Only Hope

Chapter 4

Okay here it is, I hope you guys like this chapter.

Present

~Thomas ~

My days working at my new job was going well, I started a few days ago at a restaurant called Le Blanc and the days I spent on cooking class back in the days paid off. My shift started at 12:00 pm today and there was a few hours left until Gabriel came out of school, luckily my mother flew in from New York to stay with us for a few months, at least to help around with Gabriel. Drowning myself with alcohol was not a choice anymore, I poured all of them down the kitchen sink and that was three weeks ago, I had to be a stronger man for Gabriel. He needed a dad not a moron.

I haven't heard from Erica, she didn't call to check on Gabriel like I thought she would. The separation wasn't much of a surprise to me and I knew she would eventually send the divorce paper for me to sign. All I knew was that I don't want her to get custody of Gabriel when she hasn't been acting like a mom lately, I sure know I can't be talking about acting like a parent but I'm trying now.

Le Blanc was a pretty known restaurant to the public and the critics gave it a five star, I didn't expect to see plenty of celebrities coming in and out of here most of the times. Before I could afford to eat at Le Blanc but now the food at the restaurant cost about the same thing when I buy groceries.

As I was baking some desserts I heard the head chef talking to another new cook, he was showing the lady around the kitchen, where things were and came to a stop in front of me. It was like everything came to a halt when I saw the girl in front of me. We both looked at each other with unblinking expressions as she seem to register who I was. The head chef introduced us to each other, even though we've met before, he told me she would be working along side me in this area of the kitchen.

When Joseph, the head chef, left to us to get to work I didn't know how to react or how to act. She seemed to stay quiet besides me, getting the ingredients to make chocolate eclairs and setting them down in front of us to get started. I didn't want to make her first day uncomfortable for her so I started a conversation.

"It's always nerve wracking to start a new job," I said next to her, helping her with getting started on the eclairs. She was surprised when I talked and finally smiled, with a little twinkle in her green eyes.

"Yeah it is, I heard you just started as well,"

"Yep, good thing I took those cooking classes in my teen years," I told her with a small chuckle. When she last saw me, I was one of the richest man in the state and she hadn't expect this from me, but it look like she didn't care. We chatted some more, getting acquainted with each other.

"This is just a temporary job for me," she stated as she put the eclair biscuit into the oven and then returned to the spot next to me.

"Oh, why is that?" I questioned curiously.

"I want to be an elementary school teacher,"

"That a pleasant job choice," I told her with a small smile and she smiled back still with that little bit of twinkle "So, may I ask, how's Lucas going?" I asked hesitantly. It look like that question stirred some emotion for her as her eyes filled with tears. They must have broken up or something for her to react like that.

"Can I tell you some other time? Over coffee if that's appropriate," she asked with a little hope in those tear filled eyes. I wasn't sure if this was appropriate, especially if Gabriel was in the picture but we were going to be working together and Gabriel would be out if sight.

"Sure, maybe tomorrow after our shifts over," I suggested to Serena and she simply nodded going back to the task at hand, with a small smile coming to rest on her face.