The dinner kicked off at exactly eight p.m., although not all the guest was present, over two-thirds of them were already present and available and with the guest, the dinner kicked off while in anticipation of others. There was music, art and comedy, as well as a brief talk section and the dinner was going to be filled with fun activities than last week's birthday party, from the look of it.
The ushers were to direct the guest to the table, while the waiters served the guest already seated. George was right. Although they were in the same uniform, each of them knew their various roles for the night and they carried it out in perfection.
Jasmin noticed that Anita and she were the only waiters from their restaurant as the rest faces looked new and when she told Anita, she confirmed her observation.
"You're right, Jasmin, we are the only ones from Royal Palace restaurant." Anita confirmed and moved ahead to explain, "the host, Mrs Richie, requested for waiters specifically from Grand Square, but since it was good money, George thought to inform and include me and I fought to bring you on board."
"Oh," was all Jasmin could say.
"What's wrong?" Anita asked, looking a little weary as she stared at her friend.
"Nothing, I just think what you did was nice, you know, including me and all." She finally admitted. She knew Anita was fond of her since the first day they met, but she didn't know she would gown the extra mile for her and it causes her heart to tingle.
Anita smiled and pulled out a bottle of red wine from the freezer and set it on the stainless tray on the counter in the centre of the kitchen. She then grabbed two wine glasses and set them beside the bottle.
"That's what friends do." She picked the tray up and made her way out.
The host of the show went up the stage for the second time tonight; the first being when she kicked off the show about an hour ago. Mrs Richie was a fifty years ago businesswoman and philanthropist. She was very famous for her many charity organisations across the country and, according to Anita; the dinner aimed at raising fund for the families who lost a loved one in the bombing of the car park about three weeks ago, which took countless lives. Mrs Richie was an angel of her time and she always did her best to raise fund immediately after the news broke and even up to this moment. She had enough influence to bring together the rich and the wealthy to support and make provision whenever the need arises.
"Hello and good evening to every distinguished guest present today. Just like the invitation stated, we will only be here for three hours and an hour already passed, leaving us with two more. Remember, this dinner aims at raising fund for the families affected by the bombing of the Mile-two park and all contributions you make, as little as they may be, are important. Enjoy the night because there is more to come."
Musical performances were the next in line while Jasmin and the rest waiters served the guest present and unlike thirty minutes ago, there were more guests present now and they almost filled the hall up.
"The last table to your left need coconut rice and chicken with a bottle of red wine," announced Beatrice, one of the waiters as she stepped into the kitchen where Jasmin was getting a bottle of red wine out. "Is that for my order?" She asked, and Jasmin almost rolled her eyes.
"No, this is for table six at the front roll, since you took the order. Why not just take it to them?"
"I have other orders as well." She mumbled.
She didn't have orders and Jasmin knew it because she had already done that to her earlier, although their job was to take orders and to wait, Beatrice wanted to give instructions instead of doing her job and the first time was the last time for Jasmin. "We all have orders you don't see me giving you mine, due you?" Jasmin turned and began heading out.
She scoffed and shook her head, "You shouldn't even be here." She sneered under her breath.
Jasmin heard and turned to her, "Oh well, I already am." She backed her words up with a hard glare before walking away to the table that was supposed to bring her order.
"Sorry it came a bit late," she politely apologised to the lady who was sitting beside her man.
"Why did it come late, though?" The lady demanded, her voice no longer as friendly as it was when she was making the request three minutes ago.
Jasmin's throat ran dry as she wondered what the right answer to her question would be. This was the reason people lie, she thought. Being on the spot didn't feel cool at all.
Lying was never a problem. In fact, she did it every day at work, but no reasonable one was coming forth. "Um." Her eyes caught the gold chain around her wrist and she loses her sense but brushed it off and focus.
"What? You have no reason, you just keep people waiting. You're clumsy and unprofessional."
Jasmin wanted to drop her tray right there and then and display what unprofessional meant, but she thought about the attention that would cause George's reputation and Anita's trust, but most importantly, the pay.
"Faith, dear, here is the red wine you ordered has. Let the poor girl go. I bet she has a lot of other orders to meet and the longer you keep her, the later they will get theirs too." Came the gentle voice of the man sitting beside her and he placed a gentle hand on hers.
The voice sounded so familiar to Jasmin and she turned her gaze towards him, and there he was.
