Page 11 of Melbourne
“As I said, you have to be able to keep them in line.And if they need it so bad as they end up in the hospital, then that should be a lesson that they learned.”She knew that he thought that he was right, but hearing him say the words out loud really made her think what a monster he’d been to her all those years.“What do you say we get this over with, and I can go on with my life.I’ve wasted enoughtime in that poor excuse for a jail as it is.Just let me off for good behavior, and that’ll be the end of my time here.”
He was sentenced to not just the twenty-one years in prison, but he also had to work at the prison to pay back the fines that he incurred while on his crime spree.She wanted to get up and dance, but was afraid that he’d see her and come after her.Even with all the officers in the room, she wasn’t stupid enough to think that he’d not be able to get to her.
~*~
Melbourne was happy with the results of the trial.It had been quickly taken care of because Daniel had become such a problem in jail.Not taking a bath was only one of a dozen or so issues they were having with him.Another one was his whining all the time about things, like food, and his not being able to watch television.
Going to see Sammy at work, he decided that he was going to see if she could have lunch with him while there.He normally wouldn’t do anything like that, but he had a list of questions to ask her about getting them a home and land that he could take care of for them.
He was excited about having a home like his brothers.He really didn’t know what kind of house he wanted; he’d leave that up to Sammy, but he wanted to have some land that he could shift and lie on when he could.Going to the other realm was fine for him at times, but he did want his own land so that he could take care of the grounds, too.Planting things, flowers, and trees was high on his list of things to do.Someday, he wanted to see his kids playing in his yard, too.If Sammy wanted to have any, that was.
“I can’t have lunch with you until after the lunch rush.”He said that he could wait for her, and she looked frustrated.“I’m going to have to clear tables and be hostess.I have two people who called off today.And while I’m all right with working here, it’s going to be a lot to get done.”
“I can buss tables.I’ve done it before.”She said she couldn’t ask him to do that.“You didn’t ask, I said I’d do it.I don’t mind at all.It’ll give me something to do while I wait for you.It’ll be fun too.”He asked for an apron and was given one.There were already several tables that needed to be cleaned off, and he was ready to get to it.“I’ll take them to the kitchen and work like that.I don’t mind at all to help you out.”
He worked for nearly three hours straight without a break and thought that he was having the best time ever.It was busy, as soon as he cleared a table, Sammy was seating someone in the cleaned space.The staff seemed to be having a good time, too, and showed him how to set up the tables so that they could save time.Putting the silverware on the table with napkins was easy for him since he was already there in the first place.
When things started to slow down around two-thirty, he was shown how to put tablecloths on the tables that were no longer in a rush to be used.As soon as he put the tablecloth on the tables, it gave the room a brighter appeal.When he took back the last of the bus tubs, the kitchen was very helpful in showing him how to stack things so that they could get to the dishes quicker.He loved the way that things had a flow, and he was more than happy to do what they needed to get things cleaned up faster.He went to find Sammy when one of the dishwasher workers told him she was looking for him.
“You did a fantastic job.I’ve never had tables turn so quickly before.Makes me realize how much James is screwing off.”He said he’d not meant to get anyone in trouble.“It’s fine.James has been complaining about how much work he has to do and doesn’t get any respect.I think that the waitstaff is thrilled to have their tables turned so quickly.It means more tips for them.”
“Speaking of tips, they tried to give me part of theirs.I don’t need the money, and I really enjoyed myself.”She said she’d have to pay him something.“Buy me lunch and we’ll be even.And I mean it when I say that if you run short again, give me a call.I’ll gladly come and help you out again.”
“What about for dinner?”He was sitting in the dining room with her now, and the place was empty but for the two of them.“When James called off, I didn’t realize it was for the night shift as well.If you could help us out again, I’d be very grateful.”
“Gladly.”He ate the food that was set in front of him.“I’ve been seeing this on a lot of tableswhen I went by.This looks great.”He ate more than half of his lunch before she’d been able to give him his drink.“I guess I was hungrier than I thought.And I love that I’m getting to have lunch with you, too.”
The two of them enjoyed their lunch of hamburgers and fries.He had a milkshake with, and she had a bottle of water.When they were finished, two of the waitstaff came over and thanked him again for working today, and they made a lot of tips because of him.He told them that he had a good time and was going to be doing it tonight, too.They were both thrilled and told the other two waitresses who were filling salt shakers and folding napkins around silverware.
“This place runs well.And with all the little things you have in place, I can see where they enjoy getting things out faster.I was amazed at the amount of business that you do here as well.”She said normally they didn’t have that sort of business, but because he’d been able to get the tables cleaned off, they all had a good day.“I’m glad that I could help.I’m guessing since you’re short-staffed tonight that our dinner date is canceled.”
