Amber walked down the rainy sidewalk by herself. It had been a month since Ben's accident and since she'd last spoken with Mandy. She didn't know what to do. With Ethan at home with Felix, Victor, and little Nathan, she was free to get to her job on time. She'd started to work part time at a little cafe near Felix and Victor's apartment. The hours weren't demanding, just three times a week: Friday night, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and they payed her eleven dollars an hour, because she'd become friendly with the owner.
As she turned the corner, she could now see the place across the rainy street. Looking quickly both ways, she crossed quickly, and went around back to the side door. She shook off her umbrella before going inside, and gave a smile to Cecily, the owner who would check up on the other two waitresses, and the cook.
"Right on time," she said. "I was just about to go over the books. You're doing really well," Cecily said flirtatiously.
Amber smiled. "Thank you," she said, putting her umbrella in the stand and hanging up her coat in the closet. She took her work shoes out of her purse and removed her boots, putting them with her coat. As she put them on, she went on, "I really appreciate the wage. With my little boy and everything...well, it's very nice of you."
"Of course," Cecily said, squeezing Amber's arm for a moment. She brushed her shoulder and cheek when she was sure that nobody was looking at them. "Do you have time for a drink after work?"
Amber hesitated as she tied her apron into place. She picked up her notepad and tied her hair back with a pen as she thought about it. She loved the idea, but since she was breast feeding Ethan, she wasn't completely sure that she should be drinking. "I breast feed," she whispered, hardly knowing what she was doing.
Cecily smiled. She was a beautiful woman of about thirty, with flaming red hair, creamy skin, and kind brown eyes. She always dressed stylishly for work, and tonight was no exception. She was wearing a long-sleeved white blouse, a black mini-skirt, black tights, and black Prada boots. She tossed her hair as Amber kept considering, revealing sapphire earrings and a pearl necklace, which complimented her pale skin. "My sister has children," she said with another smile. "We researched together what was and wasn't allowed during and after pregnancy. You're allowed to drink, but nothing hard, so stay away from mixed drinks like tequila or a margarita. But, half a glass or two of merlot won't hurt you. That much I know..." She looked at Amber from under her eyelashes, and batted them.
"I'll have to see with my friends," Amber said, giving her a smile and crossing over to the cook, Oliver. "You need me for anything?" she asked, standing on her toes so he could see her.
He smiled and shook his head. "We're fine," he called back. "Go and make sure people are seated and everything."
Amber nodded and stepped out into the restaurant. She looked around, and saw a couple with a little girl waiting to be seated. Leah and Sophie, the other waitresses, were busy bringing food or taking an order, and the hostess had weekends off, so it was up to her. She smiled at them and crossed to the front of the restaurant. "Hello," she said, giving a special smile to the little girl. "Three?" she asked.
The man nodded. "For now," he said. "We're expecting my cousin and his girlfriend. They should be here in ten minutes or so."
Amber nodded. "All right," she said, taking out five menus which said Blackbird Cafe in pretty black font. "Would you prefer a table or a booth, sir?" she asked.
"A booth, please," said his wife; she had blonde hair curled into ringlets, and their daughter was just the same.
"Right this way, please," Amber replied, and turned around to lead them into the section with larger booths, which were circular.
Their daughter bounced ahead of her parents. "Hi," she said cheerfully to Amber.
Delighted at the friendliness, Amber smiled down at her. "Hello," she replied politely.
"I'm Joanna," she said, letting out a giggle. "It was my birthday last week," she went on. "I'm six."
Amber giggled. "I remember being six," she said. "I got a princess party and I got a lot of coloring books. What did you do?"
"I had a mermaid fairy princess party," Joanna said. "Everyone dressed up as a mermaid, fairy, or princess. I went as all of them. And my daddy took us to the zoo, and we had a picnic and pony rides."
"It sounds like you had a fun day," said Amber, finally getting them to their table. "This is where you'll be sitting, Princess Joanna," she said, giving her a kind smile.
"What's your name?" Joanna asked as she sat down.
Joanna's parents gave her an apologetic look, to which Amber smiled, letting them know that she didn't mind.
"I'm Amber," she replied.
"Do you have a little girl, too?" Joanna asked.
Amber then remembered Murphy, snatched away from her so soon. She struggled to keep calm, and smiled down at the little girl. "No," she said. "I do have a little boy. His name is Ethan."
"Do you have a picture?" she asked.
Even Joanna's parents looked interested as she took out the photo. It wasn't a real one, just a picture on her phone. "That's him," she said, smiling proudly at the beautiful baby, with blue eyes and brown hair. "He's only about a month old now, but he's getting big."
"He's pretty," giggled Joanna as Amber handed them their menus.
"Do you need more time, or should I get some drinks started?" she asked, once again in waitress-mode.
"I'd like orange juice, please," said Joanna.
Amber nodded. "I'll bring you a pretty cup," she promised. "And for you two?" she asked, turning to her new friends' parents.
"I'll have a scotch," said Joanna's father. "And what about you, honey?" he asked his wife.
"I'll have a chardonnay," she replied.
Amber nodded. "I'll need to see your I.D.'s," she said. Three minutes later, she was in the back getting all of their drinks. Their I.D.'s had checked out, and now the other waitresses were on break. She felt a presence behind her, and Cecily wrapped her arms around her waist.
She put her head on Amber's shoulder and whispered, "Have you talked to your friends yet?"
"On my break," she said, tensing up as Cecily reached up to caress her breasts. "Um...what are you doing...?"
"Shh," Cecily whispered, turning her around and kissing her. "If we had time, I'd break those damned glasses you were filling, throw you onto the counter, spread your legs and lick your pussy right here," she said quietly to Amber. "But," she said, leaning in an caressing her neck with her lips, "I know as well as you do that you have a job to do. Until later...hopefully," she added and slipped back into her office.
Amber fixed her hair and her shirt and returned out to deliver the drinks. It was a little ways to that part of the restaurant, so she didn't hear talking right away when she rounded the bend, she saw that the other members of their party had joined them. Then...she saw Mandy and Ben sitting together, the ring she'd bought for Mandy all those months ago on her ring finger of her left hand.
"When did you propose?" asked Jasper, who now turned out to be Ben's own cousin.
"He did it about three weeks ago," came Mandy's voice, slightly softer and more girly since Amber had known her.
"We wanted to tell you in person," Ben said.
"And where is Murphy?" asked Daisy, Joanna's mother.
"Unusual name, too," said Jasper. "Where'd you come up with that?"
