Casey and Esther

AMBER'S POV

Going to work with these heavy thoughts, I felt sorry for Nan, since I couldn't even go to the hospital and remain with her.

Fortunately, Casey had business in the nation, so she flew here.

She messaged me that she was already here and would head to the hospital straight away; I kept my cellphone for a while, hoping things would be fine because I had already messaged Casey and Esther, who were surely aware that Nan was in the hospital.

Since this is my first day back at the hotel, I need to meet Sam first, so I go to her office, but before I enter, I exhale deeply and close my eyes to relax myself.

As I open the door, I casually greet her.

"Hey, Sam."

"Oh, you're here; sit down."

And I sit down while she looks at me, trying to avoid eye contact because we did not have a nice working relationship in the past.

"Alright, I want to straighten it out with you; the owner wants you back and in your position before. You will still be the head of the kitchen, but with the new crew."

"Is there a new crew?"

"What happened to Mr. Ben and the others?"

"That is what I am going to tell you; things have changed here since you have been gone. The owner put in some new rules and regulations; unfortunately, your old crew didn’t like it, and so they were all kicked out."

"Kicked out?"

"I have no time to tell you further details, so if you have a question, better tell me that now; I have no time to visit your kitchen anymore."

"Oh, part of the new rules as well, huh?"

"You can say that, anyway. You can start now; there are five VIPs and a mystery representative of the food and hotel critics association. Make sure to abide by the rule this time; your way before is not allowed anymore. Things change; better follow what this hotel gives you."

She said, and I honestly don't know how to respond; I'm not even sure if I still want to work here again!

"Ahmm, okay, just give me details of what food I should cook."

"Seriously? You are the chef; better know what to cook."

"Oh, okay, so it is going to be my decision still, anyway. I should get to the kitchen; I guess I still need further familiarization."

"Alright, go ahead, and again, rules matter this time!"

After saying that, I simply smile at her and leave the office.

So it's five VIPs, and there'll be a lot of education with my new kitchen crew.

As I enter the kitchen, I assume fresh faces are the highlight of my day; they are all looking at me, which is rare for me.

"Hi, ahmmm, I am Chef Amber, and I am your new head chef. Nice to meet you all."

As I give my name and position, I notice some beaming faces and others who remain expressionless... Goodness!

Since no one is trying to say anything, I guess I'll be the one who talks a lot!

"Alright, we will have five VIPs coming in today, along with one mysterious guest from the food and hotel critics association. We must keep our best not only on the food but in a whole package, plating, serving, content of food, quality of food, and also the way we treat the customer and expected guests."

"So what are we going to serve all five VIPs?"

The woman, who I believe is around 40 years old, suddenly asks me.

"That is a good question. I have taught these few recipes to my previous crew here, so I will teach them to you, including the three main new dishes that I will introduce to the guests."

"How about the one mysterious guest you have mentioned?"

"About that, we will need the cooperation of the team outside who serves the order."

The instant I stated that, their expressions changed, leaving me wondering what was going on with the team outside the kitchen...

"Does the team cooperate outside? I don't think so!"

Said by the man, who I assume is a little younger than the woman who just asked the question earlier.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they have a set of rules here; sometimes they don’t obey what we discuss. I mean, we serve food, and we let them know how to serve it, like if it is needed to be on the table in no time, they don’t care about it; they don’t treat VIPs as what Sam told us."

"Oh, so they have their own set of rules, huh, but why didn’t you report it to Sam?"

"Sam didn’t pay attention to that; she just said we must figure it out within us."

I was astonished by what they said about Sam; she used to be a manager of everything in here, so it's strange to hear that Sam didn't pay attention to the kitchen and providing a dining area...

"Okay, who is the leader of the team outside?"

"The bald one, that old grumpy man!"

"Okay, let me just talk to them; it is actually part of my agenda for this day to talk to everyone, including them."

"Alright, good luck to that boss!"

The others smiled, and I suppose I had already caught their attention...

I manage to debate the recipes with them, and I can see that they are all skilled at it. I accept other people's opinions and put them all together.

After that, I approached the team outside and requested a group discussion with them, but they refused; they do not need my remarks, and all of their tasks should be discussed only by their leader.

I didn't push things too hard today because it was my first day; I just let it go for a bit and focused on our priorities as a culinary team.

After making all of the VIP recipes, I keep an eye on how they serve them; so far, everything has gone smoothly in comparison to what they told us.

Since I had a 15-minute break, I sat outside as I used to and dialed Casey's number.

"Hey, hon, I just arrived here in the hospital, and Grandma is not in her room. We are looking for her everywhere!"

"Oh, ahm, have you guys tried the rooftop?"

