A very special client

One night, while Sara finished serving one of the tables, she watched the arrival of a tall, handsome and elegant blond man who drew her attention powerfully. He was attended and set at a table previously reserved for him.

When she entered again the kitchen, several of her companions were competing for the opportunity to serve the distinguished client.

Generous tip. She thought and smiled.

Continued with her duties, but curiosity won over her, so discreetly asked Jean Pierre, the head of the kitchen, who told her this man was a regular customer of Mon’tblank, his name was Brian Smith, a renowned architect, and son of one of the most important businessmen of the city. Sara thought that life was not as equitable as it should be, some were born with star and others like her … ‘stellated’!

“Sara, please take this tray to table 7,” said Jean Pierre, causing to come down from that cloud of sighs where she climbed every time remembered her town and the people she had left behind. Few, in reality, one hand was enough to count her loved ones, and fingers were left over. Even if she never externalized it, it hurt too much not to be near them.

When heard being called, she shook her head, with it all her sad thoughts, and immediately she set to work. While she was in front of the table reserved for Mr. Smith, he unexpectedly got up to greet an acquaintance, brushing the tray Sara was carrying, without giving her time to dodge, it since everything went so fast. Luckily, she was able to control the situation and prevent snacks from spilling all over the place.

Almost at the same time, and as soon as he realized his recklessness, all Brian’s reflexes focused on holding the tray. The last thing he expected that night was to be the cause of dismissal of some unfortunate employee. He knew he was guilty for being so impulsive, so that, so when addressing his victim, willing to apologize, he could not help getting lost in those big and beautiful brown eyes that looked at him with surprise and concern. He was hypnotized by them for several seconds, while Sara only sought to regain calm and normalize her breathing after the great fright received.

“Excuse me, my clumsiness miss. Are you alright?”

“Don’t worry sir, it was my fault, with your permission.” Without waiting for an answer, Sara continued her march, extremely nervous because of the serious incident that could cost her work, arrived at the assigned table and attended to the clients with all the kindness and sweetness that characterized her, but as soon as she returned in the kitchen, she stumbled upon her boss, who was always aware of everything that happened at the bar and did not seem very happy.

“What the hell were you thinking? Do you realize you could make a mess? You could spill everything on one of our clients.”

“I assure you that I have been very carefully, everything happened too fast, it won’t happen again.” She responded with a lot of nerves, almost to point of crying, it had been her first incident since she started working at Mon’tblank.

“Fortunately, nothing was spilled, if you had done so you would be out. I recommend you stop dreaming and be more alert!”

“I’ll be alert, it won’t happen again.” Deep down she knew it wasn’t all her fault, but as she explained to his insufferable boss.

**«»**

Sara had made a very good impression on Brian Smith, which had impacted him to the point that, for the rest of the night, he was following her visually every time she went out to attend a client. And finally, full of curiosity and without wanted to appear very obvious, he asked the staff in charge of his table. “Carlos decided to renew the staff?”

“Not as much as a renovation, Mr. Smith, in fact, there is only one new waitress employed.”

“I understand,” he said, taking a sip from his drink and continuing the pleasant conversation with his guests.

Sara had not noticed the insistent looks since after the incident she was 1000% attentive to the tables, the corridors, the clients located on her route. To everything!

After hearing Carlos complain so many times, she began to feel that the previous event had happened by ‘lower guard down’ and she would not allow such a thing to happen again. They would never her take off guard again!

**«»**

Already late at night, Brian and his guests decided to retire and, as always, he used to give excellent tip for the good service provided. But this time something changed, in addition to the corresponding for the assigned waiter, he also decided to grant a bonus for the new waitress so he asked to be brought to his table.

“What is your name?”

“Sara Gonzalez, sir,” she replied very suspiciously.

“Good Sara, this is for you,” he said, handing in her hands a small group of bills folded in half.

“Mr. Smith, I really appreciate your intention … but I must not accept them, that is, it was not me who attended his table,” she answered safely as returned the money.

“I know, even so, I want you to accept it as a small compensation for the incident tonight, I am aware that it was not your fault … in fact, I take full responsibility for not looking before getting up.”

“Don’t worry sir, nothing really happened.”

