Striation City's Killer

Chapter 7

Chili's point of view!

I'm, as usual, whizzing around the restaurant, a pen and a notepad in my pocket and my hands carrying dishes with expert balance. I could get into a brawl and still not drop these. And win. 

Life is fine and the restaurant is going fine without Cilan.  He set so many rules, and Cress handles most of the routines. Pretty much the only downside is that Cilan isn't there to comfort me if I'm feeling down and our profits aren't as strong, we have to spend an awful lot of money on meat... But. I may have scored one or two girls over the past few weeks, and, well, my eyes may never be the same, thanks to one 17 year old... agh. Note to self: Don't ever accept any offer from any girl in the restaurant ever.

Cress was busy going through the daily routine that Cilan had sent to him - he was told that all food scraps should go down the waste disposal twice a day. The first time was his responsibility, at noon. The second time being mine, at 5PM. We just put stuff like melon rinds or leftover lettuce or spoiled meals we made down there. It works and there's a surprising lot of crap.

I skid up to the kitchen, placing some empty dirty dishes in the sink and starting to clean them as quickly as I can. One issue with Cilan leaving - he usually did the dishes... I'm getting bet-

"Ahem, Chili." Cress says, clearing his throat. "Aren't you forgetting someone?"

"No? Who?" I say, not turning around and placing a plate onto a rack.

"There's a customer over there. She hasn't been tended to yet." Cress says in his normal annoying pretentious tones.

"Can't you do it?"

"I'm the amazing Cress! I'm the one that does the cooking, you're the waiter. Now hurry up." Cress demands without a single hint of remorse. 

"Okay, fine..." I mumble, quickly drying my hands on a tea towel and leaving it crumpled up next to the sink. I take out my notepad and stride towards the customer.

The customer is sitting along at a table for two. It's a girl, and she's got long blonde hair. She's reading a wine menu, and wearing a large black hat, that stops me from seeing her face. She's wearing a matching black dress with long sleeves, and it looks like it goes down to her ankles. Black shoes. She seems to really like the colour black... 

"Excuse me, miss? Can I take your order?" I say, taking out my notepad and pen. 

She doesn't look up at me, she just heaves a sigh and places the menu down on the plate.

"Could I have a glass of Pinot Noir Azalea?" She says quietly. My eyes are drawn to a twinkle on her left hand, on the ring finger. There's an engagement ring, but no proper wedding ring...

I quickly jot the wine down.

"Anything else?"

"No thanks."

She turns her head, still hiding her face underneath the rim of her hat as I turn away to walk back to the kitchen and give the order to Cress. I look back at the girl and notice that her shoulders appear to be jerking slightly up and down, holding her left hand to her chest. Is... Is she crying?

"Chili? What's the order?"

"Just a glass of wine... Can you go get it?"

Cilan told us never, ever to go down into the wine cellar. Ever. Since he's gone, Cress just goes down there, since he's the older one...

"Chili, you're 15. You're old enough to get it yourself, I'm busy, and I think the only reason why Cilan told us never to go down there was because he had a chronic drinking problem. Just go down there."