Emma's Heart (Brides of Theron 3)
Read Emma's Heart (Brides of Theron 3) Online
Authors: Rebecca Pond,Rebecca Lorino
Emma’s Heart
Brides of Theron: Book 3
Copyright © 2013 by Rebecca Lorino Pond
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity
to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
To my wonderful husband, David, Thank you for believing in me. To my loving daughter, Chelsey, my son Charles, and my step-daughter Meagan, I love you. To my parents, Jack and Billie Lorino, thanks for putting up with me for so long now. To Rebecca Anthony Lorino my “Twin” and sister-in-law, I am so happy that we have become so close. To Kylie, my grand-daughter, you are so precious and Maw Maw loves you.
Contents
“Emma, you have a table that is waiting to order.” Beth called to Emma who was sitting on a stool in the kitchen rubbing her lower back.
“Emma did you hear me? You’ve got customers.” Beth poked her head around the corner to see where she was. “Girl, you better get out there. They seem to be the sort of people that will cause trouble if they have to wait much longer.”
Emma turned to face Beth and shook her head, “I just can’t handle these double shifts anymore. My back and my feet are killing me.” Beth watched as Emma got up slowly, and moved to the doorway looking around the corner to see the group Beth was telling her about. “Are you being serious Beth? Those guys look like they just came from a science fiction convention. Why the hell are they wearing sunglasses inside and at night?”
Beth laughed, “I don’t know honey, but they’re all yours!” She gave Emma a shove towards the table assigned to her and watched as the young woman strolled over to the waiting customers. Beth could see that the girl was exhausted and flat worn out. What a life this girl had to overcome, and overcome it she did. Beth recalled the first time she laid eyes on Emma.
Emma came into the diner several years ago and sat at the counter after slinging her overstuffed backpack across the back of the chair. She was a bit dirty and skinny and looked as if she had spent a night or two on the street. She looked over the menu and started digging for spare change in her purse. Beth could see that the girl desperately wanted to eat but did not have enough money.
“What can I get you, honey?” She asked.
The young girl said, “Look lady, I am really hungry, and I only have $3.95. Is there any way that you could serve me something to eat and I can work off the rest by washing dishes, bussing tables or anything really. It has been a while since I’ve eaten anything.”
Beth looked her over and said, “Let me talk to Sammy and see what we can do.” She went into the kitchen to speak to her husband. “Sammy, you have got to see this girl. She looks just like what I imagine Katie would look like if she would have survived the cancer.”
Beth watched as Sammy peered at the counter from just under the food warmer and looked at the girl with a frown on his face. “Beth, we can’t help every girl in the city with money problems. I will make her a burger and fries and you can send her on her way. Okay?”
“She offered to work for it. Maybe, we should offer her a job? Janie quit two nights ago.”
“Let me think about it Beth. But, for right now, tell her the burger and fries are on the house.”
Beth looked over to the girl and then to Sammy a bit disappointed. “Alright, I will tell her.” She walked out of the kitchen and began to collect the tip and wipe down the counter next to the girl, “Sammy’s going to make you a burger and some fries. He says they are on the house. What can I get you to drink honey?”
“Coke, please, and there is no way that I will take it for free. I want to work for it. I’m not going to take handouts. I’ve made it this far without them, so please let me work for the food.” Beth nodded to her and the girl said, “I see you have a help wanted sign in your window? Are you hiring?”
“Well, yes we are. What is your name, honey?”
“I’m Emma Caron,” the girl said just as she heard the ding of the bell from the kitchen.
“Your food is ready, honey. Excuse me a minute, will you.” Beth went to the kitchen knowing that she could have taken the food from the warmer shelf between the counter and kitchen. “Sammy, she asked about the job, and I say we hire her.”
She watched as Sammy rolled his eyes and shook his head, “Yes, dear. Do whatever you want. I know that you will anyway.”
Beth smiled and kissed Sammy on the cheek. “I love you, baby,” and took the plate to the girl, who ate it so quickly that it was a wonder she did not get sick. When she was done and emptied the last bit of coke from the glass, Beth said to her as she refilled it, “You’re hired.” Emma had been a loyal and responsible employee all these years, and Beth was going to tell her husband Sammy to let her go home and rest as soon as she could.