“I’m sorry.I forgot all about it when they called off.I think I’m going to have to fire them both because this is the third time this week that they’ve called off.And on a Friday afternoon, too, is a big no-no around here.They know that we’re busy.It’s payday for most of the people around here, and going out to lunch is a big deal for most businesses.”He said he was sorry to hear that.“I am as well.Marsha has three kids she’s trying to raise on a waitress’s salary, and I don’t think she’s making it.Especially when she calls off so much.”
“I waited on tables when I was in college once or twice.It was nice to be able to be around people when all I was doing was studying in my room.It got me out of the dorm sometimes, and I needed that.”He finished off his burger and was glad that he had been brought another one to eat.“I’ve been working on contracts for the past three weeks, so this was quite a change for me to do.I really did have a good time.”
“I hope you can say that tonight.Tonight will be twice as busy with it being Friday night all you can eat fish fry.”He told Sammy that he was looking forward to it.“As I said, I hope you can say that at the end of the night.We’re usually here until well past closing time just getting the place ready for Saturday lunch.”
“I’m looking forward to it.Especially when I can spend some time with you, too.Maybe between tables we can say something about ourselves to keep us on our toes.”She laughed just as he had hoped that she would.“You have a lovely laugh, and I enjoy hearing it from you.How long has it been since you really felt free enough to laugh at something?”
“Forever, it seems like.I’ve been so busy that I never took into account my own feelings.But I do want to succeed so that I’m not living out of a box anytime soon.”He told her that they had enough money right now that they’d neither one would have to work again, and it wouldn’t hurt them financially.“I’d still worry.I have worried about money my entire life.This restaurant was the only investment I made when I first started out being a billionaire.And since it makes me money enough to pay my bills and eat, I’ve held onto it even though I’ve been approached by buyers several times.I just find that I can’t let go of it.”
“I know what you’re saying.I’ve held onto things that I should have sold off long ago, but for sentimental reasons, I hang onto them.I still have my first business, too, though it’s not doing as well as this place seems to be.Do you work every day?”She said that she took off Monday and Tuesday so that she didn’t burn herself out.“I can see that happening as well.I’ve been burnt out before when I thought that I needed to work to keep the place from going under.”
“It’s been fun here.I love this job.Even though no one here knows that I own this place, they have been respectful of my changes when I have to make them.The Friday night fish fry is a new thing, and it’s made some really good money for this place.I don’t know that I’d do it in another setting, but people seem to enjoy it a great deal and the staff makes a great deal of money on tips and such.”He was enjoying his time talking to her and was sad when she started looking around as if she needed to get up and get going.“I have to make a deposit before tonight.I try to keep as little money in the placeas I can on any one day.”
“I don’t blame you for that.”When she got up and left him there to work, he cleaned up the table and reset it for tonight.The fish fry started at five o’clock, and it would be busy until they shut down at ten.He was going to need to go home and change, as Sammy told him he’d need to wear a tie tonight.Laughing to himself, he thought about the fact that he seldom wore a tie anymore since he’d been wearing jeans everywhere he went.Tonight was going to be a blast, he told himself.
At ten that night, he was ready to quit and go home.There were still tables to be bussed, and he had been having to pee since seven.Never did he work so hard in his life.But he had to admit, he did feel pretty good about what he’d been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time.Not only did he get all his tables cleaned off when they were needed, but he knew that some of his tables had turned four times tonight, thanks mostly to his being able to get them cleaned off and set up again.
“You have to take some of my money.”He told Diana that he couldn’t do that; he was being paid more than she was.“Well, you did me a solid tonight, and the rest of us, too, when you were so good at your job.I’m not going to be tipping James anymore.He’s been a lazy fuck, and I saw it tonight.Did you know that he had to have a break in the middle of the rush when he was working?I doubt very much you’ve even had a drink of water since we started.”
“I really did have fun.I’m worn out, I will admit that, but I really did enjoy myself tonight.”She asked him what he was doing next Friday night, and they both laughed.“But seriously, I was just helping out when Sammy said you were shorthanded.”
“And it doesn’t hurt that she’s beautiful too, does it?”He winked at her, and they both had another good laugh.“But thanks for tonight.I can now buy diapers and put gas in my car tonight.Woo hoo for me.”
The rest of the night, while cleaning the last of the tables, he got more compliments from the staff.Even the cook said that he’d been almost too busy at one point when he needed a smoke.And now that he was stacking the plates right in the bus tub, he was even getting thanks from the dishwashers as well.The only person that he’d not heard from was Sammy, and she was locked in her office doing the nightly deposit along with paperwork.
After everyone had left, when the place was ready for tomorrow, he sat in the back room waiting for Sammy.She asked him to wait so that he could go with her to the bank, and he agreed.Usually, the cook went with her, but since he was there, he said he’d do it.It was going to be a nice deposit tonight, and he was happy for her.
