The Big Bang Baby [The Big Bang Theory]

Chapter 4

As I walked inside, the thought of Gregg's confession lingered in my mind. Enabling him to understand girls better. It's not a secret that he's quite an anti-girl person, except the one time he actually tried. After that, he decided that he would not date again. I am probably the only girl he ever talks to.

"Good morning, and welcome to The Cheesecake Factory. Can I help you?" the girl in her mustard-yellow waiter outfit asked as I walked up to her. The smile on her face was sweet and inviting.

"Yes. Is the manager around?" I politely asked her. She looks around the restaurant, searching for the people already there.

"Not yet; he should be here any second." she stopped for a second, looking past me at some movement behind me.

"Ah. Speaking of the manager," she announced with a smile. I turned to where she was looking, and Gregg was the only one who came through the door. My expression changed. You're not serious.

I turned back at the girl, "Sorry, but I think you made a mistake. I'm looking for the manager." I said in the direction of the waiter, but she was no longer there.

"Are you talking about me?" I heard a voice behind me. I slowly turned around. Gregg just stood there and looked at me. I wanted to say something, but the words could not escape my mouth. I swallowed and smiled.

"I was looking for the manager, but I think I found him," I said, stepping away from him. He started laughing.

"You know I'm not the official manager, right?" he said.

"Why did you just not tell me on the way here?"

"The actual manager had a last-minute family crisis. He asked me yesterday evening if I could stand in because, in his own words: 'none of the other staff was as reliable as myself.'" he said while walking to the back kitchen. All I could do was keep up with him and follow behind him.

"But then you are technically the person I need to talk to," I stated.

"Yes. For now."

"Then you know why I need to see you, right?" he opened a door and made way for me to walk inside. I looked at him, confused. Trusting him, I walked inside the room. The blinds in the room are closed, making the room look very dark. Suddenly the light went on. It was an office. I hesitated when taking the seat.

"Yes. You'll work the same hours as me, and all staff has a strict 30-minute lunch break daily." I looked at him as he took the seat where the manager sat.

"So, I have the job?" I asked, surprised. Gregg sighed as he turned to me.

"Yes. I mentioned it to Mr. Jones last night, and he approved."

"Oh my gosh! Thank you!" I said, running up to him, practically jumping in his arms. Gregg stood up and opened a cupboard in his office.

"Now, your shift has already started. Don't let me fire you on your first day," he said, throwing some clothes in my direction. He took it out of the cupboard, which I assumed was my outfit. I gave a smile and left the room.

#

"So, one Carrot cake, a shepherd's pie, and two iced teas?" I said, repeating the order I wrote down. The man nodded his head in confirmation. I smiled at him and left the table to place the order. As I walked to the kitchen, I saw someone very familiar out of the corner of my eye. It was Raj. Why on earth is he not at work? Raj always goes to work and never ditches not going. I tear off the piece of paper on which I wrote the couple's order, place it in the kitchen, and head in Raj's direction.

"Raj, what are you doing here?" I asked him as soon as I reached the table he was occupying. He didn't expect me to be there as he nearly fell off his chair. I rolled my eyes at this situation. He pointed at my order book. I gave it to him with my pen and placed it on the table. He starts writing. When he wrote down what he needed to say, he gave it back to me to read.

"I have a date," I read out loud. I looked up and sighed, "But you don't ever go on dates anymore after what happened in India." He grabbed the book out of my hands and started writing again. Raj moved back to India when I was around five years old and came back when he realized that the Indian woman there did not speak when they were around him either.

"This girl is different. I met her online." I read again. I looked at him. "Seriously, Raj? You know online dating never works out for you." he sighs and grabs the book again.

"Can you just bring me some alcohol so that I can at least talk to the girl?" he wrote on the paper. I cannot judge him. At least he is trying. I looked at him and headed to the bar to place his order. I looked in the direction of the door to see if anyone was walking toward where Raj was sitting.

"What's up? You don't look happy." a voice said from behind the counter. I turned my head to see Gregg had taken over bar duties for the day and started pouring the drink I ordered for Raj.

"Can you believe Raj is here on a date?" I asked.

"That is quite odd. At least he's trying the dating scene."

"You don't understand. Raj started online dating again. You and I know that online dating and Raj never work out." Gregg closed the wine bottle and slid it over to take a sip.

"Here's your order," Gragg said, sliding Raj's order across the countertop, "At least he ordered wine. That usually helps."

"Yeah. Suppose that's what you think. Let me go and deliver this and check up on my other orders. Fingers crossed." I picked up the glass and headed back to his table. He gave me a big smile when I approached him. He looked like a dog who hadn't seen his owner in a few weeks. Before I could even set the glass on the table, he grabbed it out of my hand and gave it a huge sip.

"Thanks, Halley. Wish me luck." He said after he placed the glass down.

"Will do," I answered him and walked away to the kitchen to see a woman with a cat sweater on walking in Raj's direction. Oh boy.