A/N: Welcome back. All of your comments have greatly appreciated. When last we left our friends, there were some lovely little moments with Chuck and Molly including a sweet bedtime song. So let's see how things fair in the morning. Without further ado, I present Chapter 5. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck
Chapter 5
Sunday morning, Chuck was waiting for the two sisters as he had the day before. This time however, his jovial greeting was met with a much warmer response as Molly raced to give him a big hug.
"Ooph! Now that's a hug! Boy, I could sure get used to starting my day with one of those," Chuck beamed as he crouched down and returned the hug. Sarah just watched the two, a broad grind spreading across her face. Chuck looked up from his crouched position, to catch Sarah's eye. "Morning, Sarah" Chuck offered as he began to stand.
"Morning," Sarah replied with a smile that caused her eyes to sparkle in the early morning sun. Sarah unlocked the diner and the two followed her inside. "Go grab a seat Molly and I'll get you some breakfast after a bit," Sarah instructed.
"Awwww. Do I have to? It's boring sitting there all by myself. Can Mr. Chuck come color with me?" Molly whined a bit as she scuffed her feet on the way to her booth.
"Umm, Sarah. May I speak with you in my…'office'?" Chuck motioned his head toward the kitchen. Sarah gave him a wry smile and gestured for him to lead the way. Pushing through the swinging door into the kitchen, Chuck checked through the order window to make sure that Molly was out of earshot. Chuck set his messenger bag on the counter and turned toward Sarah.
"I-I didn't want to say anything in front of her without checking with you first. Since your her...well… Parent? Guardian?" he said with a goofy smile. "Anyway...I brought my laptop and I have a kid's profile setup on my Netflix account, plus I have a number of kids games installed, which are educational too by the way. If you'd allow her, she could watch cartoons, nature shows or play games to help her pass the time. I even brought some headphones for her," he finished, patting his messenger bag. Chuck paused and raised an expectant eyebrow, almost wincing for fear of her reaction.
"That...that's very thoughtful of you Chuck. But I really don't want her to spill something on it or drop it. I … I can't afford to replace it if something happened to it," Sarah replied a bit sheepishly.
"Oh! No, you don't have to worry about that. Really. I have accidental damage coverage on it, because let's face it, I'm a klutz. Plus I can write it off as a business expense," he grinned. "I wouldn't have offered if I was worried about it. I trust her. But if you still say 'No', I certainly can't question you," Chuck added, raising his hands in surrender. Sarah pursed her lips together in thought, which turned into a shy smile.
"I think she would really like that," Sarah resigned.
Chuck beamed and then nodded, "I'll go set her up and then get right to work," he took his bag and headed out of the kitchen. "Oh!" Chuck spun around on his heel, almost losing his balance. "I almost forgot. I uh… I had an idea for some "specials" to add to the menu. I-I know I'm really overstepping my bounds here but I just...I just thought that maybe it might grab some attention. You know..something new? Could...Could I make them for you and you tell me what you think?" The look on his face was some combination of fear and anticipation.
Sarah studied him for a moment. If it had been any other man, she would have thought this might be some attempt to challenge her authority or even a passive-aggressive way of snubbing their nose at the simple menu. One look in his eyes and she could see none of that. He was sincere in his desire to help others. From their lunch date...Date? Thinking on that term now she didn't feel the need to protest quite so much. It even made her smile a little on the inside as she remembered that day. He had shown a real passion for food. It seemed that he opened up so much more when he talked about things that he was passionate about. Like Jekyl and Hyde, he was almost a different person, far removed from the quiet, reclusive man she first met. Maybe this sort of thing was the shot in the arm this place needed. Sure the regulars were content with the old stand-bys but maybe some fresh new options would bring in more young families and the like. What could it hurt?
"OK, Chuck. Show me what you have in mind and I'll think about it. Just keep in mind, we can't afford fancy, expensive ingredients. Plus they would have to be fast and relatively easy to make." She gave him a raised eyebrow, waiting for him to indicate he understood. She didn't want to show him,just yet, how excited she was to see what he came up with. Chuck's fear turned to joy as his megawatt smile spread from ear to ear, causing his nose to crinkle a little. Something about that smile was just so infectious, it just warmed her from the inside and made it impossible not to smile back at him. He nodded his understanding and turned and left the kitchen.
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"How's it goin' Peanut?" Sarah asked as she came by the table to check on her. Molly removed her headphones and shot a huge grin at her sister.
"These games so much fun. You have to solve problems or answer questions to get to the next level or get through a door. And.. and if you get stuck, you can ask your friends for help," she excitedly pointed to two other characters that were following behind the little blonde character in the game. The graphics were pretty realistic but from watching a little bit of the game, it was clear that the content was more important. It was as much an educational tool as it was an entertaining game. She could see Molly answering questions she didn't realize her little sister would know the answers to.
