The Chefs Cashier - The Bear

9

Maia woke up with a smile on her face, because she could feel Carmys arms around her waist as he buried his face in her neck. This was the first time in weeks she would have a smile first thing in the morning.

11 weeks until opening.

Maia had stayed over for the 5th time since their extremely heated make out session.

Maia would sit in the living room or lay in Carmys bed as he would figure out dishes with Sydney.

Sydney was surprised to see Maia there but not shocked. She knew eventually the two of them would start to figure out their liking for each other.

Maia walked over to the kitchen in Carmen's white tee and her shorts from yesterday. She smiled as Carmy would take his fork and allowed her to try a piece of their creation.

"What do you think Maia?" Sydney asks as Carmy fed the food to her.

"Hm, it's salty." She replies, and the two give her a weird look before trying it themselves.

Carmy spits out the food, and Sydney shakes her head.

"Yeah, fuck that." Sydney says as she makes a face out of disgust.

Maia laughs at their reactions, and leans against the kitchen table.

"You marinated it too long. It's okay though." Carmy says to Sydney as he takes a sip of his water.

"I mean it's not okay, it's the second time in a row. I've done this."

"Hey, chef. It's alright, you'll get it don't worry. It's why you're doing this right?" Maia says to Sydney and she sighs.

A few moments go by and Sydney and Carmy begin to talk about suggestions. Maia suddenly gets a call, and her heart drops knowing it could only be her mom.

"I'm gonna go take this." Maia says as she takes her phone out of her pocket and swipes to answer her mom while walking toward Carmys bedroom.

"Hey mami. What's up?"

"I can't find your father Maia. Where the fuck are you? Why did you leave me here? Don't you love me?" Her mom says in between sobs.

She was so lost in her own mind, only thing Maia could have done is just listen to her.

Maia tries to stay strong as her mom just yells at her asking where everyone is.

Sydney left to go and find workers while Carmy went inside his bedroom to see Maia staring blankly at the wall. He immediately rushes over to her side and asks what's wrong.

She barely looks at him, and puts her head on his chest.

"Did your mom call?"

Maia was only able to nod her head.

Carmen bit his lip and kissed the top of Maia's head.

"Maybe we should, we will go out somewhere. Just me and you. What do you say?" Carmy says causing Maia to pop her head up to look at him.

"But I thought you and Sydney were going to look for chefs?" Maia asks, and Carmy shrugs.

"I can bail for one afternoon. Fuck it, if you're not busy. I'd love to finally show you off somewhere that's not just my house."

Maia's eyes sparkle at the thought of Carmy wanting to show her off. The thought of her mother slips her mind as she completely attaches herself back to Carmen.

"You look so hot with my shirt on by the way." Carmy smirks at her as he then pulls her in for a lustful kiss.

He lets go and she was blushing.

"As much as I love to see you in my clothes, you should get changed." He says to her and Maia nods her head and sighs.

He leaves her in his bedroom to change. She quickly puts on her clothes from yesterday and sighs. Hoping no one would realize she was wearing the same outfit.

Maia walks out of his room, and he looks at her and smiles.

They both walk out his house, and walk together to the train station.

"Where we going?" Maia asks Carmy, and he just smiles.

"Where the brown line takes us."

"What do you mean?"

"I know a stop to the loop." Carmy says as they both get on the brown line train together.

The bus was packed for the afternoon. They only assumed it was busy because it was lunch hour. Carmy stood over Maia as she held onto the medal pole by the entrance of the train.

Carmy looks at his phone to see Sydney had left him a few texts. He quickly lets her know that he had to bail. He didn't explain why, but Sydney had a pretty good idea who he bailed with.

Sydney was disappointed, but she didn't let it affect her hunt for employees. She took it as a challenge that it was just her on her own.

After a few stops, Carmy grabs her hand and they both walk out of the train and down the steps to be surround by the south loop city.

"I haven't been around here in awhile." Maia admits as she looks at the tall buildings that surrounded her.

"Really? Don't you live in the city though?"

"Yeah, but I hardly ever venture out of my own neighborhood anymore."

"That's a shame." Carmy says as he didn't let go of Maia's hand. In fact he intertwines them together causing her to blush at the public affection he was giving her.

The both walk around the city together hand in hand for a few hours. Walking randomly, aimlessly around.

Carmy couldn't keep his eyes off of Maia, she's what captivated his attention and time lately. She was beginning to become the person who motivated him to get out of bed, and a motivation to become a better person. She was the one making sure he still went to therapy. Even though was willing to listen to all his problems, and anxieties. She still encouraged him to go to professionals to get other outlets.

Carmy motivated Maia too in ways she couldn't describe. He motivated her to realize that families aren't supposed to be perfect. That her dad and brothers death wasn't her fault. He also understood clearer what her problem with him smoking was. Her brother too died by suicide. He took a bunch of pills and never woke up again. She was just 15 years old, her brother was 17. And when she lost her father she was only 19.

Both of them had shitty pasts, which made their attraction to each other all the more real. They balanced each other out, like two peas in a pod.

Just as the night almost felt perfect for Carmy to ask the question he so desperately wanted to ask Maia, he received a phone call from Richie saying that they needed to knock down the walls in the restaurant. That there were many insects, mold, and rodents living in the walls.

Carmy grew annoyed, and the two went separate ways. He didn't want Maia to worry about the restaurant when she wasn't here. Maia would have went with Carmy, but she really needed to write a blog about a restaurant otherwise her readers would loose interest.