003 - TABLE FOR TWO

"Jeremy? I'm still busy!" Kiara whispered.

"What time will you finish, then?" Jeremy sounded unhappy.

"I'm not sure. We're only starting to serve the food now."

"Kiara, it's already a few minutes before ten."

"Ten?" Kiara was shocked. She looked at her phone and saw that for real, it was towards ten o'clock.

"Who eats at this time of the night?" Jeremy asked in annoyance.

Kiara let out a small laugh and said, "Maybe that's the way of the rich."

"OK, call me once you are done. I'll come and pick you up. I love you."

"I love you more Jeremy, I will call you." Kiara slid her phone into her pocket and rushed to the kitchen to get the sauce.

When she came back, she was directed to the VVIP table, where the Pinkertons were sitting. Shaking due to anxiety, Kiara placed the bowl on the table, and did not know what else to do.

Lady Pinkerton, realizing that Kiara was very uneasy, smiled at her and said, "It's OK, you need to relax, young lady."

Kiara smiled and took two steps backwards. She was really not sure whether to leave or to remain standing. One of the waiters came to her rescue when he came through and started serving the sauce. The young waitress slowly disappeared back to her corner. Unknown to her, all of her actions were watched closely by one of the people who sat at the VVIP table. After she left, the young man motioned for the waiter to come closer.

"Who is that girl?" he asked.

"Oh that girl? I'm not too sure what her name is. She came in to hold the fort for someone." The waiter said.

"Go and find out everything about her and come tell me." Vine stated in a carefree way.

Shocked, the waiter remained standing. He was supposed to find out everything about the lady? How much time was he given?

"Go!" Vine pointed toward the direction in which Kiara had gone.

The waiter nodded his head and started to move towards that direction. Kiara was busy with her work, and the waiter went closer to her and,

"Hallo, my name is Kevin. Umm, please tell me, what's your name?" he sounded very desperate.

Kiara gave him the eye and snapped, "I'm busy! Shouldn't you be busy doing your own work too?"

"Please, it is important. I need to know your name and please…"

"Should I go and inform the events manager that I cannot work because one Kevin is on my case?" Kiara asked with a raised brow.

Kevin shook his head and walked towards the VVIP table. Vine leaned backwards and listened to Kevin whispering, "I'm sorry young master Vine, but she won't tell me…"

"Go and find out about her!" Vine commanded before going back to his food.

Kevin left the table and went straight to the restrooms. Inside, he quickly called Lee-Anne and asked her to tell him anything and everything she knew about Kiara. Lee-Anne was obviously depressed about her parents' accident, she only managed to say, "she's taken, Kevin. She's madly in love with her childhood sweetheart."

"OK, please just tell me more about her." Lee-Anne uttered two or three sentences before she excused herself, for she needed to attend to her parents. Happy, Kevin went back to Vine and whispered his findings. It was not much information, it was just general information about Kiara.

"Bring her to this table," Vine said.

Kevin walked towards Kiara and before he could open his mouth, Kiara looked upset by his presence, "don't tell me you're here to disturb me again. I need to work, and I'm sure you also need to do your work."

"No I'm not here to disturb you. They're asking for you at the VVIP table."

Before Kiara could say anything, Kevin walked away. The young lady wiped her hands and started walking towards the table. Seated at that table was the master and lady Pinkerton, together with their grandson Vine. There were two other elderly guests, who were in deep talk with the seniour Pinkertons.

"Come sit here," Vine patted the chair next to him.

"I must sit? I...I'm not allowed to sit. I'm working, so I cannot be sitting with guests." Her voice was timid.

"Well if I say sit, then you sit. Who's your manager? If they choose to fire you, let them. I can offer you a more decent job." The man sneered.

Kiara hesitated for a moment, and then she sat on the edge of the seat.

"Relax," Vine smiled. "What would you like to drink?" he asked her with concern.

"Umm, nothing, thank you. I'm good."

"Nonsense! I'll get something nice for you," Vine smiled.

Lady Pinkerton, who all the while was talking to her guests, turned and saw Kiara sitting next to her grandson. Failing to hide her excitement, she cried out, "Oh my! Who do we have here? Vine; aren't you going to introduce us?"

Vine put his hand on Kiara's shoulder and said, "her name is Kiara. I invited her to our table. You guys are busy talking alone and I was feeling lonely."

"Of course, of course, she is more than welcome. Kiara my child, feel welcome." Lady Pinkerton smiled.

"Thank you ma'am but I really have to be working. If my manager sees me here, she won't like it at all. I will get into trouble." Kiara was feeling extremely uneasy.

Lady Pinkerton smiled sweetly and said, "you won't get into any trouble. Relax, you're a very beautiful girl."

"Thank you lady Pinkerton," she kneaded her fingers while facing the floor. Kevin came through and placed a glass of wine in front of Kiara with, "here you go ma'am."

