1 Coffee No Cream

"BLT, hold the T, cheeseburger Deluxe, no onion and meatloaf with mash, gravy on the side." So shouted Gabrielle, trying to be heard over the clamor in the kitchen. She double-checked her notepad, making sure she got everything. The last thing I need, she mumbled under her breath, is Susan flipping out on me.

"Excuse me, did you call me?"

Surprised, Gabriella turned to find Susan standing behind her. "No, I was talking to myself."

Susan eyed her skeptically. Grabbing a coffeepot off the drink station, she extended it toward Gabriella. "Well, finish the conversation. Table five needs some coffee."

Snickers erupted from those that were within earshot. Then, rolling her eyes, Gabrielle took the pot and walked out the kitchen into the dining room.

For reasons unknown to Gabrielle, other than just plain meanness, Susan had been giving her a hard time from day one. New hires were required to train with a senior employee for three days before being assigned a section of their own. Gabrielle was on her second day and fast, despairing of reaching her third without succumbing to the desire to cuss Susan out. Taking a deep breath, she silently told herself, If I can get through one more day of being bossed around by the daughter of Satan, then I'll treat myself to a movie this weekend.

"Earth to Gabby. Come in, Gabby."

"Huh?" Having been pulled from her thoughts, Gabrielle finally noticed Kelly beside her. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

"Only a complete monologue."

Gabrielle chuckled. Kelly was the hostess and, until she came along, the sole target for Susan's bullying. The two had befriended each other immediately. "Sorry, I was totally zoned out."

"And from the look on your face." Replied Kelly. "It must not have been a happy place. Let me guess, Susan."

Gabrielle rolled her eyes. "I've got one word for her, cray-cray."

Kelly laughed. "That's two."

Remembering why she was there, Gabrielle asked. "Which one is table five again?"

"Table five?"

"Umm, huh."

Kelly's eyes widened. "Did Susan tell you to go to table five?"

Gabrielle arched her brow. "Kelly, I may be dumb for working here, but I am not deaf."

"Okay, okay." She said. Shaking her head in amusement. "Boy, Susan must be really busy."

"I don't see how." Answered Gabrielle, her lip turned up. "It's not as if she's been working. I can attest to that!"

Kelly shrugged her shoulders. "Well, all I know is that she never lets anyone go near table five."

"Why?"

Kelly folded her arms across her chest, shifting her weight onto her right hip. "One, he's a regular. Two, he's a big tipper, and three, I think she kind of likes him."

Gabrielle pursed her lips." So you're trying to tell me the spawn of Satan has a heart?"

Kelly grinned. "I'm sure that beneath that gruff exterior lay a harmless pussycat."

Gabrielle looked at her as if she lost her mind. "Well, if a miracle can happen on 34th street, then why not East Market?"

Kelly burst out laughing. "It's a theory, mind you." Then, pointing in the direction of the table, Kelly said, "Non-smoking, corner booth.

Gabrielle smiled her thanks and made her way over.

"Excuse me?"

Michael looked up from the newspaper he was reading. Expecting to see Susan, he was surprised to find himself staring into a sable, pixie face with wide eyes so dark that they looked like the bottom of an inkwell.

"Would you like some coffee?"

Michael folded the newspaper and set it down on the seat beside him. "Please," he answered as he watched her intently as she went about the task at hand. Although her eyes, with their long sooty lashes, dominated her face, it was her full lips that fixated him the most.

"Cream?"

"No, thank you." He extended his hand. "My name is Michael. Michael McDaid."

"Gabrielle." She stammered, taking his hand into her own. "I'm sorry. I should have introduced myself earlier."

Michael smiled as he took a sip from his cup. "There is nothing to be sorry about. I just wanted to know if such a beautiful face had a name."

Gabrielle's mouth opened slightly in surprise. Casting her eyes downward, she softly replied. "Thank you."

Michael watched as she grappled with his compliment. It was never his intention to make her feel uncomfortable. "Now it's my turn to be sorry. But, first, I apologize if I was out of line."

She smiled shyly. "Don't. It's just that when you're standing here in a blue dress looking like Flo from Mel's diner, the last thing you feel is beautiful."

He laughed.

She liked the sound of it.

"Well, believe me," he said as he leaned back in his seat. "You do the dress justice."

Gabrielle smiled. "I don't know if I believe you, but I'll take the compliment all the same."

"So, Gabrielle, will you be serving me tonight?"

"Yes and no." She explained. Susan is training me, so I have been doing most, I mean some of her duties."

He chuckled.

Gabrielle could understand why table five was off-limits. Slate gray eyes, sun-kissed Ceasar cropped blond hair and a dimpled smile. Oh my, she thought. He's a stunner. Setting the coffeepot down on the table, she grabbed her notepad and pencil from her apron. "But since Susan isn't present at the moment, you'll have to make do with me."

Michael smiled. "Alright, trusting that I am in capable hands, what would you recommend?"

She tilted her head slightly. "What do you like?"

Michael leaned forward, his eyes bright with mischief. "We're talking about food, right?"

Caught up in a sudden feeling of recklessness, Gabriella bent down inches away from his face and, with a crooked smile, coquettishly returned. "We are in a restaurant. What else could I be referring to?"

Instead of a witty comeback, Michael just stared at her lips. He had the strangest urge to discover if they were as lush as they seemed.

"Michael?"

"Yes?" His eyes never left her lips.

"You never answered my question."

"Oh yes." Flushed, he sat back and ran his fingers through his hair. "What did you say the special was?"

Gabrielle grinned impishly. "I didn't, but since you asked, the special tonight is Smother pork chops with mash potatoes and green beans."

"Sounds good." He said. "I'll take it."

Gabrielle wrote down his order then stuffed the notepad and pencil back in her apron. Picking up the coffee pot, she refilled his cup. "Would you like anything else to drink with your meal?"

"No, just keep the java flowing."

She arched her brow. "Are you trying to stay up all night?"

"No, not all night." His gray eyes twinkled. "But late. I have to go back to the office to finish up some things."

"Oh. What kind of work do you do?"

"Finance. I'm a lawyer. I work for a global trading firm. I deal with the legalities of the varying markets."

"That sounds complicated."

Michael smiled. "It can be."

Gabrielle grabbed the menu. "I'd better put your order in before you starve to death." She raised the coffee pot. "I'll be back with a fresh pot."

Gabrielle stopped at the hostess stand before going into the kitchen. "So? When were you going to tell me?"

"Tell you what? said Kelly

Gabrielle dropped the menu in the slot. "Don't act dumb Kel, it doesn't become you."

Grinning from ear to ear, Kelly moved in closer, dropping her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Total babe."

"Complete, babe." Gabrielle agreed.

Smiling lopsidedly, Kelly crooned. "Someone over at table five was talking for a long time."

Gabrielle chuckled. "Someone over at the hostess stand." She answered in sing-song. "Was staring at someone over at table five for a long time."

"That's because someone over at the hostess stand was wondering why someone over at table five was grinning like a fool."

Gabrielle's mouth fell open. "I was not!"

Kelly laughed. "Don't act dumb Gabby, it doesn't become you."

Gabrielle playfully punched Kelly in the arm. Then, all of a sudden, Kelly stopped laughing. Puzzled by the abrupt change, Gabrielle furrowed her brow.

"Don't look now," whispered Kelly, "but the daughter of Satan is making a beeline toward you."

Gabrielle looked over her right shoulder, locking eyes with Susan. "Shit."

Kelly shrugged her shoulders. "I told you not to look."