As the people began entering the restaurants I couldn't help but conclude that this was more than 25 people.
Ethan and Camilla have yet to show up and it was just me and Mr. Zho. I hoped they'd be here soon, this must be an important event if this many people are here. I wonder what the occasion was.
Me and Mr. Zho were leading different groups of people around the restaurant to seat them at various tables, meeting at the front desk to retrieve a new group.
"I'm going to begin taking drink orders, so you'll have to seat the rest of the people, let me know if you need any help." Mr. Zho said to me before disappearing to a different part of the restaurant. More people seemed to be entering the restaurant and I was beginning to panic.
Okay, you can do this Mariah.
I reached under the desk and grabbed more menus before leading what seemed like the twentieth group to a table. I was walking back to the front desk to seat the next group and retrieve more menus, when my eyes landed on the newest bunch to walk in. It was a group of four, two men and two women, but one of them in particular caught my eye.
She had to be at least 6 foot, which is a lot considering I'm 5 '4, the pale woman was wearing a rolled up black button up with all black pants and shoes to match. Her wavy wolf cut was to her shoulders and she had various tattoos littering her hands, arms, and neck with different types of gold jewelry around her body. By the time my eyes trailed back up to her face her eyes were already on me.
I quickly cleared my throat and bent under the desk to retrieve four menus. My face was definitely the brightest shade of red you can think of.
"I have a table down this way please follow me," I quickly said while walking down the busy carpeted restaurant. What type of event even is this?
My thoughts quickly came to a halt when Mr. Zho pulled me to the side. "Excuse her for a second, Ms. Breaux, can I have a word?" He questioned while he nodded at one of the guests behind me.
"They're the ones who set this whole thing up-"He quickly whispered.
"Wait I thought you didn't know-" I cut him off, "-Not important I have a reserved table for them in the middle of the restaurant it's the circular table with the reserved card on the top, I'll handle all the other guests, you just wait their table for now, Ethan and Camilla are here to help." He whispered back to me. Before I could muster up a reply, he did a shoo motion towards me and lightly pushed me back to the main walkway.
"Sorry about that, how's everyone doing this morning?" I said while locating the center table, I heard a few goods and nodded in return. As I approached the table I noticed the velvet red sheet draped over it, the other tables have a slightly lighter red so I was confused at the subtle detail. The table had a small lit candle on top of it and a card. I glanced over at the folded reserved card on top of it.
Reserved
——
Caspers
Is that their actual last name? I pushed the thought aside and moved to the side so they could sit down.
"My name is Mariah, and i'll be your waiter and cook this morning," I said enthusiastically as I handed each of them menus, avoiding eye contact with a certain someone.
"Can I get you guys started off with any drinks?" I asked, looking around the table. The older woman immediately spoke, "I'll have a Martini please." she said, putting down the menu with a slight smile.
The older man in the black suit spoke after, "Beer?" he questioned. "Yes we do, so I have a Martini and a Beer, and for you two?" The last part came out as a whisper, but it wasn't intentional, I didn't know what was wrong with me.
The younger man looked up at me from his menu, "I'll have a Pepsi please." He nodded at me then looked at the older man. It was safe to assume they were a family, he was practically the spitting image of him.
I was waiting on just one person.
She slowly put the menu down on the table, and her eyes slowly scanned my figure. Something about her eyes were so alluring, her eyes appeared to be a deep brown, almost looking black if you didn't stare hard enough. They set something in me on fire, and I didn't like it.
"I'll have water thank you." Her voice was so low and raspy, It made me feel like it was just me and her in here. For a second I almost forgot everything they ordered. But as soon as the words left her mouth she looked away immediately zoning back in on their family conversation.
"I- I'll have those out immediately thank you." The words spilled out my mouth. I didn't know why I was nervous. It was packed in here and my face was hot, it might have been the amount of people here right now. I hurried down the walkway and into the kitchen to make all of their drinks. I needed to get myself together, and fast.
"Mariah, could you bring that plate of drinks to table 14 for me please? I have to prepare 3 meals." Ethan asked me while hurrying to the back, his curly hair was disheveled, and his cheeks had a slight tint of red. They especially stood out since we had to wear all black uniforms.
"Will do." I said, grabbing the tray of both my table's drinks and his. Carrying both the trays wasn't that big of a challenge considering the floors were clear with an occasional kid and Mr. Zho wandering around. I dropped the first plate of drinks off, setting them in front of each person and began making my way with both trays to the table I was waiting.
I unintentionally started looking at the floor while walking to try to clear my thoughts before I made it back to the table. But as soon as I turned the corner at their table my eyes darted up and I noticed I was about to collide with someone.
Before I could see who, I immediately remembered I had drinks and my hand and my first reaction was to catch them. But before I could put my other hand out to catch the beverages that were on the verge of falling, I felt a large hand on top of mine under the drink tray, and another steadying it from the side.
I quickly looked up and noticed the familiar face standing before me. The warmth from her hand under the tray ignited a fire in me that seemed like it would burn forever.My eyes quickly went to the drinks to make sure they were okay and surprisingly not a single drop was spilled.
"I'm sor-" I accidentally cut myself off when my eyes met hers again, "-ry, I'm sorry, please excuse me." The words were coming out faster than I could process. Before I began walking away she lowly said, "My apologies, It was my fault." and before I knew it the warmth from her hand was gone, leaving the heat from her touch to fade away with
her as she had walked around me toward the front of the restaurant. As she was walking away I noticed her pull her phone out of her front pocket and bringing it to her ear.
I turned back around, hastily fixed myself and began walking back to the table. When I turned the corner and arrived at their table I took each drink off of the tray and placed them in front of the designated person, leaving one drink in front of the now empty seat.
"I'm sorry about that, if you guys are interested I can get you a dessert later of your choice, it's on the house, But If you're ready now though I can take everyone's orders." I offered, taking out my notepad and pen, looking around.
Once I wrote down everyone's orders, I was on my way back to the kitchen. The mysterious woman I bumped into earlier strangely didn't return to the table to order. I was looking down at the notepad with everyone's orders re reading them in my head when I bumped into another person.
I really have to watch where i'm going.
"I'm so-" There she was, standing right in front of me with the most neutral expression I've ever seen on someone's face.
"We really have to stop running into each other like this," I chuckled while looking down. When I looked back up I noticed that same expression was on her face.
I instantly cleared my throat "Uhm, you weren't at the table so i wasn't able to take your order, what would you like?" I recollected myself while pulling the pen out my apron and looking at the notepad. The next thing she said to me completely caught me off guard.
"What do you like?" she questioned while tilting her head. Her voice was going to be the death of me.
"Oh.. well I um, I personally like the 71 special," I said, clearing my throat. She furrowed her brows looking down at me.
"It's basically a dish compiled with a bunch of things, like all dishes basically- that was a bad explanation im sorry," I rambled trying to recollect my thoughts
"-it has rice, a bread bowl, with a special soup, steak, and any dessert of your choice on the side" I told her nervously.
I definitely wasn't getting a good tip.
She lowly chuckled to herself, if I wasn't listening hard enough I would've missed it. I peered up at her and there was a slight smirk on her face, it was barely noticeable.
"I'll have that then, thank you." She said walking away from me.
I don't think I blushed this much in my lifetime.