Strawbeby – IT'S A MIRACLE! I ACTUALLY WANTED TO WORK ON MY FANFICTION AND FINISHED ANOTHER CHAPTER. Please read. XP

What the Tide Brings In Chapter 8 – At The Restaurant

By strawbeby

Rachel widely yawned as the waiter sat down a hot fudge sundae that had vanilla ice cream, deliciously rich hot fudge, fluffy whipped cream, a sprinkle of nuts, a fudge brownie wedged in between two scoops of ice cream, and a perfectly red cherry on top. She was quite full already. Ryan had been a perfect gentleman and had let her order whatever she wanted. So she had gotten a grilled lemon pepper chicken filet with mushrooms in sauce on the side of that plate and a tossed garden salad, with an iced tea to drink. Ryan on the other hand had opted for the manly sounding T-bone 3 lb. steak, two large baked potatoes covered with the works of melted cheese, bacon bits, butter, sour cream, and chives, and had gotten a drink of root beer. Plus he had ordered a large appetizer for the both of them of French bread with the restaurant's special spread. So even though chocolate was one of her favorite foods in the world, she groaned inwardly at the thought of having to finish that sundae. It was Ryan's "special treat" for her, because he had to pay the restaurant an extra ¥150 to get one of their special brownies into the dish.

She started to dig in with a slow spoon, though, so he didn't think that anything was the matter.

"Isn't this restaurant wonderful?" Ryan asked his date.

Rachel thought about it for a moment. The décor wasn't too shabby. The way that they had the tables set up it made every table seem like it was in its own little place, with wall's every where and having to crane your neck just to see any of your fellow dining partners. Also with strategically placed vines and greenery everywhere it made the place almost seem out doors, in an extravagant garden of Paris, instead of inside of a restaurant that was located in a beach town in northern Japan.

"Yeah, it's very pretty. I'm surprised I've never heard of it, let alone been here before." Rachel replied to her dinner partner.

"Oh, I wasn't talking about its appearance. Though, it does give of a certain romantic essence, doesn't it. No, I was meaning the service. Isn't it exquisite?"

Rachel had no idea what he was talking about, the service. Yeah, the restaurant did have good food and the servers had nice manners, but she'd seen that before when her dad felt like taking her out to eat at a cheap restaurant. Most of the fancier places would have thrown him out for getting "over friendly" with the waitresses (How embarrassing!). She had just thought that this was the way they were supposed to act.

But if he thought it was good then maybe she should just go along with him. "Um, yeah. They are very polite." Then Rachel continued to consume her sundae.

Ryan looked at her weirdly for a moment then gave a small soft chuckle to himself. "You don't really understand do you?"

"Um, no," Rachel admitted. "I have not a clue about restaurants that are, like, four stars, or something like that. When I was growing up, my dad never had gobs of money for luxuries like that. My mom moved out, and I was just left with my dad, who was a private investigator, and they don't make the most money if they aren't really good."

You could've dropped a bomb on the restaurant and the face that Ryan had on would not have been more astounded. "You aren't rich? I thought you were."

Rachel replied with an irked voice. "No. Why would you even think that?"

"Well, I guess it's because you are best friends with Serena. I, mean, I would've thought that she'd hate anyone whose family wasn't wealthy."

Rachel was getting fed up. "Well some people might be that way, but Serena is more into friends who like her for her, not just because she has a lot of money. She isn't that self centered." Evil eye going straight Ryan's way.

"Wait! What? I'm self centered?! You are the one who had to say good bye to your ex boyfriend before you could come on this date! I was patient enough after he was trying to KIDNAP you!"

"KIDNAP?! Jimmy was trying to help me! I was the one who was running blindly because of my happiness about this date with you! Now I'm kind of wishing that I could take that back."

Now Ryan was just flabbergasted "Well fine! Run back to your ex boyfriend! The way I hear it all he ever does it DITCH you!" He raised from his chair to leave. "Good riddance, I say! No wonder he ditches you! You are so arguetive!" Ryan rounded the corner to leave the restaurant.

"Well, good riddance to you too! And for your information Jimmy didn't ditch me! He left for his really important job! And he was NEVER MY BOYFRIEND!!!" But Rachel's rants were useless. Ryan had already left. She reached behind her chair and produced her crutches to go after him so she could yell at him so more.

Rachel was about to swing herself out of her chair when a waiter stepped right in her way. "Um, excuse me," Rachel said. "But we were just in the middle of a very hot argument and I would love it very much for you to MOVE!" She balanced herself on her good foot and swung the crutches to the side of the waiter, but he just got in her way again.

"I'm sorry, miss, but I cannot allow you to leave," he said.

