The Waiter and The Chef

Chapter 8: Midnight Smoke Break

Riley stepped out into the alley behind the restaurant, the cool night air was a welcome relief after hours in the hot kitchen. She leaned against the brick wall, fishing a pack of cigarettes from her pocket. Martha joined her, pulling out a lighter.

"Got a light?" Riley asked, holding out her cigarette.

Martha flicked the lighter. "Rough night, huh?"

"You could say that," Riley took a deep drag. "But we made it through."

They stood in companionable silence for a moment, watching as a couple of kitchen staff hauled trash bags to the dumpster. The rhythmic sound of mops on tile drifted out from the propped-open back door.

"So, I've got some news," Martha broke the silence.

Riley raised an eyebrow. "Good or bad?"

"Good, I think. Remember Robert Reed? The big shot who came in with his entourage this morning?"

"How could I forget? I was sweating bullets the whole time I was cooking for them."

Martha chuckled. "Well, it paid off. He talked to me after you went back to the kitchen. Gave me his business card and everything."

"No shit. What did he want?"

"He wants us to cater some fancy movie event. It's happening in a few weeks."

"Are you serious?" Riley stubbed out her cigarette. "That's huge. How the hell did that happen?"

"Your cooking, obviously. He couldn't stop raving about it. Said it was the best meal he'd had in years."

"Wow. I mean, that's great, but... can we handle something like that? We've never done an event that big before."

"It'll be a challenge, sure," Martha said, taking another drag. "But think of the exposure. If we pull this off, it could put us on the map. Maybe even get us that Michelin star you've been dreaming about."

Riley ran a hand through her hair. "You're right. We can't pass this up. But fuck, it's going to be a lot of work."

"When has that ever stopped you?" Martha asked, nudging Riley's shoulder. "You live for this shit. Plus, the pay is good. We won't even need that bank loan anymore for the expansion."

"True. Alright, let's do it. We'll need to start planning right away. Menu testing, staffing, equipment... Christ, there's so much to think about."

"We've got time," Martha reassured her. "And you've got me. We'll figure it out together."

Riley nodded. "Thanks. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably burn the place down," she teased.

"Hey, that was one time, and it wasn't even my fault," Riley protested, but she was smiling.

They lapsed into silence again, both lost in thought about the opportunity ahead of them. The sounds of the city night surrounded them – distant traffic, the hum of streetlights, the occasional shout or laugh from pedestrians.

"You know," Riley said after a while, "sometimes I wonder if this is all worth it. The long hours, the stress, barely seeing Danny..."

Martha turned to look at her. "Having second thoughts about your dream?"

"No, not really. It's just... moments like this make me remember why I do it. The chance to create something special, to make people happy with food. It's what I've always wanted."

"And you're damn good at it. Don't forget that. This Reed thing? It's proof that all your hard work is paying off. Maybe some day you can hire some more staff so you can spend evenings with Danny again. You know, get a life outside of these kitchen walls."