“I was actually planning on using my great-grandmother’s recipes. They are the best.”
Fiona’s smile lights up her space. “You’re going to find a few of them inside. Let’s get started.”
The Right Thing
Fiona
Hope works the kitchen like a pro, but it’s not just that she’s comfortable reading a recipe or kneading dough. She’s good with people. Spectacular.
A woman born to be a boss. Which makes sense with who her father is.
Max…I try to hold in the physical sigh I feel. There are way too many eyes in this kitchen, and they never seem to miss a thing.
How could I have screamed like that?
Because you scrubbed every inch of your skin raw except your butt and part of your back—at least you had a small amount of sense in there—and when he touched you, it felt like a combination of daggers and acid burning your flesh.
Pain used to be something that made me realize that I was still alive, even when I didn’t always want to be. Another part of life that you dealt with to survive.
And he startled you. Fear and pain mixed together…that hasn’t happened in years, not since...
Don’t think about them. You don’t have any skin left to scrub off.
Think about anything else.
A beautiful meadow.
A vibrant sunset.
Max…
Why is it that Max always sees me at my worst? He’s probably going to be afraid to get within ten feet of me ever again. I should go out and see if he needs anything. The kids will give him a wide berth because he’s a stranger.
Most of these kids didn’t have to be taught stranger danger. The few we have to keep reminding of that fact have way too many psychological issues to expect to leave The Street anytime soon. I love that they’ll have a place here for the rest of their lives if they need it.
As I walk through the main part of the kitchen, I keep one eye on the new smiling girl. One day, she’d be the perfect person to replace me. But that job will go to someone else. Someone who understands what a gift this responsibility will be for the rest of their life.
Owning this place isn’t a job. It’s a calling. A life. A privilege. A gift that brings infinite joy.
The front of house is just as busy as the back.
My team runs it with precision and fun. The last one is the most important. These kids need to find all the good in life that they can.
“Fiona?” Cammie rushes over to me. “That guy has been hanging around a long time, and no security has shown up. Should I make a call?”
What you should have done was ask me when security didn’t show up a while ago. “No. That’s Hope’s dad. He’s been cleared. But next time, if you see someone you don’t know, reach out to one of the other leads or me. Don’t wait for security to show up.”
“Hope has a dad?”
For kids around here, that’s an oddity. “Yeah, she does.”
“Does she have a family who loves her?”
“Yes.” That’s hard even for me to comprehend, and we’ve built a family of sorts here.
“Do you think I’ll ever have one?”
Like that? Possibly. “You already have a family.”
