Brand New Day Book 5: Ties That Bind

By Wren Rogers

Intended for an adult audience, The Brand New Day series is a seemingly true romantic adventure tale of greed, lust, loss, love, misery, success, setback and plain old bad luck. Set in the backdrop of the downtown streets and back alleys of Cincinnati Ohio & Newport Kentucky, the story begins on The Good Ship Cincinnati, the hottest floating dining destination on the riverfront.

Twenty six year old Ellen Addison is a hard working, lonely server longing in sad silence for the Good Ship's handsome Chef Rob Anderson. Rob is a seriously talented carefree chef, newly transplanted to Cincinnati from New York. Hard twelve hour line shifts followed by hard drinking at the bar fills most all of his time. When a mysterious stranger enters their lives aboard The Good Ship, life takes an unexpected turn. Along with their crew mates, Ellen and Rob's fate becomes forever changed while working at the popular riverboat restaurant. Sex, lies, tragedy and true love tangles their futures and twists their fortunes in ways no one could have imagined.

Graphic, blunt, brutally honest, and occasionally offensive, the series is an uncensored 'Rated - R' fictional biography of hard living service workers and the crazy career they have either chosen, or somehow become stuck in.

Written with factual geography, businesses, street names and locations, the series stays true to certain facts from beginning to end. The realistic backbone of the story is intended to transport the reader deep into the bowels and belly of the beastly reality of cooking, serving and struggling to earn a living in the public service life. A tale often told, but not commonly presented as it really is.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wren Rogers
• Release date: Jun 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310397820

Wren Rogers

I write, cook, wrench, cycle, study, paint, sing, pet, smoke, philosophize, shoot, savor, think and drink. I have many regrets and few accomplishments. My never-ending passion for becoming closer connected to the souls I love fuels my vigor for life even though my failing physique frequently falters my efforts and endeavors. I claim allegiance to nothing aside from family & friends and forgo all political affiliations in favor of true freedom. I never judge another and forgive when judged by others. At 46, I have begun to understand the world around me and realize we will never achieve uniform peace. I am not under the influence of illusions, fantasies, false hopes or illogical faiths. I wish the people who do good well and the people who don't Hell. I never kill or consume any slain souls to feed. I respect every form of life and wish the rest of the world would understand that all souls have beauty and should never be treated as food. I hope the bottom rises to the top and the separation of classes would crash. I don't believe in anything more complicated than positive and negative, with positive being the superior force. I strive to live by own moral code based on choice rather than fear and hope to die by my own choosing.

Book preview

Brand New Day: Ties That Bind

Book 5

Copyright © 2015 by Wren Rogers

Published and distributed by Eastside Publications

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief (cited) quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

ISBN 978-0-9972795-4-2

website – www.wrenrogersbooks.com

email –[e-mail]

The Brand New Day series is a work of fiction based certain facts. With some exceptions, the businesses, streets, buildings, bridges and other historical and geographical details are factual.

In some examples, characters may use fowl language, engage in explicit sexual acts, violence and other illegal activities. Characters may abuse drugs and alcohol, use racial stereotyping, bigotry, and make offensive racial remarks and or actions. The viewpoint of these characters is not in any way related to the personal viewpoints of the author.

None of the content in this book, or any in the series, was intended to offend, anger, profile or otherwise cause any gender, race, color, creed or doctrine harm or distress.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

More Books in the Series

Author Bio

Chapter 1

From a deep midnight sleep, Ellen woke with a shake from a bad dream. Rob was holding her as she shook awake, stirring him from his sleep as well. Ellen made her way to the bathroom as Rob turned, digging deeper into the covers. The morning came on strong against Rob's wishes. He woke reluctantly, seeing Ellen had already left for work.

Rising up, he had hoped he would be heading to The Pub today to work, paint, clean and get it into shape for the grand opening. But now, all hope was lost. Fumbling through the cabinets, he took a mug and filled it with coffee Ellen had brewed earlier. Swiping his phone, he called Miguel.

Amigo. Good news and bad, Rob said solemnly.

Miguel's sleepy voice sharpened as he heard Rob's words.

Whats-a the bad? he asked.

Rob hesitated. Harvey is probably selling The Pub to Starbucks.

Miguel sighed. Whats-a the good?

Rob smiled. You have no more charges. No worries about jail.

Miguel let loose a wild yell. That's real good news Amigo! I can always get work somewhere you know. But I am not ready to be thinking anything about going to jail.