"Wow, Peanut. You're pretty good at that," Sarah rubbed the little girls back. That elicited a smile and look of pride in her young sister.
"Can we get a computer so I can play these games at home?" Molly pleaded with that cute little pouty face. It made Sarah ache inside, wishing so much that she could afford to give Molly the things she wanted, the things Sarah never had growing up when it was just her and her mother.
"I dunno. I'll have to see. Computers are pretty expensive and games aren't very cheap either. Things are just a little tight right now," Sarah replied, the sadness apparent in her expression.
"Well maybe...maybe I could ask Santa? Maybe he could bring me one if I'm extra good?" the little girl looked hopeful. It was mid-October, so Christmas wasn't too far away. She wasn't sure if she would be able to save up that kind of money in time. They'd barely been making it by up to this point. Still, she couldn't bare the thought of shattering the little girls hopes like that.
"Maybe. You have been very good. You'll have to write him a letter and tell him what you want." Molly smiled with excitement at the thought and then returned her attention to the computer.
She watched as Molly loaded a different game. The splash screen as it loaded showed a stylized 'X' logo with the company name and slogan above it: 'Intersect Games - Where Learning and Fun Come Together'. She thought the logo was pretty cool and the notion of learning being fun certainly appealed to her. It obviously appealed to Molly as well since she seemed to be so engrossed in the games. Sarah jotted the name on her order pad for future reference. She ruffled her sister's hair and went back to her customers.
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"Thanks for letting her use your laptop today, Chuck. I really appreciate it. I'm sure Molly did too. Huh, Peanut? What do you say?" Sarah gave her sister a questioning look.
"Thank you, Mr. Chuck. It was so much fun. I'm gonna ask Santa for a computer for Christmas so I can play those games whenever I want," she exclaimed as she released her hug from around Chuck's waist.
"Wow. A computer from Santa?" Chuck sounded impressed as he looked to Sarah. The expression on Sarah's face and subsequent attempts to avoid his gaze told a story. "Well. A computer is a pretty tall order, even for Santa. A computer is also a really big responsibility...But I'll tell you a secret," as Chuck crouched down and looked suspiciously to both sides. "I happen to be pretty close with the big man up north. I could try to put a good word in but you're gonna have to do something for me." The little girl's eyes got wide with wonder.
"What? What do I have to do?" she asked with anticipation. Chuck placed his hand beside his mouth as if to block the exaggerated whisper from being overheard by Sarah who was staring down at them.
"You've already shown me how responsible and trustworthy you are. Now you're gonna have to prove it to Santa. You're gonna have to be a big helper to your sister. Make sure your room is clean and your bed is made. Do all your school work. You'll need to make sure to clean up after yourself and put your dirty dishes in the sink. When it's time for a bath or for bed, you're gonna have to be a big girl and do what your sister tells you without complaining about it. Those are the things that Santa looks for. If you can do all those things, I'll see what I can do. I can't promise...but I'll see what I can do. Alright? Deal?" Chuck held out his hand to shake on it. The look of determination on the little girl's face and the firm shake she gave was so adorable.
"Deal!" she nodded, her smile threatening to split her face. Chuck stood to his full height and came face to face with Sarah who was giving him a look he couldn't quite decipher. The smile quickly melted from his face and he swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat.
"Molly, go get your stuff together while I talk with Mr. Chuck in the kitchen," Sarah took Chuck by the elbow and escorted him to the kitchen. She kept going and she shoved him into the walk in cooler.
"Chuck! You can't tell her that Santa is gonna get her a computer. I can't...I can't afford a computer. What am I gonna say to her? What am I gonna say to that little girl when her heart is broken on Christmas morning because she didn't get the one thing she wanted? I am the ONLY family she has, and I can't have people coming in here and filling her head with lies and promises that they can't deliver on," Sarah pointed toward the door, her anger and frustration spilling out. Unable to look at her, Chuck was staring at his hands, reverting back into himself. After a moment, Chuck quietly spoke.
"I understand. That's ...that's why I said that I would put the word in to Santa. If Santa can't deliver, then I can be to blame. Not you and not Santa. I was...I was trying to give you an out so that you aren't the bad guy. So that she could keep her trust in you." Chuck swallowed thickly before continuing,"And you're right. I'm not ...not part of your family. But I keep...I keep butting my nose into your life where it clearly doesn't belong. I'm so sorry. I'll… I'll do my best to not let it happen again." Chuck was still looking down at his hands, looking properly chastised. "If … if there's nothing else, I'll get going." Chuck briefly looked up to Sarah, seeing her rather stoic face and then averted his gaze again and then left the walk-in cooler.
