Down to Business (Business Series)

by Alexander, J. C.

  The moment we reached the heart of the inner city streets, the sidewalks came alive with people walking to their destinations. Horns blaring and the hum of traffic bled through the quiet sanctuary of the car. I wondered what it would be like to live in the city. It was always so loud and energetic, I wondered how anyone could sleep. Vinny didn’t seem bothered by the atmosphere, he just calmly drove along with the pace of traffic.

  When we finally reached Mazzolas in downtown Manhattan, I was amazed at the nice location it was in. Situated in the theater district, on a corner lot, it even had an outdoor dining area. The name Mazzolas was embossed in gold capital letters in a Roman font above the dark wood front doors, and on all of the dark green overhangs in the outdoor seating area. Big plate glass windows gave passerby’s a glimpse at the perfect white tablecloth swathed seating, each with a small vase of flowers and tea light candle.

  We parked in the rear of the restaurant. Vinny led me around the building toward those menacing dark double doors, where once inside, I would make or break my opportunity. My palms were sweating as he swept open the door and held it for me. The moment I stepped inside the wonderful smells of Italy greeted me: homemade sauce, garlic, and fresh spices.

  The interior of the restaurant was even more impressive than the street view. The Greco-Roman theme gave it an elegant old world look. The entry way had a beautiful stone mosaic floor that led to a cozy waiting area with plush seating. A six-foot natural stone accent wall stood behind the dark wood hostess counter and separated the front of the restaurant from the dining area.

  A tall pretty woman with long straight brown hair stood front and center at the hostess counter. She greeted us with a smile when she saw Vinny.

  “Hey Vinny,” she said. “What are you doing here? Isn’t it your day off?”

  “I’m just here to get my friend Autumn an interview. Autumn, this is my cousin, Suzanna. Suz, this is Autumn, we have a business class together at Adelphi.”

  She stepped out from behind the counter and gave me a perfect white smile, extending her hand. “Nice to meet you Autumn. You can call me Suz. Everyone else does.”

  “Hi, it’s nice to meet you,” I said, shaking her slender hand and noting she smelled as pretty as she looked. She was dressed in a fitted white blouse and black pencil skirt that seemed tailored to fit her perfectly. The jealous girl inside of me automatically wanted to hate her, but her soft smile and sweet disposition won me over.

  “Don’t worry. My Aunt Tina is nice once you get to know her. I’m sure she will love you.”

  “Yeah I hope so.”

  “We’re going to head on back, she’s waiting for us,” Vinny said, placing his palm on my backside.

  “Oh, right! Good luck with your interview Autumn,” Suzanna called before Vinny led me away.

  We entered the dining area where tables were situated in unison along the walls and center of the room, with their perfect white tablecloths and tea lights. The soft crooning of an old Italian singer played in the background as servers dressed in black came in and out of the swinging kitchen doors, carrying trays of old world Italian perfection to each table. I spotted a bowl of ravioli that made my stomach growl, and two tables down from that, a slab of lasagna taunted me with its perfect layers of cheese and pasta, blanketed in marinara and sprinkled parmesan.

  Paintings hung along the walls portraying scenes of sunflower fields, wine, and old Italian villas. There was a section near the back, partitioned off from the rest, with a large antique dark wood table made for larger parties. The walls above it were decorated with old portraits that possibly dated several generations back.

  We ended up at a door with a sign on it that read, Personnel Only.

  Vinny knocked and a woman’s voice called, “Come in!”

  He stepped in first, holding the door open for me. I held my breath as I entered the small office that held little more than a dark wood desk, bookshelf lined with binders, and two lonely filing cabinets. As small as it was, it was perfectly organized and it made my mother’s back office at Malones look like a storage closet.

  A slender middle-aged woman rose to her feet behind the desk. She stood about a half foot taller than me with a head of bone straight ebony hair pulled back into a perfect bun. Her light brown eyes, that matched Vinny’s, met mine with an air of disregard. Her pale thin lips were unsmiling as she asked, “Is this the girl?”

