A Christian Romance II

Chapter 20 - Meeting at the restaurant

Sunday had gone. A rainy Monday had come and the Smiths followed their daily routine earlier than usual. All three were awake at five in the morning. Debora kissed her husband affectionally and then headed out for a stroll to her workplace - it was six. She had a lot to do at work and Michael's megalomaniac project to top it off.

That morning Debora did a successful trial run of the registration app that would serve Michael's event. And with that settled, she launched the app and more advertising of the event worldwide in all the social platforms. She was very optimistic, trusting that God would lead and bring people from all nations to that event and that all the tickets would sell out. They had 30000 places to fill.

Unlike Debora, Michael didn't believe the tickets would sell out by the power of God - which meant nothing for him - or word of mouth. If they didn't sell at least 70% of those tickets, he would be bankrupt. The risk of bankruptcy and other personal pending issues had kept his mind in trouble. His hiding place was his restaurant, playing the piano his therapy. He would go there after hours, but he was there on that Monday morning because he was inspired to compose about his deceased father. He was so absorbed that he didn't notice the time running. His composition was only partially finished when the sunrise slowly began, but Michael couldn't see it because the blinds of the windows that faced to the direction of the sunrise were shut.

As he put his stuff together to leave the restaurant, he felt heavily drowsy, and setting his bag aside, he moved to a table where he slept using his arms as pillow. It should have been a ten-minute nap, but an hour had passed and he still slept.

In the meantime, Miriam was at the restaurant's door. She was there to organize the pantry before the staff's arrival. Although this was a customary procedure, it wasn't normal for her to enter the establishment and find the alarm off, nor the lights nor the heating on. Who was there besides her? It could either be Christina or Ferdinand for they were the only ones with keys - as far as she knew.

"Christina!" She called for the sous chef with a loud voice. "Are you in the kitchen?" Miriam made her way to the kitchen door. "Christina?" She called once more.

There was no reply from the kitchen. She ventured to the patio, but on the way she found Michael sat straight and awake looking at her. His sight startled her so much that she even screamed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Michael apologized watching her composing herself.

"What are you doing here at this time of the morning?!" She was still recovering from the fright. "Shouldn't you still be in bed?"

"Shouldn't I choose where I should be?"

Miriam almost rolled her eyes. "So what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the exact same thing." He replied defiantly, leaning back onto the chair and folding his arms to his chest.

Couldn't he just tell the truth for once? Miriam wondered, and she led by example. "You could ask, and I would tell you that I came earlier to organize the pantry before the staff arrives at 8."

"Ferdinand asked me for some papers, so I came. We have a meeting with a client at 9." Not even Michael believed in his own lie.

Miriam wasn't convinced either. She hmphed, and turned to go to the kitchen. "I have work to do." She informed.

Michael quickly stood up, tempted to test their chemistry once more. Two days earlier they had shared a meaningful hug, so he hoped for a more intimate development.

"Let me help you, Miriam!"

"That's alright! I can manage." She politely declined.

The last thing she wanted was to be deprived of her senses and fall into Michael's arms again, or maybe worse.