His words cut Sarah to her core. He understood that she likely wouldn't be able to afford the gift, so he was willing to throw himself under the proverbial bus, to risk his friendship with the little girl he clearly felt so strongly about. And he did it to preserve Sarah's relationship with her little sister. That alone was enough to take all the wind out of her sails. Then Chuck made the admission about him not being part of their family. Family. She was drawn back to his words on their walk. They had such a profound effect that she could still hear them in her mind:
"...I have watched for weeks now and Sarah... you have a family much larger than you know. The people of this town, the people that come to your diner everyday, they go there because it's ... it's home to them… Just don't be too hasty in refusing when your …'family' offers you help..."
Family… Again when Chuck came to her, practically begging her to let him help her by being her new cook, he had said his 'family' needed help. Chuck had spelled it out for her. Told her that this place was home and they … she was like family to him. And Sarah had just crushed all of that with a few words in anger. She quickly realized that she was yelling at him for the sins of others. He was not the one who spun webs of lies and made promises he couldn't deliver on. No, that was her father and those broken promises had been made to her. She was angry at him. She was also angry with herself. Angry and embarrassed that she couldn't give her little sister the things she wanted or even needed. She felt like she was in so far over her head that she was drowning. Now she was lashing out at the only person that was trying to save her...again. What is wrong with me? I'm the reason I can't have nice things! Why do I have to ruin everything?
Finally pulling herself back to reality, she realized she was cold. Very cold, in fact. How long had she been standing in this cooler? She burst out of the door, ran through the kitchen and into the dining area. Chuck was gone. Molly stood there holding her stuff with an impatient look on her face. Sarah ran out the front door, looking up and down the street and in the parking lot. Nothing. Shit!
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When she and Molly got home, she had a million things to do. Making supper, starting laundry, Molly's bath, bedtime rituals. All the things she 'had' to do. What she really 'wanted' to do was talk to Chuck. Of course she didn't have his number and she couldn't leave Molly alone in the house. She would see him in the morning and talk things over. At least she hoped she would. Maybe he will have wised up and gotten as far away from her as he could. She wouldn't blame him. If he was there, what would she say to him. What could she say? 'Sorry I jumped your shit for being an incredible guy?' or 'I'm sorry I brutally stomped on your feelings when all you've tried to do was be helpful and supportive'. More like 'I'm a sociopath and you should run while you can.' She covered her face with a throw pillow and screamed into it.
Once she had gotten some of her frustration out, she began to aimlessly search through her phone: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. None of them seemed to catch her interest. Then a thought came to her and she performed a search, pulling up the video she was looking for. She began to play it and then sat back and closed her eyes to listen. The soothing voice of Julie Andrews took her back to when she was a child. As she continued to listen she began recalling the smooth baritone voice of Chuck as he sang the same song to Molly. It was difficult to explain but the sound of his voice comforted her. Soon, all she could hear was his voice as it all faded to darkness.
She woke to the piercing sound of the alarm on her phone. She had apparently fallen asleep on the couch waiting for laundry. "So much for that." She drug herself off the couch and reluctantly began her day. Sarah and Molly went through the motions of their morning rituals. Sarah preparing for work and Molly for school. Sarah packed Molly's lunch and they made their way to the diner. The air was crisp which served as a much needed pickmeup, having not had time for coffee yet.
"Can we get a pumpkin and decorate for Halloween?" Molly asked as they drove, having spotted a number of houses that were decorated.
"We can get a pumpkin but I don't know about decorations. We don't have a lot of time for that and it's practically dark by the time we get home at night," Sarah replied looking at Molly through the rearview mirror. She could see the little girl slump and it pulled at her insides a little. Sighing in resignation she looked back to the mirror. "We'll see what we can find in the attic to put out. OK?"
"Yay!" She began to sing a song of her own creation as she danced in her seat, "We are decoratin' for Hallo-ween. Hallo-ween. Hallo-ween. We are decoratin' for Hallo-ween…" Sarah just smiled and shook her head as they continued on to the diner.
As she pulled into the parking lot, she began to feel more and more uneasy. A very small, selfish part of her wanted Chuck to not be there when they came around the corner. Then she wouldn't have to face him. Every other part of her was hoping and pleading that he would be there because...because she needed him to be. Not just to be her cook and not just for Molly's sake. She needed him there because she didn't know if she could do this without him. Frankly she didn't really want to find out. He was the embodiment of all the hope she had for this diner, her mother's dream. He was so supportive and encouraging and she really needed that right now. Especially right now. As they approached the corner of the building her stomach was in a knot and she hesitated. Molly continued ahead and she watched the little girl intently for any signs or signals. It all seemed so excruciatingly slow. When Molly's face lit up, Sarah finally let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding and slowing made her way around the corner.
