"You can go to hell for all I care," responded Kyara, standing as well.
He brushed past her, striding for the door.
He slammed it behind him, dropping the restaurant into shuddering silence as he left.
Kyara gathered up the half-eaten plates. An hour ago, she’d thought that she wanted to be alone.
Now, she was.
By the time Crystal showed up for work that evening, Kyara had put herself back together, moving from wallowing into productivity. In fact, she'd done more than that.
"Crystal, come sit down, I need your help," called Kyara before the chime of the entrance bell had even died away.
"Uh, okay," called back Crystal. "Just let me take off my coat."
Kyara heard the kitchen door swing open behind her. She turned to face her young assistant.
"What do you need a coat for, anyway? It's August. It's a miracle you don't burst into flames," said Kyara. Crystal made a face.
"You sound like my mom. Anyway," the teen swirled the black leather monstrosity she called a coat off from around her shoulders, “it’s not about comfort, it's about being me."
Kyara hid a smile, knowing it would only hurt the girl's feelings.
"Well, do me a favor and go be you while sitting down in the dining area. I want you to try something."
Crystal shrugged and retreated to the other side of the kitchen door, grabbing her apron on the way.
Kyara followed a minute later, her arms filled with plates of food. In addition to the remains of the tomatoes, ham, and chicken, she'd made mac n' cheese, green beans, and corn bread.
"What's all this?" asked Crystal.
"Food," replied Kyara. "I want you to try it. You're not on a diet, are you?"
Crystal snorted, her eyes wandering the assortment before her.
"Not hardly."
"Good," replied Kyara, "Then taste these. Tell me what you think."
Unlike Jason, Crystal didn't take much time to contemplate the food. She took a bite of the Mac 'n Cheese, and her eyes went wide. Then she began filling her mouth with huge mouthfuls of food.
He may be a lying, deceitful, life-ruining asshole, but he might be right about this, thought Kyara, watching the food disappear into her young friend. Crystal took several more bites, then slowed, turning her eyes to Kyara.
"This food is awesome, Ms. B. I didn't know you could cook like this."
Ouch, thought Kyara.
"That," Kyara declared, "is exactly the problem. This is the food I usually cook. I just didn't think it would sell up here."
Crystal stared at her.
"You," declared the teen definitively, "are either crazy or stupid."
"Stupid," said Kyara, "but you shouldn't say so. I'm both your elder, and your boss."
"Sorry, Ms. B. I was drunk on cheese and cornbread."
"Apology accepted. I take it you think it'd sell okay, then?"
Crystal just nodded, and took a bite from a drumstick. Kyara felt an invisible weight begin to lift from her shoulders.
"Alright then. The only problem is going to be changing direction mid-stream, I guess."
Crystal turned this idea over as she ate, still trying each and every dish.
"Do you think you could make all this again?" asked Crystal.
"Of course," replied Kyara.
"Then I have an idea. Make a pile of your best stuff for tomorrow at lunch. Let me do the rest." Crystal looked triumphant, then horrified.
"Wait. You have your date tomorrow morning. You can't cancel that. We'll have to do it Friday."
"The date's off," Kyara said softly. "I canceled it. We can go through with this plan of yours tomorrow."
Crystal looked stricken.
"What happened?" the girl gasped, teenage melodrama heightening the situation to new levels. "Women have been chasing him since, like, the dark ages. And you broke up with him before you even went out? Why?"
Kyara shrugged.
"I really don't want to discuss it. Can we just focus on the food, please?"
Politeness warred with curiosity on Crystal's face, but politeness won out.
"Alright," allowed the teen at last. "But make sure there's more of this cornbread."
She really is a good kid, Kyara thought, getting ready to go back in the kitchen for the dinner shift. If only everyone in this town were as genuine as she is.
The next afternoon Kyara waited impatiently in the kitchen with a buffet of soul food spread before her. The fried chicken, mac n' cheese, ham, and cornbread were back. To that, she'd added a meatloaf, a slew of fried vegetables, fried crawfish, Cajun fries, and ribs.
She just hoped she hadn't made too much, or the leftovers were going to kill her.
Crystal was acting like a five year old with a surprise birthday party planned. She kept going between the kitchen and the dining area, giggling to herself as she did.
Each time, she brought out more food, returning with an empty tray. Vaguely, Kyara heard some exclamation from the dining area, but she had been warned to stay away.
Crystal had strictly forbidden Kyara from making an appearance or even peeking out there until she was called for, and Kyara was prepared to indulge her.
That, or I'm just terrified that this won't work either, Kyara admitted to herself.
