III: The many shades of trouble

The dinner kicked off at exactly eight p.m., although not all the guest was present, over two-thirds of them were already present and available and with the guest, the dinner kicked off while in anticipation of others. There was music, art and comedy, as well as a brief talk section and the dinner was going to be filled with fun activities than last week's birthday party, from the look of it.

The ushers were to direct the guest to the table, while the waiters served the guest already seated. George was right. Although they were in the same uniform, each of them knew their various roles for the night and they carried it out in perfection.

Jasmin noticed that Anita and she were the only waiters from their restaurant as the rest faces looked new and when she told Anita, she confirmed her observation. 

 "You're right, Jasmin, we are the only ones from Royal Palace restaurant." Anita confirmed and moved ahead to explain, "the host, Mrs Richie, requested for waiters specifically from Grand Square, but since it was good money, George thought to inform and include me and I fought to bring you on board."

"Oh," was all Jasmin could say.

"What's wrong?" Anita asked, looking a little weary as she stared at her friend.

"Nothing, I just think what you did was nice, you know, including me and all." She finally admitted. She knew Anita was fond of her since the first day they met, but she didn't know she would gown the extra mile for her and it causes her heart to tingle.

Anita smiled and pulled out a bottle of red wine from the freezer and set it on the stainless tray on the counter in the centre of the kitchen. She then grabbed two wine glasses and set them beside the bottle.

"That's what friends do." She picked the tray up and made her way out.

The host of the show went up the stage for the second time tonight; the first being when she kicked off the show about an hour ago. Mrs Richie was a fifty years ago businesswoman and philanthropist. She was very famous for her many charity organisations across the country and, according to Anita; the dinner aimed at raising fund for the families who lost a loved one in the bombing of the car park about three weeks ago, which took countless lives. Mrs Richie was an angel of her time and she always did her best to raise fund immediately after the news broke and even up to this moment. She had enough influence to bring together the rich and the wealthy to support and make provision whenever the need arises. 

"Hello and good evening to every distinguished guest present today. Just like the invitation stated, we will only be here for three hours and an hour already passed, leaving us with two more. Remember, this dinner aims at raising fund for the families affected by the bombing of the Mile-two park and all contributions you make, as little as they may be, are important. Enjoy the night because there is more to come."

Musical performances were the next in line while Jasmin and the rest waiters served the guest present and unlike thirty minutes ago, there were more guests present now and they almost filled the hall up.

"The last table to your left need coconut rice and chicken with a bottle of red wine," announced Beatrice, one of the waiters as she stepped into the kitchen where Jasmin was getting a bottle of red wine out. "Is that for my order?" She asked, and Jasmin almost rolled her eyes.

"No, this is for table six at the front roll, since you took the order. Why not just take it to them?"

"I have other orders as well." She mumbled.

She didn't have orders and Jasmin knew it because she had already done that to her earlier, although their job was to take orders and to wait, Beatrice wanted to give instructions instead of doing her job and the first time was the last time for Jasmin. "We all have orders you don't see me giving you mine, due you?" Jasmin turned and began heading out.

She scoffed and shook her head, "You shouldn't even be here." She sneered under her breath.

Jasmin heard and turned to her, "Oh well, I already am." She backed her words up with a hard glare before walking away to the table that was supposed to bring her order.

"Sorry it came a bit late," she politely apologised to the lady who was sitting beside her man.

"Why did it come late, though?" The lady demanded, her voice no longer as friendly as it was when she was making the request three minutes ago.

Jasmin's throat ran dry as she wondered what the right answer to her question would be. This was the reason people lie, she thought. Being on the spot didn't feel cool at all.

Lying was never a problem. In fact, she did it every day at work, but no reasonable one was coming forth. "Um." Her eyes caught the gold chain around her wrist and she loses her sense but brushed it off and focus.

"What? You have no reason, you just keep people waiting. You're clumsy and unprofessional."

Jasmin wanted to drop her tray right there and then and display what unprofessional meant, but she thought about the attention that would cause George's reputation and Anita's trust, but most importantly, the pay.

"Faith, dear, here is the red wine you ordered has. Let the poor girl go. I bet she has a lot of other orders to meet and the longer you keep her, the later they will get theirs too." Came the gentle voice of the man sitting beside her and he placed a gentle hand on hers.

The voice sounded so familiar to Jasmin and she turned her gaze towards him, and there he was.

Cainan Inferno. 

The man she ran into his office three weeks ago, the man she stole his Rolex and hoped to never see again. Here he was and her heart shrank as fear set in.

He was wearing a black suit and tie, his hair seemed to be lower than the last time, and his beards were fuller. He held the look that was half tired, half annoyed, but no sign of who those emotions aimed at. She didn't forget his face, she couldn't. Not after everything that took place that day.

She couldn't forget his smug face even though it was gorgeous and she couldn't forget that ocean green eyes and how cold they were when he demanded she handed over the diamond necklace to him. It was not a wonderful memory, though, not when it ended with her stealing his Rolex. She should have known that they would be no peace for her after what she did.

Their eyes met, and he paused, as if trying to remember where he met her before.

Jasmin knew it would be nearly impossible because unlike three weeks ago, her hair was no longer blonde but back to its natural red colour and the makeup she wore that day was no longer on her face, she'd also taken out the grey contact lens and her eyes were now back to their normal coffee-brown colour.

He wouldn't recognise her.

He couldn't recognise her even if he tried to.

She forced herself to look away, but his eyes remained on her.

Faith seemed to have noticed the tension between them because she glared at Jasmin and waved her hand to dismiss her.

Jasmin left immediately, with her heart beating heavily against her chest and blood rushing through her veins. Once she got to the kitchen, she set her tray down on the counter and closed her eyes. She didn't know for how long they remained close until she heard her name being called.

"What happened?" Anita asked as she approached her.

Her head snapped up. "What? Nothing." She responded, shoving all the other emotions away from her face.

"Well, what's up with you and Beatrice?" She asked as she set her tray down and moved to take out a bottle of blue wine and setting it on her tray then going to pick out the already served jellof rice and chicken wings.

"How do you mean?" She asked with a raised brow.

"She was just telling George you wouldn't do your job and do as you're told," Anita asked, and paused and turned to her. "I told George she was exaggerating but wanted to hear from you as well."

Jasmin clenched her teeth, and her eyes closed briefly. "Beatrice took the guest's order, and she didn't want to do it and was hoping to give those orders over to me even when I had mine. She did it earlier and I let it slide, but she tried to again and I didn't let her. Then she said I shouldn't even be here."

"That bitch!"

"Don't get worked up, I handled her already."

Her eyes dropped, "I'm sorry she did that to you."

"It's fine, thanks for having my back."

Anita just nodded before picking up her tray and walking away.

After another hour passes Jasmin took a bathroom break and when she got to the entrance, she entered the one with the female sign on it and after she finished; she came out to wash her hands when she felt a tremendous urge to throw up and she ran back to the bathroom and buried her face in the toilet. After a while of staying there and throwing up everything she had eaten today and the day before, she got up to her feet and out to rinse her hands and mouth.

She whipped her hands with tissue and adjusted her clothes, staring at herself in the mirror one last time before she could head out of the bathroom when the door opened and Mr Inferno walked into the bathroom hall, making her heart drop into her stomach as she expected the worse.