Chapter 4

Two weeks, for two weeks, Lachy, Dana, and Tristan came to the diner every lunch and nearly every dinner. Then those three turned into five. Their mother and father started coming around.  To say that things were awkward that would have been an understatement.  Every one of the Rhodes took an interest in my life. How long I was working there, when did I move to this city it was like a hundred questions a day each and every day.

“Alba, are you sure that she should be at daycare? Senna has been off all morning, and you just sent her”, Tony said, while giving me his most disapproving look.

“What am I meant to do? If she was really sick, then I would be at home with her, but she keeps saying every day that she is sick and that she doesn’t want to go. It is more like they are sick of her and Senna, in turn is causing them grief”, I responded while I finished filling the last with the salt and pepper shakers.

“She can hang out here for a while. Senna still has one more year of daycare before she is in school and even school may not keep her interest”, Tony responds with a chuckle as he finishes the prep out the back before the lunch rush comes in.

“I wonder if the Rhodes are coming in today?” Tony asks as he moves to the front of the diner to help me wipe the tables down.

I know what Tony is doing, I am too busy worrying about Senna and what my little girl is going through at daycare, to really pay attention to what is happening in front of me. Senna hates daycare and has done for a long time. She is such a smart and intelligent child that everything that she comes across intrigues her and that starts the curiosity which is a nice way to say obsession. Once Senna gets hooked on something, she will make us all pay with it for months until she learns enough before moving on. There have been occasions when she lost interest and then in a few months she would pick it up again.

The ringing of the phone makes Tony, and I stop as we listen to Marg answer the phone. There is a split second of Marg raising her voice and telling someone off before the crashing of the phone is heard clear as day out the front of the diner.

“Well, someone is about to have a bad day” Tony says with a shrug of his shoulders as the front bell on the door sounds along with loud chatter signaling that there is a group of people coming for lunch. Tony and I got sorted and started the next three hours of the mad rush. I look to the kitchen and Dylan, our cook for the day, nods his head while the CC girls both rush to the menus and move towards the group of people coming through.

Three hours, three hours of rushing around getting people delicious food and never-ending drinks, while we normally get good tips and thanks today it seems that while everyone was happy, no one remembered their manners.

“What is with the people today? It’s like they can’t use their manners”, Cindy mutters as she continues to clean up the tables.

“I know right, so damn rude” Conner agrees.

“Finish up your prep for the afternoon, and then you can call it a shift until six tonight” Tony says, as he places two large colas on the counter for Conner and Cindy.

“Yes boss”, Cindy replies with a happy giggle.

“Nice, an early mark” Conner agrees happily.

For the next twenty minutes, we continued tidying up and cleaning before Conner and Cindy finish up for a few hours.

“Thank,s Boss”

“See you soon”

They call as they walk out the door. Just as I am about to sit down, the bell at the door rings again, and in walks the five Rhodes members. Stifling a sigh, I turn and try and post a smile on my face. Some days I would just like to sit and do nothing until the night shift.

“Sit in the back booth and I will be with you in just a minute,” Tony says as he gathers the menus and moves towards the back booth.

“Thanks, Tony”, Matthew calls as he leads the family towards the back.

“Are you ok dear, you look tired” Michelle whispers as she comes close.

“I am fine, just finished lunch rush” I respond with a smile that the rest of my body doesn’t feel.

“Have you eaten kiddo?” Matthew asks as he stops his trek to the back and comes back and talks to me.

“I will soon” I respond as I pop up. Just as I start to herd them to the back booth the kitchen door springs open along with the tiny thumping feet and the words that make my heart sing and at this very moment still.

“MOMMY!” Senna calls as she races towards me and throws herself into my arms.

“Senna?”

“Mommy?”

“What?”

“Oh”

“Oh, Matthew, look she is adorable.”

As I turn towards the door Senna throws herself into my arms and I barely have time to gather her up into my arms before I am toppling backwards. Except when I thought I was about to eat tile warm strong arms wrap around both me and Senna and keep us from hitting the cold hard ground.

“I’ve got you” Tristan murmured in my ear.

“Thanks” I muttered as I quickly pull myself upright and set Senna on her feet.

“What’s wrong? Are you ok?” I ask Senna as I give her a quick check over.

“Yes, Ms Carter said that she was going to call you, but she didn’t and then when I threw up at lunch she called, and Marg came and got me” Senna says with her squeaky little voice.

“How you are feeling now?” I ask just as the Michelle reaches out and touches her forehead.

“My belly hurts still, and I didn’t want to stay at nasty care” Senna says as big tears well up into her eyes.

“She feels a little warm” Michelle says as she looks at me. I can see questions, but I also see her holding back from asking them.

“OK,, pumpkin lets go home” I say as I gather Senna into my arms.

“Yeah, lets get you and mommy home” Tristan says as he herds me towards the front door.

“What?” I mutter as I am gently pushed through the front door and into the back seat of a black sleek car.