Chapter 4

AT THREE in the morning, Tracy had to enter the restaurant early. The restaurant suddenly received a bulk of breakfast orders. A breakfast serving for a businessmen's conference in Sta. Maria and neighboring towns. She can take advantage of such an opportunity because it's a way to get to known Zenai's Diner even more. She also let her staff in early, but they might just be arriving.

 I can do it! She said that she had already started the work. She was carrying a bowl containing chicken parts that she had soaked overnight in salt and sugar. She gently put it in the steaming machine to cook the meat completely. Later she will have it fried.

Their fried chicken is one of their best-selling menu items. According to the customers who have eaten there, this particular menu can compete on the same product as those in the fast-food chain.

She has also started to check the other menu to ensure it is complete and properly prepared. Many more dishes must be cooked, but she will leave them to Myrna. She messaged her that she was coming.

She started deep frying the chickens that she had already steamed. She was still singing what she was doing to fight the remaining sleepiness.

But she stopped what she was doing. She heard a loud crash outside the restaurant. She alertly turned off the frying machine because she had no anyone who could leave it. She carried a long piece of wood to shield against ill-wishers outside.

Tracy walked noiselessly towards the door. Because the door leaf had a glass wall, she could glimpse the scene outside. She noticed that it was raining heavily. Wait, who is it? She asked herself what she saw at the bottom of the door. She saw a fallen prostrate man there, and she could say he was still alive because he saw his chest rise and fall.

There was a strange tremor in her chest. She didn't know if she would be afraid.

Even though nervous, Tracy still took out the man she saw outside her restaurant. She noticed that he was wearing obvious clothes and could tell he was not a vagabond.

"Mister, wake up; you’re in a restaurant." She shook the stranger's shoulder. His smooth face was clean, and his eyes were closed. "You're not at the motel. Mister! "

He just growled at what he did but didn't open his eyes. She smelled his breath. That smelled like wine. I had a drink here and maybe took shelter by the entrance of Tracy's Diner when the rain hit. And here he was overcome with sleepiness caused by drunkenness.

Myrna and Rigor arrived exactly. They both looked curiously at her and the man outside the restaurant. "What happened here, Ma'am," Rigor asked. His voice had a tone of concern.

She stood up. "A drunk guy may be mistaking our restaurant for a hotel. I'm waking him up, but he's still asleep."

"How are we going to do with him?" Myrna asked thoughtfully. "Maybe, our opening will catch up with him before he wakes up."

"What if we let him inside the restaurant first, Ma’am?” Rigor suggested.

She thought again. There was some pity that caressed her heart. Then the man looks harmless. "All right, let's bring him inside and lay him down on the sofa near my office."

And they worked together to lift the man's body. He is heavy and taller, which makes them gasp all the time. It's a good thing that they bring him not on far place.

She sent the two to the kitchen after giving them instructions. She was left on the sofa where the man was still sleeping.

Suddenly, he lay down on the side of his body. There his face was completely exposed. She arched an eyebrow as if she had seen him before. She tried to find it in her mind until she remembered. And she was right.

"The snobbish man who handed me a handkerchief," she said. But she could not stop her attraction to him. He caught her attention once more. She couldn't explain why he had such a strange effect on her system.

She returned to the kitchen to help Myrna and Rigor prepare the ordered meals to be picked up later on the seventh of the morning. After she cooked the last dish, she thought of returning to the sleeping man on the sofa.

When she got there, she saw that the man was already awake and sitting on the sofa where he was lying. He looked around in surprise.

"It's good that you're awake," she said openly. "I thought you were still sleeping until noon."

He automatically turned to her. "Where am I?"

 "You're just here at my restaurant Mister." She put her hand on her waist. "You should be thankful because we are kind and let you sleep in here because you are drunk."

"Shit! I need to go home now," he said in shock as he looked at the expensive watch he was wearing. "S-sorry if I bothered you here."

"Mister, have a coffee and eat before you leave," she interrupted. It was as if her heart wanted to prevent him from leaving. "I don't want you to burden my conscience if you collapse from hunger."

She stepped to the kitchen entrance. She ordered Myrna to prepare food for their unexpected guest. She first went to the pantry to make coffee. Carrying the cup with warm liquid, she returned to the man.

"You seem to be in a hurry to leave," she commented to the man she caught who was already standing. He stopped walking when he saw her.

"I need to go; I’m willing to pay for my stay here, including my disturbance," he said as he was about to get his wallet in the back pocket of his pants.

"And that's not the payment I want," she stopped him from what he was doing. "Better keep your money or give it to someone more in need."

His brow furrowed. "So what do you want?"

She approached her and gently pushed his body to sit on the sofa again. "Drink this coffee first." She handed him the cup, and he could do nothing but accept it. "That's the payment I want before I allow you to leave."

He shook his head at what she did. She smiled when he took a sip of the coffee she made. He obviously liked the taste because his handsome face didn't wince.

"Ma'am, here's the breakfast you asked to cook," Myrna arrived with a tray of freshly cooked food.

She immediately pulled a table towards the man on a sofa. "Put that here so our guest can eat."

Her cook followed her and immediately sent her back to the kitchen. He turned back to the man who had just finished sipping his coffee. "Here, eat this so your stomach is full before leaving."

He looked up at her doubtfully. There is disgust on his face at what she ordered of him. He comes from a luxurious family because he has a smooth face and even lesson manners.

"It is okay that I don’t eat?" he asked. "The coffee is fine with me, and I'll just eat at home."

