The House Keeper

5.

I quickly entered the kitchen. "Why are you in here?" I asked the barman.

He did introduce himself, it was... Crap... John, no, um... Jack. That was it.

"I need drinking glasses."

I frowned. "What? You've got some."

"No. I don't."

I took the boxes out off the garage this morning. I looked in to the corner of the room. There. "Here." I gave a box to Jack and picked up another box. We went back to the bar. I placed mine next to the sink that was full of ice. I opened the box. It was full of small and high tumblers. I peeked in to the box I gave Jack. Cocktail glasses. Yep. I helped Jack unpack them. How could I forget these? If I've forgotten these, I've also forgotten the wine glasses and champagne flutes.

I hurried back to the kitchen.

"Who here are the waiters for drinks?" I yelled above the noise. Four hands shot up.

I went to the corner and picked up more boxes and dropped them in the volunteering hands. "Take these to the bar, unpack them. They are all clean, I inspected them this morning." Actually, each one was wrapped in bubble wrap and paper, and clothe shoved inside each one. "Bring back the boxes and everything else and stack them neatly in this corner." The four waiters disappeared as I dug through a cupboard for trays.

I saw them here at the start of the week. How could I forget this? My brain was in a buzz. I pulled out all the serving trays and placed them on the bench. There were six small round silver trays and took those ones to the bar.

That's where I found Jack arguing with a waiter. "What now?" I growled at them.

"What are they doing?" Jack asked.

"You will be mixing drinks. These guys are white wine," I pointed to the tall blonde, "Red wine," The tall brunette, "Champagne," The dark tall man "and empties." My finger landed on the last man. "You are here, they walk around. If any one wants cocktails and spirits, they come to you." I snapped.

"I wasn't informed of this."

I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose. Is this always stressful? "Jack. There is a photographer here. You will most likely end up in a photo or two, some of these photos will end up in the Sunday edition of entertainment. If Mr Black is impressed by everyone, he will credit you and the company you are from. If he is displeased by you, trust me, you won't be hired again, ever. Not just from Mr Black but also his large circle of friends and associates, and he is very influential." I had my teeth clenched together by the end of that sentence as I left a shocked Jack there and went to Mark.

"The guests will be arriving in forty minutes."

"Actually, this might be too big of a job for just me."

I froze. "Don't flake on me." I snarled at him.

"No!" Mark laughed. "I've called in my partner for help."

"I only paid for one photographer."

"Don't worry, the bill will be the same."

I sighed. "Tell them formal wear." I walked off from Mark as he shouted back he did. Okay, I said to myself, breathe in, breathe out.

The DJ was next. He smiled as I came closer. "I'm sorry, I've forgotten your name."

"Paul Carlo Traqz"

I shook his hand again. "Is everything in order?" I did hear him play around with the sounds.

"It would be better if I knew what style to play."