"Ting!"
William emerged from behind the small window that separated the kitchen from the front of the restaurant. Marie gave William a paper containing a list of menus ordered by restaurant guests.
"Looks like we're pretty busy today," William said to Marie.
Marie nodded. "It seems so. Outside there were still some people waiting in line. Don't let them wait too long."
William bowed. He closed the thin curtains on the window again and walked over to the kitchen table. William then shouted out the food order that Marie had just given him. After that, he attached it to the wooden board used to mark the order.
Esmee and her kitchen assistant, Sven, can't seem to stop moving to make food orders. At the same time, William was pacing around, placing orders on the long table. William used the long table to hold food orders when all the food orders had been completed.
William would check all the orders before he gave them to the waiter. Once all the food orders had been confirmed, William pressed the bell near the holding table, and the waiter took it. While waiting for food orders to be done, William cut up groceries or cleaned dirty dishes.
The rhythm continues until the restaurant closes for a break. Since D'Amelie's restaurant didn't have enough staff to run two shifts, Esmee decided to close the restaurant for an hour so they could rest.
William, Esmee, and Sven sat at the kitchen circular table as soon as break finally arrived. The three of them took a deep breath in unison.
Esmee watched the faces of William and Sven. She then laughed. "Looks like we were blessed today. Your faces look tired."
"I didn't think we'd be this busy today," said Sven.
"The day isn't over yet," William replied.
While Esmee was resting with William and Sven, Marie came into the kitchen with two other waitresses. The three joined Esmee. Marie took off her shoes and checked her heels.
"Looks like my shoes won't last if the conditions in the restaurant are as busy as before," said Marie.
Esmee chuckled in response to Marie's words. "That's a sign you should buy new shoes."
Marie took a deep breath. "But I'm grateful, today we got a lot of customers. I can buy new shoes if the restaurant continues to be this busy."
Marie and the two waitresses excitedly recounted the customers who entered the restaurant—ranging from very friendly to very fussy. Esmee, William, and Sven listened to their stories while occasionally responding. Esmee and the others nodded their heads.
"Ting!" The sound of the watch that Esmee uses for signaling the baking time.
"Our lunch is ready," said Esmee.
"I'm already starving," Marie replies, touching her stomach.
Esmee chuckled and stood up from her seat. She walked to the grill and took out the food she had made for her lunch with her workers. Esmee returned to their table and placed her homemade cassoulet in the center.
The eyes of the people gathered at the dining table instantly lit up when they saw Esmee's cassoulet served on the dining table. Seeing the smoke still billowing from the dish made from white beans and meat, plus its appetizing aroma, made Marie unable to hold back her hunger any longer.
Marie directly took the plate and spooned the cassoulet into her plate. Esmee chuckled, looking at Marie, who had been scooping food into her dish. The others then took turns spooning the food into their plates.
After spooning the food into their plates, they ate it without saying much, except for Esmee. William noticed that Esmee had not touched her food and instead looked at the faces of her workers while enjoying her homemade dishes.
Esmee's eyes suddenly met William's. The man lowered his head and began enjoying his food with a bit of nervousness. Unconsciously William chuckled at his unusual attitude. He was like a thief who had just been caught trying to steal.
Esmee smiled happily after seeing that everyone enjoyed the food she had prepared. Then she began to eat her food with the others.
----
"Come on, everyone. We can't rest any longer. There's already a queue in front," Marie said after returning from the restaurant.
Esmee and the others who were still in the kitchen nodded their heads. They tidied up the rest of their food and took it to the sink.
"Let me clean up. You guys get ready," said William.
Sven patted William on the shoulder after he put down his plate. Then he walked over to the kitchen table. Meanwhile, Marie and the other two waitresses returned to the restaurant.
Esmee put the used cassoulet pot into the sink. She then smiled at William before he returned to the kitchen table.
"Thanks for lunch. That's the best cassoulet I've ever eaten," William said suddenly.
Esmee looked at William and nodded slowly. "I'm glad you like it."
William then smiled at Esmee. He turned and quickly cleaned the dirty plates left over from his lunch and the workers at D'Amelie's restaurant. Meanwhile, Esmee smiled and returned to the kitchen table.
----
Marie peeked through the small window that separated the kitchen and the inside of the restaurant. "Are you guys ready? This time it looks like it will be busier than before."
Esmee turned to Sven. "Are you ready?"
"Open the door." Sven nodded his head. Esmee then turned her attention to Marie.
Marie smiled widely at Esmee. She straightened herself again and walked towards the entrance of D'Amelie's restaurant. Marie then turned the placard that read 'closed' to 'open'. After that, she opened the door of the restaurant.
"Welcome to D'Amelie," said Marie to the diners already standing in front of the restaurant.
One by one, the visitors entered D'Amelie's restaurant. Marie and two other people were busy handing out menu books and taking orders from visitors.
Esmee and Sven had also started their activities in the kitchen after Marie gave the first order. The two deftly prepared dishes for their guests.
While Esmee and Sven prepare the food, William does whatever he can to help with the workload in the kitchen. He looked even busier than Esmee and Sven.
Now and then, Esmee laughed softly at William, who was like a round that didn't stop moving. Sometimes William cuts groceries, cleans the edges of plates before food is served, confirms food orders, and mentions food orders that have just come in.
In between all the activities he does, occasionally, William pats the shoulder of Esmee, who is cooking. Esmee smiled every time William's palm touched her shoulder. She felt like William was cheering her on, and she became even more excited about cooking food for the diners in her restaurant.
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