Need You

Chapter 14

Ready for work, I sat in the living area waiting for Ethel to get ready. She usually didn't go to the restaurant in the morning but her staff needed to be informed.

I turned when the door opened and saw Nikki. She looked better than she was yesterday. "Good morning." She greeted cheerfully.

"Good morning." I smiled. I didn't see much of her yesterday. "Are you okay?"

" Yes." She said as she sat next to me. "You look great."

"Thank you."

"I thought you were joking when you said you want to take my job. I should have taken you seriously."

"I didn't take your job and I don't remember saying I want to take your job."

She gasped. "Liar." I chuckled. "Auntie told me she was going to give me that job, but I'm glad you took it from me. I get to maintain my normal hours of working and I don't have to deal with going to work early and leaving late."

I was silent for a few moments and then with a puzzled expression I asked her, "Do you want me to tell your aunt to give you the job?"

"No please." She responded quickly.

"I actually don't mind the hours. And besides she said it's something temporal."

"It could become something a bit more than temporal. This is sort of a trial and so if it goes well it could become like a permanent thing."

"Okay. I just hope I do well and I'm able to help the restaurant." I said honestly.

Ethel had been so kind to me. Taking this job was probably the least I could do to thank her.

"I'm sure you will. You're a business genius." She teased.

Ethel came out of her room ready and the three of us as well as Amanda left in her car.

The restaurant was being prepared for service when we got there. "Nikki, gather everyone in the dining area." Ethel ordered. "Harry follow me."

Inside her office, Ethel told me what my job was again, adding that I would be attending her meetings with the investors. "This is now your office." She began. "You will be working on that side." She pointed to the area the sofa was in.
Bringing out a document from her drawer, she said, "As I said before, this job portfolio will be temporal depending on how the restaurant benefits after one month. If it works and after one month you want to continue, this contract can be revised."

"Okay."

I noticed that I would be paid one hundred and fifty bucks weekly. That sum at the end of the month was mote than I was expecting to be paid. I signed it happily.

"Alright. Let's go and make your introduction." Ethel smiled.

Everyone was in the dining area, talking amongst themselves. Slowly, the chatter  died when they saw Ethel.

"Good morning." She greeted her staff.

"Good morning."

"Alright so those of you who handled movement of orders today, I'm sure noticed a change. We're trying to maintain our financial stability and to help us do that is Harry. He will be tracking our progress concerning this new initiative and will be handling most of the restaurant's finances." She paused. "So let's all welcome the restaurant's new financial controller, Harry." Nikki started clapping and the others joined immediately.

I had never had such an introduction - it felt good.

"Alright, service starts soon so go get ready." Ethel dismissed them.

Going to her office with Nikki and me, she said, "I going to go home to get something done. Depending on when finish, I might come back earlier or later than usual."

"Harry," She called as she brought out a laptop from her drawer, putting it on her desk. "this is yours. It has been synced to mine so that I can see all the data is taken."

"Okay."

"I'll see you two later. Bye."

Later, I realised I had dozed off when  loud noise woke me. Reading financial statements on the laptop was boring. I don't know how long I had slept but it was the best sleep I had had in a while.

I decided to walk around a bit so it wouldn't happen again. I was sure Ethel wouldn't appreciate it if she walked in on me asleep.

"Hey." Nikki smiled when she saw me in the dining area. She stood by the bar. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm bored, and my legs are tired. I just thought I'd walk around a bit so I don't end up falling asleep." I answered honestly.

"Funny, because that's what I want to do. Sleep." She grinned and handed me a sheet. "These are the accounts of what have been bought this morning."

It was time for me to get to work.

"You can do your job while I fall asleep." She said. "I have about thirty minutes before lunch service begins. Let's go."

I entered the information into the laptop while she lay on the sofa, staring at her phone.

"I thought you said you wanted to sleep." I commented.

"I guess I'm not as sleepy as I thought." She said. "Are you done with what you're doing?"

"No."

Dealing with numbers was to be done with critical care. An ommission or addition of one number when it's not supposed to be and you're putting yourself in trouble.

"The waffles and pancakes are popular breakfast choices."

"Uh huh." Nikki sounded. "Do you want some?"

"Not really." I doubted pancakes could sustain my hunger for long.

"What about fried rice for lunch?" She sat up in the sofa.

"Yeah, that's fine."

"Okay. Do you want to eat now or wait for Amanda to get here?" She asked as she stood. "Then we can eat together."

I wasn't that hungry so I told her that I'd wait.

The lunch service was about to start so she left.

A few minutes after I had finished, Nikki entered with Amanda.

"Hi." Amanda said to me with a grin.

"Hi."

"I'm going to bring the food." Nikki said as she went out.

Amanda sat next to me on the sofa and for a brief moment, before she brought out her phone, there silence was awkward.

I noticed I didn't know or talk to her as much as I did Nikki.

"Where's Gina?" I asked and she turned to me confused. "You normally come for lunch with her. That's why I'm asking." I explained.

"She's on vacation on some island." She answered. "She didn't tell you?"

I shook my head.

"I thought you two were friends."

"We are but we aren't that close." I said. "I don't even have her number."

"And you say you're friends?" She said, her voice amused.

"Well, it's not my fault. It's not even been a week since I got my phone." I said in my defence. "I've not had the time to update my contact list."

"Fair enough." She smiled. "When you want her contact, let me know."

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I said, "Right now is okay."

She took it and as she put the number in I added, "Add your number too."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello. Thank you for reading another chapter of "Need You". If you enjoyed it, please VOTE and if you're enjoying the story, do SHARE with others.