Second Chances || Thomas McGregor

T W O

It had been three days since the incident. Her leg was bound tightly in a mound of wrappings and her head in bandages. Charlotte's face was mauled on one side having gone face first into the asphalt. Headaches and immense pain came from her leg and head and sometimes a combination of both would put her into an uncalled for sleep. The nurse walked in for her daily rounds dressed in her light blue uniformed dress with a clipboard in hand. "Miss Hampsin, today you will be checked out! Have any family that has come to take you home?" The cheery green-eyed nurse chirped.

"If I had family I'm pretty sure they would have come by now to visit me." Charlotte seethed, still bitter about that night's ending.

"Well... um. Let's check your bandages shall we?'' There is no we. The woman walked over, putting her clipboard on a nightstand near the head of the girl's bed. "You're the owner of Chalabange correct? I love their food. I heard they were getting a star, is that true?" The nurse had started to unwrap Charlotte's leg, from what she could see, she was ladled with stitches and soon to be scars.

"No" She croaked out. Tears threatened to spill at the recent memories swirling around her head. She messed up everything. The fame, glory, and respect that seemed to be the light in her dark quest now seemed to be extinguished, leaving the girl to toil in the dark.

"Maybe next year then. Everyone has a chance to try again!" If that was only true for Charlotte, then maybe she would be ecstatic. But her chances were ruined. Chasing down an inspector would go down in their record books. She could only imagine the words written on it, too desperate for a star and clearly not worth the effort.

"Your leg is healing nicely. Your face will probably take more time but either way it will fix itself. Your belongings are at the front desk and clothes are on your nightstand! All medical expenses were paid for so you do not owe us a cent. Your insurance company has already approved this and there is no more paper work for you to sign." The nurse stated as she started towards another patient's bed. Charlotte grabbed the crutch she has been using lately and hovered over where her clothing was. Blood stained the back of the once white shirt, but it was all she had at the moment. The pants would be disturbing to wear though, being crusted in blood.

She made her way into the bathroom passing multiple patients all in varying conditions of health. The bathroom had a single toilette and sink with a large doorway to accommodate people with crutches and wheelchairs.

Unfolding the clothes a piece of stained paper fell to the floor and landed with a light bump on top of her right foot. This does not belong to me. This is a piece of worthless, disastrous thing that is one hell of a bitc- As fast as the distraught girl could, she threw the envelope away before continuing to pull on the clothes. Her scarf was tight in hand as she made her way over to the front desk. It was a gift from her mother before her death, and she would never dare give it up. Patients and nurses alike turned their heads following Charlotte as she walked by. It was not everyday you saw a chef soaked in blood.

"Miss Hampsin correct?" The lady at the desk said without looking at the girl.

"Yes" She replied, waiting for the woman to look her way, it was disrespectful to not look someone in the eyes when talking to them.

"Well here is your stuff, bandages have been placed in your bag along with your left shoe." The woman picked up a leather purse and handed it to Charlotte, still looking at the papers on her desk. She looked at her leather purse with a questioning look, having not had it on her person when she was admitted into the hospital. "Some of the servers came from Chalabange to help you get sorted and told us to use this bag for your personal items." Personnel items? Oh yes! This was her purse from the kitchen. Charlotte opened the handbag on the counter to find a note sitting on top:

We, the proud servers of Miss Charlotte's kitchen, give you a well-earned break. Don't bother to come in for at least a month or so. Take as much time as you need to recuperate and de-stress. We will hold down the fort until you decide to come back! With love and get wells, your employees

Still trying to understand why they thought she needed a break, Charlotte remembered a little, old town home in the outskirts of London. She bought the place in hopes of having a vacation house after getting her Michelin Star but since that was out of the question maybe it could be her rehabilitation sanctuary. She had not been there in person having only seen it on a newspaper a friend from school had sent to her from London. A quaint house that was secluded for the most part. A neighbor was present to the left side of the house, but Charlotte had been told that the owner had died and now it resides to a nephew who lived in the city and would most likely sell it.

"Thank you" The girl whispered. Slowly making her way towards the exit she thought of her now open planner. She could do anything she wanted with her time. No meetings, no worries, she just needed to trust the chefs and servers that they will not burn down the place in her absence. A ticket for a luxury liner was her next move. Planes were fickle things that could crash at any moment, so a luxury liner was the best bet.

A line of taxis greeted her outside the hospital. The snow covering the ground would make it difficult to move with a crutch, but it had not gotten to knee level yet. It was supposed to be Spring, flowers and sunshine. Yet it seemed the weather reflected recent events, misfortune. Jumping into one with a gruff looking man she told him her apartment complex and they were off. Her condo was ten minutes away and was in-between major corporate buildings, annoying to get to when the lunch rush started. The lobby had a grand glass chandelier with leather couches in the middle. The complex was ring shaped with the center having an arboretum and a small café.

The elevators where placed in the directions of north, south, east and west. And the west elevator was what would direct Charlotte to her condo in the smallest amount of time. Grabbing her keys from her purse she rode in the elevator and briskly stumbled to her apartment door. A view of the city and its many streets could be seen from the large glass floor to ceiling window.

Pictures of family members were located only on her bed stand, having not wanting to think of their untimely demise where ever she went in the house. A plush couch with mini pillows in the different geometric shapes and a furry rug in an oval shape covered the engineered oak flooring. The dining area was off to the side and the open designed kitchen was closest to the door. Walking into her bedroom on the left side of her condo she grabbed the suitcase she would pack.

Going through her closet, Charlotte placed whatever t-shirts and slacks she could find. Shoes were kept to the minimal with a pair of sneakers and heels. The girl made sure to pack the legal documents for the house she was going to, just in case someone didn't believe her occupancy of it.

Moving onto the bathroom, she went beneath the sink and opened the cupboards to retrieve her travel toiletries bag, collecting new bottles of lavender shampoo, soap, and conditioner. She collected multiple hair ties and a hairbrush. Quickly changing her clothes into slack pants, a navy blue blouse, and with her scarf in hand she waited for the maid to take her luggage downstairs. What if Chalabange needs me? The employees could get another inspector and their head chef would be gone. But the chances to that is zero to one. But...

The sound of someone knocking on her door wakes her from her continuous questions and she hands the bag to the complex employee. Now she was ready. The condo complex only served the top of society and therefore had maids and butlers alike roaming the corridors to help snobs with their troubles. Outside the snow had stopped but the air was still crisp. Eyeing a taxi driving by she waves them down. "To the Manhattan port please." And then she was off. She was going to enjoy the time allotted to her, a small town and beautiful nature that would help ease her stressed mind.

Maybe things are starting to turn around.