Now Rachel was really confused, along with being mad. "Well, why not?!"

"Because the host has informed me that neither of you have paid the check yet."

Rachel thought that she hadn't heard right. "What? I thought he paid already. That and he invited me. So why are you hitting me for the money?"

"Master Sebastian had never mentioned paying the check, and he has already bolted out of the doors of the restaurant. So I insist that you pay the check, miss."

Snotty, old priss. So Rachel grudgingly reached into her pocket to get her wallet. But instead of the leather bound billfold of hers what she felt was the bottom of her jean skirt pocket. Rachel was shocked. Could Ryan have stolen my wallet? No he's too rich and snooty XP. But then where is it? I always carry it… Then as she looked at her crutches it dawned on her. I had forgotten it when I was in the sushi bar with Serena this afternoon! I haven't had time to think about it since, what with me spraining my ankle and all.

She looked back up at the waiter with an uncertain smile and batting eyelashes. "Um, sir. I seem to have misplaced my money. So I'm kind of broke at the moment. If you'll allow I can run to my room at the Lily Pad and get it no problem. Right?" A more confident smile was given to the waiter.

"No, miss. If you don't have the money here, I will not allow you to use some cockamamie story so that you won't ever have to pay."

Rachel raised her voice in protest. "But I swear! I have the money!"

The waiter had a cocky smile. "Really? You have ¥ 10,000?"

Rachel's jaw hit the floor. " ¥ 10,000?! You can't be serious?!"

"Oh, I most certainly am, miss."

"I need to speak to your manager! I don't know how I could honestly ever come up with the money!"

"Miss, you are speaking to the manager. And I have a way, but you mustn't mind getting your hands soapy and working hard all night."

Rachel thought for a moment. "I'm assuming you want me to do dishes right? But I can't do that with my twisted ankle! Unless I can just stand there and scrub. But I'm assuming that you want me to do lots of them right?"

The waiter nodded. "I understand you handicap. This is why, for you, I will allow you to call in a couple of your little friends who might be willing to help you."

She sat back down. I hate to admit it but he's right. I couldn't do it alone. But who would I call? It was Serena's cousin who bailed on me, so I can't ask her. The only one that would be willing to help me is…

"I guess I don't have a choice, do I?"

The waiter grinned and shook his head.

Back at the Lily Pad, Jimmy was soaking and living it up in the whirlpool while telling Mitch and George all about being a teenage boy.

"First thing is that girls are the main priority. Never embarrass yourself in front of the girl you like or do something stupid. Or else she'll think you are a jerk or really dense."

George and Mitch nodded their heads as if they were Buddhist priests listening to Muhammad himself.

"Secondly, just because we are given a lot of privileges doesn't mean they don't still treat us like kids."

"But we are kids." George said.

Jimmy shook his head. "No, George, WE are not. We are practically adults and want to be treated like them. Even if we still act like a kid sometimes. But who doesn't. I certainly did. Of course, I looked like a 7 year old at the time, too, so that might count as something…"

Jimmy looked back out taking himself out of his mutterings. "Thirdly, women are always confusing. ALWAYS."

He leaned back into the jet nearest to him and let the quick rush of water become a massage. He was becoming more and more tense lately. Jimmy laid in that position for a minute or too, getting really comfortable there. But when he realized that all he heard was silence from the two mature looking seven year olds he looked up.

They were sitting there looking just as confused as Jimmy had told them women were. "What's the matter?" Jimmy asked.

George and Mitch looked at each other. Then, like usual, Mitch spoke for both of them. "What do you mean, women are confusing, Jimmy?"

Jimmy sat up from his nice little water jet to answer them. "Just that, guys. You never know what they are thinking. Take Rachel for example. I thought she'd be really happy to see me after six months. When she regained her consciousness she bit my head off for not showing up for six months."

"Woah!" They replied simultaneously.

"Yep. Women equal confused men. I think that it is an ancient law somewhere."

Buddhist monk face again. These guys were eating out of the palms of Jimmy's hands. Jimmy could've stayed there for the rest of the night, too, he was enjoying having these guys worship his every word so much. But at that moment a member of a hotel staff called over an intercom.

"Um," called out the teenage boy whose voice was a bit squeaky because he had just hit puberty. "Jimmy Kudo, please go to your hotel room. You have a young lady waiting on your phone line. I repeat, Jimmy Kudo, please go to your hotel room. You have a young lady waiting for you on your phone line."

The three boys jumped at having one of their names said over the intercom. Then Mitch and George looked over at Jimmy and said. "Ooohhh! A young lady! It's gotta be Rachel to make you confused! You get her, Jimmy!" At least that is what Jimmy thought they said (It was hard to tell when they were trying to speak at the same time.)