Finally, after what seemed like ages, Crystal came back in, her eyes sparkling. She held up a single finger to her lips, warning Kyara to keep quiet, then gestured for her to come closer to the door to listen.
Through the door, she heard the voices of Kyara's friends, all muffled by mouths full of food.
"Holy shit, have you tried this cornbread?"
"Naw, I don't like cornbread."
"Dude, you have to try this. It's not like your mom's at all."
"Hey, I didn't say I didn't like my mom's!"
"You didn't have to. No one likes your mom's cooking. She's great in bed, though." The sound of scuffling chairs followed, quickly cut off by a young woman's voice.
"If either of you two dickweeds spill my meatloaf, I will kill you myself."
"You're eating meatloaf? I thought that stuff was, like, banned by the Geneva Convention or something."
"You're thinking of the school meatloaf. Try this instead," said the girl's voice.
It went on like that.
After the eating sounds had died down, Crystal decided the time had come. Sweeping into the dining room with her hands raised, she faced the group of teens.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," announced Crystal.
"And dickweeds," added another girl.
"And dickweeds," allowed Crystal without missing a beat. "I give you the provider of tonight's feast."
Kyara took that as her cue, and stepped into the dining hall.
The teens sat around the empty remains of their plates, sprawled backwards in their chairs. They applauded her as she came in. Kyara smiled at the absurdity of the situation.
Crystal gestured imperiously for the applause to stop, and it died away.
"Now," the girl announced, her voice mock-serious. "You have tasted of this divine bounty, and found it good."
"Yup," said one boy.
"More chicken!" called out another.
A third just belched, loudly. The girl next to him swatted at him, then stole a remaining green bean off his plate.
"So," thundered Crystal, her voice carrying over them all. "Now you all must face a terrible choice." She looked around at each of the other teens, he eyes squinted in faux-menace.
I really hope this wasn't just to be silly worried Kyara. I don't see how it keeps us open. I mean, teenagers liking to eat isn't exactly news.
"Either," continued Crystal, "you may go away, never to eat like this again." a chorus of 'boos' met her words, the other teens now getting into the spirit of the act. Crystal seemed gratified, playing off the response.
"Or you may eat like this again, but you must ..." Crystal hung her head for a moment before lifting it and speaking in her best ho
rror-movie trailer voice, "bring your parents back with you next week. To eat with you. In public."
"Booooo" cried one boy.
"Arg," cried another, clutching dramatically at his chest.
French-fry stealing girl stood, gesturing for her friends to stop.
"You drive a hard and terrible bargain," announced the girl, her tone matching Crystal's. "But you know you leave us with no choice at all. We shall return next week. As long as there is more meatloaf."
All eyes turned to Kyara, who stood completely bemused by the pageant unfolding in front of her.
"You're all really weird," Kyara said. "But yeah, there can be meatloaf."
The teens roared their approval, Kyara laughing along with them.
The next Tuesday found Kyara in her kitchen staring at a list of ideas for a new menu. Out in the dining area, the rest of the trail project was gathering. Kyara hadn't joined them yet, telling herself the menu took priority. She hadn't put it in place yet, but it looked like she was going to have to. Word was already spreading. Today she'd had three people ask for cornbread that wasn't on the current menu.
Maybe I should just stay in and work on this tonight, worried Kyara. It's not like they really need me out there.
But a larger part of her rebelled at the thought. No, you know what? He might have invited me, but that's my place now. Those are my friends, and my one night a week off. I'm going.
Kyara put down the pad with the ideas for the new menu, and went to get her coat.
I'm doing this, she told herself. No matter how awkward it is.
Kyara marched into the dining area, leaving the clean-up for when she got back in. She immediately found Caitlin, K, and Ashley at a table in the corner and joined them. As she did, though, she scanned the rest of the group, looking for his face.
"Where's Mr. Hardison?" she asked as she got there, trying not to sound bitter and failing.
All three sets of blue eyes immediately locked onto her.
"He said he wanted to survey ahead," said Caitlin. "Why ... what's up?"
"It's nothing," said Kyara.
"Dish," demanded K.
"Fine," said Kyara, "But only once we're out on the trail. It's a little too close in here right now."
Kyara turned to her assembled patrons.
"Alright, folks. Let's head out," she called. "You don't have to come up on the trail, but you can't stay here."
People began to shuffle towards the door. Caitlin gave her an odd look, but it wasn't until she was underway herself that Kyara realized that it was probably because she'd taken charge in Jason's absence.
Well, she reasoned, it is my restaurant, after all.
