Today's Special

By Jonathan Dimmig

What’s your version of an ordinary day?

For Thomas Danielson, it’s the constant strain of keeping the restaurant he owns from going under. His friends and family depend upon his success but the outlook is dismal. It demands his entire focus until tragedy strikes and his soul-mate is ripped from his arms.

Can Tom recover from the absolute worst event that could possibly happen?

A twist of fate crushes Tom’s world and sends him on a journey of discovery for what’s truly important in life. With guidance from friends, loved ones, and an unassuming chalkboard there just may be some hope in his struggles.

Nothing in life is guaranteed and we are sometimes forced to face the impossible. Tom’s story shows how, even in the darkest times, there is a ray of light shining though the clouds.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rogue Phoenix Press
• Release date: Apr 14, 2017
• ISBN: 9781624203213

Book preview

Today's Special

Jonathan Dimmig

Published by Rogue Phoenix Press for Smashwords

Copyright © 2017

ISBN: 978-1-62420-318-3

Electronic rights reserved by Rogue Phoenix Press, all other rights reserved by the author. The reproduction or other use of any part of this publication without the prior written consent of the rights holder is an infringement of the copyright law. This is a work of fiction. People and locations, even those with real names, have been fictionalized for the purposes of this story.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Dedication

I owe credit to the Divine for the inspiration behind this story. Additionally, I wish to thank all of my family and friends for their support in my crazy life.

Much thanks to Rogue Phoenix Press and Tammy Kleinman for helping polish a rough grain of sand—a story—into a smooth pearl that is this book.

This book is dedicated to anyone who has gone through periods of difficulty and doubt. Life goes on. This book is proof of it in more ways than one.

Chapter One

What's your version of an ordinary day? If you asked Thomas Danielson, it would be exactly a day like today. Yet, one need only explore a bit further into the mundane to discover life's true importance.

There couldn't be a more routine weekday evening for the semi-upscale restaurant, Gilded. Servers carry trays of meals, wine is poured into glasses, and patrons enjoy casual conversations as they consume their dinners. The head chef pan sears a piece of salmon while the sous chefs prepare various entrées. A bartender mixes cocktails and sets them atop the left side of the bar for the wait staff's retrieval.

Anna, a waitress with long brown hair and a smile that reveals her dimples, asks the entire kitchen staff broadly, Status on the shrimp salad for table thirteen?

A sous chef yells from behind a long silver row stacked with pots and pans, About thirty seconds.

Everyone seems to be playing a designated role but an overall air of uneventfulness stagnates throughout the room. There are large sections of the restaurant with unoccupied tables and the cocktail bar holds but a handful of patrons. A blank 'Todays Special' chalkboard hangs casually on a wall near the entrance.

The establishment's owner, Tom Danielson, walks through the dining room toward his office while politely greeting some of the patrons as he passes by their tables. He makes his way to the rear of the restaurant to locate the General Manager. Upon finding her he asks, How are we looking? Do we need to send a few home early?

Debra answers in a discreet tone while glancing around the restaurant, We're a bit light tonight. I'll tell Ryan and Christoff they can leave at eight.

Thanks Debbie, he replies.

Tom continues the walk into his office and grabs a pile of papers from a nearby shelf before taking a seat at his desk. On the upper-right corner of the desk is a picture of an attractive woman with curly-blonde hair and mesmerizing hazel eyes. Tom catches a glimpse of the picture while setting his papers down and he pauses briefly to admire the woman's radiant beauty. He quickly returns to the task at hand and spends the next few hours reading over documents before signing several sheets, placing them in a neat stack on his desk and exiting the office.

In the back of the kitchen is a large walk-in cooler where Debra is scanning racks of refrigerated produce. She's holding a clipboard in her hand, tallying figures, when she hears Tom's voice in the doorway.

Are we ready to review the numbers? he asks.

She drags her pen down the list in her hand to make a determination. There are only three more categories left. I should be set on inventory in just a minute and I'll join you.

Okay.

Tom departs as quickly as he entered and Debbie resumes her count. The restaurant is now clear of all guests and the tables are stripped of their linens. While walking back to his office he notices a single person remains in the otherwise empty room. With a broomstick in her hands, Anna sweeps underneath one of the computer terminals at the side of the dining room.

Tom breaks her focus with a question. Annabelle, my dear, how did we do today?

She places the broom against the wall and walks with him toward his office while they discuss the day's business. The Jenkins' and the Hatchford clan were wonderful as usual but Bob Wrexhall thought his wife's steak was 'burnt to a crisp'.

Tom smiles softly and nods knowingly.

Anna continues, I, of course, brought them a new one right away and added on their favorite dessert, peach cobbler a' la mode, on the house at the end.