Rob was glad Miguel didn't feel the same devastation he felt about losing their jobs.

Well, you're free but jobless, same as me… Rob said.

Miguel interrupted. No worries my friend. I'm gonna’ make some calls. I find a job, you will see. Maybe someday we can get a cantina again you know? Man I liked it there, cooking Mamma’s food.

Rob understood. Me too Amigo, best job I ever had.

Hanging up after a goodbye. He realized how much he would miss the crew and The Pub’s little kitchen. He also knew Miguel was right, he could always find some sort of a job, but prison was another story.

Sipping the hot coffee, Rob looked at the laptop in the corner. It had been two days since he wrote anything. Settling back into the recliner, he took the computer in his lap and began typing as it came to life. His fingers ticked the keys, spelling out the details his mind melted together into sentences. The non-stop stream of thoughts filled the page as he typed continuously through the morning.

Replacing his coffee with a cold Mt. Carmel Ale microbrew, Rob's mind was right in tune with the shining sun as it stood tall in it's high noon stance. The words flowed like water from a mountain fountain. Rushing over the page, the flow moved fast, weaving, leaving behind the tale he felt persuaded to tell.

Lost in his leather seat, hours seemed like minutes by the time Ellen came home from work. Rob was still typing as he heard her key turn in the lock. He walked over as she came into the room.

Hey. Did I catch you in the middle writing? she asked, sitting her purse on the table.

It's not even four. Are you done for the day? he asked.

She nodded. That's why I like this job. I'm home early and it's easy. I made a hundred and twenty today.

Rob poured her a coffee as she went to change out of her uniform.

Still in his robe, he waited as Ellen changed. She had already been to work, came home and made over a hundred dollars. It made him miss his Pub job already. Coming out of the bedroom, Ellen tossed her work clothes into the empty laundry basket.

Oh, you did all the laundry, she said with a happy tone.

He laughed. Yeah, and the other cleaning. I feel like a jobless jerk sitting around here while you work. Tomorrow I will start my job search.

Ellen noticed the computer on the table. You can use your free time to write.

Rob turned the laptop around. I have been. Look at all this! he said, scrolling though the text on the screen.

I want to read it, Ellen said glancing over.

No not yet. Soon, but not yet, Rob replied.

Ellen shot him an anxious look, like kid pestering a parent for candy. Sitting at the laptop, Ellen opened the web browser. Here's an unlocked wifi signal, she said. She enabled the connection and quickly the Google page loaded. Why don’t you start by searching for jobs online, she asked.

Rob looked at her excitedly. Good idea. See what's on craigslist.

Ellen scanned the craigslist job postings. There are 141 cook position ads posted, she replied.

Rob sat beside her as she went down the list.

Thirty seven posts for Chipotle, five for Red Robin, twelve for O'Charley's, ten for Flipdaddy's Burgers…

Rob laughed. I ate there once and that was enough. Man that Flipdaddy place sucks, fucking worst burger ever. And their mac & cheese… It was just bare pasta and oil, sprinkled with a few shreds of un-melted cheese on top. Tragically horrible! How do you fuck up a burger so bad? Even Wendy’s smokes them. I will never understand how they manage to stay in business. It must be the beer.

Ellen laughed as she read on. Camp Washington Chili, Max & Erma's, Golden Corral, Olive Garden, a nursing home…

Rob looked at the list with disgust. Corporate frozen food and fast food. Not a single honest kitchen job on the list.

Ellen rubbed his shoulders. That sucks, I bet they are all ten dollars and hour too.

Rob agreed. Harvey only pays cooks $9.65 to start. That's a damn nice steakhouse with Jeff Ruby's over-valued name on it. I will be lucky to get ten an hour at these places. Maybe I should just look for a server job.

Ellen made a scowl. A server? That's ridiculous. You're an awesome chef.

Rob shrugged. It won't do me a bit of good if I make minimum wage. I'd rather serve and make at least twenty-five an hour like you do.

Ellen felt sad for Rob. It was very rare, unheard of even, to see a chef serving. She could never remember anyone that had moved from the head of the line to waiting tables.

Just keep looking and keep writing, she said. I make okay money, our rent is low, you have the savings. Don't rush into a crappy job just because you can't find what you want. It will only prevent you from getting a good job.

