The restaurant Rob’s Outing was located in the outer reaches of the city, not far from a major highway. Not the best location for a fine dining restaurant one would think, but it was closely located to some hotels, which meant that during vacation time it enjoyed an influx of tourist, looking for a nice experience.
This did not mean however that it didn’t have its regulars. Many people living in the area knew the restaurant to have delicious food for almost reasonable prices, and as it has been there for around two decades, it wasn’t unusual to see the nighttime clientele to consist mostly of familiar faces.
This friday night was one of those nights. Almost 20 of the rustic wooden tables were filled with people excited to enjoy their food in the company of friends and family.
Trying to live up to these expectations, and the restaurant's reputation, were its staff. Inviting in guests, serving tables and clearing them, were but a few off the tasks the employees of “Rob’s Outing” were struggling with during the summer heat.
But perhaps the ones having the most trouble were the ten cooks slaving away in the kitchen. The hot weather combined with the heat of various dishes being cooked caused for an unpleasant atmosphere to do physically demanding work in. However, almost all of the people working here were experienced chefs, used to working in such conditions and still delivering high quality food.
This meant that the sight of a young man amongst them was quite out of place. Like the rest of the chefs, he was in full white clothing, save for his brown work boots. His long brown hair was in a hair net, and his face was one of concentration. His green eyes focused on a pan.
This young chefs name was Alek.
And he was currently sweating bullets surrounded by the usual hubbub of the kitchen. The impatient shouting from his colleagues, the splashing of water hitting dirty dishes, and the sizzling and bubbling of all kinds of foods being cooked flooded his senses.
He wasn’t perturbed by this however, like in trance his hands continued to move to cook his own dish. While his left hand tilted the cast iron pan forward his right moved rapidly to pour butter over the steak.
He quickly glanced behind him, his eyes taking in many things in the span of a few seconds.
The timer on the oven to signal when one of the steaks was done. Theo, who worked the same station, cutting into some cooked chicken. Avery plating a steak he finished minutes ago. And the head chef, and owner, Robbert, calling out the next few orders.
“Two specials, one salmon, one steak!” The authoritative voice called out.
These words were quickly followed with a confirmation from everyone in the kitchen.
Soon after a copy of the order arrived which Alek promptly hung up, after which he went back to tending to his current dish. Not five seconds after putting the pan in the oven Avery’s voice reached his ears.
“How long on the steak Alek?!”
“30 seconds!”
A bit too slow. He already knew without being told. There was very little he could do however. It had been a long and busy shift and only now was the work finally easing up. That wasn’t a sufficient excuse however. Not if one wanted to be a chef.
“Speed it up!”
“Yes chef!”
Alek breathed a sigh of relief for not being chewed out and quickly went back to work. He had another steak to take care of, and Theo looked like he could need a hand with the chicken.
Alek wiped away his sweat with the towel wrapped around his neck and refastened his hair net. He was hot and his legs felt cold, but he still had work to do. His hands moved for some butter as he began preparing another steak.
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In the middle of a dark, empty parking lot, a car could be spotted. The moonlights reflection giving just enough light to make out its form.
Inside Alek’s head was resting against the seat support. His eyes silently gazing out of his front window, into the darkness ahead. His hand reached up and tiredly rubbed them, while his other hand massaged his tender thighs.
He had quickly made his way to the car in order to come home early, but it seemed like his legs wouldn’t let him leave just yet.
Theo had even asked him to go out to have something to drink but Alek had to refuse. Although tomorrow would be a free day, he still had things to attend to tonight and couldn’t spend the night drinking.
“Didn’t i have some chocolate here or something?”
A sugary snack might just give him the kick needed in order to drive his way home. As Alek tiredly began looking around him for his sugar boost he noticed a figure jogging in the distance. He was still a bit away from the parking lot, where all the street lights were located, so Alek couldn’t quite see who it was, but he seemed to be approaching his car.
His heart rate increased as he saw the figure coming closer, his mind jumping to the worst possible conclusion.
“Someone Desmond sent?”
In a moments notice Alek whipped his hand into his pocket, pulled out a key, and put it into the keyhole. With a few quick flicks the car was off the brake and ready to drive.
Tiredness forgotten his feet rested patiently on the pedals as he waited for the possible assailant to come into better light. He even risked a quick glance backwards to see if he was going somewhere else, perhaps it could be possible he was mistaken.
“Or perhaps i’m being flanked from two sides.”
No one.
He had to be jogging towards him.
No.
He was sprinting towards him.
This however did not send Alek into even more of a panic. The opposite actually. He calmed down. Taking controlled breaths to slow his heartbeat, he tried to concentrate on the approaching figure. He wanted some clues on his possible attacker. A short glance at his face could give some information.
“How did they find me? Is everything alright at home.”
Alek quickly dismissed these thoughts. These were things he could worry about later, besides, his sister had just messaged him, which meant things were fine at home. For the moment at least.
