Page 11 of Tangled Emotions
The woman’s pinched face turned frosty as she glared directly at me. “Are you blind? Right here.” She lifted the chunk of burger to my face.
Pressing my lips together so I wouldn’t snap, I inhaled slowly through my nose before I spoke. “Ma’am, I can get you a fresh one.”
“You know what?” She heaved a sigh, then snapped her fingers at me. “I want your manager.”
“Of course, ma’am.” I walked off to the back, rolling my eyes. “Ma, the lady at table five requests your presence.”
“For the love of Pete, Edith. Now what?” Mom looked up at me with flour all down her front.
“Mostly eaten burger she claims is underdone.”
Ma punched the dough she’s kneading. “Are you kidding me?”
“Two rabbis, Ma” I leaned on the clean prep table. “Andwhereis Evie? Why did sheneedtoday off?”
“She’s singing some fancy schmancy song for the mob wedding and then she’ll be in.”
“Ma.” I tilted my head. “You can’t just say it’s a mob wedding.”
“Why can’t I?” She looked over at me as she folded the dough, turning it. “Everyone knows the Cordova family are gangsters.”
“Ma!”
“Edith!”
“Ugh.” I threw my hands up in frustration. “Whatever. So what you’re telling me is that she could’ve been here, then left and came back?”
“Pfft. Like I wanted to go smelling like the diner. Geez, Edith, cut me some slack.” The youngest of our family strolled in, tying her apron. “What’d you do to the lady at table five?”
“What do you mean,what did I do?”
“She’s miffed, and said you were rude.”
My nostrils flared out, and I wanted to choke my sister. “Nothing. She said her burger was underdone.”
Evie looked at me in confusion. “What burger?”
“The mostly eaten one on her plate.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she held up a finger. “I got this.”
I watched through the serving window as Evelyn walked over to the table and cocked her hip. Mom stood beside me and we couldn’t hear what she said, but we heard the lady apologize.
“How come she can be snappy with the customers and I can’t?” I turned and asked mom.
“Because you’re older and more composed. There’s a reason Evie was the last one.” Ma put the dough back in the bowl, covered it with a towel and took it to rise in the very back. “Aside from being a complete surprise.”
“Your mother’s not wrong, Edie.” Dad came out of the walk-in. “If Evie was the first one, she’d be an only child.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Shaking my head, I stepped through the swinging door and went to get a carafe of coffee to make one last round before I left. “She was the oops baby.”
“Yo. Toots. Some service?” A deep voice called out to me, sounding like my older brother Gene.
I flipped my ponytail, cocked my hip, and retorted. “Service yourself. You should be used to that by now.”
The strange man at the counter pulled his sunglasses down, revealing ice-blue eyes that pierced right through me. Hiseyebrow rose over his left eye, and he rubbed his well-groomed beard. “Not sure who you’ve been talking to, doll, but I can assure you I am not used to that.”
“Oh, my gravy!” My hand flew up to my mouth. “I am so sorry. I thought you were my brother.”