An 'Old Friend'

CHAPTER 4: Lice! Lice!

CARRIE

It has been almost a week since the guy came in and asked me to cater his event he was having next month. 

I was so busy that I had forgotten almost about him until he finally did come in today when the crowds died down. 

"Hello." He greets me with a smile. 

"Hi." I replied. 

"I'm sorry it took me a while to come back. Is this a good time though?" He asks. 

"Yeah. Just let me get my tablet and we can go over ideas that you have." I tell him. 

"Alright. I'll wait over here." He says as he walks over to the booth by the window behind him. 

I go into the back and have Angel hear for any customers that come in and cover my shift while I sit down with this guy and discuss the event. 

Right as I sit across from him in the booth, we start. 

"So, does your event have a theme?" I ask. 

"Not really. Just fancy and delectable of course." He chuckles. 

"Okay." I reply trying not to feel awkward. 

"Well what were you thinking?" He asks. 

"Oh, I wan't. This is your event and if you want fancy then, we can make them that." I reply while taking down notes. "Now as for the other food choices, have you found a vendor or vendors for that?" I ask him. 

"Not yet. Do you know anyone?" 

"I know a couple of people that are reasonable in price, like me and they're food is one of the best foods." I tell him as I try and scroll down on my tablet for the numbers. 

"Great. Do they do taste testing?" He asks. 

"I think they can do that." I reply while I begin to write down on a sticky note the numbers 

"How about you? Do you give out samples?" He smirks. 

"Uh, Yeah. I can whip up some things." I reply while beginning to feel a little uncomfortable as though he's flirting with me. "You know, my husband, Hunter, he owns a tattoo shop upstairs from his second business which is a motorcycle shop. So if you're ever in need of a tattoo or a motorcycle, he's your guy." I tell him while quickly distracting him away from me for the moment. 

"Hmm. Maybe I will check him out." He smirks again. 

"Good." I smile. 

"Uh, excuse me, Carrie?" I hear Angel call my name from behind the counter. 

"Yeah?" I replied. 

"It's the school. Bessie is sick." She says. 

"Oh." I reply. "Excuse me Mr...." I began with a chuckle. "I'm sorry, I never got your name." 

"Maurice. Call me Maurice. And I need to get going myself. Here's my card. Call me when you have some time and have made some samples for me to try." He says while handing me his business card.

"Okay. Thank you." I tell him while putting the card in the pocket of my apron while standing up and shaking his hand. 

"I'll talk to you soon." He says. 

"Yeah." I reply before leaving and heading to Angel to talk with the school. 

I notice him winking and smiling at Angel before handing her his card and then leaving. I take the phone and begin talking with the nurse. 

"This is Carrie." I answer. 

"Hi Carrie, this is Martha, the school nurse. You daughter has lice and needs to go home to get it taken care of." She says. 

"Oh, alright. I'll come and get her right now." I tell her before we hang up and I head into the back to grab my purse before leaving. Then I ask Angel to lock up tonight after explaining to her about the issue. 

After picking her up, I right away went to the store to grab a lice kit and then we headed home to start in on the treatment. 

"Mommy?" Bessie says. 

"Yes sweetie?" I reply as I comb through her hair the treatment product to have it sit in her hair for a little while before washing it out. 

"Am I dirty and disgusting?" She asks me. 

"Of course not. Why would you say that?" I asked heart-broken that she said that. 

"My whole class was saying that I was dirty and disgusting for having lice and that only dirty people get it." She pouts. 

"No." I tell her while getting up after finishing combing through her hair, throwing out the gloves and then sitting down in front of her. "First of all, never listen to negativity from others. Second, it' not because you have dirty hair because you don't. You can get lice from just sharing a hat with someone. You remember the other day when Sherri gave you one of her hair ties? Used hair tie?" I reminded her. 

She nods her head while sniffling. 

"Yes." She mumbles. 

"I'm sure that's where you got it from. Now, we both know that Sherri is always a clean girl. Which means she probably got it from someone's hat or hair tie that she borrowed from someone else." I explain. 

She looks up at me and smiles. 

"Have you ever had lice?" She asks me. 

"Yeah. But I did what you're doing now and they were gone after a couple of days." I smile at her. "Now, I brought you something." I tell her before getting up and walking towards the kitchen counter to grab her the cupcake I swiped from work and handed it to her. "Here, you can have this before dinner." I smile at her. 

"Thank you mommy." She smiles and stands up and gives me a kiss on the cheek along with a hug. 

"You're welcome sweetie. Now you can watch cartoons for another half an hour and then we'll wash that stuff out." I tell her. 

"Okay." She says. 

Next chapter will be posted soon! :)