DAY SHIFTERS
ADDISON
I finished getting dressed and marveled at the sunlight streaming in through my window. I always worked nights, closing the restaurant until some ungodly hour. But since there were multiple corporate events booked in the afternoons, I’d gotten a schedule change for the week. It was surprising how that little adjustment excited me.
Pulling open my bedroom door, I stifled the sound I wanted to make at seeing my mother sitting at the table, drinking her coffee. But when I noticed my sister next to her, my mood changed completely.
“Sarina, I work afternoons all week,” I practically shouted.
Her face lit up with my news. I had known she’d be excited.
“Yes! That means you can come out with me. And I mean, starting tonight.” She waggled her eyebrows at me, and I laughed.
“Yep,” I said, popping the P for emphasis.
My mother finally looked up and acknowledged my existence. She probably wasn’t used to seeing me in the daylight.
“The two of you are going to go out together? To a VIP event? Please tell me you’ll lend your sister some clothes and do her makeup at the very least,” my mother said to Sarina before giving me a once-over.
“I think we all know I can’t fit in Sarina’s clothes.” I wasn’t trying to be a bitch, but Sarina was at least two sizes smaller than I was.
While I ate actual food, I thought my sister existed mostly on air.
“Addison, these events are very important. Your sister always comes home with a new client. And usually a date or two. Oh!”
I watched as my mother’s wheels started spinning inside of her head and knew right away what was coming next.
She reached across the table and grabbed Sarina’s arm. “Maybe you can find someone to set your sister up with. A rich New York guy is just what she needs to change her sour attitude.”
“I don’t need a man to be happy,” I bit back.
“I’m just saying, it would be nice if you could forget that O’Grady boy once and for all. How are you supposed to do that if you never meet anyone new?”
“I’ve met plenty of new people,” I argued because I had. At culinary school. During my externship. At the restaurant.
“Mother”—Sarina gave her a stern look—“I’ve got it covered.”
I hoped my sister was joking, but I had no clue if she was or not. Even after the wink she gave me, I still wasn’t sure.
“All right, well, I’m going to work, and I’ll be back later.”
“I’ll start planning,” Sarina said, and I shook my head as I headed out the door.
The afternoon shift at the restaurant was far less chaotic than the evening one. Tack on the fact that the whole place was shut down for a corporate event, and it was another beast altogether. Albeit a much easier one.
When the party ended and we finally got them to settle the tab and get the hell out, I went to work on cleaning up. Since the evening shift was already here, I had very little to do. It was weird. I’d gotten so used to deep-cleaning the equipment each night that just walking away from it was uncomfortable.
“Go. Your shift’s over, Chef.” Marco gave me a little push. “Don’t forget your food.” He gave me a wink, and I smiled.
“I wouldn’t dare, Chef,” I said.
I walked into the break room to grab my things and head out, clutching the bag that held some fresh pesto pasta in my fist.
My mother’s home constantly lacked in the actual food department. I’d learned pretty quickly that my cooking, regardless of what I made, went to waste. Neither my mom nor my sister ate properly. They were too worried about their figures to indulge in anything that wasn’t liquid-based. So, I tended to eat at work, or sometimes, I brought meals home with me, like tonight.
Stepping into the setting sun, I squinted before shielding my eyes with my hand. I could walk, but it was cold, so I opted for the train instead. The ride took longer than usual because of an outage somewhere on some line that I knew nothing about.
You’d think that I’d have the city memorized by now, but I didn’t. It was confusing. Too many colors and numbers. I was thankful for the app on my phone, even though I barely understood that thing either.
Maybe I was directionally challenged. Or maybe my brain deemed the information not important enough to store. Whatever it was, when the train reached my stop, I hopped off and walked up the concrete stairs and onto the bustling sidewalk.
There were always so many people around, and a part of me wished I could love it the way I’d thought I was going to before I got here. I honestly used to believe I was an adventurous person at heart. Thinking about that now made me laugh. The truth was, I was more of a homebody who craved routine and simplicity.
I didn’t need some of the things that other people did to feel alive and fulfilled. I’d left the things I needed back in Sugar Mountain, but I refused to dwell on that fact tonight. No, tonight, I was going out with my sister and experiencing the world that she lived in.
