Chapter 7 | Valentine's Day

A compilation of stories, inspired by true events
previous chapter Chapter 6 | The Usual

"It's the dreaded day," Carl said as he starts his shift looking around the pink-decorated room.
"For you maybe, but not for Ryan here," Chef Jon half mocks from inside the kitchen. "He said yes to meeting my cousin."
I blushed and busied myself with the ten cent coins.
"The blonde one?" Carl asked, amused.
"Let's not," I said in an attempt to end the conversation.
Carl put his hand on my shoulder. "Ryan... If you take her here the bill's on us."
"I am NOT, never ever having a date around you two."
"Aw come on Ryan, you already know she'll love the food," Chef Jon laughed.

Around the pink balloons, heart shaped cookies and tealight candles, a couple sits on table 30 holding hands across the table, eyes only for each other.
Then the man excuses himself and made a beeline for the bathroom. But instead he turns into the kitchen. A few minutes later he returns to the table and holds her gaze again, a little distracted.

In the kitchen, Chef Jon is muttering to himself.
"What's up?" I ask Carl who rolls his eyes.
"Table 30 asked to put a ring in the pannacotta."
"A bloody ring!" Chef Jon raises his voice to imply the impossible task.
"People still put engagement rings in food?" I imagine all the things that can go wrong.
She chokes, the ring rusts, the plates are mixed up...
"I said I can do chocolate tart since I've done it before but he said pannacotta is her favorite dessert. So pannacotta it is!" And off he goes to perform surgery on a vanilla mound.

I deliver their desserts a little while later, "Carrot cake and pannacotta."
"But we didn't order dessert," she says.
"I ordered," He smiles at her. "I know pannacotta's your favorite."
She gushes, "Aw honey thank you. But the doctors told me to lay off the lactose so I'll pass tonight. Thank you though."
I bite my lip, the plate halfway on the table, feeling secondhand awkwardness.
"Oh um..." Feeling chagrin, he goes red looking for an excuse.
"I do love carrot cake though," She grabs his plate and starts to eat it.
I awkwardly set the pannacotta in front of him instead and he looks at it, at loss at what to do.


next chapter Chapter 8 | In Hindsight