Stressed Spelled Backwards |Lesbian Story|

Chapter 22

Business continued to bomb and by early next week, I was totally exhausted. There was no way I could continue to be a cook, dessert chef, and landlady for a going concern like a clogged pipe. Besides, Ms. McHugh could only cover for the morning shift. Now, the deli was making more than enough money to spring for another staff member, especially since I was working for nothing more than tips and glory.

The Help Wanted sign spent about forty-five minutes in our window before I had to interview my first applicant. Guess who?

"I love what you've done with the place," Clarice raved. "Do you know that the whole neighborhoods have been known to turn on one or two little renovations like this?"

"Do you have any restaurant experience?" I asked, figuring I would go through the motions before telling her she was overqualified after the interview.

"Not really, but I learn fast, and I really need this job," she said with a bright smile at me. It was hard trying not to give in to her charm, but I had to be professional and cleared my throat.

"Oh really?"

"To be honest with you, I'm bored," she said. "You're always in the deli. That's the only way I could see you, Azra."

I tried not to smile.

"I still don't think you'd like it here," I said hopefully. "You see, here is all work and no play."

"Who says there's no play?" she said and bit her bottom lip. I felt my cheek redden.

"Clarice...I don't think..." I started.

"You don't want me around?" she cut me off. She looked saddened and hung her head.

"No!" I said and reached over for her hands. "It's not like that, Clarice. It's just that the pay is pretty lousy. The hours are hard, and there are no breaks..." And we flog you every night, and if you drop a glass, we feed you to the dragons in the dungeon. Please don't take the job!

The blonde got up and sat beside me.

"You're doing all those things, and you seem to be having fun," she argued.

"Clarice, fun for me isn't the same for you," I persisted. "Your fun is trying on designer's clothes, shoes and fancy blink-blink on the runway, not weaving between tables and carrying trays!"

"I think you underestimate me," she said and crossed her arms stubbornly. "I think I'd be a really good waitress because I work so well with people! Come on, Azra -please! "

Then she gave me a lethal dose of lost puppy eyes.

So I took her out and got her a uniform, only with a baby blue apron as to not be confused with mine, but she still ended my reign as the cutest waitress in our neighborhood.

Karmen and Elise also seemed skeptical about my new choice. But surprise, surprise! She was a pretty good waitress, efficient, friendly, and unbelievably hardworking. Between us, we ran the place like clockwork. We were actually a perfect team!

I wondered what would happen if Celie found out what I had done to her business. We already dealt with her back injury, I didn't want anything to do with her cardiac arrest. I hoped she wouldn't mind after she came face to face with the happy reality of a successful restaurant and a full cash register.

Things were going as well as they could with word of mouth, my main form of advertising. My customers loved my Pyramid of Chocolate Cake, Marshmallow Mountain Fudge, and Rainbow- Candy-Floss UFO. They were my latest inventions for kids. I also made classic, gold-glittered, expensive-looking dessert fit for royalties for my mature fans. Business was growing steadily, but I knew it would take a special break to bump it up to the next level.