Even if I hated every second of it, I’d hide my emotions because Sarina was so excited, and honestly, it would be fun to see her in her element. I truly had no idea what that looked like. Of course, I’d seen her social media posts and videos, but I was pretty sure nothing compared to being there in person.
When I walked through the front door of my mother’s condo, I was relieved she wasn’t anywhere to be found. Flipping on a few lights, I set my food down on the kitchen counter and focused on plating it. Even at home, I liked my meals to be presentable and pretty.
No sooner had I built a beautiful pasta dish, with fresh Parmesan and basil on top, than the door swung open and my mother and sister both appeared.
“Yay! I wasn’t sure when you’d be home,” Sarina said with a smile before she came over and sniffed my food. “Smells amazing.”
“Want some?” I offered, knowing she would never partake in the amount of carbs and fat currently on my plate.
“No, thank you. I already ate,” she said, but I knew that she hadn’t.
“Do you want to try some, Mother?” I asked, assuming her answer would be the same as my sister’s.
She waved me off. “Oh, no. I couldn’t. I don’t know how you eat like that and still manage to look the way you do.”
I pursed my lips together and forewent even giving her a response. There was no point, so I took a giant fork-filled bite instead and practically moaned when the flavors hit my tongue.
“Good?” Sarina asked.
“So good.” I grinned.
“We should start getting ready in a couple of hours, okay? The car will pick us up at eight.”
Eight seemed so early, especially by Manhattan standards.
As if reading my mind, Sarina said, “I know it’s early, but this is also a fundraiser, so it starts at a more ‘normal’ time.” She used air quotes around the word normal . “A lot of paparazzi and press will be there.”
“Okay,” I breathed out, not expecting that last tidbit of information.
“I picked up some outfits for you.” Sarina gave me a lopsided grin, and I felt the shock zip through me.
“Oh. Just let me know what I owe you,” I said through my surprise.
She waved me off. “They were all comped. Perk of the job. I’ll take back whichever ones you don’t choose.”
“Dang. You do get some nice perks.” I smiled, letting her know that I appreciated her thoughtfulness.
“You will let Sarina do your hair and makeup, yes?” My mother appeared in front of me as she poured herself a massive glass of wine.
“Of course,” I answered because it wasn’t worth arguing over.
And besides, my sister had a knack for that kind of thing, and I most certainly did not. Plus, I didn’t want to embarrass myself or Sarina. Her peers were one thing, but the freaking press was another.
“I’m going to lie down for a bit. Come to my room once you’re ready for me to work my magic.”
She clapped her hands together, and my mind instantly flew back to Sugar Mountain and to Patrick’s adorable niece, Clarabel. She always clapped whenever she was excited, which was a lot and often. It had been so long since I’d seen her. I wondered if she even remembered me anymore. Probably not.
I bet she’s so big now.
My heart pinched at the thought.
“Be agreeable, Addison.”
My mother’s voice snapped me right back into the present.
“What? How am I not being agreeable? I said she could do my hair and makeup and dress me.” I was so confused.
“For the whole night. Not just before the event begins. Go along with whatever she suggests. Your sister knows what she’s doing. And you, my dear, do not.”
With that statement, my mother grabbed her glass of wine and the bottle before disappearing down the long hallway and into her bedroom.
I cleaned up the kitchen, threw my containers in the trash, and headed into my room. Part of me wanted to take a quick nap, too, but I knew it would only leave me feeling more tired instead of refreshed. So, I opted for a hot shower.
I took my time, standing under the hot stream of water as it spilled down my neck and back. It was in calm moments like this when I realized how sore my body truly was. Standing on your feet all day while your adrenaline soared during the busy hours was exhausting. But I rarely took the time to acknowledge it before I was doing it all over again. Being a chef was an endless cycle of chaos.
Once I was done, I wrapped myself in a plush robe and blew my hair dry. I tried not to think about how overwhelming tonight might be and convinced myself that I was going to have the best time. If not for me, then for Sarina. She deserved nothing less. My sister was definitely the bright spot of my moving here.
I was going to miss her the most if I ever left.