"You think she is there?"

"Well, yeah."

"Okay, we will go there. I will get back to you later."

And then she hangs up, so I go back to work.

While I'm in the kitchen, a member of my staff approaches me.

"Boss, you need to get out. Mr. Alfie and Jessie are having an argument outside. Jessie, who is part of the server team, doesn’t want to serve the order of a certain customer, a seemingly homeless man over there!"

I go outside and talk to Mr. Alfie, one of my crew members.

"What is going on here?"

"This ignorant kid who doesn’t know how to handle a customer is trying to insult me!"

"Okay, Mr. Alfie, hold on there; please calm down."

"If you are trying to command us, I don’t think so; I only accept orders from my boss!"

"I am not here to provide any commands to my troops! What I'm asking is, what are you attempting to accomplish? The customer can order whatever he wants; this is a restaurant where anyone with money can eat, so what are you doing?"

"Look carefully; do you believe he is a capable customer? We saved the seats for VIPs and food critics! You think they'll still eat here with that poor man in there!?"

"VIPs and culinary critics are both customers! Your responsibility here is to provide what we cook to our customers without treating them unfairly!"

I muttered, and their head appeared, looking at me from head to toe; he also appeared to start an argument. Geez! What a day!

"We never care for what you cook, we never enter your kitchen, and we never question your function, so don’t question what we do."

"And that is the problem; you don't care about things, so if we don't serve good food, you don't care or bother. Your function is serving the customer and placing the food on the table. That man, whose arms your team is holding his arms inappropriately and about to throw outside the restaurant—do you think that is part of your job? I don't think so!"

And the head shot a glare at those two who were holding the homeless; they let go and freed him, but he stopped in front of me and began speaking.

"Once Sam learns this, you'll be dead meat! You let that homeless person in front of critics and VIPs."

He shouted, walking away from us. I don't really care since I am the chef and I cook; I have every right to ensure that my food is given properly to the correct customer who bought it!

Mr. Alfie and my other workers led the homeless man back to his seat, where we served him his order.

"Hi I am Chef Amber, the head of the kitchen here. I do apologize for the unfair treatment, sir, but I would like to clear things, this restaurant do choose whom to serve. I have been working here for a long time; the previous server here isn’t really like that. I am sorry again for what happened. Here is your order. We also serve a good desert for you, sir."

"Thank you very much; I appreciate this."

He said, and we simply allowed him to eat his dinner in privacy.

We walk back to the kitchen, where Sam is waiting with the server's head.

"I didn’t expect this on your first day!"

"What did I do?"

"Having an argument with the server’s function? Your job stays here inside the kitchen and only in the kitchen!"

"Are you serious? I am the chef here, and I cook for anyone who orders food; it is also my responsibility to ensure that the meal is delivered to the person who bought it!"

"But it isn’t part of your job to accept customers; that is not allowed here!"

"Oh, really, Sam? As far as I recall, the rules have changed, but the customer policy has not. It is still the purpose of this establishment to serve those who order and accept those who want to eat here! And treating someone like that in front of other customers, I don't think the owner would enjoy it!"

I can see that Sam was abruptly hushed. I know Sam; she may have this attitude, but she is bound by principles, and I am sure she is aware that the principle of this establishment is to serve any type of consumer.

She was about to say something when two men in black approached the homeless man and said,

"You can't be here!"

The server head yells and orders security to remove him, but Sam intervenes, her face shocked.

"W-Wait… is he the homeless you were talking about?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

The server head responded.

Sam quickly clutches the homeless man's hand and apologizes.

"I am really sorry, Mr. Norman, for this. I didn't know you had this kind of plan."

"I am just very disappointed with the treatment I got here. I am sure this isn’t the way my parents want this restaurant; you know, my mom and dad, they always have a heart for the needy."

"I am sorry, Mr. Norman, if I have treated you that way. I am just trying to make this restaurant look good since the representative of the food critics will be here any moment.”

The server head explains, sighing.

“I don't know, well, I am actually the representative sent by the association, and because I am the son of this establishment, I am disguising myself as a homeless person. Unfortunately, this is not what I expected to happen; I have been eating here before, and the server was very nice, so what is going on here? "

Everyone was silenced again, and I don't want to say anything else right now.

"Mr. Norman, there are still three VIPs coming in today, and we need to prepare the food for them. Now, may I excuse my crew, sir?"

"That's fine, Amber, but first I'd like to thank you for treating me better earlier; you're the type of chef that every restaurant needs."

"Thank you, Sir, it's an honor to hear such kind words from you."

After that, my crew begins cooking other recipes for the VIP, and they quickly learn my new recipe.