  “Yep. This is Autumn,” Vinny said, closing the door. I felt like I was trapped in the Coliseum with a lion.

  She moved a pair of reading glasses aside and smoothed down her grey pantsuit before she extended her hand over the desk. “I’m Tina Mazzola.”

  Her voice was nothing like I expected. It was deep and cold. When Vinny described her, I pictured her to be overweight with puffy hair, and have a New York accent. This woman presented herself more like a lawyer than a restaurant owner. She looked younger than I imagined too.

  “Autumn Malone,” I said, placing my hand in her cold palm, watching her nails that looked more like claws curl against my skin in a cold limp fish handshake.

  “Right,” she said, pulling her hand back almost immediately. “Vinny told me you have experience in food service?”

  “Yes,” I said glancing over my shoulder to make sure he was still there. “My mother owns a restaurant up in Hamilton, I’ve served tables and hosted there since I was in high school.”

  “Mmhmm…” she said, tapping her bottom lip with her finger. “And how old are you now?”

  “I just turned twenty.”

  “Have a seat, Autumn. Vinny, would you mind waiting outside?”

  “Okay, I’ll be right out front.” Vinny gave me a pat on my shoulder before leaving.

  Once the door closed, I settled into the chair before her desk. Her heels clicked on the stone floor as she made her way over to the filing cabinet. She pulled out a few papers and passed them to me along with a black pen. “I need you to fill out an application. Just because you’re Vinny’s friend doesn’t mean you don’t have to follow suit like everyone else.”

  A burst of heat washed over my face as I looked down at the job application. “I didn’t mean for it to look that way, I actually told him—”

  “Just make sure you fill it out completely,” she said, uncaring, and sat back down behind the desk.

  I swallowed and picked up the pen, beginning to fill out my credentials. The sound of her nails tapping her laptop keys broke up the uncomfortable silence.

  When I was finished, I slid it forward with the pen. She took it up and looked it over without amusement.

  “Were you born in Hamilton, New York?” she asked abruptly.

  “Yes.” I answered, thinking it was best to keep my answers straightforward from now on.

  “I take it Malones is a family owned establishment?”

  “Yes,” I repeated.

  “You’re not Italian are you?”

  If she was nice, I’d crack a joke and ask if that was a requirement to be hired, but I decided against it.

  “My mother’s half Italian.”

  “What’s the other half?”

  “Welsh.”

  “And your father?”

  “Full Irish.”

  “That would explain your hair. Reminds me of an old tarnished penny,” the corner of her lip twitched in what I assumed was her version of a smile.

  Was that a compliment?

  I forced a smile and watched her scan over the rest of my application.

  “Do you have an updated health card?”

  “Yes,” I nodded.

  “Cancer,” she said, not looking up from my paper.

  I blinked and frowned. “I’m sorry?”

  She looked up at me and her perfect brows rose. “You’re astrological sign is cancer?”

  “Oh…” I flushed again and nodded. “Yeah, I am a cancer.”

  “So am I.”

  “Oh.” I never would have guessed. We seemed to be total opposites.

 
“Have you known Vince long?”

  “No, we just met yesterday.” I explained. “We have Business 101 together.”

  “Are you majoring business management too?”

  “Yes.”

  She set the paper down on the desk, casually folded her hands over it, and looked me in the eye. “Okay, Autumn, here’s the deal. I am hiring part-time, twenty hours a week. Starting wage for a server is twelve fifty and it will be an evening shift from 6PM to 11PM, Tuesday through Friday. I do not put up with tardiness. I expect you to be here ten minutes before your shift and ready by six. You get one fifteen minute break. I do not do free meals so if I catch you in the kitchen picking, slacking off, or flirting with the staff, that is immediate termination. Are we clear?”

  “Yes.”

  “So, I take it you want the position?”

  I nodded. “I do.”

  “Good. Welcome then.” she said with a smile that actually looked genuine and extended her hand.

