“Point made.”Florence frowned.
“Okay.”Jamie stood up.“That just means that I will have to completely rethink my ideas for the kitchen, but it’s doable.”He stretched, arms over his head.He let them fall.“Meanwhile, I need to get my butt in gear, or I won’t be ready for dinner.”
Everyone groaned as they stood.They all started to busy themselves for the dinner service.Jamie already back to his pastry for the apple pies.
“I am going to assume that you’re going to be too busy to have a look at what I’ve come up with?”Joesph asked, stopping next to Jamie.
“Um...can you show me while I work?”
“Sure.”Joesph watched Jamie for a minute.“You know, I’ve never actually seen you work.”
Jamie laughed.“You’ve never been in the kitchen when I was working.”
Joesph only nodded.“I didn’t realize how hard you work.”
“Yeah, well, it is one of the hardest jobs to do.There are a lot of people who could never do it.”Jamie glanced up at his friend standing next to him.“As you saw, everyone here works hard.”
“They sure do.I’ll be right back.”He stopped for a second.“And you better save me a piece of that pie.”
Jamie worked nonstop as Joesph showed him the storyboards that he’d made up, standing across the stainless-steel table, making sure he was far enough away, Jamie noticed, as not to get covered in flour.
“Now, I did listen when you told me that your grandmother liked the green and peach colors, but now, having seen this place in action, I’m of the opinion that we need to punch the colors up.Still keeping with the green and pinkish theme but not muted like before.”
Joesph stopped and looked at Jamie.“Ohhh-kay,” Jamie said, drawing out the word.“Like?”
Reaching down, Joesph pulled out another storyboard.“Like this.”
Jamie’s jaw dropped.It looked like the diner he grew up in, but...different.
“Oh!I love that!”Florence had walked over to Jamie.“Hey, y’all, come look at this!”Florence yelled loud enough to have been heard all the way over to the interstate.
A moment later, the entire staff were standing around Jamie, looking at the presentation Joesph held up.“I did this while y’all were working.It’s the feeling I get for this place.It’s not...complete or finished.Just an idea I had.”
Jamie had to shake his head to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.“I don’t even know what to say.”
“Say yes, you big dummy,” was Florence’s immediate response.
“I like it,” Minnie kinda of squeaked when she spoke.
“That’s a clear winner, if you ask me,” Hazel added.“I like it too.”
“I have never been a fan of pink, but...”Walter took off his ball cap and scratched his head, “But yeah.I think it fits.”He clasped a big hand on Jamie’s shoulder.“And I think Ms.Mattie would be thrilled.”
“It’s a mid-century modern design, and it would be consistent with the color scheme as well.”Joesph pointed to one of the dining room tables and the chairs.“We can keep all the tables and chairs, just have them refurbished, which should cut down on the costs of just buying all new.Some will need repairs, obviously, but I think it could work.”
“I remember when they all looked new,” Walter said, his voice almost dreamlike.
“And the flooring,” Joesph pointed to the floor of white, green, and pink check, “I’d like to use a new product underlay that will have a bit of cushion, so it won’t be so hard on the feet.It’s made of cork, so it’s really good for this type of use.It’s also naturally antibiotic.”
“Do what?”Hazel sounded sceptical.“Like carpet.”
“Not as soft as carpet, but it won’t feel like you’re walking all day on concrete.”
“That would be a godsend.”Florence sighed heavily.“There are days when I get home, and my feet and legs feel like I’ve run a big-city marathon.”
“Sounds good to me,” Jamie said.“Let’s make sure to do that.”