Chuck stood by the door, as he had the days before, patiently waiting, his messenger bag over his shoulder. Molly was the first to greet him, practically jumping at him. He easily caught her and pulled her into a big hug. Then, almost as if he caught himself, he gently put her down and straightened her jacket.
"Morning, Miss Molly," he greeted with a small smile. "You look very nice this morning. Off to school?" The little girl brandished her biggest smile and nodded emphatically. When Sarah approached, his smile and demeanor was not discourteous but it lacked the brightness she had come to like so much. "Morning," was all he spoke and then averted his eyes toward the door, waiting patiently for her to unlock it. She almost wished he would scream at her and tell her what an ungrateful person she was. It would hurt less than seeing him so solemn. Even more so than the old Chuck, when he first came to the diner.
She returned his greeting, trying her best to put on an honest smile in hopes that it might elicit one in return. "M-Morning, Chuck." He gave a slight nod in response but did not look at her. Deflated she unlocked the door and walked in with Molly in tow and Chuck following behind. Rather than engaging in their normal conversation, Chuck made his way to the kitchen to begin his preparations for the day.
Sarah got Molly situated and headed toward the kitchen to have her talk with Chuck before the place filled up with customers. She walked into the kitchen and saw Chuck dicing peppers and onions for the omelettes. "Chuck? Can I talk with you for a minute?" she asked as she walked up to the counter. He stood upright and gave her his attention. "I wanted to talk about yesterday-". A loud banging on the backdoor both interrupted and startled the two. Letting out an exasperated sigh she started for the door. "Sorry Chuck. Just a second." She opened the door and a man holding large plastic trays of bread and buns was standing here.
"Oh. Morning Ray. I guess it is Monday," she said as she stepped out of the way.
"Morning Sarah," the man greeted. He sat the flats of baked goods on an empty counter and pulled out his invoice. He handed it to Sarah to cross reference, to verify they were all accounted for.
"Wait a minute. Wait, wait, wait. There's only ten biscuits on here. Why are there only ten biscuits on here? I ordered ten dozen, not ten! What am I gonna do with only ten biscuits, Ray?" Sarah exclaimed, pointing to the invoice.
"I'm sorry Sarah. That's what's on the invoice. Let's go check your copy of the order from last week. Maybe they made a mistake." Sarah sighed and waved him to follow.
"I'm sorry Chuck, I'll be back in a minute," she called over her shoulder as she left the kitchen with Ray following.
Chuck watched her go and sighed when the door swung closed behind her. He caught a glimpse as she walked through the diner to her office and then she was gone again down the back hall. As she passed by Molly it reminded him that she had not had breakfast yet. He threw some sausage patties on the cook top and then some four inch silicone rings. He cracked some eggs and added a little milk into a blender and whipped the mixture until it was frothy. He placed some small pats of butter in the center of the silicone ring and once the butter began to foam, he added some egg mixture to each. Once the eggs become mostly solidified, he flipped them, removing the ring. He toasted some English Muffins while the other items were cooking. Adding some slices of cheese to melt, he made up four sausage, egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches. He made up two plates with a sandwich and some apples slices. He poured two glasses of orange juice and a cup of coffee and put them all on a tray. Walking to Molly's booth, he announced himself with a terrible British accent.
"Breakfast is served M'lady." He gave a small bow and placed a plate in front of her with a glass of juice and coffee. He then placed the remaining plate and juice across the table from her. He began to walk away, looking over his shoulder.
"Hey! That's not mine!" the little girl giggled.
"Oh, I am sooooo sorry ma'am. Her let me fix that for you," Chuck made his exaggerated apology. He then switched the glasses of juice. "There were are. Right as rain," he exclaimed dusting off his hands and starting to walk away.
"No! Not that! The coffee,: she bellowed.
"Oh. I'm terribly sorry," he moved the coffee to the other setting and then looked to the girl for her approval. When she gave an emphatic nod, he smiled at her and in his normal voice, "Eat up, Miss Molly. You don't want to miss the bus." She nodded as she chewed the enormous bite of the sandwich.
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Sarah held her hand to her forehead in frustration. "I don't know how this could have happened? I've put this order in dozens of times. How could I have screwed this up?" She sighed in exasperation as she tossed the paperwork on the desk.