  “Thank you,” I said taking her hand and feeling like I just passed the SAT’s again.

  She stood up and I followed her over to the door. “When can you start?”

  “As soon as you need me to.”

  “Tomorrow is good. I’ll see you at six?”

  “Sure.” I answered.

  She held open the door for me and I stepped past her feeling giddy. We walked side by side, our heels clicking in unison as we approached the hostess stand where Vinny was talking with Suz and another girl I didn’t recognize. All eyes turned on us as we approached.

  “So, did she pass?” Vinny asked with a smile, looking to us both.

  “She starts tomorrow,” Tina said, giving me a tight-lipped smile.

  I smiled back, barely able to contain my excitement. I didn’t care if Tina was a bitch. I was happy to be a part of Vinny’s so-called family.

  “Vivian, have you met Autumn?” Tina asked, glancing to the girl standing beside Suz at the hostess stand.

  My breath caught.

  Vivian? Wasn’t that his ex-girlfriend’s name?

  Vivian looked me over with her dark almond shaped eyes that were shaded with smoky black liner. She was more compact than Suz and a little shorter than me, but she had curves in all the right places and was what my dad called a bombshell. Her skin was olive and deeply tanned, making it blend perfectly with her thick black hair that fell in layers to her elbows and framed her flawless face.

  Her manicured hand stretched out to grab mine. “Hi, Autumn. Welcome to the family.”

  Her hand was warm and her grip was tight.

  “Thanks,” I answered, trying not to stare at her cleavage that was practically screaming to be seen in her low-cut tight white blouse.

  “Vivian has been working here three years now.” Tina said, gently putting her arm around Vivian and giving her an adoring smile. “She is like a daughter to me, aren’t you Viv?”

  “Yep,” Vivian said, looking at me again. “Vinny and I have been dating since our freshman year.”

  “But we broke up for good this summer.” Vinny quickly added, tucking his hands into his pockets.

  Vivian’s smile faded a little.

  “You know my friend Lindy Brooks, right?” I asked interrupting the awkward moment.

  “Yeah, we are both majoring in nursing.”

  “We’ve been best friends since we were kids. I’m her new roommate.”

  “How nice…” she said with a slight smile that screamed disinterest.

  “Since I’m down here on my day off, I think I’ll catch a movie.” Vinny cut in. “Did you want to join me, Autumn?”

  I saw the look of surprise ricochet between Vivian and Tina. I stared over at Vinny, opening and closing my mouth like a fish. “I…uhh…sure…if you want me too?”

  “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.” he said with a smile.

  My face burned and I smiled back. “Okay.”

  “Don’t you have something better to be doing Vinny?” Tina cut in.

  “Like what, Mom?”

  “Like studying. Those classes won’t pass themselves.”

  “I’m done studying today,” he said, giving her a distant smile that she didn’t return. “Thanks for giving Autumn a chance.” he said, putting his arm around my shoulders and giving me a chummy hug. “I knew you’d like her.”

  Vivian crossed her arms under her chest and looked between us, frowning. “Well, have fun.”

  “We will.” Vinny said, leading me toward the front door.

  “Thanks again Tina! It was nice meeting all of you…” I said as we left.

  I was still reeling with excitement as we stood on the sidewalk outside Mazzolas. The world exploded around us in sights and sounds. Car fumes, blaring horns, and people walking everywhere caused a pang of anxiety to filter through the excitement over my new job. I tightened my grip on Vinny’s hand as he led me down the street and we meshed with the crowd.

  “Is the theater close?” I asked, pulling my purse under my arm in fear of someone snatching it.

  “Yeah, just around the corner here. Are you okay?” he asked, looking at me.

  “I’m fine, why?”

  “You just look uncomfortable.”

  “I’m not used to all of this.”

  “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy,” he teased, “welcome to Oz also known as New York City.”