One everyone had their ATV partners, the ladies held back, Kyara behind K and Caitlin behind Ashley. They let the others race on ahead, slowing about half way to the work site.
K cut the motor and climbed off, going to stand next to the other two. They left Kyara sitting on the ATV alone, feeling lost. She sat, taking a moment in the warm evening air. Trees rustled, insects called, and no one spoke.
Finally, Kyara looked up at her friends.
"Why didn't anyone tell me that Jason was the one who wrote the bad review about my place?" she asked plaintively.
Three jaws fell open.
"You didn't know?" blurted out Ashley, astonished.
Kyara shook her head.
"I didn't even know his last name," she confessed. "I just put it together last week."
"That's why you always call him Jason," said Caitlin, putting it together. "He never told you to call him Jay."
Kyara nodded miserably.
"He never corrected me," she said, her voice sounding small even to herself. "I think he didn't want me to figure it out."
"Bastard," concluded K loudly. "Rat bastard."
"We really thought you knew," hastened Caitlin. "I swear we would have told you." Ashley nodded in agreement.
"Why didn't anyone correct me when I kept calling him by the wrong name?" asked Kyara, looking at them. Caitlin shrugged.
"We thought you were just formal," she professed. "Like, it was Southern manners or something."
"You always call Cat by the name she prefers," pointed out K. "It just seemed like you were extra respectful."
"And no one else told me either?" asked Kyara. "They just figured I didn't care about the review?"
Ashley shrugged apologetically.
"That's just how people are up here. They figure that it's polite – they stay out of your business, and you stay out of theirs. It's the only way to keep the peace in a town this small."
Kyara stared at her.
"But no one stays out of anyone's business up here! The moment something happens, the whole town knows," she exclaimed.
"True," said K, leaning back against the ATV, "but no one will mention it to your face unless you bring it up. You can at least pretend that no one knows, and go about your life."
"That's lying," pointed out Kyara.
"It's polite," countered Caitlin.
"So how do you know if someone really knows, or if they're just 'being polite'?" Kyara asked.
All three of them paused.
"They always know." said Caitlin helplessly.
Kyara shook her head. "Crazy white people."
That, at least, got a few faint smiles.
"In his defense," said Ashley reluctantly, "he might have figured the same thing."
"Bullshit," declared K loyally. "We're not at 'he might be a good guy' stage yet. We're still in 'we hate him' mode. Right?"
She quirked an eyebrow at Kyara, who smiled a little, nodding.
"Besides," continued K, "you were always too quick to forgive him, Ash."
Ashley looked a little hurt as Caitlin jumped in.
"I don't want to dampen man-hate time," said Caitlin, "but Ashley may be right."
"At the very least he never corrected her when Kyara called him the wrong name," insisted K. "By order of the court, I find that, at the very least, sketchy."
"And deceptive," added Ashley.
"I don't want to pry," said Kyara tentatively, "But ... what happened between you two?"
The women all glanced at each other.
"It's fine," said Ashley. "Really. Jay and I dated back in high school. My dad owned the rental business, then, and Jay worked for him. Young love being what it is, I thought that, after we graduated, he'd stay and work for the company, maybe someday we'd get married and run the place ourselves."
"He applied to college without telling her," cut in K. "Like, stealth applications or something. Didn't even let her know he was thinking about going until he'd been accepted."
Ashley turned away, the sting of it apparent on her face, even ten years later.
"Of course," continued K, "At that point if Ash asked him to stay, she looks like the bitch who's telling him to give up his future for her."
"He did have a full scholarship," pointed out Caitlin.
Ashley waved, regaining control of the conversation.
"Anyway, that's pretty much it. He didn't lie, exactly, he just let me find out on my own. It's... not one of his best qualities."
"Rat. Bastard." declared K. "We spent months putting a weepy eighteen year old Ash back together after he left. I never understood why you started making eyes at him when he got back."
"Why did he come back?" asked Kyara.
"His grandmother isn't doing well," said Caitlin. "He gave up a job in Boston and moved back to take care of her."
"Jan," said Kyara, putting it together.
"Family's pretty important to him," confirmed Ashley. "He says he figures it's only for a few years, and he wants to make her comfortable during that time."
"Where are his parents?" asked Kyara in spite of herself.
"They travel for work, like, most of the time." said Caitlin. "This is less of a home for them, more of a home base."
"But not him?" asked Kyara.
"He mostly does freelance writing work an
d sends it in on-line, plus works for the local paper sometimes." said Ashley sputtering a little as she became aware of what she'd just said. "I, uh, guess you knew that part now."
The Ranger's Passionate Love Page 7