Chapter 1: Eden MacMaster - Sunday, July 19th, 2015

“We’ve got about a fifteen on tables right now,” Kelly was working the door and she was having a hard go at it. Sunday mornings were stampedes at Flynn’s. All walking traffic too, as there was shit parking downtown. That meant a slow trickle of twos. Smaller parties were held up as bad as the medium sized ones. She had her clipboard at the door and a second pen tying her red hair back into a ponytail. She was so tiny in front of the twenty or so people milling about at the door. At least these two guests were smiling.

“Hey, Kell, they’ll wait just a little longer to get into my section, K?” I ran my hand along the back of her shoulders as I walked by. She stopped shaking. My dad lit up even brighter as we met eyes.

“Are you sure? I mean it’s--”

“Sure as anything, darlin’,” Flirted my dad with mom right at his side.

“You got the corner by the window there, Eden?” Asked my mom. They really had a favorite table but never could come when they might get it.

“No, working the tables towards the back,” I gestured. She nodded but had that “always the way” look on her face.

“Shouldn’t be more than fifteen minutes,” Which was the upper limit Kelly was allowed to tell someone. She was nervous about that. I took my hand from her back and she looked up to me with her frazzled smile. I headed for the kitchen.

“Table sixteen up!” Franklin was shouting for Courtney. She only had four tables. I had eight. Zina, Sylvie and I were each carrying an extra while she was on probation. Dawn and Phoebe were madcap in the dishroom. If only we could’ve spared one to bus tables. Today was nuts.

“Hey! Eden!” Courtney slid into the line from the back of the restaurant, “Did you see who asked for one of your tables?”

“Yeah ... Your food’s up on sixteen,” I directed myself around her. I had need of the pop fountain.

“Then why aren’t you more excited! He’s finally back!” She vibrated as she slipped the three plates into an imperfect balance across her wrist and fingers.

“Matthew?” I dropped the glass I was holding but manage to catch it before it shattered off the floor.

“Nice catch,” Sylvie slipped behind me, but she was hardly there to me. I just set the glass on the table and exited the line. I cut straight for the doors. He wasn’t there, “Goddamn Courtney.”

“Ms Flynn took Matthew back to the office,” Kelly was grinning. Her bracelet caught my eye. I smiled fingering my own.

“OK, thanks kiddo.” I tugged her ponytail and made her giggle up a smile. I dashed back to the office, swirling around a “Thank you!” from table 18. I flashed the best smile but couldn’t stop. My hands shook in front of Deborah’s door. I’m surprised my heart wasn’t mistaken for knocking. I didn’t knock.

To be honest, I expected Mrs Flynn to be tying her hair back as her lips already surrounded Matthew’s cock. Or that she’d be bent over her desk holding on for dear life. I’d gone too long waiting for him. I was needful and I projected myself onto him.

They weren’t alone. He was on his best behavior. She was a bit older than me, a thin brunette with dark brown eyes and light wavy hair. She was wearing a pale blue summer dress and gorgeous heels. Her only jewelry was on her wrist. Was this the bitch he chased down in Ottawa? She welcomed me with an awkward grin. I had her in tits and ass and body though she had the legs. No, my legs were amazing! I rallied my self-worth. I raised my shoulders and closed the door behind me.

“Eden!” He was standing over Mrs Flynn’s shoulder and raced over to give me a twirling hug with my feet off the ground. He struggled a little. We needed to get him a fitness trainer.

“Matthew,” I crossed my wrists behind his head and he leaned into a quick kiss.

“Matty, she’s still on the clock,” Deborah warned.

“I know Deborah,” He said without inching his smile from me, “I’m just excited to see her.”

“When’d you get back?” I begged, hoping to hear, just this morning, this minute, this second.

“Yesterday,” I was crushed to be pushed off so long and giddy to be in his arms, “Just in time to see my sister.”

“It’s Meghan,” She reached out to me with her braceleted arm. Oh God. Matthew’s busted rules were staring me right in the face.

