Chapter Sixty-Nine
Jamie placed the freshly baked biscuits into the bread warmer. “You doing okay over there, Walter?”
“Yeah, Robbie’s finishing up the gravy now,” Walter answered as he watched the young man stirring the large pan on the stove. “Ian is prepping with Dexter, and Timmy’s all ready to go.”
“Christine?” Jamie asked as he made his way back to the biscuit bench.
“Yep, everything is ready.” She pulled a sheet pan out of the oven, which held two freshly baked apple pies.
“Okay, I’ll check out front,” Jamie said as he wiped his hand on his apron.
Joesph was standing beside the cash register, a mug of coffee in his hand. He was adjusting the photo of Jamie’s grandparents. He looked at Jamie and smiled. “It’s almost time.” He nodded towards the front of the diner. “The parking lot is already full.”
Jamie looked around the dining room. He took in the wall with all the photos that Dexter had found. There were some with him with his grandparents, then some of his grandmother or grandfather with different customers, different celebrations. It really made the wall personal and special.
“Thank you for all your help.” He hugged his friend. “I’d never have been able to pull this off without you.”
“You’re welcome, and I thank you.” Joesph pulled away from his friend. “I’d been in a rut and didn’t even know it until I came to Columbus. I’m excited to be here.”
“And I’m glad that I’m going to have my best friend right up the street.”
“Jamie,” Florence said.
“Right,” Jamie turned towards the line of wait staff, all five of them. “Looking good, ladies,” Jamie said as he approached them. “How do you like the new uniforms?”
Minnie was beaming. “I love them,” she said as she smoothed her hand over the white apron with the ruffled, thin white lace trim.
Florence laughed. “I know you had nothing to do with them, so don’t even try to take credit.”
“Okay, I did have Joesph’s help, but I did pick most of it out.” Jamie huffed. “I am gay, ya know. I do have some taste.”
“That he did,” Joesph added, now standing beside Jamie. “However, I’m the one responsible for the lace aprons and lace hankies behind your name tags.”
“Ha!” Florence exclaimed, raising her hands heavenward. “I knew it.”
Jamie rolled his eyes. “I am the one who picked out the soft pink instead of that... bright pink. I never did like that color.”
“I like it too,” Hazel added. She looked over her shoulder. “I’ve never seen the parking lot full before we even opened.”
“I hope we’re ready,” Jamie said, also looking out of the windows. “You ladies ready?”
“I think we are. As ready as we can be,” Florence said, smiling.
“Okay, open up the door, Flo.”
“Oh no.” She took Jamie by the shoulders, turned him, and pushed him towards the door. “You open it.”
“But...” Jamie looked down at his dirty apron.
Hazel quickly stepped up beside Jamie. “Give me that.” She all but pulled the apron off Jamie. “Now open that door.” She gave him a little shove toward the glass door. “It’s your big day.”
Jamie looked over his shoulder. He could see the kitchen staff staring out from the new, large opening from the dining room to the kitchen. They were all smiling. Walter gave him a thumbs-up.
“Okay then, here goes nothing.” Jamie flipped the hanging sign on the door from closed to open and unlocked the door. He opened it and hesitated before stepping out onto the sidewalk that ran the length of the diner. He waved.
Car doors opened and closed, and there was excited chatter as people started to line up close to the door. “Welcome, everyone,” Jamie said, before standing beside the open door. “Come on in.”
Jamie shook hands, acknowledging people he didn’t really know all that well, and speaking to those he did. One of the people was Mr. Hanson and his great-granddaughter. “Good morning, Jamie.” He held out his hand. “Glad to see you back open. I hope that chicken-fried steak is still on the menu.”
“It sure is, Mr. Hanson. The menu has changed somewhat, but I’d never take that off. There’s plenty of biscuits and gravy, too.”
“Excellent.” Mr. Hanson patted Jamie on the shoulder as he walked through the door.
“Hi, Jamie,” Terry Hanson said, then stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “I hear there are congratulations in order.” She giggled a little as she followed her great-grandfather inside.
The next in line was his high school best friend, Sarah, and her family. “It’s so exciting, isn’t it, Jamie. I’m so glad you’re back in Columbus.” She gave him a peck on the cheek and a slight hug.
“How ya doin’ there, Jamie?” Jeff said as he pumped his arm.
“Good, Jeff, you?”