He laughed as he read on down the list. You're right. Look at this one… Two years minimum experience as a souse chef, culinary degree required, bachelor’s degree preferred… All that and it's a stupid tapas joint! They don’t even know what ‘tapas’ means. In Spain, tapas is free food for the bar patrons. Free food, not over priced appetizers disguised as high priced entrees. Idiots.

Ellen rubbed his shoulders again, patting him as she walked away to the kitchen.

Just keep checking the list and writing. Something will come along. You just have to have faith.

Rob sipped his coffee as read the list in closer detail.

I should see how Miguel is doing. Armando and him are the same sinking ship as I am.

He swiped Miguel's name on his phone.

Amigo! Miguel answered. I was going to call you. Armando and me, we are working tonight.

Rob was surprised. Really, already? Where at? he asked excited.

With Amanda, at Applebee’s, Miguel replied.

Rob's hopes fell. How much are they paying?

Miguel laughed. Eets only ten an hour. But between us both we will take home over a hundred a day. We can get by for now.

Rob shrugged. Harvey don't even pay ten, so I guess all in all, that's as good of a job as any.

Miguel agreed. Amanda knows the people there you know. They seem okay. We start tonight so we might as well take it. If you find a good job for us all let me know. I sure miss having our own kitchen.

Rob assured him he would. Disgruntled with the job postings, he switched to the Word program and resumed writing to distract his despair. Clicking the keys, Rob wrote for hours. In the back of his mind he knew that this time, writing was a self-inflicted distraction from the harsh reality of his unemployment.

Busses hissed and grunted on the street. Cabs honked and motorcycles rattled the windows as they roared past. Soon, Rob found the noise of the traffic too distracting to focus any longer. Switching to a web browser, he studied the job postings again. It was a useless endeavor. There was nothing remotely close to the job he once had, the job that was stolen from his life by George’s scam.

Depression set in quickly. Within minutes, Rob was too distraught to process clear thoughts any longer. His mind drifted back to recent memories of cooking at The Pub. The excitement of the venture had been a true high point in his life. Cooking alongside Miguel and Armando, living and working with Ellen, training Maria in a productive trade was satisfying. Having Mamma in the kitchen teaching the time honored traditions of her homeland’s cuisine had been endearing to Rob. He wished so desperately that he could bring that experience back alive again, not only for himself, but for the crew as well. Now… it was just a memory, a fond but lost forever time in his life.

Now, sitting at the table in silence, his word had changed. There was no line to command, no food to create, no Ship, no Pub and Ellen was off at work without him. He missed her already. He loved working with her at The Pub and felt the best position in life he had managed to rise up to had been stripped away as if by intention. It was if some unseen evil force was making certain he would never achieve happiness or even brief contentment. He couldn’t understand why. He had not inflicted pain or trouble onto anyone. He had remained honest and true to his word in face of terrible events and circumstances. While his morals were not guided by a notion of a religion or it’s threat of retribution by an unseen God, his life had been guided by his own moral compass. He lived a true, honest, hardworking man’s life. He wished no-one harm and only hoped to create great food and be rewarded with a modest income for the effort.

Was that too much to ask? he wondered aloud.

Fishing a cold Mt Carmel Ale from the fridge, he popped the top and stood beside the big front windows. Watching the people passing on the street, he wondered where they were headed, and why. Falling on the sofa, he looked at the coffee table. A thick inch long blunt end rested in the ashtray. It was the remainder of one of Armando’s fine smokes. Sparking a lighter to it, Rob puffed the Afgani’ weed to life between his fingers.

In mere moments, the stress of life faded as the gripping high took hold. Holding in a hit, he choked up his deep breath in a cough. Soothing his throat with the cold crisp ale, he relaxed. Allowing the buzz to settle in, he rested his body and mind on the cushions for a few minutes more.

Rising off the seat, he resumed his writing. Renewed with passion to tell the tale of his story, his fingers flew across the keys once again. Now the words came easier, his hands could barely keep up with his thoughts. After a few fours of writing, he took a break. Realizing a job would come sooner or later; he relaxed in the idea that he would continue writing and search for jobs daily until one was found. The unwanted time off was giving him time to make real progress on his book. At least that was something important. Still, he felt sad that Ellen was providing all the income outside of his savings. Something had to give. Surely a break would come soon.

Chapter 2

Weeks went by, the daily job search turned up nothing of value. Harvey still had not called. Rob didn't want to wear out his welcome, but had called once to remind him he was still looking. As the days clicked on, Rob settled into a routine of