These Broken Roads

Chapter 19: Long Hours

~Natalie~

"Four please." Said the dad with a smile.

I nodded and grabbed menus. "Follow me."

I led the family over to a booth and set the menus out for them. "Nate will be right with you."

"Thank you." The dad smiled again.

I smiled back and turned to head back to the host stand. It wasn't long until I heard the door open again.

"Welcome." I said standing up off of the stool. "How many?"

"Two please." The girl said.

I nodded and grabbed the menus and told them to follow me. I set the menus down at the booth. "Ronda will be right with you."

I headed back to the host stand when the dad from the previous table raised his hand to me. I walked over to him, with a smile.

"Yes?"

The dad motioned for me to get closer. I leaned down to him.

"Can you request us a new waiter?" He asked in a hushed voice.

I looked at him confused, they already had drinks on their table so Nate had been there.

"Is there something wrong?"

The dad looked at his kids uneasily and then dropped his voice even lower. "Our waiter has scars on his wrists. I don't want my children around that."

I pressed my lips together. I knew this guy didn't know Nate or his struggles or even that I was his sister, but really?

I spotted Nate who looked like he was going to approach the table again, but stopped when he saw me talking to the dad.

"I'll see what I can do." I said in a flat tone.

I walked past Nate and into the kitchen marching right to the back office, where Linda was doing some paperwork. She smiled when I came in, but it dropped when she saw my face. I quickly explained what happened with that table.

She sighed. "People can be horrible, but see if Ronda can take them."

"I just sat her." I crossed my arms over my chest.

Linda shrugged. "I don't know how else to help, Natalie."

"Tell them they can't switch waiters." I said bitterly.

Linda shook her head. "If they want to switch they can."

I huffed. It's not fair to Nate and unfortunately this isn't the first table to request this.

As I left the office I ran into Ronda in the kitchen.

"Can you take table twelve?" I asked her as she put some bread in the toaster.

She huffed. "Why?"

"They really want you." I lied.

She shook her head and looked at me like she didn't believe me. "Fine. That's been happening a lot, though."

I kept my mouth shut and went out of the kitchen doors. Nate was standing right where I left him, waiting to find out what was going on.

"Don't tell me." He said with a pained look.

I sighed. "I'm sorry."

He rubbed his eyes. "It's fine."

I bit my lip and looked at my brother. He looked defeated again. He definitely seemed more like himself the past couple of weeks, but he loved his job. He puts his heart into everything he does. Maybe that's why it hurts him so much.