Adam opened the door and held it open for Lia. "Lia, there you are. Come on, the staff are waiting in my office." Lia blushed and tucked her hair behind her hair. When Fernando had told her she was going to meet his staff today, she didn't think it was going to be this nerve wrecking. "There's the boss herself." Fernando announced as Lia walked into the office and she flushed, stopping in her step. She recognized some faces from the time they came around the restaurant and the others she couldn't wait to get to know. "Everyone, this is Amelia James, Fernando's wife. She'll be working in the kitchen alongside me as the chef from now on."Lia blushed, shaking her head. "Don't be so formal Adam. You can call Lia." She told them and everyone clapped. "Now that the introductions are over, can I steal my wife away?" Fernando asked and Lia flushed, glaring at him. "Don't you have a video meeting with Donna?" She asked and Adam shook his head. "Everyone please get back to work now. Tha
"You guys don't have to do this." Jane sniffed, blowing her nose as she closed the door for Lydia. As soon as Lia called Lydia, she agreed to come over and now barely thirty minutes later, she arrived with tubs of ice-cream, all in different flavours."Nonsense." Lydia said, swatting her off. "Girls need to look out for each other. Here you go, the spoon." Jane sniffed and used the tissue to soak up some stray tears. Lia couldn't believe she had kept such a big secret from her. "I love you girls so much." "I love you but I'm still mad at you." Lia told her, grabbing a tub of cookies and cream for herself. "I can't believe all this was happening and you kept it away from me." She took one large scoop and stuffed it in her mouth , frowning. "It's simple Lia." Lydia started, grabbing a tub for herself. Lia couldn't tell what flavor it was but it had nuts…it was butter pecan, she realized as Lydia took a scoop and popped it in her mouth. "You and Fernando were just getting to know eac
"Hey Lia." Lia raised her head and nodded, acknowledging the greeting as she stirred the soup. "Hey. Is Adam here yet?" She couldn't remember the girl's name. Since she was still new, names were a bit of a challenge for her. The girl shook her head no and loaded her tray. "You're doing a great job." She said, sending Lia a wink as she walked out of the kitchen. Lia smiled and sighed, dropping the spatula inside the flat plate she had set on the counter. It was 9:45am and the restaurant was packed with hungry customers but Adam wasn't here yet. It was only her second day on the job but she was in charge of the cooking today since Adam was for some unknown reason a no-show. She yelped and turned towards the soup, grabbing the spatula again. She continued stirring, sighing in relief when she noticed it wasn't burnt. There was no way she could serve burnt food to the guests. It'd leave a bitter taste in their mouths. The same girl from before entered the kitchen again and L
"Leave my bags over there." Lia ordered, closing the door behind her. Jane wasn't home so ordinarily she wouldn't have been able to get in. Thank God Jane had given her a spare key to her place some days back. "Is there anything else you'd like me to do for you Mrs. James?" Liam asked and Lia winced at the name. 'I'm not Mrs James!' She yelled inside her head but smiled at him. "No, that would be all. You can go back home now. I don't need the car." He stood still for a moment, studying her and she sighed. "I'm serious Liam, go." "But Mr James.." Lia gritted her teeth and rested her hands on the chair. "Tell Mr James I asked you to come back because I don't need the car." Lia dismissed him with her hand and walked away, heading for the bedroom.She closed the door behind her and slumped to the ground, resting against the door. *You want to know? Well here it is. Janet is dead okay? Janet Lawson is dead.*"Mum is dead. She's dead." Lia whispered to the empty room and burst out l
Lia groaned and sat up in bed, holding her head. Why was the room spinning? Where was Fernando and why would he leave the curtains open? "Mrs. James." Liam said walking into the room and she shot him a glare. "Must you speak so loudly?" She scolded and closed her eyes and rubbed her head as if that would stop the throbbing. Where was Fernando and why was the driver in their bedroom?Liam bit his lip to stop himself from laughing as he walked forward and dropped the tray he was carrying on the bed. "I brought you some painkillers and a cup of coffee." Lia opened one eye and checked the tray. She sighed and reached for the cup of coffee. Liam helped her out because the cup was slipping from her hands. She muttered her thanks as she brought it to her lips and took a sip. Hot! She almost spat out the coffee. Liam collected the cup from her hands and apologized for the burn even though it wasn't his fault. "Where is Fernando?" Liam eyed her with a frown. Why was she looking for the
"I came as soon as I could. Sorry, traffic was crazy today!" The door opened and Lydia walked into the house, running into the house. She stopped briefly when she spotted Lia lying upside down on the couch, her head hanging down. Jane stood beside her and sighed. "She's been like that all day, I swear I'm about to check her into a hospital." "You said she wasn't feeling anything yet!" Lydia shrieked, storming her foot and Jane glared up at her. "She wasn't. Do you see her feeling?" "Well," Lydia bit her lip and the two continued to argue about Lia as if she wasn't there. "Did you bring the ice-cream?" Jane asked and Lydia nodded. "It's in the bags. What do we do? We can't leave like this? She looks lifeless." "She's sure acting like it. All she has had is a cup of coffee for the nasty hangover she woke up with." Lia sighed and cleared her throat. "I'm right here guys." "She speaks!" Jane announced walking towards the couch and Lydia tagged along, leaning down to look into Li
Lia shook her head and pushed the tray away for the second time. "I don't want it." Jane sighed and eyed Fernando who was standing at the door, staring at them. "I'm tired of this. It's been two weeks since her mother's death and she's been like this. I can't get her to eat or do anything else." Fernando didn't look too good either; he actually looked worse than Lia which was scary. His beard was overgrown, his mustache was bushy and his eyes had bags under them. He looked so unkept and broken. He sighed and walked towards the table, squatting by Lia's chair. He had been coming around for a few days now trying to get her to talk to him or at least shout but she wasn't saying anything to him or anyone. "I don't want it." Lia repeated, pushing the tray away and Jane rose to her feet, pushing it back. Lia pushed it away again and Jane pushed it back. They went on with this back and forth for a while until Fernando slammed his fists on the table stopping them. They were making him di
Jane bent and took the covers off Lia's body. "Hey babe, we have to go or we'll be late." "I'm not seeing a therapist. I'm not crazy!" Lia yelled, throwing the covers over her body again and Jane looked at Lydia who was already staring at her. Lydia decided to try her luck. She sat on the bed and smiled at Lia, "Hey babe, no one thinks you're crazy. We just think you need to talk to someone." "Yeah babe," Jane concurred sitting beside Lydia with a smile on her face. "We're just concerned about you. We feel you would be more comfortable talking to a stranger who doesn't know about things." The covers were lifted and Lia stuck her head out. "I can talk to you guys. I don't need to talk to a stranger." She sat up and Jane's heart soared. "Well, do you want to talk?" Lydia continued, hoping to make her see reason. "You haven't told us anything and we're worried about you." Lia sighed and scrubbed her hands over her face. "I didn't mean to make you guys worry, I have just been feelin