“Eden,” I smiled for Matthew. The resemblance would’ve been clearer with a little work on Matthew’s part.

“You look so good,” Matthew said wandering his eyes down my uniform shirt and tight shorts. I felt a million times better to see him eying my legs. What was with me? I was nervous as a seventh grader talking to her first crush.

“Matty?” Deborah prompted him and he looked apologetically into my eyes.

“Hey, can you get the girls,” He stopped for a second, looked at Meghan, “Just the ones that are mine and no new ones, to meet up here after close?”

“Yeah, we can do that,” Deborah answered his awkward smiling query.

“OK, then get that ass to work,” He grinned, spun me about and slapped my ass. I made a fake “Oh my!” gesture and hurried for the door.

“Alright, you were telling us about the costs of--” I closed the door on Meghan’s question. I was on cloud nine as I drifted across the line. I got to work. I filled twenty two’s drinks and order, while hardly touching the cracked tiles. My short interlude had piled up my load but I fed, watered, welcomed, and dismissed four of my tables in short order. I grabbed a busbin at the cleaning station and hurried back to the dishroom.

“Thanks,” Grunted Phoebe.

“Tell Dawn we’re having a secret clubhouse meeting after close,” I told her.

“What?” Phoebe flat-eyed me.

“God you’re an idiot,” Dawn rolled her eyes at the redhead. I grabbed the finished silverware tray and brought it back to the front.

“Matthew’s back!” I tagged Zina next.

“Oh? I thought he had finally quit,” She murmured. I looked down at the gold and amethyst bangle around her left wrist. There was no doubt.

“Nope, he wants you for a meeting after close.” She looked startled to hear that but nodded her head.

“I guess I can come back,” “I hope my babysitter will come on short notice.”

“If not,” I thought awkwardly, “I’m sure Matthew can work something out for you.”

“OK,” She agreed slowly. Sounded more like she was trying to ask how and why all at once.

“That’s the spirit!” I squeezed her elbow and turned.

“MacMaster party of two!” Kelly was leaning out the front doors and calling into the slightly smaller crowd.

“Thank you, darlin’,” Dad was grinning at Kelly. Jesus Christ! Kelly. I figured, I don’t know what I figured. But his sister in the office was mud in that eye. Poor thing.

“I got these two miscreants,” I assured her touching her hand to take the menus from her. She looked up and smiled.

“Oh, Eden, you’re worse than your mother at scaring away the little fishies,” Dad tutted.

“She’s way too little Clement, throw her back.” Laughed mom. Kelly stood up straighter with her shoulders back at that. Courtney’s influence was all over that.

“Come right this way valued customers,” I said over their happy squabble. Dad hooked his arm into mine and I led them back to the booth I had just cleared. When they were seated I took out my pad and pen and asked, “So what’ll it be today?”

“Cute,” Dad laughed, “Did she learn that from you?”

“Tea, chamomile with a slice of lemon and a glass of water with lime for your father. Then I’ll be having the sunrise omelet with egg whites and he’ll be having, just the one, golden waffle with a fruit salad and hash browns.”

“And I’ll sneak a half order of bacon to dad against your better judgment,” I promised as Dad laughed. Mom tutted but didn’t object.

“Even if she had your brains, Kate, she’d remember all that by now,” Dad earned himself a rather pointed glare.

“Excellent, and I’ll be right back with your tea and water,” I promised, I hadn’t even taken the menus from under my arm.

“Sylvie,” I found her at the cleaning station, “We’re all meeting up here at close.”

“Oh, that sounds like fun,” Sylvie rolled her eyes, “Pass.”

“Matthew says you don’t.”

“Oh, does he?” She had a hand on her hip and a challenging half cocked smile.

“Indeed he does,” I answered without really dealing with her attitude that was on Matthew. She may have said something back but I didn’t hear.

“Twenty Six, Eden!” Franklin shouted. He and the cooks were kicking ass today.

