by T. F. Pruden
Maurice pulled his collar tight as he turned onto Tache to be met by the sharp teeth of an angry west wind. He hurried to reach the Marion Street intersection where he would turn south into the lee of the still biting April breeze.
The weather though pleasant enough was not yet free from the grip of the prairie winter.
The dark clouds hanging low on the western horizon foreshadowed a soon arriving Alberta Clipper. It was sure to replace the snow a few days of warm temperatures melted from the filthy streets in the early weeks of the long prairie spring.
As he neared the intersection, he wondered if it would be colder out west. They were likely still buried in the deep snow dropped by storms crossing the Rocky Mountains. He shivered as he thought of the northern Alberta work camp soon to become his home and place of employment.
He reached the corner of Tache Avenue and Marion Street only to have to stand in the rising wind and wait for the traffic light to change. His chilly impatience reached a miserable crescendo as the neon sign of the Marlene Hotel twinkled at him in the distance. As the walk sign flashed on the display across the street, he stepped off the low curb. The tall chef strode with commitment toward his destination.
Despite real interest in the renovations he now fought a rapid building desire to be shed of the place.
The sound of keys in the door of the restaurant told Wayne his partner had arrived.
He yawned as he passed through the hallway and entered the foyer to wait for Rene. The exhaustion filling him receded as excitement to show the older man the now completed space replaced it.
He smiled at his childish apprehension.
It surprised Wayne to discover the concern his efforts should please the fellow. Rene had been supportive of his efforts so far. He shook his head and grinned at his foolishness as he pushed the thought from his mind.
With a snort he reminded himself it was his business partner he was meeting and not his father.
“Allo, ‘allo, mon ami!” Rene’s voice reflected enthusiasm as he entered the restaurant foyer.
Wayne waited until he locked the door to reply.
“Good evening Rene,” he said.
He extended his hand to his partner with a satisfied grin on his face.
“Come meet your new dining room.”
“Tabernac! You ‘ave finish’?” Rene replied as he grasped Wayne’s hand and pumped it with conviction.
“You wanna believe it my friend!” Wayne answered with the enthusiasm of a boy, “come hava look.”
The two men walked to the end of the short hallway together and stood in the entrance to the dining room.
They stood side by side and stared at the space in front of them. Wayne said nothing as he endured the mild apprehension of his partner’s delayed response.
Rene also stood silent, absorbed as he looked from one design element to another in the new dining room of the old restaurant. After a long minute passed the senior partner emitted a low whistle of satisfaction. The surprising changes his young partner had imposed on the space in so short a period plainly impressed him.
That Wayne managed it on a limited budget most pleased Rene.
“Tabernac mon ami!” he spoke in soft voice.
His voice was low but his happiness was apparent.
“You ‘ave done a fantast’eek job wit’ ‘dis place an’ ‘dats for sure! Congratulation’ mon frere, I love ‘et!”
“I’m so relieved to hear that Rene,” Wayne replied, “you have no idea!”
“Don’ tell me you were concern mon frere?!” Rene asked.
The young man’s admission caught him off guard. His concern was real. He intended to be as supportive of him as possible.
“I’m ver’ sorry if I ‘ave’n’ made clear ‘ow impress’ I ‘ave been wit’ your work mon ami, I wan’ you to know ‘dat you ‘ave all of ma’ confidence, all of it for sure!”
“Thanks again and that’s not it Rene,” Wayne protested, the relief in his voice betraying his concern, “you know how it is when you’re working on something, you want everybody to like it and until it’s done, there’s nothing to see and then when it’s finished you’re on pins and needles until somebody tells you it’s ok.”
“For sure for sure, mon frere!” Rene agreed, clapping a hand onto the young fellows shoulder with affection, “I know exac’ly what you mean an’ I wan’ you to know ‘dat ‘dis place looks unbelievable, it’s ‘ard to believe ‘dat we’re in ‘da same place from t’ree week ago, Tabernac!”
“I have to admit I’m pretty happy with how it turned out,” Wayne said, a note of pride leaking into his voice, “it was a lot of work but now that it’s done I’m pleased with the result.”
The sound of the alarm bell rang as the back door of the kitchen opened. It informed them of the tall chef’s arrival. They grinned at one another and waited for him to enter the dining room.
A moment later he appeared in the kitchen’s doorway. He stood with the swinging door held open and surveyed the room before him.
A look of mild astonishment appeared on his face.
“Tabernac!” the tall chef said.
He released the swinging door and stepping into the room paced the aisle to his waiting partners.
“She’s a beauty now mon freres!”
Wayne smiled at the tall chef, pleased and relieved the industry veteran approved of the completed work. He felt his damaged confidence further restoring itself as the moment passed and his partners appreciated the success of the renovation. He extended a hand to Maurice as the tall man arrived to stand with them at the front of the room. The chef grasped it, a smile of pride on his face.
“You ‘ave made us a place ‘dat we can be proud of mon frere Wayne,” Maurice said with admiration in his voice, “I ‘ope you know ‘ow proud I am to ‘ave you as ma’ partner.”