It had been a long day when all of the VIPs attending our restaurant arrived, and we satisfied them with our menu.

Mr. Norman did not reprimand the head waiter for what he did to him, but that is another issue, as he is also a culinary critic.

I leave work at exactly 8 p.m. and proceed to the hospital, where Casey is still watching over Nan.

As I enter the room, she eagerly embraces me and kisses me on the lips, despite the fact that a nurse is present to check Nan's vitals.

"Good thing you are here; I tried to talk to Grandma about going to the rooftop. It isn’t safe there, but she seems not to listen to me."

"I am sorry; don’t worry, I will talk to her instead."

I moved closer to her bed and touched her hand; I assumed she was asleep, but she opened her eyes.

"Hey, gorgeous, how do you feel now?"

"I am okay, Ambi, now that you are here."

"I am sorry for not being with you, but I am thankful that Casey is here for you."

She looked at Casey, mouthed thank you, and then looked at me again.

"Although, please, Nan, stop going to the rooftop; everyone has been seeking you earlier, and what did you do there?"

"Well, I guess I am simply lucky... I always see Esther in there; when she's present, I feel comfortable.”

I came to a halt when she said that, and I carefully looked into Casey's eyes; I knew her reaction, and she knew that Doctor Esther and Esther, my ex, were the same person.

While things suddenly get awkward, Nan grips her stomach and shouts in agony. I punch the emergency button, and the doctor promptly enters the room.

My eyes opened when Esther checked on Nan; she is so good at what she does, and the way she asks a patient is so sweet that I felt a sense of sadness... I've never seen her as an actual doctor when we were…still together.

I've never seen her this fantastic...a hero in her own right...and then I was stopped in my tracks when she turned to face us behind her.

Damn, meeting my ex and my present isn't a nice scene, especially when I introduce them to each other. Casey doesn't appear to be happy about Nan going to the rooftop, and I now know why.

It's about Esther.

Esther's reaction to Casey's attitude toward her is highly unique. She appears so cool this time; I've never seen her that cool to anyone slinging sarcasm at her.

She is a totally different Esther than the Esther I've known for all these years.

She discusses Nan's condition and what tests she should have; she may need surgery after the test.

They carry Nan to the facility where the test will be performed, and Esther exits the room as well.

Casey and I settle on the couch, and silence surrounds us for a few moments before I begin to speak.

"So, you have met Esther earlier already."

"Yeah, your ex,"

She remarked before giving me a look...

"Ah, she is, but we are good as friends now."

"Friends? Don't make me laugh, hon; you know things will always be personal between you two..."

"Maybe, but not what you think. We really are good friends now, and we both have changed a lot; we are not what we used to be before."

"Okay, but I will be the one to prove that. How about you invite her for dinner next week once I get back here?"

I was astonished by what she said; I didn't expect it.

"I will try to ask her, but you see, she is a surgeon and she really has a busy schedule."

"That is fine; if she can’t go to our planned dinner, I will be the one to do a surprise visit on her and invite her for dinner."

She is indeed certain about what she wants to prove; I'm not sure why we come to this part.

"If that is what you want."

"Okay, but for now, I will attend the meeting tomorrow at the hotel and head to the airport. I understand if you can’t send me there; let me just finish all my meetings with our clients, and then I can take a one-week leave."

"Alright, hon, whatever you want, and thank you for understanding my schedule."

"Of course, honey, since day one, you always told me that story where you and Esther ruin everything just because of a schedule misunderstanding, so I won’t let us be ruined by the same mistakes."

She just said it, and I just shrugged it off.

It's been about an hour since Nan was brought back to her room; they told the results would be available tomorrow, so we had to wait.

I sent Casey out of the hospital and got a cab to her meeting, leaving me with Nan behind at the hospital.

To be honest, I'm still thinking about what Casey said; I'm not sure if what she wants is a good idea, and when Nan notices it, I let out a big sigh.

"Something bothering Ambi?"

"It is nothing, Grandma."

"You know that is not true. Come on, tell Grandma what makes you look like that."

"What? Looks like what?"

"You look like someone who can't poop! Hahaha."

"Funny, Grandma!"

"Hahaha, okay, kidding aside, you look bothered, Ambi, and I know why. Is it about your past and present, huh?"

"Well, kind of like that; um, Casey wants to invite Esther for dinner."

"Okay, then, invite her; go to her house now and talk to Esth. Make this thing right so you won’t feel bothered. Just make things simple; do not think too much, and I guess you owe an apology to Esth. Casey said something to her earlier; please tell her my apologies as well."

Nan said, and I guess she is correct...the only thing that will make me feel better and relieve my load is to go see Esth...

I suppose tonight is the appropriate time...