Chapter 6: Anger

Chapter 6 : Anger

Brielle's throat turned dry as she looked at Jack. He was staring at her, his flawlessly handsome face registering a look of amusement. Not easily amused, huh?

"My name is Brielle, and I shall be your server tonight." she said with a smile. She tried not to look at any of the three men at the table. She knew of she did, she would be distracted enough to make a mistake.

Yet, as the men deliberated on their orders, she couldn't help sneaking a peek. 

They were each handsome in their own way, the guy on the left was tanned perfectly and wore a gorgeous stubble, the other man beside him was blonde haired and grey-eyed, exceedingly good-looking with the pair of glasses at the bridge of his nose. 

But Jack Dixon was by far the hottest. She couldn't ignore the taut muscles under the tight suit he wore. his chiseled body and the sexy voice. Brielle was having a difficult time keeping a straight face.

"I'll have a vegetable soup and a croissant please." said the man with the spectacles, without even looking up from his notes.

"Brielle is such a lovely name. Perfect for the beautiful girl that you are."  said the dark-haired man on the left. Brielle blushed a deep red at the compliment. He spoke with a sexy accent, that made Brielle want to swoon. "I'm half Portuguese, I'll have the Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato, a Portuguese dish."

 As Brielle noted the item down, Jack Dixon cleared his throat loudly, casting him a dirty look.

"Raul do not flirt with my employees." he said impatiently. 

Raul grinned merrily, unperturbed. "Whatever you say Boss."

"I'll have the chicken lasagna." said Jack looking at Brielle so coldly she stopped blushing.

"Would you like some drinks. I would suggest the red wine---" began Brielle enthusiastically but was cut off by Jack.

"We don't drink at work." said Jack gruffly waving her away. "Thank you."

Brielle stopped mid-sentence, her mouth agape like a fish before she snapped it shut and cast him a withering look. Jack grunted dismissively, turning back to the set of documents in front of him.

"I'll have your orders ready in fifteen minutes." said Brielle quietly her smile faltering. Why was Jack like this? Surely it wouldn't kill him to be a little nicer. She squared her shoulders and just as she was about to leave, she cast the three men a look of contempt. She wasn't going to let him ruin her day.

Brielle returned to the kitchen and headed straight to the counter. After submitting the notes to the chefs, she realized she had forgotten to serve water to the guests. She quickly filled the tray with full glasses and hurried to get them to the customers.

Just as she was walking towards the tables, tiny hands grabbed her legs and pulled them backwards. Brielle stumbled, trying hard not to drop the expensive glasses on the tray she was carrying. She sighed with relief when her hurt ankle held on and didn't send her falling to the floor.

She looked down to see the source of this chaos and her eyes landed on a small boy. He looked up at her with big brown eyes and a wobbling chin. She recognized him as the son of the rather rude woman on the first table. She'd been there all of ten minutes but had already commented on the decor, the color of the candlesticks, the delay in getting her order and the fact that her server wasn't the manager herself.

Brielle didn't want to be presumptuous, but the woman seemed to be someone who was rarely happy with anything. She sighed; how did it matter anyway. She just wanted to finish her job and go home.

The tiny hands yanked at her stockings, so much so Brielle was forced to come down on her knees and lower the tray to the carpet. She knelt by the small boy and saw fresh tears streaming down his face.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly, caressing away the tears on his cheeks. He was choking back sobs and had flushed a deep red. Brielle wanted to hug him.

"Mom said she'd put my sister and me up for adoption." he cried. "She's remarrying, and doesn't want us anymore. We have to run away, while she's still at the washroom!" 

Brielle was horrified. How could someone break such a news to a child? The woman was heartless! He must have been only three years old. Brielle picked him up into her arms, tray forgotten and kissed his forehead. 

"No one can send you away love." she said hugging him tight. "Don't cry. I'm sure your Mom didn't mean it."

"You don't know what she's like." he sobbed. Brielle had a good mind to go and tell the woman what she thought of her. She wondered if she should call child protection services. She would have to speak to her manager first. Before the thought could fully form in her head someone interrupted them.

"There you are!" called a little girl as she rushed up to Brielle and the boy. She must have been about seven years old. "Max you shouldn't run off like that." she scolded.

"Melly!" he said happily jumping down from Brielle's arms and hugging her, completely unperturbed that he'd been given a reprimand.

"Thank you for taking care of my brother." said Melly curtsying. Brielle had never seen anything so cute. "Can I use your phone please?"

Brielle nodded in surprise and handed Melly the phone. She must have been about five years old, but Brielle saw how deftly she dialed a number from memory.

"Dad?" she spoke quietly. "Mom's putting us up for adoption."

The line went silent for a while then a voice asked, "Where are you? Whose phone is this?"

Melly handed Brielle the phone. "Nice lady? Please talk to Dad."

"Hello?" Brielle said oblivious to the fact that the other customers were fuming at the lack of service. "Sir, your children are at the Renwoft Palace's restaurant. I'm a waitress here."

"I will be there in ten minutes. Keep my children safely with you. Do not let my ex-wife take them away." he said in a stern voice before pleading. "Please."

"Yes, Sir." said Brielle as she disconnected the call. "Max and Melly would you like to sit at the table? Your father will be here in ten minutes."

"No." said Melly firmly as Max nodded. "We have to hide from her. She went to the bathroom, and we have to disappear before she sees us!"

Brielle thought quickly. The woman, could she really do this to her own children? She spotted the woman with expensive pearl jewelry come out from the Ladie's room. They didn't have much time before she noticed the kids were not at the table.

"Quick, come inside the kitchen." She spoke. Brielle smuggled them into the pantry and asked them to wait.

"If you want to come out, feel free okay. She won't do anything with so many people around." said Brielle, trying to sound reassuring as she left to serve the guests.

"Thanks Brielle." said Melly helping herself to a chocolate pastry. 

Brielle nodded as she returned to the hallways, ready to face their red-faced irate mother as well as the irritated waiting customers. She sighed. It looked like her new job was already on the line.

She was going to get fired on her first day. But it wasn't as though she had a choice. The children were scared of the woman, and if she could help them, it was worth it. She convinced herself she could find another job. She turned on her heel to face the room and walked out carrying trays full of food, plastering a smile on her face.

She barely made it out when someone blocked her path with an angry shriek.

"You bitch!" yelled the woman wearing the pearl necklace, striding up to Brielle and yanking her name-card out from her shirt. "Where have you taken my kids?"