1.30pm

Carmen knocked on the translucent glass door, running her hands in her hair as she waited.

"Come in."

She took a deep breath, bracing herself before pushing the heavy door open. "Miss Kennard, you asked for me?"

"Yes yes Carmen, please, take a seat." Tina Kennard smiled at her assistant , reaching out her hand and patted her table in front of her, signaling for Carmen to sit down. "We are waiting for Miss Peabody and then we can start the meeting."

"Miss Peabody?" Carmen swallowed, "Erm… May I know what this meeting is about?"

Tina stared at Carmen for a minute, the seriousness on her face unreadable. "I guess we should wait till Miss Peabody gets here before I tell you what is going on."

"Okay." Carmen shifted uncomfortably in her seat. When she was called to Tina's office, she didn't know what to expect. A million thoughts ran through her mind, could it be that she did something gravely wrong? Did someone complained against her? She didn't know what to think, and with the way Tina Kennard was being secretive about the agenda of the meeting made it even more nerve-wrecking.

"So Carmen, how is that banquet coming along?" Tina asked, settling back into the leather as her signature smile reclaimed her face.

Carmen sat up, a little more confidently than before. Now work-related talk she could deal with. "Everything is going on pretty well. The guests are arriving as scheduled, the kitchen is making good time. The banquet hall is being set up as we speak, and I am confident it would go on smoothly."

"Great job Carmen," Tina smiled, pleased with what she heard. Her head caught the eye of someone at the doorway and she stood up. Immediately, Carmen knew that Helena Peabody had arrived, and stood up to greet the owner of the hotel.

"Sit down both of you…" Helena Peabody smiled to the two managers. She settled into the leather chair beside Carmen and flashed the young Latina a dazzling smile. "Have you told her the news yet Tina?"

"No… I thought that maybe you would like to tell her yourself."

Carmen sucked in a hard breath and held it there, more and more uncomfortable with what her two bosses are not telling her.

"You can tell her now." Helena said with a wave as she turned back to look at the Latina.

Tina placed her elbows onto the table and intertwined her fingers, staring at Carmen intently. She paused for a bit before starting slowly. "As you realized, I am letting you handle this huge banquet on your own." When Carmen nodded, she continued. "That's because this is a test of your capabilities."

Carmen forced herself to swallow that grunt she was about to release. She was so goddamn sure that she did a bad job and now her two bosses are going to step in and give her a earful, or even worst, fired her. She gripped the armrest as tightly as possible, while maintaining a professional look on her face. Helena must have noticed, because she reached over to squeeze Carmen's arm and said quietly, "Relax dear, you will like the news."

"Yes," Tina continued, "This test is to see if you are capable enough for a promotion. And you have proved yourself well."

"Wait…. A Promotion?" Carmen was baffled, a promotion would mean that she would replace Tina as Manager. There had to be something wrong.

Helena chipped in seeing the questions in Carmen's eyes. "Mr. Higgins of Hospitality will be retiring within the next three months, and the board has seen it fit to promote Miss Kennard to head the hospitality department. Which leaves an opening to the managerial post in F&B."

Tina continued on, "When Miss Peabody asked if there is anyone I would recommend, I recommended you." The two older ladies paused, allowing Carmen to digest the information, "Why me? I mean… er… why tell me now?"

"To answer your first question, we have been observing you for months now, and you clearly show the leadership needed to run the department. To answer your second question, I find it unfair that we are putting you through a test without letting you know the purpose of it. So we are telling you now, after we have adequately determined your capabilities to handle the situation."

"I have only been here for 5months, I think it too soon to take up this position, I mean, erm… Mr. Santorria had been working in F&B for many years now, and he understands the ins and outs of the department, maybe…"

Helena waved Carmen away, "Pleeease, that old fogey? He cannot do the job."

"We had tried to put Mr. Santorria on a test to see if he was ready to be a manager, for your position actually, but he failed miserably," Tina explained, a glimpse of sadness in her eyes. "He isn't ready to lead, and I doubt he would ever be."

