Chapter Six
As she strolled along Savannah’s famed Riverfront, several restaurants with HELP WANTED signs in their windows caught her eye.
Charlotte considered stopping in, but without any waitressing experience, she assumed she’d have to keep looking.
Still, it couldn’t hurt to try. Plus, this was her reason for waking up early. She needed a job.
Taking a deep breath, she walked into the first restaurant. The delicious aroma of baked bread enveloped her. After chatting with the manager and filling out an application, she left feeling optimistic. At the next restaurant, she went through the same routine.
To her surprise, after reviewing her application, the manager at the third restaurant—Teddy’s Seafood House—said, “You worked at Photo Mart all through high school. Looks like you’re a hard worker.
Can you start tomorrow at ten-thirty? We don’t start serving until noon, but there’s a bit of prep work our waitresses take care of.
The girls will show you the ropes tomorrow; then you’re on your own if you want the job. ”
Charlotte could hardly contain her excitement. “Thank you. I’ll be here tomorrow.” Then she asked, “Is there a uniform?” She knew many restaurants had dress codes.
“Just wear what makes you comfortable—nothing too flashy, though.” He smiled. “See you tomorrow morning.”
“I’ll be here,” she said, excitement in her voice.
As Charlotte strolled along the Riverfront, her eyes were drawn to the charming brick stores that lined the historic waterfront. She paused in front of one building, its walls marked with what might’ve been bullet holes from the Civil War.
The scent of freshly made pralines wafted out of a nearby shop aptly named The Sweet Tooth.
Curiosity pulled her inside, where she was greeted by shelves overflowing with colorful candies and treats she had never seen before.
On the other side of the store, three men were hard at work crafting caramel apples and traditional Georgia pralines.
Charlotte couldn’t resist trying a few samples, then continued to explore the unique shops along the Riverfront for the rest of her day.
Charlotte awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and excited for her first day of work. She took extra care getting ready, making sure her jeans and blouse were neatly pressed. As she walked to the restaurant, the warm summer breeze lifted her spirits even higher.
Upon arriving, Charlotte was greeted by Jacob, the friendly manager who’d offered her the job.
He showed her around the dining room and kitchen.
The head waitress, Beth, took Charlotte under her wing, going over the menu and computer system.
“It looks complicated, but you’ll get the hang of it,” Beth reassured her.
The lunch rush soon arrived, and the restaurant bustled with customers.
Charlotte did her best to keep up as orders came flooding in.
She stumbled a bit at first but quickly found her groove.
The customers were patient and tipped her well.
By the end of the day, Charlotte’s feet ached, but she felt a great sense of accomplishment.
She had made it through her first shift!
Jacob told her she did an excellent job and welcomed her back tomorrow.
On her walk back to the boardinghouse that evening, Charlotte stopped to watch the sunset over the Savannah River. The glowing orange and pink hues filled her with contentment. She was proud of herself for taking this leap into independence.
Charlotte settled into her new life at the boardinghouse.
Every moment spent with her new friends, every laugh and shared experience, brought a sense of comfort and belonging that she had never felt back home.
But there was always a lingering reminder of Rhonda, her one true friend from before.
Rhonda had visited just before the start of the semester, thanks to Lynette’s easy approval of her stay.
It was a blessing to see her, not just to ease Charlotte’s transition to college, but because it was the last time Charlotte would see her friend healthy.
Rhonda had been recently diagnosed with a rare blood disease, and would die less than a year later.
Charlotte couldn’t help but wonder if Lynette was so kind to her because she knew the true extent of Rhonda’s illness through the Bakers.
Despite being underage, Charlotte still found ways to enjoy the vibrant nightlife in Savannah with her housemates.
They explored the late-night shops and caught a live performance at the local theater on their rare days off.
As they watched Death of a Salesman with bated breath, Charlotte couldn’t contain her excitement and clapped so hard her hands turned red.
She made a promise to herself to soak up as much culture as possible during her time here, even if it wasn’t Broadway-caliber.
For Charlotte, this was where she truly felt alive and free.