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Two days and nine hours since I've talked to Levi. Two days, three hours, since I went back to my house to find out that my mother has left again. But it's okay, because I've got work to distract me.
Though it's not doing a very good job.
Big D wipes down tables with his red-checkered cloth while I ramble.
"It's irrational, right, to be so stressed about him being gone for two days? I mean, come on, it's not like he's a spy on some dangerous mission in a different state where he might get killed while saving a bunch of people, at least he's just visiting family. But still, what if I never see him again?"
To steer any suspicion away, I told Big D that Levi is visiting family and won't be back for a couple of days. Apparently, that was also what Frannie told him: she went back to Europe for a while to spend time with her family.
Big D doesn't look up from cleaning a ketchup spill. "Ya miss him, don't ya?"
"No," I say, but pause. "Well. Yeah, no. Wait, yes. Yes I do."
He smiles teasingly. "Be cahful, hun." (careful).
I'm thankful for the concern, but I ignore that. Of course I'll be careful. Besides, it's Levi. He might kill people for a living, but me? I think he wants to keep these big-booty lips alive.
"Do you think he misses me? Maybe he doesn't, since he's busy with the missio—with the Mrs's, you know, his mom," I recover. That was close.
I'm an excellent secret-keeper, but call me Chandler, because Big D is one of my best friends—despite his fatherly tone—and I tell my friends everything.
"If he don't, you can find a better one," he says.
Better than Levi? Doubtful.
The door rings, and I look up to find three familiar customers. A mom, dad, and a little boy.
Aww, it's Eliot!
I shout to Blake, who starts walking over to the booth they chose, "Chef Paul lost his dentures!"
Blake runs a hand over his face, turning back to the kitchen. "Oh, my fucking God, again?"
Chef Paul is one of our older employees, but he's a good friend of Big D's so he's putting off his retirement. He was the one who hired Blake, which means Blake is an automatic favorite of his. It's become part of his paycheck to help Paul find his dentures.
Only this time, I lied about the lost dentures just to serve the nice customers.
I've been dealing with Karen's all day, I deserve a good table for a change.
"Hello, welcome back!" I greet. "Can I get any drinks started for ya?"
The father orders for each of them, "Diet Coke, please, an orange juice, and a coffee with extra cream and sugar, if that's allowed."