"That's why we employed you, Carmen."

Carmen looked from Helena to Tina, and then back, listening to both of them talk with such zest. She finally understood why Mr. Santorria was so bitter towards her, but still she couldn't understand why she was the 'one'.

Tina and Helena exchanged a knowing glance before Helena turned to Carmen and said, "You don't have to accept the position now, complete the task at hand, and then take a couple of days to think about it. We will have this meeting again next week."

Tina had the final word. "Make sure you do a good job, because we are still judging you."


2.30pm

"Have you had lunch Shane?" Kit Porter walked over to greet her younger counterpart. When the younger woman shook her head, Kit handed her a sandwich. "I got Lara to make you a roast beef sandwich."

"Thanks Kit," Shane said, even though she set it down while returning to icing the cake.

Kit, with a shake of her head, pulled the knife from Shane's hands and pushed her till she took a seat, and then set the sandwich in front of her. "Eat. Don't work with an empty stomach."

Shane shrug her shoulders and obediently sink her teeth into the fulfilling sandwich. When Kit was satisfied that Shane wasn't going to protest, she decided to question Shane, "So why are you biting everyone's head off today?"

"Woot?" Shane said, her mouth stuffed full with roast beef.

"You know what I'm talking about. You haven't smiled the entire day."

Shane put down her sandwich, "I'm always like that Kit."

"Shane… I've known you since you first came into the kitchen. 10years is not a short time… I know you, and I know something is bothering you."

"I really don't know…" Shane sighed, "I just feel something is off, and feel like something is going to happen…"

"With your girlfriend?" Kit asked.

Shane's eyes widen and she sat up a little, looking around to see if anyone else heard what Kit said. "Not so loud, Kit…"

"Ahuh…" Kit raised an eyebrow, knowing that Shane was keeping her relationship a secret was a huge thing for her, in all her years of knowing Shane, Shane had never kept her love life a secret. Not that she had much of a love life, she had a great sex life, being the playa that she was, but she noticed that ever since Shane became head pastry chef, she had stopped her exorbitant night partying and going home with a different girl every night.

"There is nothing wrong with us."

"Ahuh."

"And there is nothing wrong with me today Kit." Shane stood up, placing her hands on Kit's shoulder. "I appreciate your concern. But I am fine." She twisted Kit around and walked her back to her station, "Back to work, or people would think you're slacking…"

"You're impossible. You know that Shane?" Kit grumbled, shaking her head.

"Yeah yeah. I love you too Kit." Shane planted a loud kiss on Kit's cheek before making her way back to her station, to finish up her roast beef sandwich.


3.30pm

Carmen felt an additional weight on her shoulders, all the pressure of work was fine until her bosses decided to drop an extra bomb on her shoulders. But she wasn't going to allow the pressure to interfere with her work, she was going to strive on and make the best of what was thrown at her, then decide whether she would accept the promotion. Of course, she was going to ask the opinion of her girlfriend. But Carmen couldn't find any reason why Shane wouldn't be supportive of her.

She paced around the lobby, deciding to check up on the café La Femme situated by the lobby. But before she entered the place, a pair of arms engulfed her from behind and lifted her off the ground. Startled, she struggled to get off and turn around, and when she realized who it was, a huge smile showed up and she jumped into the pair of arms willingly.

"Larry Tasker. I've been waiting for you! You're early though." Carmen was ecstatic to see her college buddy.

"Carmen Morales, you are doing great! And looking great!"

"You too! Mr. Manager of Continental Seattle. How have you been!"

Carmen and Larry Tasker continued catching up on old times when the front desk manager came up to her and pulled her aside. "Miss Morales, Chef Anthony Beauchamp and Mr. Charles Bigler from Ritz Carlton New York are here."

"Larry, I gotta go, Miss Cheney here will show you to your room."

"Sure Carm, I'll see you later? Yes?"

