Chapter 26
It had been nonstop action for several days while Gina and Kim had worked for the catering company and hosted the funeral directors’ meeting. Now they were getting calls almost nonstop.
“I needed to talk to you before your crazy day got started. I just read in the morning paper that Ralph, Angie’s Ralph, was shot at City Hall and was hospitalized.
That’s why she didn’t call us back. She called me when she got home at about three this morning.
She’s fine but exhausted. She couldn’t tell me anything when we spoke because this is being investigated, but the paper leaked the story. ”
“Holy shit, poor Aunt Angie. She sure doesn’t need this kind of chaos after all she’s been through. I’ll call her after I get up and have some coffee. Thanks for letting me know, Mom. I’ll call you tonight. Love you.”
“Love you too, honey. Be safe.”
Gina got ready for her day, had several cups of coffee, and then called her aunt. She was energized and ready to get prepared for her two gigs that day.
“Good morning, Aunt Angie. First, how are you and how’s Ralph? My mom said he got shot. It’s in the morning paper.”
“So much for not saying anything to anyone. The Chicago detectives said this case was under investigation.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I was working at City Hall on the fourth floor when this all went down; I had no idea.
Ralph’s on the mend. Don’t know about the policeman, but it was really terrifying.
It happened after I told him to go to hell.
Feeling pretty guilty right now. Thank God he’s okay.
Bumpy night for me.” Angie shared all the details.
“Thank goodness you weren’t standing next to him, or they would have shot you too. Sorry to hear about the cop—the newspaper left that part out of the story. Do you have any idea who might have done it?”
“If I was a betting woman, I’d put my money on Mario or one of his thug friends, but honestly I don’t have a clue. I just feel so guilty. If he hadn’t come to try and talk to me, he wouldn’t have gotten shot.”
“It’s not your fault. How could you possibly have known someone was going to shoot him? Don’t beat yourself up. And maybe I can help cheer you up. Are you ready for some great news?” Gina asked.
“I’m more than ready for good news. Tell me, tell me.”
“You have your first official customers who want jars of your pesto; those bites were a huge hit at the funeral directors’ meeting.
Ben is finding me a kitchen and some storage space through his sister.
We have two gigs today and we could really use your help, if you’re up to it.
It sounds like you may need some downtime, though, so don’t think twice about saying no. ”
“Thanks, honey, but I need to take my mind off things and what better way than to come over and work with you and Kim. After all, it’s my business too. I’ll get ready and I can be there in about an hour. You need anything?”
“No, just some more of your pesto and a few new appetizer ideas, so put on your thinking cap on your way over. Take it easy, okay?”
“I will. I have lots of ideas, honey, and if you can have Kim pick up some mason jars and lids, we can make a huge batch and get those delivered to our new customers, strike when the iron is hot.”
“I’ll text her now; she’s out shopping. See you soon,” Gina said.
Gina cleared all the counter space in her kitchen and took the food processor out so it would be ready when Kim and Angie arrived.
She perused the Scratch? My Ass! cookbook and flagged a few more easy recipes that could be cheap finger foods.
She chuckled at the names of the items: Triscuit appetizers that consisted of Triscuits, hamburger dill pickles, and American cheese, assembled and warmed in the oven until the cheese melted.
Even Thad could make these and I bet they taste good.
There was a simple quiche recipe with five ingredients and they could bake them in small muffin pans.
When she got to the desserts, she found a recipe for dump cake, where you literally dumped the six ingredients into a baking pan, stirred, and baked.
We’ll come up with a fancy name for this and cut it into finger-sized bites.
Gina was tagging each recipe so she could review them with her pit crew when her cell phone rang. She looked at caller ID; it was her boss at Panera. She gulped and then answered. “Hello.”
“Gina, you were supposed to be at work early this morning. What happened? I thought I could count on you, of all the employees, to show up on time,” her boss said.
Acid started to make its way up to her throat. “I’m so sorry. I’ve been preoccupied.”
“Well, you’ve never done this before, so why don’t you come in now and work late?” he asked.
When Gina paused to think about going to work that day, her stomach dropped. I shouldn’t quit until our business is off the ground, but I just can’t go back in there. Plus, we have all these gigs today, so even if I wanted to, I just can’t.
After a minute, she told her boss, “Thank you for the second chance, but I think it’s best that I quit now. I’m starting a catering company, and it’s taking off. I’ll swing by later today and drop off my apron and keys.”
