "You've changed my life, and you've changed the kids lives. We'll never be able to repay you for that."
"Just give them the life you all deserve," Will said. "That's enough for us."
Charlie grinned and went back to the kids, and I sighed as Will wrapped his arms around me and planted a soft kiss on the top of my head. "We did it," I whispered. "Finally something good came out of something so bad."
Against the top of my head, he whispered softly, "Maybe everyone does get a happy ending, after all."
~ * ~
I've had this idea swirling around my head for a long time now, and I'm so glad I finally got to write it. Hope you enjoyed! As always, drop down those comments and votes-I love them!
If you ever get the chance, please do volunteer at your local homeless shelter-it really is an eye-opener, and they need all the support they can get. It may not seem like much, but your influence could make all the difference :)
One day I'd love to write a story featuring Charlie and his hardships (and possibly how his life changes forever when he falls in love). But for now I'll have to settle for giving him his own little happy ending in this book.
Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next update.
Much love. Xx