I'm Still Standing

45

Rachel

Now that school is done and most of the hockey activities are over I decide it was time to get down to business. My business to be exact. Jonny stayed at home with the dogs to figure out his day with the cup and his off ice workouts while I went to the restaurant to plan my next steps. He's already talking about winning it all again next year and I'm not going to be the one to tell him to slow down. We've built this wonderful life together but we don't have to do everything together. That's what makes our relationship work. He knows what he needs and I know what I need and once we have those things we will continue to build our life together once again.

So to figure out some stuff I meet Tracy at the restaurant where there wasn't anything but dust in it so far. The building might be brand new but there wasn't a sign of life in here. Now don't get me wrong, this place was amazing. The kitchen was huge and there was enough space to do whatever I wanted. There's a dining room and a bar and plenty of space for storage and to host special occasions. I mean it was just stunning place, something to behold really. I can't want to get in there and make some food, but a lot has to happen before that. I needed staff, I needed lots of pots and pans and tables and a bunch of ingredients before I can get started. We were literally just at the beginning stages of this business, but we have to start somewhere.

"Okay so where to start" Tracy sighs as she looks to me. She had her notebook out and ready to help me create this new world.

"This place is in need of a makeover, give it some life. Probably get this place painted and put in tables and booths and other things before we worry about the rest" I admit.

"Okay, lets start with this. What do you want the color scheme to be" she wonders.

I sit there and think for a little. I try to think of what I always liked, what made me feel at home. Finally I smile as I nod. "What about a home style place? The burgundy color that goes with a brown or grey or a cream color. It always makes me think of a old country style kitchen like you see at your grandparents house. We can have a set up that's open and welcoming to all who come in. The tables and booths have a lot of space so big families can hang out here. We can bring people together and they can feel at home" I explain.

"I like it. We can get booths out in the surrounding area and tables and chairs put up around the middle. The bar is pretty much the only thing that is already in here so we can get stools to match. Your logo is being worked on so we will have it soon and it can be put up on the wall over here. We can put in wood flooring and tile in the bar and kitchen area. But for the common place that is pretty much all we need" she admits.

"Okay, that wasn't too bad" I nod.

"That was the easy part" she teases. "We still gotta figure out what kinds of tables and chairs we want and the layout and it all has to pass the fire code and install sprinklers. That's just the beginning of making this place accessible for the public. We got some work to do" she assures me.

"Well we got a start" I admit.

"That is very true. Have you started thinking about what food to make" she wonders.

I smile at all the possibilities as I let out a sigh. "I don't know. I've got some thoughts but I'm not set on anything. Jonathan insists on me using natural products and buying local to help the economy. I have to look into where I get my food from make sure it's good food and nothing in humane too. And I agree with him on that much, I want to make sure I'm serving what's best for the consumers. But as far as specific dishes I don't know where to start" I insist.

"What do you like" she asks.

"Everything" I admit. "That's the problem."

"Then why don't you serve a little bit of everything? I'm not saying buffet style but make it so no matter what people crave they can find it at your restaurant. I'm sure you have good recipes that touch on a little bit of everything" she admits.

"I do. And it would be a testament to my mom and how she always had a open recipe book. She wasn't afraid to try anything" I admit.

So I start to think about food and ingredients and stuff I'll have to look into. We can't really get that stuff until we have the place to put it and people to cook it but it's a start.

After spending the morning talking she goes away and I stay back to look around, even if there's not a lot to look at. I smile to myself because I always dreamed of this happening, but I never thought I would have my own restaurant. Or that it would be this nice. What Jon did still kind of blows my mind. I can't believe he bought me this place, that he believes in me like he does. He didn't have to do this, I could have clawed my way here. But I'm certainly not going to complain about something in my life coming easily for once.

After spending some time in my future home I go back to my current one. I walk in and see Jon on a ladder hanging something up. He steps down and see a new shadow box next to the one he got me. This one had his Stanley cup jersey and a picture of us with his family and a puck from the series. I smile really big because now I know he listens to me.

"Looks good" I say as I walk in. He steps back and looks over the wall as he nods his head.

"I would have to agree" he nods.

"So you're finally making this place your home" I ask.

"No. It's been a home since you've been here. You are what gives me a home. That stuff hanging up is just a part of this journey" he explains.

"I like that a lot" I smile.

"I like you a lot" he teases.