“I just quit my job, so this business better succeed,” Gina mumbled to herself as Kim was walking in the door.
Kim looked over at her. “You talking to yourself again? Help me with the groceries and tell me what’s going on.”
Gina and Kim finished unpacking all the groceries and Angie came in. “I’m here to help.”
“Yeah, our mastermind partner is here,” Gina said. “We really need to make this business work because I just quit my job. I completely spaced that I was supposed to work this morning. My boss was going to give me a second chance, but I said no.”
“They don’t deserve a smart entrepreneur working there anyway,” Angie said.
Gina walked over to Angie and threw her arms around her. “How are you doing? You’ve been through a lot with the shooting.”
“Gina told me all about it. Are you going to be okay? How scary,” Kim said.
“I’m better than I was yesterday at this time, just grateful Ralph is okay.
Thanks for asking. Let’s get our aprons on and get this show on the road.
” Angie put on her apron and started making the pesto, and Kim made a batch of the almond cookies.
Gina reviewed the menus for the wake that afternoon and the menu for Louie’s friend’s granddaughter’s First Communion.
The three women worked over the course of two hours, listening to the Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga duet album, packing each big bin with the food.
After Angie prepared ten jars of pesto sauce and three huge batches for the bites, she removed her apron and washed her hands.
She looked over the new recipes that Gina had tagged from Mindy’s Scratch cookbook, saying, “I think they’re all winners.
Why don’t you test drive them and see if they’re as easy and tasty as they sound.
If they pass the test, then let’s add them to the menu options, with new names, of course.
You’re both doing a great job, and keeping an eye on low-cost, delicious items is key to putting more money in your pocket. ”
“Good idea. Where you off to?” Gina asked. “I thought you didn’t start working until three? It’s only noon.”
“I have one stop on my way to work; I’m bringing Ralph lunch at his apartment. I’ll be back tomorrow bright and early.”
“Ralph’s apartment in the Gold Coast?” Gina asked.
“That’s the one. It’s quite fancy. I was there waiting with Eunice until Ralph got transferred out of the recovery room. How many events do you have tomorrow?” Angie asked.
“Just one, another funeral at Rago’s,” Kim chimed in.
Angie went to put the pesto sauce in the fridge, but there was no room. “What’s with all this potato salad? It looks delicious.”
“My mom went for it and we only needed a big bowl for today’s Communion party. Can you take one to work? I bet the cleaning staff and guards would love it,” Gina said.
“Sure, everyone loves free homemade food. I’ll take the smaller one. Listen, the pesto sauce doesn’t have to be refrigerated until it’s open, so I’ll leave the jars on the living room table.” Angie pulled out the potato salad from the fridge, put it in her shopping bag, and walked toward the door.
“I’ll let you out, Aunt Angie.” Gina walked her to the door and opened it.
“The potato salad isn’t completely homemade.
My mom bought it from Jewel—it was on sale.
l doctored it up, took a cue from the Scratch cookbook.
I tasted it. Not bad for store-bought and it saved us a lot of time. ” Gina kissed her aunt on the cheek.
Angie left laughing. “I love your mom. I’ll see you both tomorrow; good luck at your events today. Knock ’em dead.”
Gina and Kim both laughed and continued prepping and packing for their events. Just as Kim was ready to leave for the Communion party, she turned to Gina. “Do you really think I should serve this potato salad? What if someone notices it’s from Jewel?”
“Just smile and say, ‘Thanks, that’s a compliment.’ Do not confirm or deny,” Gina said.
“Got it. Can you help me put all this in my car?”
Gina sent Kim off to the event, and as she was walking back in, she saw Ben parking his car.
“Hey, Ben, thanks for coming by and helping me with this wake. The funeral home is near Rago’s, but he couldn’t help them ’cause he’s booked.”
“You got it. I spoke with my sister and she said there’s a place that would appreciate you renting some of their space and we can see it this afternoon. Maybe we can go after the wake.”
“Absolutely, we need space—like now.”
Ben and Gina packed the car and headed over to the wake.
“Shit, I forgot to stop by my old job. I have to give them their stupid apron and the keys. I quit today,” she said to Ben. “Can we swing by there real quick?”
Ben drove and stopped at Panera, where Gina ran in and came out in five minutes.
“How did it go?” Ben asked.