Cainan Inferno.
The man she ran into his office three weeks ago, the man she stole his Rolex and hoped to never see again. Here he was and her heart shrank as fear set in.
He was wearing a black suit and tie, his hair seemed to be lower than the last time, and his beards were fuller. He held the look that was half tired, half annoyed, but no sign of who those emotions aimed at. She didn't forget his face, she couldn't. Not after everything that took place that day.
She couldn't forget his smug face even though it was gorgeous and she couldn't forget that ocean green eyes and how cold they were when he demanded she handed over the diamond necklace to him. It was not a wonderful memory, though, not when it ended with her stealing his Rolex. She should have known that they would be no peace for her after what she did.
Their eyes met, and he paused, as if trying to remember where he met her before.
Jasmin knew it would be nearly impossible because unlike three weeks ago, her hair was no longer blonde but back to its natural red colour and the makeup she wore that day was no longer on her face, she'd also taken out the grey contact lens and her eyes were now back to their normal coffee-brown colour.
He wouldn't recognise her.
He couldn't recognise her even if he tried to.
She forced herself to look away, but his eyes remained on her.
Faith seemed to have noticed the tension between them because she glared at Jasmin and waved her hand to dismiss her.
Jasmin left immediately, with her heart beating heavily against her chest and blood rushing through her veins. Once she got to the kitchen, she set her tray down on the counter and closed her eyes. She didn't know for how long they remained close until she heard her name being called.
"What happened?" Anita asked as she approached her.
Her head snapped up. "What? Nothing." She responded, shoving all the other emotions away from her face.
"Well, what's up with you and Beatrice?" She asked as she set her tray down and moved to take out a bottle of blue wine and setting it on her tray then going to pick out the already served jellof rice and chicken wings.
"How do you mean?" She asked with a raised brow.
"She was just telling George you wouldn't do your job and do as you're told," Anita asked, and paused and turned to her. "I told George she was exaggerating but wanted to hear from you as well."
Jasmin clenched her teeth, and her eyes closed briefly. "Beatrice took the guest's order, and she didn't want to do it and was hoping to give those orders over to me even when I had mine. She did it earlier and I let it slide, but she tried to again and I didn't let her. Then she said I shouldn't even be here."
"That bitch!"
"Don't get worked up, I handled her already."
Her eyes dropped, "I'm sorry she did that to you."
"It's fine, thanks for having my back."
Anita just nodded before picking up her tray and walking away.
After another hour passes Jasmin took a bathroom break and when she got to the entrance, she entered the one with the female sign on it and after she finished; she came out to wash her hands when she felt a tremendous urge to throw up and she ran back to the bathroom and buried her face in the toilet. After a while of staying there and throwing up everything she had eaten today and the day before, she got up to her feet and out to rinse her hands and mouth.
She whipped her hands with tissue and adjusted her clothes, staring at herself in the mirror one last time before she could head out of the bathroom when the door opened and Mr Inferno walked into the bathroom hall, making her heart drop into her stomach as she expected the worse.
She had hoped to never see him again after their first and last encounter, and there were many reasons for that. First, because unlike most people around her now, he knew she was a thief. Secondly; she had stolen his Rolex after he saved her from the police three weeks ago. Third, because he was probably looking for her and make her pay for stealing from him. And last, he didn’t like her very much, and the feeling was mutual and so the last thing she needed, especially now, was to be anywhere near him. “Sorry, I should get out of the way.” She spoke up after about a minute of silence between them, trying to act composed and neutral. He wouldn’t recognise her. A lot of changes in her physical appearance and there was also different lightning at work compared to the last time, so there was no way he could, but the look he had on his face said otherwise. He stuffed his hands into his pocket and did a brief stretch as his eyes scanned her f
"May I take your order, please?" Jasmin politely requested from the young lady who took her seat less than a minute ago and she held onto the order tablet where she would write on. "Yes, I want a bowl of catfish pepper soup and a bottle of Malta Guinness." She jotted the order on the electronic tablet and the preparation process and its duration pop up on the screen. "The soup would arrive in fifteen minutes, but your Malta Guinness is coming right up." The lady smiled at her, displaying her perfectly gaped set of teeth, and compelled, Jasmin smiled back before taking her leave. She grabbed the bottle of the soft drink and, placing it on the steel tray in her hand; she made her way out. After her encounter with Mr Inferno three days ago, she had wondered what exactly he was planning to do. He looked mad at first, but later wasn't. And he certainly
"What did he want?" Anita asked as Jasmin came to join her in the kitchen where she was passing the customer’s order to Andrew, the cook behind the kitchen island. Cainan told her earlier that he got her number from Anita and she still had a hard time letting that sit within her. "He said he got my number from you," Jasmin informed her, not answering her question straight away. Anita moved to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of beer and set it into her tray, "Yes, he seemed genuine when he said he was your childhood friend and so I believed, he also looks alright was what he said a lie?" "Not really, but we are definitely not childhood friend." Anita gritted her teeth and frowned at no one in particular. "That son of a bitch lied to me. What did he want then?