Anyways, Jimmy slowly rose out of the relaxing whirlpool, not even wanting to think about what Rachel wanted (he knew that it was Rachel because Rachel would be the only one who would ever call him). Knowing Rachel it could be something really heinous, like rubbing it in his face that she was on a date while he was stuck at the hotel. Well, whatever it was he had to answer the phone, he thought as he wrapped a towel around his shoulders and headed up stairs to his room. If he didn't the outcomes would be much worse later.

Inside of his room, Jimmy answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello, Jimmy? It's me, Rachel."

Jimmy sighed. "I figured. So what do you need to tell me?"

"Tell you? I don't understand."

"You are on a date. You called to rub it in my face. Remember?"

"Am I really that bad of a person, Jimmy Kudo?"

"Not really. But why else would you keep Mr. Perfect waiting?"

"Because he's not waiting."

"What? Do you mean that he's trying to grab the phone out of your hand as you are speaking to me?"

"No, Jimmy. I guess that 'Mr. Perfect' turns into 'Mr. Gold-digger'. He just picked the wrong girl to try and mooch money off of. That creep."

Jimmy was dumbfounded. "He was only a stupid freeloader?! Jeez! What a jerk! So he took off?"

Rachel waited a moment before admitting, "Yes. And he not only left me stranded but he forgot to pay the check. I would pay but Jimmy…it's really expensive. I'm not expecting you to give me money, though. I just need a little help paying the restaurant back in labor."

Jimmy sighed. Then he replied, "What's the restaurant's address?"

When Jimmy arrived at the restaurant about 20 min later, the manager had already put Rachel to work. The manager said if both of them work hard to pay off the bill for the rest of the night. Rachel at the time had been set to washing the dishes then handing them to the dish drier, Enrique. Enrique had come from Mexico very recently looking for work in tourist Japan when the restaurant had hired him, and had not had a keen grasp of the language yet. Needless to say Rachel could remember only one Spanish word, qué which meant what.

When Jimmy came into the kitchen to relieve Enrique of that particular job, Rachel was trying to ask him how long he'd been in the country while she scrubbed the white china dishes. She'd begin by saying qué, then scrub some food off a dish, then she'd point to a clock, then she'd scrub the dish some more, then she'd finish by yelling "Country!" as if she thought if it were louder then he'd understand better. Then Enrique would reply by answering a long line of Spanish words that, even though she didn't know it, translated to something like it is 9:30 in this country. Then he would quickly rinse the dish that she had just cleaned, then towel dry and add to the stack that had been started.

When the two dishwashers saw Jimmy they both were relieved, one for getting someone that spoke the same language, and the other for finally getting away from the crazy girl on crutches and getting to go home.

"Hey, need some help?" Jimmy asked as he stepped next to the sink and took up the white, fluffy towel that Enrique had been using.

"Yes!" Rachel replied gratefully. "Thank you so much Jimmy for coming. I know that it is my fault for dating a nutter who bails on girls, anyway, but if it will make you feel any better about coming to help me then you can just dish on me all you want." As she said this she used the filthy dish cloth to wipe the next dish in the enourmous pile beside her.

"It's not really any problem," Jimmy replied, as he took the dish that she had just cleaned and rinsed it and dried it like he had just seen Enrique do. "I mean you are one of my closest friends, even though you did kick me in the gut, sick some pretty boy on me, yell at me in front of pretty boy, then go on a date with pretty boy." He placed the dish on top of all of the nice, white, clean dishes.

"Oh, Jimmy," Rachel said as she scrubbed the food off of her next plate. "I really didn't know that I was being that awful to you. All I knew is that I was kind of ticked for being so, pardon the pun, but knocked off my feet."

"Well," Jimmy said as he took the clean dish from Rachel and dunked it in the rinse water, then wiped it with the towel. "You'll need to make up for it. I mean, since I came here to help you and all, you really owe me now."

Rachel gave him the next dish that she had cleaned while he was talking. "I know I owe you. One can only hope I'll be able to repay you." She laughed as she grabbed yet another dirty dish.

"Who knows?" Jimmy said. "Maybe I can think of a really heinous way for you to return the favor. Like never talking to 'Mr. Perfect' ever again."

"Oh please don't ever call him that again!" Rachel said as she placed a dish into Jimmy's rinse water. "He's like the opposite of perfect now. More of a 'Mr. Wrong' than a 'Mr. Right'."

