Reunion

Prologue

The sweet scent of fresh strawberries filled the room as I opened the box, where it had them perfectly contained.

Today was one of the many in which the country club hosted their usual VIP guests' dream wedding.

Jennie McAllister was getting married and everything had to be perfect. Mr. McAllister was a state senator and he had paid enough money, so her daughter could shine bright during the most important day of her life.

Not only did the wedding have to be beautiful but the food had to be amazing. Having content guests meant having the satisfaction of not failing. It was my job to make sure everything within the kitchen flowed accordingly to club standards.

Running around and making sure the food was set, the employees felt as nervous as I was. Being the head chef made me more anxious though, because it was my name on the line.

"Robert, grab the rest of the fruit and pale them in pieces. Samantha, bring me the big crystal bowl. The dessert needs to be ready in ten minutes people, so let's hurry our pace," I ordered, making the rest of the cooks move faster.

I cut the fresh strawberries. Lining them up in the plates, I saw that it was coming out just like I wanted. I mixed the rest of the fruit and toppings inside the bowl and stirred.

"Okay, the waiters just retracted the plates. It's time for the dessert, Lilian," Mr. Jones, the supervisor of the country club stated, before I placed the last decorations on the pastry dishes.

"Okay, start taking them out now. Start from the left," I preached to the servers.

The rest of the evening went by fast and according to plan. Everyone was happy and satisfied with the outcome of the whole event. Supervising that the entire kitchen was clean, I waited until it was time to leave.

"Great job everyone, see you tomorrow," I rejoiced to the cooks and rest of the kitchen staff with a smile on my face. I was blessed with the results and everyone deserved recognition.

I grabbed my purse and took off the white coat that distinguished me as a chef. I hung it in the small closet located within the space of my small office and closed the door, after stepping out.

Walking to the exit of the club, I encounter Mr. Jones.

"Good work like always Ms. Montgomery, have a safe drive home," he lilted. I smiled and thanked him with a nod. I walked to my car.

My work was my life, since I wasn't married nor had children, and I enjoyed doing what I did for a living. There was a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment whenever I created a new menu, or even when I tried to design a new and exquisite recipe for my guests. It was evident that cooking not only had become my profession, but also was my passion to endure for as long as I could. It made me happy, and it was all that mattered for now.

Driving home I thought about what a long day I had. I needed to take a shower and rest for the entire night, since the next day was another typical and busy one. Usually, it was not much hectic at the club, but when they host special events such as weddings, they were time consuming and stressful knowing that everything had to be beyond flawless. At least tomorrow was going to be less demanding which I was very thankful for.

Arriving at my apartment complex, I noticed that it was already 9:30 at night. I got off the car with the keys on one hand and the purse on the other. I walked to the lobby, where I met with Bob, the security guard that I usually encountered whenever I got home from work.

"Hello Ms. Montgomery, long day?" he greeted, and I nodded my head.

Bob was a 57-year-old man that was kind, respectful and honored to work for this building for the past twenty years. Even though we had three other guards, I had the pleasure to see Bob every night I arrived home from work. He enjoyed the pastries I would often bring, and I appreciated listening him speak about his family, specially the love he shared for his six grandchildren.