“That’s cutting it a bit close, but it’ll all be good.”Jamie looked around the kitchen.All the prep work had been done.The kitchen was heating up.He could tell by temperature alone that it was close to opening time.He was about to put some bacon fat into a large cast-iron muffin tin when he heard car doors slamming shut.
“It’s almost showtime, guys.”He wiped his hands on his apron.“Let’s have a really good service.”There were three sets of eyes on him.“Let’s do this for Mamaw and Papaw.Make ’em proud.”
The little silver-colored bell jangled.It was showtime.
* * * * *
“Order in,” Flo calledout as she attached the slip of green paper from her order pad to the wheel over the serving counter.
Walter spun the wheel around.“We got a burger, medium, with cheese.Coleslaw and fries.Catfish, hush puppies, slaw.Ham and cheese omelette, hashbrowns, biscuits, and gravy.”
“I got burger medium.”Timmy called out.
“I got hash browns, hushpuppies, catfish, and slaw.”Dexter answered.
“Slaw’s ready, Dexter,” Jamie said.He pulled three plates from the bottom shelf and put them under the heat lamps.“Plates at the ready.”
It was like a dance they all knew by heart.Orders in.Orders called out.Orders repeated by station.Orders filled and placed on the counter under the heat lamps that were now turned on.
“Order up!”Walter announced, tapping the bell to let the waitresses know there was food ready to be picked up.
They all worked like this for several hours until Flo came back and pulled Jamie by the sleeve of his cook’s shirt.“Come on now.You can’t keep putting this off.People want to see you.And yes, they want to offer their condolences.”She pulled Jamie towards the door.“And for goodness’ sake, try and get rid of Marlene.I don’t know what she wants, but just her being here is making folk uncomfortable.I swear, I don’t even know why she bothered coming at all.”
Jamie stopped.He looked at Flo.“She wants money.She thinks there’s a will, and she won’t rest until she sees it and gets her fair share.”
“Hmph, I should’ve known.”Flo snickered.“She isn’t going to be very happy then.And she’s gonna have to talk to Glenn Brown about all that.”
“Glenn’s the new lawyer?”Jamie asked as he let Flo pull him through the door.
“Yessiree-bob.He’s over in the back, table five.”Flo nodded in that direction.“He’s got his wife and their two grand-kids there.You know ol’ man Buchanan kicked the bucket last year.They found him lying on the floor of his office.Stunk to high heaven, so’s I heard.”
Jamie nodded.“I’ll see if I can’t get him to go and talk to her.”He paused.“Surely there isn’t going to be much of an estate.”
Flo stopped and looked at Jamie.“What makes you say that?You might just be surprised.”Her face was unreadable, the usual big smile gone.
The room had gotten quiet, and all eyes were on Jamie.
“You gotta say something, honey,” Flo whispered.“I’m right here with you,” her hand on the small of his back.
Jamie cleared his throat.“Um...I want to thank you all for coming.”He glanced towards the front door where a line of people leaned in, and still more people stood out on the front sidewalk looking in.
“I know most of you good folk as did my grandparents.I also know that they’d be very honored and more than likely embarrassed over everyone making such a fuss.”Jamie shrugged.“You know how they are...were.”He batted his eyes a few times, to keep the tears back.“Again, thank you all for coming, and I’m sure we’ll be seeing y’all again real soon.”
“So...you’re not gonna close the diner down?”The question came from Ms.Trembly, who had been Jamie’s math teacher in seventh grade.
“No, I have no intention of closing the diner.”It hadn’t occurred to Jamie to shut the diner down.He hadn’t even thought about what the future would be for the diner.He assumed it would keep on going as it always had.Am I ready to leave Atlanta and take over the diner?He’d have to think long and hard about that.He had a really good gig going as a chef in Atlanta and had built a good reputation there.
“What my son meant to say is thatwehaven’t discussed the future of the diner as yet,” Marlene said standing by the cash register.“We will make sure that everything is properly done as to the wishes ofmyparents, and of course that it will be financially feasible to keep this wonderful establishment operational going forward.”
Jamie turned to look at his mother, his mouth agape.So that’s what she wants.She wants to sell off the diner and take whatever money she can!
