The hotel was filled with laughter and conversations merging together glasses clinked and Cass soaked it all in. The dinning hall was filled to it's capacity and there were many patrons waiting in the lobby for a table to open up. Scanning the crowd she spotted her father on the farthest side of the room; he was serving table ten there complimentary drinks. Normally her was fully staffed but with his two oldest in college and the twins not yet 15 he was on his own for the morning rush which was a headache all in it's own. She smiled as she watched her father rush into the kitchen, she followed close behind. Jauqc the hotel chef was as usual complaining about the lack of garnish for his master pieces, this argument was as old as time but Ezra enjoyed the banter that's why he always enjoyed ordering less on occasion, that and it was a waste of money for decoration. Any other employer would have let him go early on but her father was sympathetic to his situation . He was trying to bring his family over from France and that ti him was reason enough to endure his endless mumbling. Plus he had been with the hotel for so long he was ingrained into the Standish's life it just wouldn't be the same without him.
"Dad." she said but he was off in his little world "Dad!" she said a little louder adding a poke so he would snap out of it. He turned around quickly 4 plates balanced in his arms.
"Thank goodness! It's about time!" He unloaded all the plates into his daughters arm in one fluid movement. Untying his apron he spun his daughter tying it around her waist. "Table Seven" he said as he pushed her out the door. "Jauqc, your in charge I'll be back in and hour."
"Yeah right. You will leave me all alone with your ingrate children." Ezra just chuckled and headed off to pick up his children from school.
"Wow that store is much bigger than Mrs Potters back home." Jake said in awe
"Yeah and more expensive." Matt huffed. Nathaniel just smiled knowingly. He caught on to Cross's angle back at the Dry Goods Store. But luckily for the new kid, he had been looking for a job anyway. so he just went along with it getting a kick out of how gullible his friends really were.
"Well this is the hotel the only one in a forty mile radius. My dad bought this the night he married my mother. She always wanted to own her own hotel." Matt was looking around taking it all in. The chairs where padded with plush red fabric and the furniture was all made of a strong, beautiful mahogany. The glass chandeliers hung in the middle of the lobby with a gentile elegance. Nathaniel couldn't help but think ' wow this guy is probably one of those rich elitists his father had warned him about'.
They had just walked into the dinning area when Cass hurried over with an aggravated look on her face.
"Where have you been?" she yelled at her younger brother "I've been stuck here during the afternoon rush alone and you were probably off gallivanting around with that Suzie Baker weren't you" as if fight a loosing battle she sighed out audibly and continued. "oh well, doesn't matter, grab an apron and tend to table three. They've been waiting for service for an hour."
"No way! First of all I am so over Suzie Baker. Second, I'm off today, classes began, or have you forgotten?" he said rather smartly adding the famous Standish grin. Which earned him a much deserved glare.
"Cheeky aren't you." that's when she noticed the three young men surrounding her. Looking them up and down a familiar smirk spread over her features. "What's with the entourage?"
"New roommates."
"They'll do just fine." she said nodding in approval. "Get some aprons in the kitchens. I need help, and you're it." Jake was the first to speak up.
"Excuse me? What?"
"You heard me." she started to push the boys along till they reached the kitchens swinging doors. With one last shove she said, "Aprons! Now!" Cross stood there waiting for it. That was when he head Jauqc "More Damn Kids!" he gave a little chuckle and headed towards the school wouldn't want to miss Advanced Trig.