As he re-focussed on the mysterious person, they finally reached the parking lot, where for some reason they began to slow down to a brisk walk?
Why would this mysterious assailant approach while keeping a walking pace? The car lights were on so he must know Alek would see him if he approached.
As the person became more and more visible thanks to the car lights, Alek sunk deeper and deeper into his seat. The tiredness that was forgotten mere moments ago, slowly seeping back into his body. Alek his hand reached out to the button for the window, and lowered it, while his other hand went to turn off the engine.
“I can’t waste gas…”
Finally the mystery man’s face was clearly visible to Alek. The would be assailant was none other than the head chef, Robbert. Alek could notice the mans lanky body and curly hair from a mile away.
In daytime that is. At night he needed him to be under somewhat reasonable lighting.
As Robbert approached the car, the mans haggard breathing became louder with each step.
Alek let out a similar breath and straightened up.
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“False alarm, again.”
Before Robbert was close enough to see his face clearly, Alek quickly put on a subordinate like smile. He was already in the gray for not driving to the man to ask him what he needed, the least he could do was not be rude to what was essentially his boss.
“Not like i could have driven to him with the legs anyways.”
“Robbert? What is it?” Alek spoke up as if surprised seeing him here.
“Ah, Alek.”
With a sigh Robbert reached the open window and leaned his arms on the car roof. Noticing how cold the metal was, he rested his head on it and tried to calm his breathing. Not long after he regained his composure a bit and started talking with a slight smile.
“Good that i caught you, i thought you were driving away there for a second.” he shifted uncomfortably “Is it okay if i take a seat next to you.”
He smiled awkwardly at this, his eyes suggestively looking at the seat next to Alek.
“The least i can do.”
Mimicking Robbert’s smile, Alek nodded his head to the seat next to him.
“Of course, walk around, the door is open.”
As Alek quickly looked around for any trash he might have left in the car, Robbert circled around and opened the door, after which he promptly collapsed into the seat with a big sigh.
“Do you mind if i keep the door open, i want to cool down a bit?”
“No of course not.”
Alek said this with another smile, but inside he was quite irritated. He felt guilty enough rejecting Theo, but now he was in a situation where he had no other choice than to entertain the man. He wanted to get home before 10pm, and this began to seem less and less likely.
It wasn’t like Alek didn’t like Robbert, in fact, he was actually quite grateful to him. Robbert had been good to him his whole life, and was even gracious enough to offer someone with a background like him a job. He just didn’t feel like talking to him. Not at this current moment that is.
“It doesn’t seem like he’ll be leaving any time soon.”
Just as Alek was about to ask what Robbert came for, the man himself regained his breath enough to start the conversation himself.
“Alek, have you spoken with your mother lately?
A conversation he wanted no part of. As Alek’s thoughts drifted to find a neutral answer to dismiss the man, his eyes met with Robberts blue ones. The face he saw was not the one the stern head chef during work hours, or the awkward middle aged man he was outside of them, but the face of his concerned uncle, “Robby”.
Alek winced internally, he didn’t enjoy lying to that face.
As Alek combed his hand through his hair, and pulled his gaze away from his uncle, he debated internally how he wanted this conversation to go.
Alek his hand reached up and clicked on the lights for the front row seats. This light revealed the car’s dirty dashboard, covered in crumbs and fats from foods now unrecognizable. Along the ground, under the glovebox, bags, and containers from various brands could be seen covering the area.
His uncle didn’t seem to notice the state of the car however, as he was currently staring at his nephew his face. He carefully spoke up again.
“Look Alek, i know you don’t fe-”
“I’ll talk with you in a second, i want to grab something first”
Alek pulled his car keys out of the ignition and reached over his uncle to insert it in the glovebox.
After a little probing the key slid in, and with a stug twist a clicking sound could be heard. Besides the rinkeling of keys the car was silent. This time Robbert rubbed at his neck, looking over his nephew now hunched over him rummaging in the glove compartment.
Trying to break this awkward silence Robbert spoke up again.
“I’ll get what you want, just si-”
Before Robbert could finish his sentence Alek pulled something out from the glovebox and shut it with the same hand. Alek briefly held it under the light revealing the mysterious object.
An opened chocolate bar with a big bite out of it.
Alek first seemed surprised by the apparent lack of chocolate. But quickly settled on a smile, a real one this time, and a shake of the head. With just a glance Alek had a good idea of who the chocolate thief was. He couldn’t identify from the bite itself though however, Alek was perceptive, but not that perceptive.
He simply remembered that his little brother had been the last person to enter his car before him. The kid most likely couldn’t resist his urges when he found it, took a bite, and put it back.
Probably.
It didn’t quite explain how he had gotten the key to his car, to get it in the first place, but that was a question he could get an answer for later.