Emma took a deep breath as she straightened her uniform, grabbed three menus from the counter, and reached into the pocket of her small apron to retrieve an order book and a pen. She was so glad that this was her last night of working these tiresome double shifts. For the past week, she had been asked to work multiple double shifts in order to help her boss Sammy out of a jam. One of their waitresses had gone into early labor, so he needed someone to cover her shifts until he could hire someone new to replace her. She really didn’t mind helping him out, but her feet and back were screaming otherwise.
“Hi guys. My name is Emma, and I will be your server today. Can I start you off with something to drink?” She placed a menu in front of each of them and looked around the table at the three men, who seemed to be watching her every move behind the dark lenses of their sunglasses. When she didn’t get an answer right away, she started to list a few of the drinks that they served at the diner in order to break the silence. “We have: coffee, soda, water, juice…”
The man sitting closest to the window answered for the three of them, “Water for all.” She found it a bit unusual that he didn’t remove his sunglasses when he was speaking to her. It was also very odd, that just after he spoke out his order, he kept looking at her waiting for a response from her. The customers she was used to serving would normally return to their conversations as soon as they ordered the drinks they wanted, turning their attention to the menu in front of them. They sometimes would become upset if she did not leave to get what they wanted right away. These guys were just strange and their presence made her very uncomfortable.
“Sure, three waters coming right up,” she answered. After giving them a small fake smile she quickly moved away from the table. Yes, she thought, she was very glad this was her last double shift. The strangest damn people came out of the woodwork and into the diner this late at night, and it was always her luck that they seemed to be seated at the tables that she was responsible for. Shrugging to herself, she grabbed three glasses off the shelf.
“What’s up with those three huge guys Emma?” Beth came over and whispered near to Emma’s ear so that she wouldn’t be overheard by the customer sitting at the worn pale green Formica counter nearest to them. The customer probably wouldn’t have cared anyway, because his attention was focused on his coffee and reading the news in this morning’s paper. “Wearing sunglasses at night brings new meaning to that old Corey Hart song, but that song was way before your time.”
“I think they are a bit creepy, Beth. I mean, come on, it’s freaking nighttime. How the hell can they even see when they go outside with lenses that dark? Honestly, it doesn’t impress me one bit.” Emma finished filling the glasses with ice and water, and then put each of the glasses on a tray. She picked up the tray, rolled her eyes in Beth’s direction, and then walked back over to the table.
“Here you go guys, three ice waters,” she said as she started placing a glass in front of each of the men. “Are you ready to order yet, or do you need some more time?” She reached into her apron and stood waiting for the men to order with her pen and order pad in hand.
The same man by the window answered, “We only require water. No food.” From what she could tell, all three of the men were now staring directly at her from behind the dark sunglasses. This was beginning to make her feel very uneasy as she was starting to feel the shivers start to move up her spine. She wanted nothing more at this moment, than to move away from the creeps as quickly as she could.
“Okay guys, but if you change your mind just give me holler.” As she walked back to the kitchen, the feeling of uneasiness was quickly becoming anger. What a complete waste of her time. Not only were the customers that normally came in this late at night creepy, but now she wasn’t even going to get an order or a tip from this table. She went back into the kitchen, and resumed her spot on the stool with a plop.
“No order Emma?” Sammy asked.
“No Sammy. They only wanted water,” she returned her attention to her back and aching feet. She was exhausted and it was really starting to show. She was aggravated with the fact that she was not going to make much money in tips tonight. It was really slow with the rain, and now she just wanted to end her shift and go home. Tonight was a bit slow, and she could count only six customers in the diner right now including the sci-fi psycho’s.
Sammy must have been reading her mind, because he said softly, “You look tired, Emma. Why don’t you go ahead and go home, baby. I will take care of your tables. It’s slow tonight anyway. There’s really no need to keep you here waiting on those fools. They’re probably drunk or something anyway.” He smiled and waved the spatula through the air as he gestured towards the dining room.
“I knew I loved you, Sammy.” She got up slowly and stretched her back. She placed a kiss on the old man’s cheek, “Thanks Sammy. I am so beat. I’ll see you guys on Tuesday.” She reached for her purse that was under the counter in the kitchen. “Are you sure you don’t need me to stay?” Though she appreciated being off early, she hated the idea of giving him more work.