"Yeah…" Carmen gave Larry one last hug, "Miss Cheney, could you show Mr. Tasker to his room please?"

"My pleasure Miss Morales, Mr. Tasker, this way please."

Carmen watched Larry and the manager walk off, and smiled as Larry turned around to throw her a wink and a look before disappearing behind the elevator lobby. Putting on her professional smile back on, she adjusted her suit before walking up to the two men waiting at the front desk for her.


4.30pm

"Shit shit shit…" Alice screamed, causing the entire kitchen to stare at her. Shane ran over to address the situation, signaling the rest of her crew to get back to work.

"What's wrong, Al?"

"Taste these Shane… Fuck. We have gotta redo this entire batch." Alice groaned. "Fuck… Who the fuck made these?"

Shane took a piece of the baby truffles and bit into it, immediately, she turned to the trash can and spit into it. "God, these cannot be presented."

"Tell me about it. Fuck. There is no sugar in it, and way too much cinnamon." Alice threw her hands up in the air exaggeratedly and then turned around and leaned her weight on the counter for fear of passing out.

"Oh no." Jenny came over. "I am soooo sorry… I must've mistook the cinnamon powder for brown sugar. Oh god oh god." Jenny slumped onto the floor, tears beginning to flow down her face.

"Fuck! How could you do that! They don't even look the same!" Alice screamed. "We are pressed for time as it is. God!"

"Hey hey… Enough Al." Shane said, trying to calm down the two agitated assistants. She couldn't blame Alice for being so upset, because of time issues, and she couldn't blame Jenny for screwing up, knowing that she wasn't in the best frame of mind at the moment. "It's okay guys. We can fix this. Gord, could you please throw this batch out. Lace, could you please taste the rest of the truffles and see if they are okay, let me know exactly how much we have to redo. The rest of you, please get back to work."

As everyone dispersed, Shane kneeled beside Jenny and placed her hand gingerly on the smaller girl's arm. "Hey you. Don't worry about it. It's okay, go clean up and take a break, okay? Then come back in and finish whatever you were doing."

Jenny wiped her face with her free arm and looked up at her boss. "I'm really sorry, Shane. I really didn't mean to screw up like that… I just… I'm sorry…"

"It's okay, it's okay…" Shane lowered her head to catch the eye of the scared girl. Kit came around to check if everything was okay. When Shane signaled her to help take care of Jenny, Kit took the youngling out towards the restroom.

As soon as Shane was sure Jenny was taken care of, she turned to her friend Alice. "Hey you."

"God Shane! How can you be so calm about it! Fuck… we are staying hours later as it is… This is going to set us back so much." Alice ranted. Before she could go on ranting, Lace came back up to Shane and informed her, "Shane, 4 batches of truffles are the same, I got Gord to throw them out."

"4 batches, 4 fucking batches. That is like 160 fucking truffles. Fuck!" Alice shouted again, unable to control her emotions.

"Alice. Calm down. It's only 4 batches. It's not the end of the world."

"It is… I got a movie date with my husband… it's been 3 months since the baby came along." Lace chirped in.

"Listen guys. You are going to stay as late as we originally agreed, okay? No one is going home later than what we agreed on yesterday." Shane said the last part as loudly as she could so that all her crew could hear it. She saw the look on relief for most of them, and the look of joy for some of them, but when she turned back to face Alice, she saw the look of fury. "Shane. If you let everyone home early, how the fuck are we going to get everything done by tomorrow?"

"Geez Al… Chill out… That's why I need your help tomorrow, can I count on you?" Shane stared at Alice pleadingly. "I will stay late and prepare those baby truffles, can you please come in earlier tomorrow to decorate them? Please?"

Alice sighed, unable to fight the puppy dog pleading look that Shane her best friend is really good at. "Fine. I will do it… I will need help though."

"I can help." Lace chirped in, "I'll come in early tomorrow, as long as I don't have to stay late tonight." Shane showed an appreciative smile to both her assistants, the two that had been with her the longest. "Thank you girls, I really appreciate it. I'll stay tonight to prepare all the sweets, and you guys come in early to decorate them, everything will work out."