She spotted Cainan already seated at the spot that he was yesterday and she made her way over to him and as she got closer; she noticed a file before him and she figured that was their agreement, drafted into a contract "You're late," was the first thing he said as she got to him and he looked at her. "Well, I'm here now," she grumbled. His eyes slowly took her in from head to toe, and she didn't miss the linger in his eyes with them when around her neck and chest before moving downwards to her hips and her feet. Satisfaction entered his eyes before vanishing at that same moment. She stood by her intuitions; he was creepy. "I can work with this, but if you're going to accept this proposal, you're going to have to understand there is no such thing as lateness. Seven a.m. is seven a.m., no later than that." He firmly instructed, his voice filled with so much authori
Jasmin told Cainan she wanted to visit a local restaurant where she could find what she was craving and he didn't argue with her and instead asked if she knew where she wanted to get it. She nodded and showed him the direction and he obediently drove them there and once they sat; she ordered the bean cake, bread and pap which she wanted earlier and couldn't get. It was a heavy meal to consume, considering it was already late, but she couldn't help it. She was hungry, and this was what she craved. "Shall we begin while your order is on the way?" Cainan asked, and Jasmin wordlessly nodded before setting the document down on the table and opening it up. She stared at the words and she realised the words were blurry and she couldn't see them. She looked away from the document and up at him and she tried again, staring at the document and just like the spaghetti can as well as a few other little things she had tried focusing too much on, she
Jasmin called in sick the next day after getting a message from Cainan, informing her he would come to pick her up for the optical checkup, fitness test and, last, to check out some apartment. She had had a hard time sleeping after she got home last night and it wasn't because of the need to digest the somewhat heavy dinner she had eaten at the restaurant but from the thoughts of the day. She couldn't help worrying about the medical fitness test in particular and she knew particular, her pregnancy would not remain a secret for much longer. There was no pride in hiding her pregnancy. It just happened. She always thought she would have her partner around her when pregnant, but that wasn't the case she was in. She didn't lie to him. He didn't believe she was pregnant and ticked the 'no' box and that was completely on him and no one else. She wasn't contemplating ending the pregnancy either; it was a new leaf for
They visited the optical clinic just like Cainan had promised and after close examination and testing; the optician stated she was suffering from partial night blindness and also confirmed what Cainan had said yesterday about the blindness being partial. He provided various options for the correction of her eyesight, which included the use of corrective lenses such as glasses and contact lens. Though the contact lenses looked good and simple, she found out she was allergic to them after trying them on and became left with the only other option but to pick glasses. She didn’t like the idea of having the glasses on, and she was a little furious that Cainan had made it into a big deal. “So which did you go with, the glasses or the contact lens?” Cainan asked as Jasmine walked out of the testing room to meet him. “I was allergic to the contact lenses and I don’t want to wear glasses, but what choice do I have?” She grumbled. “I’m already co
After the test, they received information that the result would be out in two weeks before they left. Cainan drove her back to her residence, but neither of them made haste to get down from the car. "You should rest and we will get another time to find you the apartment." He finally spoke again. She flashed him a small smile. "I will do that, thanks. I just hope you can still meet with your friend and whatever is happening isn't something bad." His eyes flickered, and he shook his head, "You're welcome and hopefully it isn't." "Good." she opened the door and got down. She closed the door and leaned on the window. "Thanks for these," she said, pointing to the glasses she had on. "They have helped reduce the little headaches I thought were normal before and I see much better now so I will try to hate them less than I do." it was the closest she was going to get to a prope