“They must never have tasted your cooking,” deadpanned Nikki, “nothing can protect anyone from it – even a fancy keycard!”
But Sara and Nikki’s attention quickly shifted from their banter and the ornateness of the building once they opened the kitchen door. Inside, it was very obvious as to why they had to cook all of their food back at their building before transporting the trays over.
“Looks like someone forgot to include an actual kitchen inside this palace of a building,” Sara said as she observed the small area.
Their expectations for a large cooking area were quickly extinguished once they saw the small working space. They looked around, noticing only one oven, limited counter-space, and not many supplies. The two cooks glanced at each other, sighing while raising their eyebrows with the same emotion of surprise.
“I guess we better get warming things up,” Sara said.
“No wonder Nikolai picked one of us to be the VIP-hostess – there’s barely enough room for both of us in here with all the prepared food!” Nikki responded. What should have been a joke wasn’t really.
So, the two chefs furiously began working together. Whereas they had separate stations at their usual event space, now they had to work in unison. And just like a maestro conducts a symphony, the communication and camaraderie between these two friends pulled off the masterful preparation needed for the extremely large event which was beginning just down the hall. The tapping sound of the rainstorm outside was heard on the stained-glass skylight above their make-shift kitchen - providing the beat to their synchronized movements which were so perfectly timed, that it could only be accomplished by long-time friends.
“Alright, Ms. VIP hostess,” reminded Sara, “your turn to head out into the hall to find those special guests with special, VIP requests. I’ll remain here to deliver the platters to the other hosts.”
Nikki wiped off her hands from the cooking on her apron, smearing them with grease. Just as she finished doing that, she practically jumped into the air from Nikolai’s surprised barking behind her.
“What are you doing?” He asked in shock. He didn’t even let Nikki respond before continuing: “You can’t go out there as they VIP hostess with grease all over you!”
Nikki knew he was right. She just didn’t think about it before wiping her hands. But now, after having experienced this tiny kitchen, she didn’t want her boss to instead have Sara work the event hall. Nikki didn’t want to be stuck in the small kitchen all night. So, she quickly thought of an excuse.
“Nikolai, Nikolai – it’s okay. I’ve thought ahead. This is the most high-end client you’ve had, right? Well, you don’t want your VIP hostess wearing an apron, do you?”
“But the other VIP host from the other company will have their apron on.”
“Exactly,” Nikki said while untying her greasy apron and taking it off, revealing her form-fitting knee length black dress she was wearing underneath. Nikolai’s glance signaled that he caught sight of her alternate attire suggestion. “And they’re your competition, right?” Nikki suggested.
Nikolai nodded along, keen on Nikki’s idea.
“Then, don’t you think this outfit would be better for your VIP hostess?”
Nikolai chuckled before quickly turning around to leave in the hustle that his job required, while exclaiming his approval to Nikki behind him: “You’re always one step ahead, Nikki!”
Nikki gave a sighing look of relief back to Sara, who was just standing there with a surprised look on her face.
“What, do you not have a date planned yet for this weekend? Are you trying to get asked out by someone, or something?” Sara asked while looking Nikki up and down in her black dress.
“What, this thing? Besides, you know Ryan and I are going out again. It’s set in stone.” Nikki blushed when thinking about how much she’d been falling for the burly man lately. “Besides, I normally wear something like this under the apron to work for big events.”
Sara threw a hand towel at her friend’s face. “No, you don’t. Now, spill it!”
Nikki couldn’t contain it any longer. She always shared everything with Sara about her relationships, so she couldn’t quite figure out why she hadn’t yet shared why she was really looking forward to this wedding tonight. Despite having held in the fact that she’d ran into Luke at the last rehearsal dinner for this wedding party, Nikki knew she had to get her best friend’s input. It was, after all, the reason she’d dressed up underneath her apron for the night.
Nikki wanted the whole story to cascade out of her mouth all at once like a waterfall. But, surprisingly, it didn’t. Instead, she began telling her friend everything by just asking the simple question: “Sara, do you believe in fate?”
The question caught Sara off guard, just as it had caught Nikki off guard about a month ago when Luke asked her it at the restaurant. Sara paused for just a moment before saying: “Well, I think so. I’d like to say that’s why me and Paul are together – and why we have Nora now.” Sara paused for a split second, pondering how her family had come together over the last couple of years. She then looked at Nikki in the eyes. “But I don’t think I could have said that until fate came and looked me in the face, you know?” Sara’s thoughts then went from being introspective to focusing on Nikki: “Why?”
Before the rest of her experience with Luke flowed out like a dam had been broken, Nikki said what had been on her mind the moment she’d chosen to wear the black dress: “Because, who knows? Maybe tonight’s the night that fate finally decides to look me in the face.”
Chapter 14
Despite the downpour outside of the event hall, which could be easily heard inside, the ambiance of the wedding was both festive and luxurious at the same time. A real, live brass band was actually hired to perform. Their sound transported the hall back to the glamorous days when guests wore tuxedos and expensive dresses for high society events. Not only did the music provide the wedding with an affluent taste, but there was something else unique about this event. As Nikki walked into the large hall, she could feel it – she couldn’t put her finger on what exactly it was, but she felt it. There was electricity in the air.
Nikki stood on the outskirts of the large hall. She watched the large crowd dance in front of the band, converse with each other, and greet the bride and groom.
And the cake. Oh, the cake. Positioned right next to the reception line to greet the couple, it was simply fabulous. A work of art. Nikki stood there wide-eyed, taking in the magical atmosphere. But just as her enjoyment of the celebration manifested, the realization came that she didn’t really belong in it. This wasn’t her party, and she wondered if she’d ever have one of her own.
Not having yet had her VIP hostess services be requested, she retreated to the side room specifically reserved for the VIP hosts. She was one, and the other hosting company would have the other. She used her keycard to unlock the door and wait inside of it until her services were requested for whatever VIPs had attended the wedding.
The side room was just as ornate as the rest of the building. But it was essentially empty, leaving Nikki alone with her thoughts. At first, she paced back and forth in the room, with only the sound of the rainstorm outside, coming from just the other side of the stained-glass windows, being the only sound to keep her company. Sure, she heard the music of the night being played by the band from the wedding hall. But those muted sounds were easily drowned out by the downpour of rain just outside of the VIP room’s windows.