"Fine… I'll ask Gord to come in early too. You." Alice said, pointing at Shane, "You are not allowed to come into the kitchen till 10am tomorrow. I don't want you busting your ass off."

"I'm fine Al."

"Shane McCutheon. As Assistant Head Pastry Chef, and your best friend. I order you to come in at 10am tomorrow, if you come in any earlier, I will whip your ass with whip cream."


5.30pm

Carmen got back into her office, after an entire day of smiling and hand-shaking, she was ready to go home and lay down. That was impossible though, because she remembered she was to go for a round of drinks with her colleagues. She decided to call her girlfriend up and see how she was.

"Baby…" Carmen said as soon as the phone clicked, "How are you doing?"

"Hold on." Shane said on the other end, and Carmen could hear doors opening and shutting, presumably Shane walked out of the kitchen for some privacy. "Yeah babe, whassup."

"Nothing much, I missed you, and was wondering how you are doing?"

"I'm fine…" Shane sighed.

"What's wrong baby? Are you okay?" Carmen knew Shane too well not to know there was something wrong.

Shane smiled a little, comforted in the fact that Carmen knew her so well. "One of my assistants screwed up today, so I'll be staying late."

"Damn… we are going to get everything ready on time right?" Carmen exclaimed. "I cannot afford for anything to go wrong…. I…"

Shane rolled her eyes, Carmen was more concern about the job than her working her ass off. "Everything is fine Carmen, and everything will be on time, since I will be working late tonight to bring everything back to speed." She sighed again, "I wouldn't think of letting anything jeopardize your career."

"I'm sorry baby, I'm sorry… I love you… I didn't mean to sound like that… it's just…" Carmen felt the accusation in Shane's tone. She wanted to tell her girlfriend all about the added pressure of the test and everything else that had happened… "I..."

A knock on the door.

"Hold on baby," Carmen said, and then yelled towards the door, "Come in." When she saw that it was Larry Tasker, she signaled for him to wait a bit and said to Shane. "Hey, I've gotta go… I'll talk to you tonight okay?"

"Okay… Bye baby… Love ya…" Shane sighed, knowing that someone was there with Carmen.

"Okay. Bye." With that Carmen hung up the phone. Shane felt pretty hurt that Carmen didn't even say love you back, but she guess she could understand because someone was in the room with her… She flipped her phone back shut and rubbed her eyes, and then slowly she made her way back to the kitchen, bracing herself for another round of baking.


"Larry… What are you doing here?" Carmen asked as she replaced the handset.

Larry took a seat in front of her, and leaned his chair backwards. "I was wondering if you would like to go for dinner, and catch up on old times."

"I wish I could Larry, but I am going for drinks with a couple of colleagues."

As if on cue, Dana knocked on the door and entered, "Hey Carmen, you ready? Oops… Sorry, I didn't know you have company." She turned to walk out but was stopped by Carmen.

"So'kay Dane, this is Larry, my college buddy, this is my colleague and dear friend Dana." Larry stood up and shook the hand of Dana as Carmen made the introductions. "Sorry Larry, but I already have plans, we could catch up again tomorrow though."

"I'm leaving right after the banquet though… Meeting in Continental…" Larry informed Carmen, slightly disappointed that Carmen wasn't as enthusiastic about catching up. Carmen felt in the middle, unsure of what to do, but Dana solved the dilemma for her. "Hey, why don't Larry come along with us?"

"You sure Dane?"

"Sure! I'm sure JJ and Eva wouldn't mind." Dana said, "Join us Larry…"

"Don't mind if I do!" Larry happily obliged, loving the chance to reconnect with his old crush.

Carmen just shrugged, happy to be able to unwind, while connecting with her colleagues and catching up on old times with her old friend. She packed up her files, throwing her stuff into her handbag and leaving the room with the other two.