“I can’t believe we’re paying him,” Karim said, reaching over Julien for the mouse. “What garbage.”
“Yes, I think… I think when he calls back maybe you can handle it,” Julien said wearily.
“Good,” Karim said.
Luis inched around the desk to get a better view of the screen. “I could take a look,” Luis said after a minute of Karim’s frustrated clicking.
Both sets of eyes turned to him.
“I do this, you know, as a job,” he reminded.
“Luis, you’re here as a friend–” Julien started.
“Yeah, but friends help friends, right?” Karim cut in, seizing the opening. “I mean, Jules, you're always telling me to open up and ask for help when I need it.”
“Oh,nowyou’re going to pull that card?” Julien said with a tone. “I just don’t think we should make Luis do unpaid labor on his days off.”
“We could pay him,” Karim said. “In about ten minutes we are going to have a part-time salary suddenly available.”
“It’s really no trouble,” Luis interjected. “I could just take a look. I mean, I want your website to work.”
“See, he’s not bothered,” Karim nudged Julien playfully before stepping back. “Let him have a look.”
To Luis’s surprise, Julien folded. “Only if you don’t mind,” Julien said, meeting his eyes.
“I don’t. I like problem solving,” Luis said.
Karim pulled back the chair to prompt Julien out of it. “All yours,” Karim said, pulling his husband away. “And I bet you’re just about hungry again. How does pasta sound, when you’re done?”
“Amazing,” Luis said as he took a seat.
“Great. I’ll go whip something up. Julien will stay and answer any questions you may have.”
So, Luis got to work.
##
It took an hour and a half to get the site back up. When Luis finished there were still a lot of issues that would need to be sorted, but for the moment their website was at least accessible.
“It looks like Gerald keeps trying to patch it together, but he really doesn't know what he’s doing.”
They were in the kitchen, a heaping bowl of alfredo in front of Luis at the counter seating. Julien was sitting beside him as Karim cleaned the kitchen and packaged the leftovers.
“Well, he’s officially fired,” Karim said. “And you’re hired.”
Luis grinned, “I’ll work for pasta, this is amazing,” he said before twirling another heaping bite.
“I’m glad. Handmade the pasta myself,” Karim said proudly.
“You made the pasta?” Luis asked. Fuck, no wonder it tasted so good.
“It’s not too hard,” Karim said. “But it makes a difference, doesn’t it?”
“Mhm,” Luis agreed with his mouth full.
“We’ll have to draft a contract,” Julien said. “He’s being paid in money, not pasta. And I want this to be scheduled regular work hours, not eating away at your weekend.”
Luis nodded. Once everything was fixed, it would be very simple maintenance. Something he could easily fit into his work week.