“Are you sure your boss thinks the same?”

He asked with a mischievous smile, the same that was reflected in his bright green eyes that looked at her expectantly, as he took Sara’s hand again and placed the money in it and with his other hand, very slowly and affectionately closed, one to one, her fingers, without taking his eyes off her. Showing her that he would not accept ‘no’ for an answer.

Sara, completely bewitched and with her heart beating a thousand, had no choice but to thank Mr. Smith, who before leaving the place made a farewell gesture looking towards the top of the premises, just where the office of Carlos. Brian knew that from there he would be watching, like every night, all the movements of the bar, including what had just happened.

The night continued and it was time to close. All the employees left and again it was up to Sara to be alone with her boss, while they finished accommodating and putting everything in its place.

“A productive night.”

“I know you say it because of Mr. Smith's tip.” She hurriedly replied with narrowed eyes, knowing that, as always, her boss would begin with his long string of scolding. “The truth was not my intention to accept it.”

“I know … but, why not accept it? Don’t you need it?” He spoke looking her in the eyes at first but then he concentrated writing something on his cell phone. And, after a minute, he added, “Besides, the least he could do was apologize for being so dumb and not looking before getting up.”

“I mean I hadn’t earned it; it wasn’t me who attended his table.” Sara had begun to explain her boss’s motives with total calm and sincerity, until … totally indignant, she heard him say that last sentence. “Did you know it wasn't my fault? And still, you scolded me?”

“Who else would I scold? My employee is you and not him,” Carlos replied, looking up from his cell phone, looking at her suspiciously and speaking with determination. “And with respect to the other point … take it easy, the next few weeks, with all the security in the world, it will be you who attends your table,” he finished the sentence with his typical expression of annoyance and, something else that she didn’t know how to interpret.

Sara did not give much importance to the final comment, but furious at having been unfairly reprimanded, she had to bite her tongue to prevent some phrases from coming out of her mouth, phrases that surely would not leave her very well planted in front of her boss. She forced herself to take a deep breath and finish her work so she could go to sleep. Although the withering look, she gave him did not go unnoticed by him.

**«»**

One morning, after preparing the usual coffee for her boss and while he counted the earnings of the previous night, she also decided to count her own earnings since, after several weeks, she had managed to accumulate some money between her salaries and tip.

Perhaps it was time to find a place to lease since she was not sure how much longer they would allow her to remain in the little room next to the dressing room.

Carlos watched her, between curious and entertaining.

“Boss.”

“Tell me.”

“I need to go out, I have to buy some things and—”

“You are not my prisoner.”

With how terribly handsome you are and if you didn't have that character of a thousand demons, I wouldn't have any problem in being so.

Sara thought, accommodating herself better in her seat and holding back her laughter, imagining how ridiculous she should look, at that moment, while sighing for her boss.

Carlos, oblivious to the lustful thoughts of his employee continued. “And you don’t have to explain to me anything you do on your days off.”

“Well, I wanted to you know. I have to buy some personal things, and newspaper, to look for offers.”

“Offers?” Damn, his curiosity was stronger than him, Carlos had to swallow his last sentence. Yes, he needed an explanation.

“Yes, well … I really, appreciate that you allowed me to use the room to sleep, but I already raised enough money to become independent and lease something, even a small room.”

“Do you think that amount is enough? Have you taken into account that the owners will require you, in advance, the payment of several months? And to that add guarantees, references, and other things.”

“Well … I really don’t know much about that, but I’ll go visit some places, I’m sure I’ll be lucky.”

Sometimes it seemed to Carlos that Sara was too naive for her age, she always ended up trusting everything to destiny. When would she understand that luck was just a bunch of humbug?

“Sara, I don’t think that amount is enough. Anyway, I already knew your situation when I allowed you to stay, so I have no hurry to evict you. Of course, as long as you behave and work responsibly.”

While listening, she thought Carlos never wasted an opportunity to scold or correct her.

Didn't he think she was capable of achieving something good in her life? Instead of her boss, he already looked like her father!

**«»**

For almost all that day, she was visiting several places, almost all she found on the newspaper classified page, but without much success. In the end, Carlos was right.