Rene smiled as the two younger men acknowledged their affection for one another. His choice of partners had been a good one, and he thrilled at the impending success of their new venture.
“Tabernac!” he said as he extended his hand to the tall chef, “now we are set for our gran’ open’ang, eh Maurice?”
“For sure for sure mon ami,” Maurice replied, shaking his landlords’ hand and smiling with relief visible on his face, “now we are set.”
“What are you and your protégés working on tonight Maurice?” Wayne asked, “and will you be making us dinner or should we plan to order something in?”
The tall chef laughed as he turned toward the kitchen.
“Tonight we work on ‘da lunch menu,” he replied, “an’ ‘dat means we are freez’ang ‘da lasagna we prepare so not’ang of ‘dat w’eel be serve’ to you two scoundrel’ on ‘dis night!”
“Tabernac!” Rene howled, “I am starv’ang!”
“You will be serve’ tonight from ‘da lunch menu,” the tall chef spoke as he walked away without looking back, “so if you are not prepare’ to make do wit’ blacken’ chicken Caesar salad an’ steak san’wich wit’ frites you ‘ad bes’ get on ‘da phone!”
“Count me in for one of each!” Wayne called to his back.
“Tabernac make ‘dat deux steak san’wich mon frere!” Rene said, hiding his disappointment, “an’ I w’eel try ‘dat blacken’ chicken too!”
“Soon enough!” Maurice called as he passed through the swinging kitchen door, “We will cook as soon as ‘da sous chef ‘dey arrive!”
As the tall chef entered the kitchen Rene began a slow walk to inspect the booths at the front end of the room.
He stopped when he reached the corner example and seated himself there to look out at the dining room. Rene smiled as he surveyed the layout. The privacy created by the lattice would not affect the space available to diners seated in the booths.
The efficiency of Wayne’s design at once pleased him.
He stood and walked across the aisle to sit at the first of the tables on the north side of the low and now finished wall. Though he could see the entra
nce to the dining room through the lattice from where he sat it provided ample privacy.
This while leaving him neither isolated nor claustrophobic in the dining space.
He stood and walked to the last booth on the north wall. Rene then sat in the rear seat to overlook the dining room. The sightlines delighted him. He checked the view to the dining room entrance from the outer seating position.
He exited the booth and crossed to the south side of the dining room to sit again in the rearmost booth. This time he faced the rear of the restaurant. He noted the door of the kitchen though only a few feet away remained invisible from where he sat.
Rene slid off the bench and out of the booth. He crossed the aisle and sat at the second table from the end of the room facing the rear of the restaurant. He grinned with delight as he discovered the kitchen door remained secluded by the lattice work atop the booth.
Rene stood and moved to the other side of the table. When seated he looked upon the dining room. The privacy created by the lattice impressed him again when he noted the booths on the north wall obscured by it.
Wayne did not move from where he stood while Rene completed his survey of the dining room.
He watched with interest as his partner checked the sightlines and seating positions from various points around the dining room. Wayne hoped he would be impressed by the effectiveness of the new layout and waited impatient for his review. He measured the space with care and his drawings though not professional ensured the room as it lay presented itself well. It now provided the privacy it earlier lacked while preserving good visibility no matter where a diner should be seated.
Wayne had created a simple yet ingenious design. He was sure most people wouldn’t know it when eating in the place. The service staff would appreciate the ease it provided when managing their customers each day.
“Tabernac!” Rene said.
He walked up the aisle to rejoin his partner standing at the front of the room.
“You ‘ave create’ quite a space ‘ere Wayne, non?” he continued, “‘Dere is a lot more go’ang on ‘dere ‘dan meets ‘da eye wit’ ‘dat design for sure for sure. Excellen’ work mon frere!”
“So you’re saying you like it then?” Wayne asked with a grin.
“Mon ami I am say’ang ‘dat I love it!” the older man smiled as he replied.
The sound of the alarm beeping from the kitchen door reached them. They knew at least one sous chef had arrived.
They grinned to one other as it meant their dinner would soon be served.
As they turned in lock step to select a booth, the alarm beeped again to inform them a third chef had arrived. They walked to the rear of the dining room. Both men looked forward to sampling the lunch menu items soon to appear from the kitchen.
“Let’s try that corner booth tonight, eh?” Wayne said.
“For sure for sure,” Rene replied.
The older man walked down the aisle toward the end booth and his young partner followed. The pair of new hired chefs entered from the kitchen. They stood in the south aisle across from the partners. With looks of quizzical interest they surveyed the renovated dining room in front of them.
“Well gentlemen,” Wayne said, stopping before he reached the booth, “what do you think of your new dining room?”
“It’s a beaut’!” J.D. replied.
“Agreed,” the heavyset chef struggling into kitchen whites next to him spoke between gasps for breath, “it’s really quite striking.”
As he finished pulling on the jacket he continued in a voice tinged with respect.
“Nice work Mr. Stevens and congratulations to you Mr. Lemieux.”
“Call me Rene please, monsieur chef,” Rene answered the heavy chef, “an’ t’ank you ver’ much Ron.”