“Just happy to be here,” Jeff answered and then looked over his shoulder. “I guess I’m not the only one.”
Jamie looked down the long line of people waiting. “I didn’t think there’d be so many people here for lunch,” Jamie said, his eyebrows lifted.
“You are going to have a full house for sure,” Jeff chuckled as he followed his wife and children inside.
“Jamie?” Florence tapped him on the shoulder. “I’ve only got room for a party of four. We’re full up.”
Jamie shook his head. He looked at the next couple in line. “How many in your party?”
“We got three of us,” the man said. “My wife and boy.”
“Flo here will show you to your table.” Once they had gone inside, he turned to those in line. “Sorry, folks, but we’re full up for right now. If you want to wait thirty to forty-five minutes, then we can get you seated, or you can come back a little later.”
There was a soft murmur; a few people left the line, but most of them stayed. “Ya gotta wait list?” A man from the middle part of the line asked.
“Yeah, hold on a minute.” Jamie rushed inside and towards the cash register. “Is there a notepad somewhere?” he asked Hazel as she rushed past.
“Hun, I have no idea.” She hurried through to the kitchen.
“Damn,” Jamie muttered, then followed Hazel into the kitchen. He went to the office where he knew there was a pad and a pen. He returned outside and started a wait list for the diner. As far as he knew, there had never been a wait list.
“Jamie, you’re needed in the kitchen,” Joesph whispered in his ear. “I’ll take over here. Who’s next?” he asked.
Jamie went into the kitchen, where Florence was filling a breadbasket with biscuits and corn bread. We need more biscuits, and we’ll need corn bread too, but biscuits first.” She rushed out to the dining room.
“How’s it going, Walter?” Jamie asked quickly, pulling on a fresh apron.
“We’re all going as fast as we can.” He glanced up. “Glad to have the extra hands, I’ll tell ya.”
Jamie got busy making more biscuits, preparing a double batch, considering how full the dining room was, and more outside, waiting. He looked towards the back wall, seeing Christine madly making up a dough. “How are you?” he asked Christine.
She peered up. “I’m making more apple pies. I thought I’d have enough, but they are already selling like hotcakes. If I don’t do more now, there won’t be any for dinner.”
“Wow. Okay. Let me know if you need any help. I can come over after I get these biscuits and a batch of corn bread made.”
“I will need some help, if that works.” She rushed her dough into the walk-in. “I’m going to need help with the apples. I just hope I have enough.”
Mike, who had been helping Salzy in the dish pit, called over. “I can do a run to the store if you need me to.”
“Thanks, Mike,” Christine answered. “I may have to take you up on that.”
They all got through the initial rush, which lasted well past the traditional lunch hour.
Florence came into the kitchen holding a glass of water.
“Whew, that was unbelievable,” she said as she leaned against the bread warmer.
“I think that was busier than the last time. Jamie, those new cabinets out there are a lifesaver, and having the cash register out of the way makes such a difference. Oh, and the drink station out there, too.”
“Good. Glad it worked out. That was the plan after all.” He looked around the kitchen. Everyone seemed to be deflating a little after such a rush. “How you doing over there, Walter?”
“Yeah, good. I think we’ll still need to prep some more before dinner, but all in all, it worked out well.” Walter took off his ball cap and wiped his forehead. “I got everything ready for you to do the shrimp and grits. I’ve got the recipe, but I’d like to see you do it once before I try.”
Christine was still busy. It looked like she was making a cake.
Mike opened the back door, his hands full of grocery shopping bags. “Where do you want these?” he asked Christine.
“Just set them down on the end of the bench, if you don’t mind.” She looked up, smiled, then said, “Thank you, Mike. You’re a lifesaver.”
Once he had freed his hands of the bags, he came over to Jamie. “Wow, that was... intense.”
“Yeah, it was.” Jamie looked out towards the dining room. The two new waitresses were refilling drinks, while Hazel was taking an order. Minnie stood at the cash register. He could see that the dining room was still half full.
“Do you think you’ll always be this busy?”
“To be honest, I don’t know.” Jamie looked up at his now fiancé. “I guess we’ll find out.”
“Would you mind if I went up and had a shower before dinner?” Mike asked.
“Of course not. I feel like I need one, but there is no sense in doing it now.” He went and checked the bread warmer and sighed. “I’m going to have to make more biscuits.”
Mike stopped him just before he went into the walk-in and kissed him. “You’re amazing, you know that?”