“All right, off you go. And make sure everything is in order. Clean the dishes thoroughly so they squeak when I touch them,” Andrew concluded with a stern look.
Emma nodded and hurried toward the entrance door. At that moment, she awkwardly stumbled on a step, causing the sole of her boot to skid on the surface.
I was the first to react, supporting Emma at the most dangerous moment.
“Oh, thank you. I’m sorry for being so clumsy,” she began to apologize.
“Don’t apologize, Emma. It’s not your fault. But perhaps Andrew should finally get to work and sprinkle some salt on the pathways,” I remarked, emphasizing the last word.
After that, I took Emma’s hand to help her ascend the slippery steps.
Despite not wearing gloves, her palm felt very warm to the businessman. But then something very strange happened.
Emma suddenly let out a loud gasp and jerked her tiny hand away.
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” I asked with concern.
Emma guiltily lowered her gaze, clutching her hand into a fist. She looked frightened, not like herself at all.
“I’m sorry. Please, it’s not your fault at all. It must have been my imagination. Sorry again,” Emma forced out, fear freezing in her eyes.
A fear I could feel in my skin.
But what was it about? What did I do wrong? Did I squeeze her hand too hard? No, it didn’t seem like it.
Shaking my head in bewilderment, I hurried after Emma. I caught up with her in the hall, where I quietly called out to avoid attracting the attention of others.
“Emma, what happened? Why did you react so strangely?”
She froze and looked at me with strange pity.
“I’m sorry. It’s all because of my visions.”
“Visions?” I exclaimed in confusion.
Emma paled.
“Well, the ones that come true, you know. Like premonitions, but real. They started back in school when I got a concussion during a PE class. We were climbing a rope, and I fell. The height wasn’t much, but that’s when it all began.”
I frowned.
“And what did you, may I ask, see in these visions?”
Tears suddenly filled Emma’s eyes.
“It’s a car accident.”
“What color is your car?”
“Dark green.”
“When I touched your hand, I immediately understood that car will be involved in a terrible accident. But it won’t be your fault. It will be someone very close to you. I saw it the moment I touched your hand. It struck me like lightning.”
I looked at my colleague with irony. I didn’t believe in any prophecies, of course. In my understanding, it was sheer nonsense, and all these fortune tellers and seers were just charlatans.
There was that one madam who predicted a long and thorny path to success for me back in my student years. And so what? The path did await, of course, but it required a great deal of hard work, and those predictions had nothing to do with it.
Emma looked at her boss with concern, realizing he didn’t believe a word she said.
“Excuse me, Mr. Williams, but I heard you. Refrain from driving for the near future,” she said.
I just smiled.
“Oh, don’t worry, Emma. I’ve been driving for over ten years, and I’ve had no issues with it. Besides, I never exceed the speed limit, so there’s no need for unnecessary concern. An accident is definitely not in my cards.”
Emma nodded in agreement, looking at me as if I were already doomed.
“All right, then. Get back to work and don’t dwell on the negative. By the way, how are your little ones? If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll help however I can,” I said as I headed to my office.
“Thank you. Everything’s fine, Mr. Williams. I just need your permission for something,” Emma cautiously asked.
“Permission? Of course. Go ahead. What do you need?” I replied.
The dishwasher hesitated for a moment, as if gathering her strength, then said, “I want to ask for your permission to take home the dishes that customers rejected. Just one or two. I’ll pay for everything. Can it be deducted from my salary?”
I smiled.
“Yes, of course. What’s the matter? And no payment is necessary. They’re going to be disposed of anyway. Besides, it seems both you and the kids will benefit. Take as many as you want.”
Joyful sparks danced in her eyes. This was real luck.
Meanwhile, I went about my usual business, talking on the phone with the restaurant manager, approving menus, and preparing for the inspection, ensuring everything ran smoothly.
Yet from time to time, I remembered Emma’s words, which had struck a chord with me.
Can you believe it? A kitchen worker with fortune-telling abilities? That’s a first for me.
But soon, thoughts of a possible road accident faded away, making room for meetings with new suppliers, tasting new dishes, and discussing current restaurant matters with the administrator.
Maintaining an atmosphere of trust and cooperation, I gently resolved disputes, using the stick far less often than the carrot.
Time passed unnoticed, crossing the three-hour mark. The fury of the storm still raged, but its morning impact had diminished. The city’s utilities surprisingly quickly took control of the situation and cleared most of the vital roads.
Although there was still an hour and a half left in the workday, I decided to leave early today.
An interesting plan had matured in my mind regarding how I could fill this February evening with an aura of love and romance. I decided to pamper my spouse with a gorgeous bouquet of roses, a bottle of wine, and something delicious from my own restaurant kitchen.
While the last two items didn’t take him much time, searching for flowers in the snow-covered city turned into a real quest. To my immense dismay, most of the flower pavilions were closed. Most likely, the owners of the stalls had decided that there would be hardly anyone interested in buying flowers on such a day.
And just when I was almost losing hope, I noticed that one of the shops at the street corner was still open.
With a joyous heart, I parked my car by the roadside and stepped inside. The pavilion smelled pleasantly of roses, tulips, and freshly imported flowers. After all, it was the end of February, which meant Women’s Day was just around the corner, leaving barely two weeks for preparations.
Inside the flower shop, a friendly salesperson quickly helped me assemble the bouquet I needed.
With my heart humming in anticipation of the romantic evening ahead, I made my way home, eager to surprise Grace, who seldom prepared dinner, knowing I often ate at the restaurant.
I brought with me fruit and vegetable platters, champagne, and a couple of exquisite dishes from Chef Frank, which he prepared exceptionally well.
Arriving home, I decided against ringing the doorbell and instead used my key to enter. As I stepped into the hallway, soft music wafted from the bedroom. Assuming Grace was indulging in her series again, I headed to the kitchen with my bags, placing the bouquet in the living room to surprise her later.