"Well that's a relief. Because if he was 'Mr. Right' we'd be stuck in here so often people would think that we work here. Then I would reply," and he picked up his towel and held it in front of his mouth like a microphone, " 'No I only come here for the pruned hands, and she only comes here for the pruned heads!' "

Rachel laughed. "No you mean the pruned heads only come here for me!" she said as she elbowed him in the ribs.

"Hey!" Jimmy shouted. "I resent that. I'm not that old looking yet. Your dad on the other hand…"

"What? Are you calling my father a prune head, Kudo?"

"No, I'm just remarking that I don't think many of his genes were passed to his daughter."

"Jimmy! Stop it!" Rachel started to pick up the pace in washing the dishes.

Jimmy on the other hand stopped together entirely. "What? Are you afraid that the forks and spoons are going to get jealous?"

"Jimmy. We need to keep working. Or else we'll be here past midnight."

"All right, Rachel. We really do need to be more professional." Jimmy continued to work, but he had aristocratically pushed his nose into the air so he would look like a slob.

Rachel then dropped a dish into the rinse water and it gave a little splash as it landed. A little splash, but enough to send a slight spray of water onto Jimmy's shirt.

Jimmy dropped the snobby act. "Hey!"

She gave him the most innocent look she could put on her face and batted her eyelashes a couple of times. "Who? Me?"

He gave her a spry smile. "No! Not you! Never you!" Then as he reached into the water he made sure a little wave came up to splash Rachel a bit, too.

"Why, Jimmy Kudo! Did you just splash me?"

"Had you splashed me?"

Rachel pretended to think about it for a moment. "I don't really remember. I think that it has to be reenacted for me to remember." She proceeded to flip some water with her hand onto his shirt. "Um, I might have." She then laughed at the dots of water on his shirt.

Jimmy got a gleam in his eye. "Well I guess it's just the place then, because I don't seem to remember if I splashed water on you." He then used one of the plates that were in the bottom of the rinse sink to push water her way.

Now, that just started a full on water fight. This way and that, water flew everywhere and in all directions. Jimmy had the advantage of 2 working pairs of legs, but Rachel soon realized that she had the spray nozzle to the sink in her possession. After about a minute they were both soaked head to toe, and showing no signs of stopping. At the moment they were just kids fooling around with water in one of their own kitchens. Until the manager came in.

And of course HE was furious. "You two are here to work to pay back the restaurant what you owe it, not diddle dawdle in whatever you want to do! Now get back to work, and you better have cleaned up this mess by the time you have left!" And with that he proceeded to the employee's lounge to have a long smoke, for the restaurant was already closed, and the only employees left besides them was a few bus boys hoping to earn a raise by cleaning up the dining area.

When he had slammed the door, Rachel had lost balance on her one foot, and since she had been trying to spin around to spray Jimmy, her crutches were at odd angles. Down she fell, and if she had hit the floor she was almost positive that she would have injured her ankle worse, maybe even have broken it.

But in midair a pair of strong arms seized her around her shoulders and hoisted her back up. Jimmy brought her back into an upright position so that she could grasp the sink for balance while he bent down to get her crutches.

"Thanks," Rachel mumbled as he handed the crutches to her.

"You're welcome," Jimmy replied as he helped get them situated under her arms.

She looked up and realized that her eyes were soon locked with Jimmy's. They stood there for a moment in anxiousness silence.

It was Jimmy who broke the silence. "Um, we've got some dishes that need to be washed."

Rachel turned away from him to the sink. "Oh yeah. We really don't want to be here until midnight, do we?"

"No, I guess not," he replied.

And so the next hour and a half they steadily worked on cleaning what seemed like every piece of porcelain that exists in Japan. Every now and then one of them would say something but the conversation just died of to go back into the silence that somehow consumed both of them.

It was a little past 11 by the time they got back to the hotel. Like before Jimmy escorted Rachel to her room, after a taxi ride of the same quietness.

At Rachel's door, Jimmy said good night. "I'll see you in the morning, Rach. And maybe we could use part of the day tomorrow to catch up with each other."

"But," Rachel said. "What about Ariel, and Michael, and Greg? I mean the did come with you didn't they? Wouldn't it be nice to show them around?"

Jimmy paused for a moment. "Yeah, that's a nice idea. We could spend part of the day with them." Then he proceeded to open the door for Rachel, so she could go into her room and sleep the rest of the night away.

Strawbeby – Isn't Ryan such a jerk? Can you believe that I finished this chapter this soon? I guess that I was motivated from finally finishing last chapter that I wanted to do this chapter too. Yeah. Oh and if you haven't read any of my other stories, I'd really recommend them. One of my favorite is called "The Ducks". It is hilarious! toots her own horn So tell me what you thought of this chapter, please.