Alek bit over the piece his brother bit into and inserted his keys back into the car. Only after did he address his uncles frowning face. Still chewing he pointed the chocolate bar to Robbert.
“Want some?”
“No thanks.” The dismissal was accompanied by a shake of the head.. “I just wanted to talk to you about your mother for a moment.... seriously.”
His hardened gaze confirmed this. Alek slowly realized he wouldn’t be as easy to brush of this time.
“We can do this some other time.” Alek said still chewing on the chocolate. “I’m tired from work and i promised to get home soon.”
Robbert was already familiar with this pattern however, and wouldn’t let himself be dismissed again so easily. He put on the tone he used when working in the kitchen and addressed his nephew sternly. His words came out slow and measured, as if he had prepared for this talk.
“Look, you have ignored and brushed off this topic for long enough. I want to talk with you about Ashley”
Resolving himself for a talk he didn’t feel like having, Alek answered with a question he already knew the answer to.
“Did she ask you to talk to me?”
The response he predicted didn’t come however. After a short silence he took a glance at his uncle face. There he met with his uncle’s serious eyes yet again, gazing at him silently.
Most people that met Robbert for the first time would describe the man as awkward and a bit slow. In the line of the supermarket the guy struggled to even hold a conversation at times. But those close to him, which included Alek, knew he lost these traits when working towards a specific goal. Like managing his kitchen, or in this case, talking.
His uncles seemed determined to keep him here until he said what he had to say.
The car suddenly felt much smaller to Alek.
“Have you talked to her?” Robbert’s said calmly, still looking at his nephew.
Alek held Robberts gaze silently while he debated his answer. Perhaps it was the pressure of the situation, the fact that Alek really needed to get home, or that he didn’t want to feel like getting in an argument with his uncle.
“No, i haven’t.”
But he answered honestly.
Alek broke the hold his uncles gaze had on him and stared at his hands folded in his lap. Between his hands sat the chocolate bar, slightly molten on his fingers. From his right he heard his uncles voice again, this time softer.
“You have to talk with her Alek. You have every reason to no want to, but what the both of you are doing is hurting Aysa and Jason.”
Lexus head started shaking in denial slightly at hearing this. His next words came out tiredly.
“Why do you always meddle Robby? Can’t we do this some other time, i want to go home.”
Alek suddenly felt the weight of Robbert his hand on his back. It's presence made him shudder.
“I meddle because i can’t bear to look at what you guys are doing anymore. This has to stop and you know it.”
Alek’s head sank even lower hearing this.
“I- i can’t Robby. Everytime i try i just feel like i want to,” Alek gulped at this, his chocolate covered hand reached up, covering his throat. “I can’t stand to listen to her anymore.”
The hand on his back now started rubbing him slowly, as if soothing him. Alek lowered his hand from his throat and placed it back on his lap. There he noticed his other hand clamping down on what used to be the chocolate bar. His uncle spoke up again, snapping him away from the sight.
“Those kids feel like they have to choose between either of you every day. Can you imagine how that feels like?”
Robbert continued.
“You don’t have to forgive her, but you as well can see she has changed. Just give her another chance, not for yourself or her, but for them.”
At this his uncle slipped a card of some kind in his hand.
“This is therapist that can mediate for you two if you guys really can’t figure things out on your own. Just make an appointment and let Ashley know via text or something, she’ll come.”
Next to him he could hear his uncle stepping out of the car. The sounds of him walking away didn’t come however.
“Alek.”
Hearing his name broke him out of his dazed state, he glanced at where his uncle had called him. There he found Robbert’s downcast gaze.
“I don’t want to see you until you fix this. Do you understand?”
“No.”
“Yes.” Alek said softly
Still not meeting his gaze his uncle pulled something out of his pocket. He couldn’t quite see in the dark but it seemed like a small box. Robbert put it on the seat he just stood up from.
“This is my present for Jason. Wish him a happy birthday for me and tell him i’ll see him tomorrow.”
Robbert closed the car door at this, and finally left. Leaving Alek alone with his thoughts.
The car was silent for a short while, with the only sound being that of Alek rubbing the card with his sticky fingers. The rubbing became slower and slower, until it stopped completely. The stillness didn’t last long as Alek his fingers slowly climbed up to meet on the middle of the card, where they stopped one final time, only to sharply rip the card in two pieces.
Alek only gave the dirty pieces of paper a short stare before he threw them out his open window, onto the pavement outside. Slowly closing the car window, Alek tried to put the card out of his mind.
When the window was closed his eyes landed on the other object Robbert left, the present. After staring at it for a short while an agitated expression suddenly sprang up on his face. He had completely forgotten the time. He hurriedly reached to turn on the engine, but stopped as he remembered the state of his hands.
Alek glanced at the towel he still had around his neck, but settled for rubbing his hands clean on the right shoulder of his chef coat. After he had sufficiently cleaned his hands off on his work clothing, he left the parking lot, riding towards the highway.