Damien's attraction

Bonus chapter

She took in deep breaths, more like taking in the aroma of the different dishes wafting about in the air. This was her best part of the job, sitting in the kitchen and wondering if she could ever be allowed to cook with the others. Just one dish. She could prove herself.

She watched as the rain pattered on the window as she leaned on the counter. It was just August and she already felt like the raining season should end. The drops fell in patterns, which she saw as designs. She sighed. Was this what her life had resulted in? She felt so sad everyday. She let out a tiny smile. It would soon be over anyways.

"Timilehin!"

Peppy's head turned immediately she heard her name. She saw Peace approach her in her uniform. She came back to reality immediately as she looked around the kitchen. The cooks were hurrying around, trying to catch up with time as more orders came in.

"What are you doing here? Ajibola has been looking for you. We have a busy day today. If he finds out that you're in here sulking, imagine what he's going to tell...."

Peppy's eyes widened.
"I lost track of time. What table?"

"Table eleven. Table thirteen on the gallery also. Unfortunately for us, Diana and Mitchell called in sick so the rest of us have to work extra hard. I don't know why everyone suddenly has one excuse or the other. It's like they're planning it. If they weren't ready for the night shift, they could have just applied somewhere else." Peace shook her head as she lamented.

"Why won't they?" Peppy muttered under her breath as she adjusted the end of her uniform. "Thank you." She told Peace as she walked out of the kitchen to where the customers sat comfortably at their overly expensive tables. She made her way to the respective tables of the newly arrived customers with her small notepad in her hand.

Sinclair was one of those prestigious restaurants everyone talked about. Of course, due to the fact that the entire exterior of building was made of glass, and the interior was top notch.
It was situated in Apo, one of the 'big' towns in Abuja. Apo housed both influential and affluent citizens of the country. Surprisingly, it was owned by her aunt.

The interior of the restaurant was gold themed, with the magnificent chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and human sized vases of flowers at the corners. The gallery was even better, that was for VVIP's. The whole place usually maintained its class, with the people in it only giving out sounds in little chatters while the harps and sometimes the pianos played. The waiters walked by with the wine bottles in their small trays, and the other waitress like Peppy walked about too doing their jobs, all servers conscious to avoid making any errors. One complaint from the customer, and they were gone. Fired. There were a few foreigners around today too, Peppy noticed. And Peace had been right, the place was busy today.

Peppy approached each table with a smile and took their orders, assuring the impatient ones that their orders would be ready in no time. She headed for the kitchen and delivered their orders to Ajibola, the head chef. He would give the cooks or whatever, it wasn't really her business.

"I'm really sorry ma, it was a mistake." Peppy heard someone plead while she walked further into the kitchen. She spotted the boss, her aunt with her back to her and it looked like she was scolding someone.

"Mistake? You call that a mistake? Do you know who you just poured that food all over? Do you know what his wife would have said about you and my restaurant if I had not stepped in? Or was that your plan? For someone to insult me by saying I employ idiots?"

Peppy shook her head. Typical Janet Sinclair, always took things too far. Who was it now that had fallen into her trap? Janet shifted a little as if she could read Peppy's mind and Peppy was shocked. It was Peace.

"Ma, my hands weren't stable. I'm sorry."

"Toor, that's your problem. Why weren't they stable? You saw him and your body started shaking, forgetting he was with his wife and kids? That's it? You wanted to move to a politician now?"

"It's not like that." Peace pleaded and quickly added a 'ma' afterwards. She had her head down. Peppy felt pity for her. No one would dare interrupt, no one could speak directly to the boss like that. She was sure even the head chef wouldn't try it if he wanted to keep his job. Janet suddenly turned around, as if looking for something. She halted when her eyes caught Peppy behind them. She rose her pointer at Peppy, a finger which Peppy had always considered crooked.

"It's this girl right? You've been hanging out with this akunna, right? She's teaching you how to flirt with married men."
Peppy hid her smile. If she let that smile out, it would be trouble for her. She was accustomed with the name now. It wasn't new. Janet wasn't Igbo, but Peppy was sure she knew the meaning of the name she had 'kindly bestowed' upon her a while back.

"You should be glad that I'm letting you go today. You're lucky." Janet said which surprised most of the cooks, who turned back to their businesses as Janet turned to all of them.

Only a few of them knew that the reason Peace had not been fired today was because Janet was short on staff. If that continued, she would have fired all the waitresses before the end of the week.

Janet eyed Peace and stormed out, not before giving Peppy a glare. Peppy sighed.

Not today, Satan. Not today.

A/N:
Words and their meaning 👶🏼
Akunna: Prostitute
PearlMurphy:Greatness😂😂

Okay, okay. Who can guess Peppy's match? Who would be the hero of her own story? I'm still considering if this should be part of Damien and October's story. Maybe I would just have a couple of their chapters here and make another book for them then.

Did I say their?😏