Amanda's Epicure is a restaurant situated in Bellington city. It managed to fascinate ample customers with its magnificent location and homely atmosphere which one can have when one feast there. It's not exceptionally vast just an average size building but expanded in areas. The rear part of the restaurant occupies a splendid back yard that further consists of a playground for kids. IT was used to famous for its continued exploration of unique recipes. The aroma falls into the people's nose; they are enchanted with its smell. Some people indeed claim that they bewitched people with their delicious food. But now surrendered its charisma, the restaurant who was used to be filled with gossips, laughters and pleasant melody are now occupied with accomplished silence. And here I am sitting here and renewing this distressing moments in my intellect as my palms are laid fisted on paper. I dont even realise when it is ripe into fragments until a ripping sound echoed in my cabin.
Frightened, me and my best friend Maria both stare at the copy in which we manage our records, bills, and taxes. It takes a lot of time to maintain these types of accounts up-to date.
She slumps down on the chair with a thud sound and rested her head in her hand while she was struggling to control her tears. It was in her personality. We all mock her as 'cry baby'.
A sigh escaped from my mouth as my leg moved towards her. My hands move and they take a rest on her shoulder. She glances up at me and whisper. But stop because her voice is raucous as she was crying for a very lengthy time. My legs move towards my brown table, which is settled in the corner of the cabin, my hands captured the glass furnished with water and gave it to her. After she swallowed down the water and clear her throat.
A smile appeared on my lips as I said her reassuringly "Feeling better"
She nodded and wipe the tear that just escaped from her eyes.
"Hey, please stop crying. I know, now situation is not in our favour, but I know it will be better as time develops, like in the past. Did you forget the struggles we confronted when we were beginners. Did you forget the day when my aunt Monica assigned us for the job. We managed to bring havoc in this environment. But look we struggle and do our work with absolute devotion, and we succeeded once. We still make this situation turn in our way. If we faced it together. If you are with me, I can win this world but, without you I am just like a writer without his words." My hands caress her shoulders as I try to motivate her with my words.
She hiccups again and clear her throat and said," We are lost Adreil We don't know what to do now, we are losing cus-tomers, two chefs already quoted and remaining are practically threatening us to give them raising otherwise they would leave us and you have to fired three waitresses because they lost us fivecustomers and now when we really need money to save this restaurant and we don't have enough."
I sighed and said," We will find the way. Trust me".
. She moves towards the picture hanging on the left side wall. It was the picture of Monica and her spouse; they look so content together. Love can certainly manifest in their eyes. She stares at it for a protracted time like she is taking powers from it and suddenly she swung around and stepped towards me with new determination and murmur
"We can do it we are not losing this restaurant. This is our second home."
I jumped and hugged her tightly. After three hours and seventy minutes, we finally found a way. We finally settled the meeting with an investor.
"Thank goodness, he is agreed to meet us."
I look at her, "Yes me too, now we have to work hard, redecorate the front area, change the table clothes with blue ones, paint the walls with a similar colour, hang new paintings, instruct our staff to do their best when they will arrive"
Her face once again form a sorrowful expression as she mumbled," Jessica and Penelope resign from their job. They give me their letters and said they can't proceed anymore."
My mouth open and close try to speak but it's like words stuck in my mouth. I can't impose them to remain with us, as I can perceive how troublesome it is to survive without proper finance.
"But, we can employ a new one he will come after two or three days. And I will cook my lasagna and two other recipes specifically for them." She said while her hand squeeze mine gently
I smiled at her. Cooking is an art. And Maria has mastered in this art. She can even convert a simple dish into heavenly delicious with a unique taste and aroma which can lust your senses to devour it.
Our restaurant was the best until the third of December. I will never forget that day. It was one of the worst dates of my life.
It was the day when I nearly lost my restaurant. This is not just a restaurant; it is home to me. This place is a reminder of her. My mother and my aunt owned this restaurant they established it. But when my mother married to my father, she moved to cariel. After that my aunt used to run this restaurant. She met her lover, Robert here for the first time and they married and has a son Fred. He is living in Millson for his job. But he promised he will return soon. This place holds so many memories of his childhood, my mother and my aunt friendly fighting and Monica and Robert first meeting and so on.
I smile sadly as I remember our meeting.
Flashback-
She was on the hospital bed doctors already said that she would live only for 12- 14 days more. She is becoming weaker and weaker; she has lost so much weight over the last two weeks. Cancer is eating her alive. A tear fell from my eyes. I quickly wiped it and cleared my throat.
"Ad," she said in a small voice.
I move towards her and whisper
"Hi."
She smiles but there is no light in her eyes it looks like she is forcing it for my sake. And I was also forcing a smile for her sake. It's like we both knew we are weak but we are trying to be stronger for each other as long as we have each other in our life. Even if we have only 14 days to embrace each other in our love.
"Adriel!" Maria shouted.
"What?"
"I said I am going home dad had called two minutes ago and said there is a guest who wants to meet me."
I smirk at her. She groans and throws a pen at me, which I smartly dodge away.
"I hate you."
"Aww, I love you too"
She huffed and moved towards the door.
"Maria. "
She moved her head to look at me.
"Good luck. "
She rolls her eyes and leaves the room.
Her dad is trying hard to set her up with one of the sons of his friends. But Maria is always rejecting them, saying they are so boring and full of themselves. But that did not stop his father he always finds a way to step up some blind dates.
My eyes move towards the clock and I gasp when I see it is 1:00 am. Thank God Fred is not here otherwise he would have dragged me to our apartment and scold me for being late. He is younger than me but he is smarter than me which sucks, by the way.
I moved and collected my things which were scattered on the table and after 15 minutes I left the building. I sold my car two days ago because of the financial crisis. I have to walk now but it doesn't matter that much because my house is 15 minutes away from my restaurant.
I am moving towards a new alley when I feel a presence behind me. I look back and I notice a man is walking towards me. He has a beer in his hand. My eyes meet his eyes and I gasp. He is looking at me and his eyes are bloodshot, his lips moved and formed a smirk.
I gulped......
To be continued...