“Did you do really do all this work by yourself Wayne?” J.D. asked, a note of awe in his voice, “and congrats to you too Rene.”
“Call me Wayne please Ron,” Wayne spoke with authority, “they call my dad Mr. Stevens and yes J.D., I did everything aside from relocating the lights over the tables. That was handled by the house electrician courtesy of our landlord.”
“T’ank you J.D.!” Rene said with a smile, “Aren’ we fortunate to ‘ave a man as capable as Wayne to ‘andle our business mon freres, eh? Tabernac we are lucky!”
“I’m glad you gents like the space,” Wayne said, a sheepish expression on his face, “but how about we shut down the admiration society for tonight and get some meals going, eh? Rene and I are both starving and we’re looking forward to checking out your lunch menu!”
“You bet!” J.D. answered with a grin as he turned to reenter the kitchen, “you’re gonna love it!”
“Yessir!” the heavyset Ron White said and followed his thin colleague out of the room.
The two partners seated themselves in the last booth across from one another.
Rene sat with his back to the wall to continue visual inspection of the now finished dining room. Wayne grinned as he again reviewed the large and expensively framed prints hanging on the back wall of the restaurant. He appreciated the continuity they delivered to the design of the space.
Rene would be scandalized when he discovered what it cost to have them enlarged and framed to match the examples hung beside them.
Part Six:
Rising Stakes
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
Wayne pulled the Camaro into the stall marked ‘Reserved For Restaurant Staff’.
The spot was next to the door of the restaurant in the parking lot at the back of the Marlene Hotel. He slid the console mounted shifter into the ‘Park’ position and turned off the five point seven litre engine of the gleaming black muscle car.
Wayne looked at the watch on his wrist and sighed.
He had a meeting to prepare for and was reluctant to return to a workday only half completed. He sat and stared at the white painted sign on the wall in front of the car and thought of the afternoon spent with Sarah. It ended only moments before and he again considered if he was in control of the situation with his head waitress.
They spent the previous two hours traveling the city together.
A first stop they made at the offices of Canadian Linen uniform service on King Edward Street. Located in the north end of the city they ordered kitchen whites for the cooks and a stock of burgundy aprons for the service staff at ‘Rene’s at the Marlene’. After placing the order and arranging a weekly delivery, they next stopped into the Williams Restaurant Supply on Princess Street. There was placed an order for a supply of numbered order pads for the service staff. The numbers would be programmed into their POS system for tracking of individual orders by the kitchen staff.
They would also help with inventory control while discouraging theft.
The early afternoon though overcast and threatening a storm remained precipitation free and a few degrees below freezing. Wayne, charmed to distraction by the young woman, struggled to keep his mind on business.
The ten-year age gap between them caused little difficulty. They delighted to discover in each other a shared love for the work pursued since their teens. There was no opportunity to discover other interests that might be shared by the colleagues.
The mutual appreciation for physical beauty shared by them was basis for a rapid developing bond. A sincere love of the business also attracted them. Though experience long ago revealed the peril of dipping his pen in the company ink well, Wayne’s usual restraint soon evaporated under the influence of the young woman’s intoxicating beauty.
She made a point of not hiding her attraction to him.
When he arrived to collect her from the Tweed Avenue home shared with a male roommate, she waived him into the neat bungalow from the living room window. She appeared to wear a white house coat.
He parked and crossed the empty thoroughfare only a block south of Watt Street. Wayne climbed a few stairs to discover the door ajar and let himself into a vestibule at the front of the living room.
&nbs
p; “I’m home alone and almost ready,” Sarah called from within the tidy house, “there’s coffee on the counter in the kitchen down the hallway if you’d like to grab yourself a cup!”
“Gonna’ pass on the coffee,” Wayne said, raising his voice so she could hear him, “but how about a glass of water?”
“I’ve got a Brita jug in the fridge,” her voice encouraged, “help yourself, glasses are in the cupboard above the sink.”
He walked to the kitchen and retrieved a tall glass from the cupboard where she said it would be. Wayne turned to open the fridge in search of the jug of filtered water. As he reached for it he peered over the appliance door.
He glanced down the hallway to where bedroom doors waited.
Sarah’s reflection, standing in her bedroom and nude save for black lace brassiere and matching thong, greeted him as he raised his head. She seemed to stare back at him in the full-length mirror mounted on the open door as she adjusted her underwear. The stunning vision transfixed Wayne. With an effort he forced himself to look away.
Wayne hoped she hadn’t noticed.
Rising lust filled him after the stolen glimpse and he turned at once to walk hurriedly to the living room. Once there, he sat on the sofa. The effect of his discovery showed itself by the swollen bulge now apparent in his jeans.
Wayne said nothing when Sarah appeared in the living room minutes later. She now wore tight jeans and a loose fitting black sweater. Radiant with youthful beauty, she seemed unaware of his purloined glimpse.
“Are you ready to go?” Sarah asked with an innocent smile, “and how do I look?”
“Fabulous,” he replied, hoping his throbbing hardness by now calmed enough not to be visible when he stood, “and I’m good to go.”