“If it’s at all possible, we’d both like to just do breakfast and lunch.”Flo looked at Walter, then down at her hands.
Jamie looked at his computer.“Okay, that was number three on my list.I completely agree with both of you.”
Florence glanced up, a look of surprise on her face.“Really?You’re not mad?”
Jamie rolled his eyes.“Of course I’m not mad.You both have been working here, what?Nigh on thirty years?”
Walter looked directly at Jamie.“I’ve been working for this family for twenty-seven years.”
“Twenty-six for me,” Florence added.She pointed to Walter.“That old goat will be sixty-five in October.”
“And you’ll be—”
Florence cut him off.“Don’t you even dare!”She had her hands on her hips, daring him to say her age.
Minnie raised her hand.“I’ve only been here thirteen years, and I’ve never had any other job.If you don’t mind, I’d really like to only work two shifts.It doesn’t matter which ones.”
Jamie looked at his computer again.“I had down two shifts all around if that’s okay with everyone.We can decide which works for all of you.”He scrolled a page down.“Now...having said that, I realize that it would mean that you wouldn’t make as much as working three shifts, so I budgeted that you’ll all receive a fifteen per cent pay raise, starting next week.”
“What?”Hazel exclaimed.“You serious?”
“Yep.”Jamie looked up and smiled.“You all work hard, and all of you have been here for most of my life, so I think it’s fair.You deserve it, and I can see from the books that you’ve not had a raise in a while.”
“I’m going to kiss you,” Florence said, pushing her chair back.
“Don’t you even dare, woman.”Jamie held both hands up.“The last time you kissed me you got that red lipstick of yours on my shirt, and it never came out!”
Everyone cracked up.There was an ease in the air after that.
“When are you planning on start redoing this place?”Hazel asked, still wiping at her eyes with a napkin.
“I have a professional decorator arriving tomorrow.He’s an old friend, and he’s anxious to start.As to when exactly it starts, I haven’t a clue.I’ll know more tomorrow.I can’t wait for y’all to meet him.”He looked around the table.“Maybe you can tell him what you like and what you don’t?”
“What will we be doing while it’s all being done?”Dexter was leaning on the table.“And for how long?”
Jamie smiled.He’d talked to Alyson early that morning, and it was decided that since he wasn’t sure any of them had passports, so he’d taken a suggestion from her that he thought would work.
“I’m sending you all on apaidvacation, paid for by the diner.”
“What?”Walter asked as he wiped over his bristled hair, his eyebrows almost meeting his hairline.
“Yep.”Jamie smiled.“I thought a lot about it, and I got the advice from a travel agent.I’m closing the diner as of Saturday night.You guys leave from Atlanta next Wednesday.A shuttle will pick you up at eight that morning and drops you off at the international airport for your flight.You’ll be gone for thirty days.”
“You’re not serious.”Hazel’s eyes were as big as cup saucers.“For real?”
“I-I’ve n-n-never had a v-va-va-vacation.”Timmy was blinking so hard it looked like he was about to cry.
“Yes.I am serious.”
“Where to?Please tell me the Bahamas.I’ve always wanted to go there.”Florence was practically bouncing in her seat.
“You’re going to Seattle, where you’ll stay for four nights, then you’ll get to go on a train through the Rocky Mountains for two nights.You’ll get off in Vancouver and be there for four nights, and then...a ten-day luxury cruise to Alaska, then back to Seattle.There for two nights, then home.”There was total silence.It was so quiet, Jamie could hear the wall clock ticking.“Um...is that alright?I mean, I didn’t know if you guys had passports and in Canada you only need a driver’s license.”
Florence blinked hard a few times.“Is this for real?”
Jamie nodded.“It’s for real.Now if any of you don’t want to go, please tell me now so I can cancel it tomorrow.I only have that one day to cancel and get the money back.”
There was silence until Minnie, of all people, let out a squeal.She jumped up and ran over to Jamie and gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.