“Thanks Frankie,” I said as I put mom’s teapot on a tray. Loading up with twenty six. I passed out the meals to our worst regulars while doing the mental sums to discover how much disrespect a three dollar tip on $57 dollar bill was. You know, provided he was paying in cash and not just clicking no on debit terminal. I didn’t miss a beat smiling though. Being a bitch to table 26 ruined the meal for the lovely tables 25 and 27.

“Eden,” Mom said over Dad’s “Thank you, baby!” “I want you to come shopping with me tonight. I have this--”

“Sorry, Mom,” I shrugged, “I’m spoken for this evening.”

“Wow, that’s the quickest I ever seen a waitress lose a tip!” Laughed my dad.

“Server, Clement,” Mom corrected with the tired conviction of 28 years of blissful unsuccessful marital advice, “Eden, you know we drove into town because you were going to be free.”

“And I was, but something came up,” I tried to appear contrite even though I wasn’t much, “And I know how much you wanted grandkids.”

Dad was laughing just as much as Mom wasn’t. She looked me dead in the eye.

“You ought to do a damned sight better at making babies than you do studying for your LSats,” She knew where to turn the knife, “And keep at it until you’ve succeeded this time.”

I got out of there with my cheeks on fire. I had to get my ass to work. I had to tell the girls. I found Courtney at the registers.

“Tonight? Jesus, I better talk to Deborah,” And I had to lever myself in and cash out her waiting customer.

“Have a great day!” I smiled good-bye and sidled up to Kelly. “Just four tables waiting? How are you holding up?”

“I can take it worse than this,” She grinned.

“Speaking of,” I lowered my voice and felt a little icky, “Matthew’s gathering us all up after work.”

“But--” She looked like a deer in headlights, “Mom only let me take this job because we were all closed up by 11.”

“I’ll,” And I realized this fell on me, “I’ll talk things through with your mom if you need me too.”

“Oh my God! Thank you! Thank you!” She twisted around me like a way too affectionate octopus. I squeezed her by the red hair and worried. Matthew wasn’t that kind of monster. But all I could think about was the taste of Sylvie’s sex and the feel of Kelly tight against me.

Courtney King - Sunday, July 19th, 2015

I peeked in on Matthew’s meeting with Ms Flynn. He and his brunette were crowded at her desk reading over some document. Ms Flynn was on her phone.

“Knock knock!” I announced myself and closed the door behind me.

“Just a minute, Everett,” She pressed the phone to her breast. That hardly covered the speaker, “What’s on fire now?”

“Um, just what should be, I think,” I chuckled alone. Matthew was behind me and squeezed my guts as he hugged me.

“I missed you!” He sooked. I gave a put upon look to the brunette who didn’t share my mirth.

“I missed you too, obviously,” I sighed, “I need to go to your place, Ms Flynn.”

“For what?”

“For ... You know, for tonight.”

“Courtney, it’s hardly 2 in the afternoon. You’re on the clock until 4.” She looked the most unhappy I had ever seen her, “You can get whatever you need then. Right now you’re needed on the floor.”

“Um...”

“You heard her, Angel,” He spun me around, “Get cracking.”

“OK,” I sighed, “Someone needs to get in touch with Melody. She’s off today.”

“How’d she manage Sundays off?” Matthew laughed.

“I-uh,” I was pushed out the door and it was closed behind me. I shook out grumpy thoughts and headed back to my tables. Tips awaited! The rest of my shift burned by. Kelly was off door duty by 2:30 and it gave us all some breathing room. I found the whole process to be that much easier after touching base with Matthew. Zina left at three and I was off at four. I handed off my tables to the late shift. I stuffed my uniform into my bag and scurried back to the office.

“Oh, hey, you’re still here,” I saw Matthew’s brunette flipping through a folder. Her bracelet had fallen up her wrist to nearly her elbow.

“Yeah, just checking over what Matthew’s got himself into,” She said, “Deborah’s got a great head on her shoulders. This catering thing will probably work.”