(8 months after her first therapy session and six months after she opened her own business)
•Nia 24 years old
•Nia's POV
I woke up late this morning but, I suppose it doesn't matter when you own your own business. The drive into town was a half hour if you went 80 on the freeway which wasn't illegal according to what my grandfather taught me. I didn't have time to eat I just grabbed a soda and hopped in the car after getting in my uniform. Emma would get home around noon to let the dogs out. Emma was my best friends sister shes 18, her mom and sister died when she was 16 in a fire at the inn they worked at. Since her dad was never in the picture I took her in. She's in school now but she does it online so she works early in the morning at a gas station near our house. From 2 a.m till 11 a.m she works then she has lunch at the restaurant in the station. After that she goes home to nap, let the dogs out, then work on school. She's a hard worker and recently got a call saying that she was accepted into a university a couple hours away, she qualifies for scholarships and her boyfriend goes there too. She said she doesn't want to leave but deep down I think next month when she graduates she will.
As I parked at the restaurant I smiled, it wasn't much but it was mine. I had worked so hard since I was 16 saving money to open my own place. When I turned 24 I could finally afford it, I still sell my art online as a side job and I can only afford a few workers but I am happy with it. I bought a small building on one of the main roads and painted it white, the roof was dark blue and the trim was the same blue. There was a big rectangular sign out front that read "The Sky Garden Diner" I had lattuce installed that supported the climbing rose vines all around the building.
it had an outdoor dining area was in a small garden that had many different Bell-flowers, Wildflowers, and Honeysuckle plants on the outskirts of the dining area. Then in the center there was a large three tier fountain but instead of water I filled it with soil, at the bottom I planted all different colored pansies, on the second tier I planted orange poppys, then of course I planted Zinnia's on the top tier. Around the fountain were four round tables that sat 2 to 6 people. Then there was a small patio that had three tables for people who had bee or flower allergies but still wanted a garden view. The indoor dining area had small square tables as well as rectangular tables. The ceiling had sky lights as well as artificial lights My indoor dining area could seat about 25 or 30 people. I didn't need a lot of tables since most people didn't eat inside many eat in the garden or on the patio, or even order their food to go.
My restaurant has a variety of things on the menu as well as a dessert and pastries case by the register. The best part is that everything on the menu is made with my own recipes. The garden and the food are things that you wouldn't be able to find anywhere else. I usually work a 12 or 13 hour day the restaurant is open from 8:30 a.m to 8 p.m. I get here around six normally but today I was a little later and got here at about 6:30. I walked to the kitchen to get started on the pastries and desserts for the case it was still two hours before Noah got there for the morning shift. Noah was one of my five employees and the only other person on the morning shift.
I mixed the batter for the cupcakes, put the Danishes in the oven, rolled the croissants, and whipped up some frosting in about 45 minutes.
While all that was baking I went and started the soup of the day on the stove, changed it on the menus and then put all the chairs out in the dining areas. After I filled the dessert/pastry case I went around the garden and watered the plants. By the time the restaurant was ready to open I had the salads prepped, the lunch/dinner roll dough made, the bread baked, all the dishes done and the sauces for the day made. I checked the clock and at 8:30 I opened up the store. Noah was waiting out front having a cigarette, when I opened the door he put it out in the ashtray that is out front and tossed the butt in the trash.
"Mornin boss" he yawned as he came in "Already smells delicious, what are the specials today?"
I smiled "Nothing smells as good as your cigarette smoke in the morning Noah." I said sarcastically "Go to the break room and get your apron I haven't picked any specials yet, I waited for you."
Noah was tall about six feet tall with tan skin.
He wore dark blue jeans, black nonslip shoes and a black shirt, that was his uniform as well as a white apron that said "The Sky Garden Diner" on it with the logo that was a Rose with angel wings. After putting away his personal belongings he came out wearing his apron "I was thinking our breakfast special today should be a bacon, ham, egg, and potato burrito with cheese, sour cream, and customers choice of veggies, with a coffee and a side of toast" he walked back to the kitchen and put a hair net over his thick black hair. "Oh Noah stop your making me drool" I said as I wrote it on the breakfast specials board "Make us up two plates you know what I like".
As I heard him frying up the bacon and the potatoes I thought about the other specials lunch special was a Philly cheese steak and fries. While the dinner special was Shephards pie with house salad and garlic bread. Soon after the specials boards were filled out Noah came out and we ate our breakfast at the counter like usual chatting about nothing imparticular while I did some paperwork. by the time we finished eating we got our first customers.