Kiara blinked several times, surprised at how the waiter was suddenly addressing her as ma'am. She really wished for someone to come to her rescue. After Kevin had left, Kiara spoke in a low voice,

"I…I don't take wine."

"This one is not strong, take a sip. It's sweet." Vine lifted the glass and held it for Kiara to drink.

"Master ….I mean, young master Vine…"

"Call me Vine," the young man chuckled.

"I'm sorry I cannot do this." Kiara's voice was shaky.

"You can't do what?" Vine smiled at her.

"The wine, sitting here with you at the VVIP table, everything!" She sounded as if she was going to cry.

Vine called out to Kevin and told him, "prepare for us a table for two, something simple and nice. Do it fast, we want to move to our own table now."

"Yes young master Pinkerton." Kevin quickly walked off with a nodding of his head.

"And hey!" Vine called out after him. Kevin turned and walked back to Vine. "Get one of my bodyguards to give you my name card. Great job."

Kevin smiled from ear to ear, thanked the young master and then went off to prepare a table for two.

"Take a sip," Vine lifted the glass to Kiara's mouth. Slowly the girl faced the other side and refused to take a sip. "Come on. Be a good girl now, open your mouth and drink," Vine coerced as if he was convincing a little child to eat.

"If you don't mind, please don't do that. I am in uniform and I am working. I can't be here drinking with you. And I have a boyfriend. If he were to know about this, he would be very upset."

"And by "this," what are you referring to?" Vine leaned in and took Kiara's hand in his.

"I mean this table for two. You and I." she pulled off her hand from Vine's.

"We're just having drinks. Here, take just one sip. This is a special wine that I bought just for you." Vine smiled. Kiara shook her head and frowned.

"What? You don't like a good drink? Let me add a bit of a kick to it," Vine said as he lifted a bottle off the table. He opened it and poured its contents into Kiara's glass.

"No, leave it like that." Kiara protested, but Vine had already poured. The events manager, because Kevin had narrated to her everything that was happening, decided not to meddle in the issues. She watched from afar as Vine lifted a wine glass to Kiara's mouth and in her heart she said, "this girl is lucky."

When Kevin announced that the table was ready, Vine held Kiara's hand and led him to the new table. "I'm fine, let me walk by myself," Kiara hid her hand behind her back.

"Where to, now?" lady Pinkerton smiled brightly at her grandson.

"We've taken a table for two." Vine explained.

"Treat her well, Vine," the old lady looked very happy. Vine did not respond. The two of them walked and sat at their new table, while Kevin followed with their wine glasses.

"Tell me about him," Vine smiled.

"Who?" Kiara frowned a bit.

"Your boyfriend," he lifted his glass and gulped down its contents before immediately ordering for it to be filled up again.

Kiara shifted in her seat and smiled. "His name is Jeremy Rain," she began. "I have known him all my life."

"All your life? How is that?" the man pulled his chair closer to Kiara.

"Well, would you believe it if I were to tell you that I held him for the first time when he was just six days old? We're neighbours. There's a photo of us, taken on that day when I held him. He has a copy of the same picture on his bedroom walls, and I have mine." She smiled. She was beginning to feel very relaxed the moment she started talking about the love of her life, Jeremy.

"You're older than him, then." Vine commented.

"Two years older." She nodded. "And you love him? What does he do? I've never understood women who love younger men," his tone was flat.

"He is still a student. He's majoring in cyber security. And he does photography too, just to get extra cash."

"Enough about him. He sounds boring. What about you? You're a waitress here?"

"No, I just graduated. I'm a computer programmer." She tried to smile at Vine. It was in vain.

"OK, listen Kiara, I'm going to offer you a very good job in exchange for just sitting with me tonight. I feel lonely. Most of the guests here are old people, as you can see."

Kiara looked around and did not say anything. Just then, Vine excused himself as he was going to the restroom. Kiara saw the manager walking towards their table. Speaking in a very kind tone, with the utmost respect ever, the lady said, "Kiara dear, please stop being stubborn. I can see you giving the young master a tough time. Just drink that wine, and act along with him. We need the Pinkertons to enter into a partnership with Two-Sons Hotel."

"But you cannot use me to get business. I am very uncomfortable…"

"Take a sip. Just do your best to make him happy. I will pay you double. We need that deal to go through. Please, Kiara." The woman quickly winked at Kiara and walked away.

When Vine returned, he sat down and offered Kiara the wine again.

"I do not take wine and any strong drinks. Please try to understand." The young lady pleaded.

"Well, you're too tensed up. I need someone to talk to. Just take a sip to help you relax. It won't kill you." Vine did not put the glass down.

Slowly, Kiara opened her mouth and drank the wine. A scowl covered her face, much to Vine's amusement. She appeared even more beautiful when she frowned. She coughed many times and violently cleared her throat before bringing her hand up to massage her neck. "Is it that bad?" he chuckled.