"Well, mistakes happen. Since we do all the baking the night before based on the orders, we don't have any extras to give. But I will call it in and have them add some to their list for tonight. Then I can swing by tomorrow morning and drop them off. I'm sorry I can't do more," Ray shrugged his apology.
"That would be great. It was my screw up, so thanks for going that extra mile to help." She was walking him out of the office when she say Molly eating and another place set at her booth. "Wow. Did Chuck make you breakfast?" Sarah inquired.
"Yep! He made you some too. With coffee and everything," the little girl gestured toward the plate, like a model on a gameshow presenting a new car.
"Really? That was nice of him…" Sarah trailed off.
"Hey, I can show myself out. You should eat while you can. I'm sure it'll be crazy pretty soon. I'll bring those biscuits in the morning," Ray waved over his shoulder as he made his way to the kitchen. Looking at the plate, she smiled and sat down. The breakfast sandwich wasn't a menu item, so it was just something that Chuck had whipped up for them. Of course he had made one for her as well. Even after the events of yesterday, he was still Chuck. Still looking out for others, making sure they are taken care of. She really wanted to talk to him, but since he had gone to all the trouble of making her breakfast, she wanted to take the time to enjoy it. So she sat with her little sister, eating breakfast and just talking. It felt so nice to just have that little bit of time with her.
Sarah took their empty dishes into the kitchen and set them near the dishwasher. Seeing Chuck busily making bacon for the breakfasts and lunch sandwiches, she thought now would be a good time to talk. Clearing her throat she approached the large cooktop so she could see his face.
"Chuck," she began, "Thank you for breakfast. That was very kind of you to look out for us. Thank you." She was a bit apprehensive, not really know how best to approach the subject.
"Sure. No problem. You both needed food to start your day and I am the cook...so.." he trailed off not really able to hold her gaze.
"Right. Yeah. Um...I ...I really need to talk with you about yesterday. The ...the things I said-" The ringing of the front door bell signaled the entrance of a customer. "Oh, for the love of…Really? Am I being Punk'd right now? Always with the interruptions." Sarah sighed in exasperation.
"You should probably go check on them," Chuck interjected trying to keep the humor out of his tone. It seemed like every time they needed to talk, something always interrupted them. It was getting to be a title ridiculous.
"You know what? No. Put that down," she said pulling the spatula from his hand and placing it on the counter. "You, come with me." Sarah grabbed his wrist and pulled him out of the back door and into the alleyway in the rear of the diner. When the door closed, she spun around to face him.
"Now...what I was saying...about the things I said yesterday…" Chuck started to interrupt but Sarah quickly pointed at him and gave a scowl, causing him to close his lips tight and eyes widen in fear. She took a breath to regain her control and began again. "The things I said to you were way out of line. I was angry, embarrassed and a little ashamed and I took that out on you. For that I'm very sorry. Without going into details, the 'lies and broken promises' thing, that was directed at my father, not you. You have been nothing but kind, caring and supportive. More so than I ever expected and much more than I deserve with the way I've treated you," she confessed with a frown. Chuck, still holding his lips closed, shook his head in disagreement. Sarah cracked a wry smile, "Of course you would disagree with that. The fact still remains that I have been incredibly unfair to you and I want you to know that I am really and truly sorry. And...and I hope that you would still consider me your friend … and … a member of the 'Emma's Diner' family?" Sarah asked with a sheepish smile. Chuck's closed lips morphed into a broad smile, his eyes beginning to sparkle. He nodded his head put out his hand to shake on it. Seeing that smile return to his face warmed her heart so much that she ignored his outreached hand and dove right in for a hug instead.
'Whoa! Alrighty then," Chuck exclaimed in surprise before wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. After a few moments they pulled apart and Chuck still stood in surprise at Sarah's actions.
"What? Family doesn't shake hands. They hug, right?" She just gave a shrug and a smirk. Chuck's smile nearly threatened to break his face as his nose crinkled and eyes shined. Relief washed over her at having hopefully defused the tension she had created. "Come on. Your bacon's gonna burn," she smirked as she opened the door. Chuck's eyes shot open and he raced inside to get to his griddle in time.
"Oh. I have some bad news. We only have ten biscuits for today because I screwed up the order. So we'll have to substitute or not sell the Biscuits and Gravy," Sarah confessed dejectedly.
"Do what? Um..why..why don't I just make some?" Chuck asked a bit confused.
"Make some? You could 'make' biscuits?" Sarah asked incredulously.