Bring Mrs. W. anything sugar related and she'll be quick to forgive.

They find their way into Tom's office. He sits down at his desk and swivels his chair to face Anna.

Thanks for the updates on the floor, but when I asked how we did today, I meant 'How are you doing?' You mentioned Jimmy and the kids have been dealing with the bug that's been going around lately and you weren't feeling one hundred percent.

Ah, well, I'm fine. I was a little light headed earlier but I think it's because I didn't eat much for lunch. The guys snuck me a quick snack in between tables and I felt much better. If I think over the next few days that I'm actually coming down with something I'll let you know. The last thing I'd want to do is get any of the customers or staff sick.

This conversation is a classic example of Anna's personality. I ask her how she's doing and she downplays herself to focus on the concerns of others. She has to be one of the most genuine, sweetest persons you could possibly ever meet. The restaurant would be much worse off than it currently is if it weren't for her joining the team. After I hired her, it became blatantly obvious many of our regular customers return solely because of her gravitational personality. In fact, she was, in many ways, the glue holding the staff together. More importantly, to me and my wife, she had become a good friend.

Anna lowers her voice to keep her words from travelling outside the office. I will say though, some of the other waiters are becoming worried over the shorter shifts and lack of customers. I know you would never let anyone go unless it was a last resort but I also understand sometimes the math just doesn't add up.

Tom breathes in heavily. It's obvious the trends haven't been positive. I appreciate you bringing the concerns of the staff to my attention. They should focus on doing the best job they can and leave the worrying about everything else to Debra and myself. I'm actually meeting with her in a minute to discuss some of the specifics. I think we'll need to address some of these issues in our next staff meeting, just so everyone is on the same page.

Anna continues to wear a look of concern across her face.

Recognizing this, Tom adds, Anna, please don't worry about any of that. You have enough on your plate as is. Just make sure to let me know if you're not feeling well. I can't have the world's best waitress not at her best.

She smiles bashfully. I will.

Now go home to those three crazy monsters that are waiting for you. Oh, and tell Jimmy that Michelle and I expect to see him at next week's bowling match.

Will do. Have a good night, Tom. I'll see ya tomorrow.

Goodnight Anna.

As Anna exits the office Debra makes her way in.

I already know exactly how this meeting's going to play out. Debbie and I will review the numbers and we'll both internally realize the depth of the issue. We'll make an attempt to develop a solution to the problems but we'll end up in this exact same conversation next week. I've tried everything humanly possible to bring in and retain customers. Everything, not just in my life, but for many lives around me, depends on Gilded's success. Despair, hopelessness…the feelings inside me are growing stronger.

You ready, Tom?

Let's begin.

Chapter Two

Cold, winter wind whistles through a small crack at the top of Anna's drivers-side window. It's one of the many 'acceptable annoyances' that come with operating a rusty old car in a city like Buffalo, NY, whose endless winters show no mercy to machines and humans alike.

Anna drives slowly through a layer of winter snow that's recently melted into a gray slushy substance covering her entire apartment complex's parking lot. She scans for any vacancies, knowing full well the spots closest to her building fill up quickly and it can be next to impossible to find a place to park this late in the evening. Eventually, she finds an open space near one of the complex's large green trash receptacles. After parking the car, she grabs a bag full of groceries from the rear seat before walking to her building to climb the flight of stairs leading to Apartment 1023.

Fumbling through the key ring with her empty hand, she selects the correct one and inserts it into the lock. With a quick click, the deadbolt turns upright and grants her access inside. Before stepping in, she kicks her feet against a grey plastic welcome mat to scrape off any outside debris from her shoes.

Upon entering, she finds her husband in a living-room recliner watching ESPN sports highlights. He barely turns his head to acknowledge his wife's arrival before looking back at the TV.

Anna sets the bag of groceries on the kitchen counter, takes off her shoes, and begins to place items from the bag into the refrigerator. The apartment's open concept allows her to overlook the entire living room from the kitchen and she decides to begin a conversation while continuing her task. I got more milk 'cause I noticed we were low this morn…

Her husband interrupts, What took you so long to get home?

Anna takes a second to compose herself. Can you at least turn the TV down a little if you expect to hear me?

He rolls his eyes at the inconvenience and lowers the volume by two levels. She continues, Well, as I was saying, Jimmy, I stopped at the store on the way home to get more milk and some ice pops for Darryl's sore throat; it's one of the few things he'll eat when he's sick. They only had one register open so it took forever to get through the line.

The kids are asleep now. I'm sure they'll be into the pops tomorrow. I remembered to give Mia her ear medicine before she went to bed.

"Thanks