I Love You, I'm Sorry; Sydney Adamu

001.

Everyday was chaos.

A chaos that Alessia was not quite prepared for.

Of course she knew going into this that Mikey was a generally disorganized person, and that his business would reflect that state of disarray. However this was far beyond even what she had imagined.

So many bills left unpaid, so much maintenance that was never taken care of. It was miracle the place was in business at all.

Alessia peaked over her brother's shoulder, "Is that all of it? That really doesn't—"

"No, Mae. It's twenty-five fucking pounds," he sighed, running his hand through his hair. Carmen slammed the cooler shut, and turned to the woman.

"Don't worry about it," he spoke evenly, "I'll figure it out."

"I don't doubt that for a second, Carm—"

Alessia wanted to help. That's why she quit her job at really fucking good restaurant for this place.

"I've got it, ok? You focus on your shit."

Alessia resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "Yes, chef."

Her tone came off snippy and short, just as she had intended it too. Carmen of course, didn't appreciate that.

The man shook his head in annoyance, and marched away into Mikey's— or rather his office. Though office was a generous word for it, it was rather a disorganized black hole, that resided in a closest sized room.

With a frustrated sigh, Alessia pulled her hair back out of her face, and walked back through the swinging kitchen door.

"Behind!" Alessia noted, as she zigzagged through the messy kitchen. Tina rolled her eyes, and Alessia shook her head, everything she did seemed to irritate the woman.

It was days like today that the Berzatto woman regretted quitting her job for this place. Though she would never admit it to Natalie, her sister had been totally right.

In fact Natalie had practically begged her not to get sucked into this hell hole of a restaurant, and yet here she was chopping vegetables in the most disorganized kitchen she had quite possibly ever worked at.

"Tina," Carmen's voice cut through the kitchen.

"Carmen!" Ebraheim interrupted, "Where's Beef?"

"It's in the oven. Tina, can you start a new giardiniera for me please, Chef?"

"I need my fennel first, Jeff." Tina continued to stack the styrofoam cups.

Carmen was part way through the swinging door when Ebraheim stopped him again, "Carmen! I need my beef!"

"Ebraheim..."

"I need my beef! Then I do onion, then I do potatoes. We have system."

"Chef, where the hell is the garlic powder?" Alessia turned over her shoulder, "We really need to organize this shit."

"Heard," Carmy sighed as Ebraheim continued to follow him.

"It's right here, Melissa." Tina noted, handing her the garlic powder.

Alessia scoffed, "Tina, I know that you know that Melissa isn't my name."

The woman shrugged, an amused and smug smile tugging at her lips. Alessia took a deep breath, turning back to the task at hand.