"I'm a little offended that you lack faith in my abilities. Yes, I can make biscuits. They're not that hard." Chuck began looking around the kitchen. "OK, we've got flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, plenty of butter … annnnnd… lard! Of course, what self-respecting kitchen in North Carolina doesn't have lard," Chuck snorted a little at himself. He ran to the walk-in cooler and looked around. "Crap. No Buttermilk. Alright. Alright, I can make do. We've got plenty of whole milk and we have white vinegar. OK. We have everything! Now I just need a biscuit cutter," Chuck looked to Sarah who was watching Chuck like a deer in headlights as he raced around the kitchen. She just raised her hands with the 'don't look at me' expression. He chuckled at her and shook his head. "Ok. Look. Don't worry. I'll find something. I think I can make enough biscuits to get us through today. We just need to make those ten biscuits we do have last until I'm done. Maybe forty minutes to make and bake them. Figuring in having to stop to make other stuff." Chuck looked to Sarah again who seemed a bit dazed. He smiled at her and pointed toward the kitchen door. "You might want to check on your customers. I think some came in earlier," Chuck said with a wry smile.
Sarah snapped out of her daze with a start, "Oh,crap!" She turned and hurried out of the kitchen. Chuck had to laugh at her abrupt departure but quickly started work on his new mission. On top of having to make biscuits, he also had to cook the orders that Sarah took. She was nice enough to come back and help with making toast or plating the food, which helped immensely. After delivering her latest order she came back to the kitchen to lend more aid when she stopped in her tracks.
"Oh my God. That smells amazing," Sarah exclaimed as her eyes nearly rolled back in her head. Chuck handed her a napkin with a biscuit fresh from the oven.
"Tell me what you think. Will they pass as edible for today at least?" Chuck asked, wincing a bit, fearful of her response. Sarah carefully pulled off a piece, watching the steam rise from inside the biscuit. She took a bite and slowly chewed, appearing to look around in contemplation. The more she chewed the broader her smile got until she finally had to let out a small chuckle.
"Chuck. Those are amazing. Don't tell Ray...but those are way better than the ones we get from the bakery. I don't suppose you could make those everyday could you?" Sarah looked at him a bit sheepishly.
"Um...sure, I guess. I'd be better to get some real buttermilk, but yeah. I can do it. If you think people will like them? I'd have to crunch the numbers to see how much they would cost us per biscuit to make ourselves versus buying from the bakery…" Chuck began spiraling into the cost when Sarah took ahold of his hand. That caused Chuck to freeze in mid-spiral and look down at her hand before looking back to catch Sarah's gaze.
"Chuck. I would gladly spend a little bit extra to be able to give my customers fresh baked biscuits, made in house. That's the sort of thing that makes a difference to people. Those personal touches." With that, Sarah looked to her hand that was still holding Chuck's and slowly let go, a ting of color in her cheeks. "I gotta…" she pointed her thumb over her shoulder as she sheepishly walked out of the kitchen.
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The lunch rush was over and the diner empty so Sarah could finally catch her breath. She was wiping down some tables when she heard the bell ring, signifying someone entering the diner. Without looking up, she called out in a cheerful tone "Sit wherever you like. I'll be right with you." A moment later she heard an all too familiar voice break her from her task.
"Sarah Walker. As I live and breathe," the voice sounded smooth as silk and full of charm. Sarah let out an exasperated sigh. She had hoped to never hear that voice again. The bile began to rise in her but she didn't want to make a scene in her diner. She took a cleansing breath before turning around to face the man.
"Bryce, what are you doing here?" Her tone was definitely not pleased but she seemed as if she were trying to be polite. He looked to be the same ole Bryce with his designer suit, Italian leather shoes, not a hair out of place and a million dollar smile to go with it all.
"Wow. That's all I get after, what…, two years? Not even just a little happy to see me?" He smirked, holding up his finger and thumb close together. The look she gave him spoke volumes. "Hmmm. I guess not," he flashed his pearly white smile. The same smile that made all the ladies swoon, including her at one point. A mistake she was not going to repeat.
"Well, I'm actually here on business. I work for Fulcrum Financial Services, LLC. My firm works largely with venture capital investors and the like. We were hired to broker the agreement between the Orion Group and yourself. Um...nice place by the way. Very … quaint." The condescending tone grated on her nerves but she needed to remain professional. "Anyway, I saw your name and I asked to take the case personally. You know...get a chance to catch up. Maybe grab some dinner..." His smarmy attitude and the unspoken innuendo just made her skin crawl.
"How about we just stick to the task at hand for now? You have some papers for me to sign?" Sarah asked cooly, not showing the anger building inside of her. She would so love to smack the smirk right off that asshole's face but she needed to keep it together...for now.
"Alright. If you insist." He pulled out a chair and sat down, opening his briefcase. He pulled out a large stack of papers and a monogrammed pen. He went through the agreement which detailed all of the things Mr. Kellogg had discussed. It was written in remarkably simple terms.
