“I won’t make this long or sappy because I know you’re all working so hard, but I just want to say…thank you.”
The cook nearest to me gets misty-eyed as well.
“Tonight isn’t just a dinner service. It’s a first impression. The people out there have a choice of where to eat tonight, and they’re choosing to come here. Food brings people together, and the ones who sit at our tables tonight are choosing to come together here. Cook as if it’s your family out there. Cook as if you want to make them proud. Thank you all so much.”
The room breaks out in applause and cheers as everyone gets hyped for the evening.
With tears in my eyes, I turn toward Archer and Julian. Archer is busy snapping pictures on my phone, and I smile at them both as I say, “It’s time. Open the doors.”
The first guest to come through the doors is my mother, and Archer personally escorts her to her table. Before she sits, she throws her arms around me. “I’m so proud of you, Freya. You are a force, my sweet girl. And I hope nothing ever stops you.”
There are tears running through my makeup as I pull away, but I don’t bother to wipe them. “Thank you, Maa.”
She takes her seat beneath the photo of my family on the wall, and it makes me emotional all over again.
“Maa, I don’t want you to have to eat alone,” I say.
“She’s not,” Archer says from behind me as he takes the chair across from her. But it’s still a table large enough for eight, and worry settles in my stomach.
Just then, I turn around and nearly come barreling into Julian and his family. The Kades are all in my restaurant, filling the seats around my mother.
Amelia squeals before wrapping me up in a big hug. “You did it!”
“I couldn’t do it without you,” I reply, hugging her back tightly. “Now, have a seat. Enjoy your dinner.”
Amelia turns and snatches the seat her father nearly takes,making him laugh. She plops down next to her dad’s friend Matis and grins up at him with a flirty smile.
My mother starts talking to Julian’s mom animatedly as if they’re already old friends. Julian’s dad laughs with Archer. Julian teases Amelia.
What I said in the kitchen is true: food brings people together. And this is my family.
“Chef,” someone says from the kitchen, and I turn to find one of my cooks waving for me.
“I better get to work,” I say to everyone at the table. They quickly wave me away, and I run off to cook my first dinner service inmyrestaurant.
Rule #40: Switch roles from time to time.
Julian
My dad slings a hand over my shoulder while entertaining the table with a story from my childhood. I groan to myself as my sister laughs, poking my side.
“So you want to tell us where you got the shiner?” he asks, loud enough to get the attention of the table.
“And why it matches his,” Amelia adds, pointing to Archer.
He attempts to hide behind a bouquet of flowers.
I clear my throat uncomfortably. Freya’s mom is wearing a pained expression, and I feel terrible that this is her first impression of us. I could lie and tell my family something that might align more with their idea of me, but I don’t.
Instead, I shatter every image they have of Julian Kade.
“Street fighting,” I say before taking a sip of wine.
My mother gasps, and Amelia covers her mouth with her hand.
“Illegalstreet fighting,” I add.
“Julian!” my mother shrieks. “Why on earth would you do that? Tell me you’re lying.”