"You won't leave here without finishing your food, Mister," she warned him like a child. He just shook his head at what she said. He kept staring at the food she served and arguing about whether to eat.

When he still didn't move to eat, she suddenly picked up his cell phone that was on the table.

"Hey, what are you going to do?" His body stretched to reach for the personal belonging that she had taken.

She quickly avoided her hand from him. A mischievous smile tugged at her lips. She wanted to tease him.

"Don't worry; I didn't steal it from you." Tracy even winked at the man while still holding his cell phone. She touched the screen but noticed that it was locked.

"Then why did you take it?" he asked with disgust and wondering. He sat down again after unsuccessfully getting the gadget from her.

Instead of answering, she approached him again. He turned the screen of his cell phone in his face to unlock it. Because the security device had a face lock, she succeeded and walked away from him again.

"Just calm down, Mister," she said as she took her wallet and took out one of her valid IDs. She took a picture of it with his cell phone front and back.

"You're unbelievable," he said, shaking his head while looking at her.

She returned his cell phone with a smile on her lips. "There, maybe you can eat now. My ID is there with my latest number. You could go back here if you think I will food poison you."

"Okay, fine, I will eat now if this is the only payment to get me out of here," he said, giving up. He picked up the spoon and fork and started eating the food.

She was amused to watch him eating the delicious meal. He likes a show you always watch. Later she left him for a while to return to the kitchen. The preparation of the orders is about to finish.

When she came out of the kitchen, she was surprised when he met his 'unexpected guest.’ She was the one who looked up to him because he was taller than her. "You're already finished your food."

"I have to go, and I'm sure there's no reason for me to stay here," he said seriously. His feet are itching to leave.

"Okay, it looks like you can't be stopped anymore," she said with a sweet smile, but her eyes showed a hint of teasing. "Feel free to come back here if you want something to eat here in Sta. Maria."

"Okay, thanks." He nodded, then turned his back on her. She couldn't do anything but watch his walk out of her restaurant. It was as if her heart was suddenly saddened by his departure.

 "In fairness, Ma'am, he's handsome and looks rich," Myrna suddenly said, making her wince. She didn't notice her cook approaching her.

"Absolutely." She looked at her. "I'm just wondering where part of Sta. Maria, he came, and he got drunk outside."

 "Oh, Ma'am, maybe he tried to get home, and I think he still can. Some people like that drink a lot and still feel strong even though they are really drunk." The woman laughed softly.

"Maybe, he is a serious, stubborn guy. He's lucky he got here instead of in other places," she once again looked at the door the man exited her restaurant from. "Let’s get back to work and our opening soon.”

The next moment, they were all busy preparing for their regular business operation that day. She helps clean the tables, chairs, and every corner of the restaurant. They also ensured the cleanliness of the restaurant outside and, most importantly, the kitchen.

She sat at the restaurant after the restaurant was filled with customers.  She also served as a cashier, but she might have hired someone for that. She's also becoming a multi-tasker, especially when needed in the kitchen.

 It's peak hours again because it's lunchtime. They are all busy with their job to make it properly and efficiently. While she was waiting for the bills to be paid by the customer, she started browsing her social media account.

She stopped scrolling upon seeing one post. It was business news that grabbed her attention from the headline.

Fien Montagne Becomes the 3rd CEO of Montagne Development Corporation.

She focused on the photo attached to the news. She was amused when she recognized the face in the picture. 'Is that him?'

She asked herself in disbelief. Because the man in that business news looks exactly like the man who was his 'unexpected guest' earlier, his face is still clear in her mind, and he is the new CEO of a famous developer in their province.

As Tracy returned to her office in a restaurant that morning when she caught her cell phone ringing, she received a call from an unknown number and noticed many missed calls. Because she was busy earlier cooking one of their best-selling menus, at that time, she answered the call.

"Hello, yes, I am his daughter Tracy Alcantara," was her immediate answer on the other line.

She was shocked at the news. An emergency call, her father, Hernando, is in the hospital due to an accident. The van he was driving to Manila lost its brakes and crashed into a tree.

Her next move was quick and alert. She immediately instructed Myrna and her staff to take care of the restaurant first. She immediately rode a tricycle to the hospital where his father was brought.

 A few moments later, she rushes to enter the two-story building. She immediately asked the information center where her father was. She found out it was still in the Emergency room. She went there without hesitation.

Just as she arrived at the door, the doctor came out. She came here. "Doc, how is my father?"

The doctor stopped walking and then turned to her. "Your father lost much blood, Miss; he needs to undergo a blood transfusion as soon as possible."

"Do everything necessary, Doc, so that my father can be saved," she said, full of pleas. She was extremely nervous because of his intense worry.

Before the doctor could speak again, a nurse approached him. "Doc, we don't have the blood supply that the patient needs. There is still no assurance at the Blood Bank."

The Doctor looked at him worriedly. "We need a blood donor for your father, Miss. You heard what the Nurse said."

She nodded. "Doc, I am willing to donate blood for my father. I'm confident that we have the same blood type."

"All right, go with Nurse Anne to the lab so we can check if your blood type is compatible with your father's,” the doctor ordered him.

 She immediately obeyed. For the first time, her blood was checked. She has already undergone cross-matching. She is hoping that she will be able to reconnect with her father's life despite the resentment she has towards him.

After a while, a female medical technologist approached her. She was shocked and couldn't believe the result of the cross-matching that stunned her. And shook her entire being.