"And your firm drew up this agreement? What do you get out of this?" Sarah asked, a bit skeptical of what Bryce's incentive was in all of this.
"No. We had no hand in drafting any of these documents. These were all drawn up by the Orion Group's lawyers. We are simply an impartial third party that helps to handle the processing of the paperwork and distribution of funds. Our company works on a flat fee for these services based on the work involved. Those fees have already been paid by the Orion Group. These documents have already been signed and notarized by a member of the Orion Group, so all that remains is for you to sign. I can then notarize them and give you your copies. I suppose whatever else I get out of this depends on you," he danced an eyebrow with a wry smile. He proceeded to explain each document and where to sign. Once completed and notarized, he handed her a copy of all of the documents. "OK. Now the really fun part." He reached into a pocket in the briefcase and pulled out two envelopes and slid them across the table to her.
"What's this?" Sarah asked as she started to open the first envelope. She pulled out a slip of paper that was a printed check. When she looked at the dollar amount her mouth dropped.
"As was discussed, this is a check for three hundred thousand dollars to be used for updates or renovations on the diner," Bryce explained. She took in a deep breath and opened the second envelope.
"That is a check to settle all outstanding debts for the business, including any debts to your vendors," Bryce confirmed.
"But...but this is well more than what is owed for the diner and those debts," she said with a look of confusion.
"Yes. Well, the previous owner had taken out a second mortgage on their home in order to infuse cash into the diner. The Orion Group insisted that they cover that outstanding debt as well. That is what the addition amount will cover," he explained. Sarah was barely holding it together. The idea that not only the business but the mortgage on her home would be taken care of would be a huge burden lifted from her.
"I...I don't know what to say? Thank you! Thank you so much," Sarah was getting a little teary eyed and before she could stop herself she reached across and gave Bryce a hug.
"Sarah, I was about to make some lunch did-" the voice of Chuck stopped short when he came out of the kitchen to see her hugging some man across the table. That was like a kick to the gut but he tried to conceal it. Sarah immediately pulled away, a surprised look on her face. She immediately turned to look at Chuck but couldn't come up with any words to explain what just happened.
"Chuck? Chuck Bartowski? Holy Shit. What...what are you doing here?" Bryce exclaimed, clearly dumbfounded by Chuck's presence.
"Hello Bryce," Chuck replied with a rather flat tone. Sarah was speechless as she looked between the two men.
"Um...you … you know each other?" she pointed between the two men, thoroughly confused.
"Ole Chuck here and I go way back. We were fraternity brothers at Stanford. Isn't that right Chuck?" Bryce had a smirk on his face and that usually meant trouble. She wasn't sure what it was, but there was something going on.
"Yeah. Something like that," Chuck responded flatly. Chuck's eyes always seemed to belie his emotions and she could see that he was not at all happy to see Bryce.
"Bryce was just here for business. There were some papers I needed to sign," Sarah interjected. For some reason she felt like she needed to explain the situation to Chuck. So that he wouldn't get the wrong idea.
"Well… it wasn't 'all' for business. We were just talking about going out to dinner this evening. Catch up on old times...you know…"Bryce shrugged brandishing his trademark smirk. "Oh.. didn't you know? Sarah and I were quite the couple."
"I-I see. Well. Then you two will have a lot to catch up on, I suppose," he replied, trying to put on a smile. The light in his eyes dimmed, and his body slumped just slightly.
"Chuck. We were just….an-and the paperwork..." Sarah stumbled over her thoughts, unable to get a complete sentence out as she waved the stack of papers.
"If uh...if you'll excuse me. I have some work to get back to…..Bryce," Chuck nodded toward the other man before turning to head back to the kitchen.
Sarah watched the door to the kitchen swinging back and forth and for some reason that caused a knot in her stomach. An ache that she couldn't quite describe but whatever it was, it lit a fire in her and brought her back to reality. She turned on Bryce and the look on her face must have been sight because the color began to drain from Bryce's face as his eyes grew wide.
"Look. I don't know what game you're playing here or what history there is between you two, but know this. There is NO-THING between us anymore, nor will there EVER be anything between us again. Is that clear? While I appreciate that your firm has facilitated this agreement, that is purely professional. Yes, I let my emotions get away from me for a moment there with the hug thing. That was purely out of excitement for the situation, not out of any romantic feelings for you. So there will be no 'dinner'. There will be no 'catching up'. There will only be you, taking your things and having a nice trip back to where you came from." Sarah's icy glare was unflinching and left no room for argument.
