AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Grabbing some of the empty plates from another table, she took them back to the kitchen, running backwards and forwards cleaning the tables, taking the orders, while her brain worked a million miles an hour wondering about the bookings being low, but as she looked around the room it was nearing capacity. It was as her brain wondered off thinking about that, that she failed to see the customer’s handbag in front of her. Tripping forward she wasn’t sure how but she managed to right herself and land back on her feet rather than face-planting. Straightening gently, muscles in her side stretched, she realised she’d heard a smothered crunching sound. She immediately bent down to put things right for the customer, apologising as she did so. Until she realised she was actually picking up bits of colourful glass coming out of the customer’s handbag.
‘Wait, are these our glasses? Are you stealing our glasses?’ Melanie asked, looking up from the floor.
‘No! You can’t prove that.’
‘I’ll just put these pieces of broken glass back in your bag then, shall I, if that’s what you choose to carry around with you?’
The eyeball from the customer was enough to send Melanie over the edge. Luckily Cleo came over.
Melanie straightened. ‘Boss,’ Cleo whispered, ‘you want me to handle this one?’
Melanie nodded and walked away to get a dustpan and brush, returning to sweep up the rest of the glass off the floor as the customer held onto her bag on her lap, her voice strong and tone unpleasant as she complained to Cleo.
‘I just don’t think it’s on. She can’t talk to people like that. Are you the manager?’
‘I am, yes,’ Cleo replied, her voice soft and gentle but in no way submissive.
‘She called me a thief.’ The customer in question pointed down at Melanie, and Melanie sucked her teeth as she continued to clean up. ‘I really don’t think she can be allowed to say that to customers. I demand you do something about it.’
‘Right and what would you suggest?’ Cleo said still controlled, face neutral. Melanie took her time clearing up the last of the glass, interested to see how their new manager would handle it.
‘I think our meal should be free and she should be fired.’
Melanie looked up and saw the dirty glance thrown her way.
‘Let me get this right, so that I understand what you’re saying,’ Cleo said. ‘You would like your meal to be free and for this member of staff to be fired.’
‘Yes.’
‘I wasn’t finished,’ Cleo said. ‘You would like your meal to be free, for this member of staff to be fired, because you put some of our glasses into your handbag, and then left your handbag in the middle of the floor for someone to fall over.’
The customer’s face fell as she quickly realised the manager was not actually on her side.
‘Also, this member of staff that you would like fired, happens to be the owner of this establishment, and so let me ask her what she would like to do.’ Cleo turned around, her voice not raised once, as she helped Melanie back up to standing. ‘Melanie, would you like to call the police about the alleged theft that took place today? Would you like me to get the details of this customer so you can sue her for personal injury? I’m sure in both cases we will have recorded evidence of both, given the camera that is covering this area. Finally, boss, would you like for this customer to be banned?’
Melanie basked for a second in Cleo’s awesomeness, and then she turned slowly and dangerously as she looked over at the customer who was now starting to pale as she realised she was in the wrong. Cleo had handed Melanie power on a plate and it felt amazing. The dustpan and brush kinda threw off the vibe a little but Melanie stood tall as she looked down her nose at the customer.
‘I’m sorry, OK. I’m sorry. I was careless. Look, here’s the cash for the meal and the drinks, we’ll just go OK?’
Melanie nodded, as cash was thrown on the table and the two customers fled. Melanie turned and smiled at Cleo. ‘You’re so awesome Cleo. That was incredible.’
Cleo softly smiled and shrugged as if it was no big deal, and went back towards the bar. Melanie was still amazed as she spun round and strode towards the kitchen, power still coursing through her; she felt unflappable. Maybe her day was starting to turn around.
‘Oh my word that was amazing!’ A voice she recognised called out to her before she could get to the back.
‘Sophie, hi. How are you?’ Melanie racked her brains to figure out if she’d missed the fact Sophie was coming today or if she was just randomly there. Sophie gently leaned forward and hugged Melanie, who in turn tried to keep the glass, the dustpan and brush and hollandaise skirt away from Sophie as much as possible.
‘I’m really good. I just hadn’t seen or heard from you in a while, and was worried I’d offended you with the offer of a makeover.’
Melanie looked down at herself, sure her make-up had mostly sweated off an hour ago. She was covered in hollandaise sauce, which was drying on her black skirt in a really unseemly way, all while holding a dustpan and brush.
‘No, the absolute opposite. I’m shocked that you would offer, it would be such an honour. Truly. I just . . . I can’t fit it in right now. I’m sorry.’
‘No worries, I understand. You’re running your own business. I totally get it.’
‘No, really. I hope to take you up on it one day and, oh my gosh, we haven’t sorted out a time for you to come in and use the walls. I’m so sorry. That’s not like me. It must have slipped off my radar.’
Sophie placed her hand on Melanie’s arm. ‘It’s totally OK, Melanie. Paige told us all about this art thing you guys have got going on so maybe after that, yeah?’
