Chapter 61

Ethan and Mr. Dodds watched incredulous at the two running women. Their stomping steps disappearing as they went down.

"Your wife just kidnapped mine." Mr. Dodds turned his unimpressed gaze at the troubled Ethan.

"Yeah… sorry about that." Ethan could do nothing but apologize. 

Mr. Dodds waved in dismissal, and then gestured at Ethan to get into the office. They had been right outside it anyway. Once seated, Mr. Dodds took out a bottle and two cups and served it.

Ethan immediately felt the smell of alcohol.

It could be counted with one hand the times he had drunk. A few times with some women, and the once with his brothers – except Felix, of course, as he had been still a kid. None could hold alcohol very well. 

Ethan accepted the cup with great apprehension. 

"Do you have any idea what your wife has just proposed?" Mr. Dodds asked Ethan as he gulped his drink and served himself another one.

"I can take a guess." Ethan had been silent the whole conversation, but that didn't mean he wasn't paying attention to what was being spoken.

Mr. Dodds nodded. "Excuse me for being blunt, but you would not be my first option to hire if I were to look for a new waiter."

Ethan pursed his lips. He knew what the man meant. 

His overall presentation was not the best, especially because he had been running around town looking for a job and having no luck. Some people mentioned there were some physical jobs he could take as he came from a village. 

Yet, the purpose of his rather rushed and still incomplete education was to not to fall in the same hole. 

He didn't have to be a genius to know why Isabelle thought he was a good candidate for a waiter job. So, he wasn't going to waste the chance she had created for him. He straightened and placidly spoke, imitating Isabelle's way of speech as best as he could. 

"I was job hunting today." He even used words he had learned from her. "My appearance is not the most desirable at the moment, but I do have the experience required to handle all kind of people. I have been working since I was ten; I know my fair share of people."

Mr. Dodds raised his eyebrow at the change in attitude from the man in front of him. The clothes were certainly nothing to write about, but his overall appearance – as in, his facial features – were nice enough to make him serve others.

Mr. Dodds could take advantage of that.

"You must have realized the type of people who come here." Mr. Dodds said.

"I am aware." Ethan nodded. He had indirectly been working for them his whole life. 

As a hay carrier that supplied some rich household. As a cart driver for any merchant that wanted goods delivered whenever they could not do it. As a fruit picker in huge orchards for another rich household that wasn't even from Basin Town.

Yes, he knew how hard it was to work under the whip and whims of those with power and money.

"Hm." Mr. Dodds hummed, still not convinced. 

Ethan gritted his teeth. "I can also write and count. If that worries you." He threw his last card. Not that he had many. 

Mr. Dodds sighed.

He still wasn't convinced. But, if Isabelle – who he had also identified as a witty businesswoman – recommended him, then it was worth giving the man a chance. However, he wasn't going to be the loser in the deal. 

"I can give you a trial period. For you to get used to the environment here. I won't pay you a salary since you will be in what could be called a 'training period'. That's what I can offer you for the time being. Do you accept?" Mr. Dodds extended his offer.

Never work for free. That's what Ethan's previous boss had advised him. Ethan really did take the advise to heart. Yet, the job in front of him was completely different. He was going to have a salary! A monthly salary!

No more being paid daily and depending on how much he worked. 

"How long would that 'training period' be?" Ethan narrowed his eyes and asked. 

Mr. Dodds smirked. Although not on par with her, this man still had his tricks. "One week." He said. He also wasn't going to keep him working for free for a long time. A week was enough to let him know if Ethan was good for the position or not. 

Ethan nodded. "Good. I accept." The two shook hands to close the verbal deal.

"Since it's the first time I offer a trial period, you will have to sign a document that expresses your agreement with all the restaurant's conditions. If you're hired, you will sign a formal contract." He stated, taking out a feather quill pen, ink and paper. 

"You'll start tomorrow. Come at the ninth hour of the day. We only serve lunch, tea and other snacks and dinner. So, you'll get out of work roughly at the nineteenth hour after you're done cleaning. You'll have your own lunch break and tea break." He further explained the schedule Ethan would follow. 

"Will someone be in charge of my 'training'?" Ethan questioned. In his previous jobs that required some technical work, he was taught the ins and outs of the craft. 

"Of course. I'll let the person know beforehand..." Mr. Dodds put the last dot to the document and read it to make sure he had written everything that needed to be covered. "Alright. Here." He, then, slid the paper to Ethan who gingerly took it. Paper was expensive for him, after all. 

At first, he was a bit dizzy by the rows upon rows of words, but they were thankfully not as loopy as Isabelle's when she first tried to teach them how to write. He slowly and carefully read each word, pausing and trying out the sound of a new word in his mind. 

There were some he definitely had no idea about their pronunciation, much less their meaning, but he didn't beat himself up for it. Isabelle had told him that as long as he understood the general idea, then he was fine. 

He trusted Mr. Dodds would not deceive him with a contract. No matter if it was just for a trial period. He nodded, agreeing with the terms.

Then, came a new challenge for him: how to write with a quill pen.

He had only done so with chalk, but Ethan didn't think Mr. Dodds had chalk or even allowed him to signed with it. Remembering how Mr. Dodds used it, Ethan tried to imitate him. 

He blushed embarrassed when a drop of ink stained the document. Hearing nothing from the other man, Ethan continued on his task. His hand was shaking a bit, making his words a bit wonky, yet he was able to write his whole name. 

He even sighed relieved when Mr. Dodds accepted the document with a nod. "Perfect. I'll be waiting for you then." After putting the document away, he took out what seemed to be a small stick and a couple of paper sheets. "Here. Quill pens seemed to be a bit difficult for you, so you should start with this pencil."

"I can't accept this." Ethan immediately rejected the things.

When he had started learning how to write, he had asked around for the price of pencils and papers. Needless to say, he never mentioned it in the house because they could not afford them for the time being.

"I'm not doing charity. I'm investing on you. The better prepared you are for the job, it's better for my establishment. You won't make me lose clients because you're too slow writing." Mr. Dodds returned.

Ethan was a bit embarrassed by the truth, but it was enough to make him accept the things.

"Thanks. I'll do my best." 

"I hope you do." 

With those words, the two men shook hands once again, closing the deal. Formally, this time.