"Well. Alrighty then," Bryce began to pull himself together and put his items back in his briefcase. As he stood, his patented oily smile came creeping back. "You know? This is a quaint little town. I may have to stay for a few days. See the sights, take in the 'local color', if you will." He stopped at the door and turned around briefly with a smug look on his face. "Yeah. I just might have to do that," he nodded before exiting the diner, whistling a little tune.
Sarah gave a low growl, balling up her fists in frustration. She closed her eyes and took a number of slow steady breaths, trying to find her calm center. Her rage subsiding for a moment, she took the copies of her paperwork and put them in the firebox in her office. Putting the envelopes containing her checks in her purse, she made her way to the kitchen. As she pushed her way in through the door, she stopped to see Chuck leaning with his hands on the island prep table, staring at the ground. He looked like someone with a heavy burden.
"Chuck?" she quietly interrupted. He immediately righted himself and spun to face her. He had a small smile on his face but it looked forced.
"Oh. Hey. Uh… I was thinking...if uh..if you wanted, I could watch Molly tonight for you," Chuck stammered out. Sarah was a bit surprised and perplexed at his offer, unsure what he was talking about. Seeing her bewilderment he continued. "For ...for your date tonight," Chuck pointed toward the dining area, swallowing a lump in his throat. "He uh… he's a heck of a guy. I-I'm sure you know that already. What uh...what time did you want me to stop by?"
Sarah could see the pained look in his eyes, though he seemed to be trying so hard to not let it show. He must have believed Bryce's words about going out on a date. Why wouldn't he? I never told him otherwise. Stupid. But why would he support her going out with him when he clearly did not like Bryce very well. "You'd do that? You'd watch Molly so I could go out with him? Why?" This man perplexed her for some reason. Many of his actions made little sense to her.
"Of-of course I would. Whatever you need, just let me know," Chuck confessed, like the answer was obvious. 'Whatever I need?' That was it, wasn't it. He would do whatever she needed. He already had, hadn't he. At every turn he was there to lend a man, to catch her before she fell. As she stared into his eyes, searching for a reason behind it all, she could finally see it. He had real feelings for her. Not 'just' as a friend or adoptive family of sorts, but something … more. That's when reality hit her like a slap to the face. The knot in her stomach, the hurt she felt when she looked into his sorrowful eyes, the fear of him leaving over her terrible treatment of him. She felt things for him that she didn't even recognize, they were all so foreign. These types of feelings for a man, this man she had never experienced before. But now, now she understood. This incredible man was standing before her, putting his own heart aside for her happiness.
Sarah found herself drawn to him, closing the distance and taking his right hand in both of hers. "Chuck. I 'would' like you to come over tonight. But..but not for what you think. Yes, Bryce and I were 'together'. That ended years ago and there will never … ever be anything between us again. So there is no date, at least n-not with him anyway." Sarah looked down at her hands a little sheepishly. "Maybe you could come over and have dinner with us? Maybe watch a movie?" She looked up at him through her lashes, a hopeful expression on her face.
Chuck stared at her in utter disbelief. His failed attempts to answer he only amounted to him looking like a fish, opening and closing his mouth with nothing coming out. Finally his brain was able to recover enough to form some basic syllables. "R-Really? You um… Really?" a smile beginning to cut through his confusion.
Sarah snorted at his response, a smile spreading across her face, " Yes, Chuck. Really. Straight after work?" Sarah asked expectantly. Chuck just nodded as the smile soon overtook his face, lighting a spark in his eyes that she found she really liked. "Good." She squeezed his hand before letting go. "I have to run to the bank. Can you keep an eye out front for me?"
"Uh.. Yeah! S-sure. Of-of course. Whatever you need," he offered as he followed her into the dining area and waved her off as she left. Once the door closed, he was so excited he started doing a little dance, singing a little tune to himself. When the bell rang at the door, he quickly and comically froze in a nonchalant pose that was not fooling anyone. Sarah stood, biting her bottom lip, desperately trying not to burst out in laughter. She eventually was able to get her question out. "Um...Did you uh...need anything while I'm out?" she asked with a smirk.
"Oh. Uh y-yeah. Uh b-buttermilk. Buttermilk for the biscuits tomorrow. A gallon's worth maybe? That uh...that'd be great. Thanks." He swallowed hard trying to hold back his mortification. The mirth in her eyes just made the redness travel further up his neck and into her ears. She just nodded.
"OK then. I'll be back in a bit. I'm going for really this time. Promise," she added a wink to her smirk as she left the diner. Chuck just blew out a huge sigh, shaking his head at himself. Eventually he was able to chuckle about it, but the tune crept it's way back into subconscious as he started cleaning off tables.
A/N2: I'm not going to comment on events here. I'll let you do that. Send in those reviews and PMs. Thanks for reading