  I laughed and my heart fluttered as his fingers laced with mine. The security in his grip made my anxiety diminish a little. Once we reached the theater, I felt a relief as we cut away from the crowd and got in line. Vinny stayed ever vigilant over me, glancing to me every so often. We decided to see the latest action movie and he purchased our tickets.

  Once we made it inside the theater, we stopped at the concession stand and ordered popcorn and drinks.

  We picked seats toward the middle and while we waited for the movie to start, I wondered what prompted him to suddenly ask me out in front of everyone. Was he just doing it to make Vivian jealous?

  I glanced over just as he placed a few pieces of popcorn in his mouth.

  “So did you conveniently forget that your ex worked for your family?”

  He stopped chewing and glanced over at me. “I forgot to mention that. Sorry.”

  “I don’t mind. Do you guys get along okay?”

  He shrugged. “We do, it’s just…I don’t know. She wants to get back together and I don’t.”

  “I don’t think she likes me very much and neither does your mother.”

  He shrugged. “My mother doesn’t like anyone really. And Vivian, might not like you because you are a girl and my friend.”

  I helped myself to few pieces of popcorn. “What about last night?”

  He smiled some, and glanced over at me. “What about it?”

  “I was just wondering what might have happened if Tyler and Lindy didn’t interrupt us?”

  He watched me a second and gave me a playful smile. “I dunno, what do you think?”

  “I don’t know, I think you were going to—”

  The lights suddenly dimmed and the previews began. We both turned our attention to the screen, but my unsaid comment hung in the air like static between us. After the first preview ended, he shifted in his seat and he pulled his phone from his pocket. I couldn’t help but notice the name on the screen was Vivian.

  He sent it to voicemail and looked back at the screen. I hid a smile and sipped my drink. After the previews ended and the lights turned completely off, I leaned toward him and our shoulders met. Delight rippled over me when he lifted his arm behind my seat and the scent of his cologne carried me off into another one of my “what if” Vinny fantasies.

  The movie began with a typical action high-speed chase. I went to cover my eyes when the two cars collided, but he caught my hands and lowered them giving me a smirk. “Don’t be a baby.”

  I stuck my tongue out at him and he laughed. I stole a few pieces of popcorn and pressed them between my lips. He reached in the buck
et and did the same, the look in his eyes reminded me of the one he gave me in the car before we were about to kiss. My stomach tightened, making the anxiety over the movie’s car crash feel mild.

  My gaze drifted from his inviting eyes to his lips that were moving ever so slightly as he finished his bite of popcorn. Self-conscious, I pressed my lips together hoping I didn’t have a kernel of popcorn stuck on them. His Adams apple bobbed and his gaze dropped to my lips as I licked them clean. When he looked into my eyes again, they were full of desire. The overwhelming need to kiss him encompassed me. As I found the courage to lean in, a blue glow lit up his face and we looked down to see his phone vibrating in the cup holder between us. This time it was his mother calling. I frowned and bit down on my lip. I really did have the worst luck.

  He snatched the phone up. “I’ll be right back, I have to take this.”

  “Okay…” I said, helplessly taking the tub of popcorn and watching as his crotch passed my vision on his way out of the row.

  I tried to pay attention to the movie, but I couldn’t help but wonder what his mother had to tell him.

  He returned a few minutes later and settled back down in the seat.

  “Everything okay?” I whispered, feigning lightheartedness.

  “Yeah,” he nodded and turned his attention to the screen.

  I tilted the popcorn towards him. “Want some?”

  He shook his head without looking at me. “No thanks…”

  I realized whatever his mother said to him ruined his mood and the possibility of getting to kiss him. The rest of the movie he barely cast a glance toward me and kept his hands to himself. Occasionally he would lean over, rest his elbow on the armrest, and place his chin on his fist as if we were watching the most interesting movie in the world. I was actually relieved by the time the credits began to roll.

  Once we stepped into the lobby, I excused myself to the bathroom. I realized while I was washing my hands that my hair needed brushed and my makeup could use a touch up. I used my fingers to comb out the tangles in my hair and then used a tissue to clean up my eye make-up.