The Magnolia Cafe(41)

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Becky Lee gave a new order to Melanie and glanced back at the crowded cafe. The water had come back on at five tonight and the cafe had been full of people ever since. They’d rushed to keep up with the backlog of dishes and the throng of people. It seemed like everyone in Comfort Crossing had decided to go out to eat tonight after a significant portion of the town had been without water all day. It looked like they’d for sure make up for missing out on the lunch crowd. Too bad the patio wasn’t up and running yet. The benches outside the cafe were crowded with people waiting for a table.

“Table three is asking for their check.” Natalie nodded back towards the corner.

“Okay, thanks. You doing okay?”

“It’s the busiest it’s been since I’ve worked here, but I’m keeping up. I think.” Natalie hurried away to place another order.

Slowly they made their way through the backup of customers. There was finally no waiting list and the last customers were finishing up. Becky Lee groaned a bit when she heard the front door open again. They were never going to get out of here tonight. She pasted on what she hoped looked like a sincere smile and turned to greet the customers.

Camille. Just what she needed.

“Hello, Camille. We’re just closing up.”

“So early?” Camille fluttered her hand on the arm of the man she was with.

“We usually close at nine, but we kept the cafe open late tonight since the water was out for most of the day for the town. Lots of folks just wanted to eat out.”

“In Mobile we usually don’t even consider going out to dinner until eight-thirty or so at the earliest.”

How nice for you. But Becky Lee kept her thoughts to herself. “Melanie has already started closing down the kitchen. It’s been a long day. I can offer you some pie and coffee if you like.”

“What do you think, Delbert? You know, I think we should just go down to Sylvia’s Place. She stays open until a respectable time.”

The quiet little Delbert nodded his head.

“Oh, where are my manners?” Camille preened a bit. “This is Delbert Hamilton. Of the Hamilton hotels. You’ve heard of them? Delbert, honey, this is Becky Lee.”

“Hey, Delbert, nice to meet you.” Old Delbert looked like he wasn’t sure she should be on a first name basis with him.

Delbert nodded his head again.

“Well, so nice to see you, Becky Lee,” Camille said without a trace of sincerity.

So nice to see you leave. “Y’all have a nice evening.” Becky Lee said it but didn’t mean it. She couldn’t care less if Camille and Old Delbert had a nice evening. The woman just got under her skin.

Becky Lee flipped the closed sign on the door, though, to be honest, everyone in Comfort Crossing knew they closed at nine during the week. Becky Lee did feel a twinge of guilt, a very minor twinge, that she was pretty sure Sylvia’s Place was in the area of town that still didn’t have their water back on. Oh well, Camille and good old Delbert might have to cook their own dinner tonight. Or more likely, get her mama’s cook to make them something.

Katherine came up to her. “Was that Camille? Keely said she was in town.”

“Yep. And some guy named Delbert Hamilton of the Hamilton hotels. I’m pretty sure Camille thinks that’s his whole name.”

Katherine grinned. “Looks like you were just about as pleased to run into her as Keely was.”

“It’s been kind of peaceful around these parts without Camille putting everyone in their place. I could never cotton to her attitude. Not sure why she thinks she is all that and a biscuit. Not very charitable on my part, though. Sent her on her way to Sylvia’s Place.”

“Isn’t that area still without water?”

“I reckon so.” Becky Lee grinned and turned back to her last customers who were just finishing up.

She finally closed and locked the door a little after ten. She cleared off her last table and headed to the kitchen, the tub of dishes balanced on her hip. Melanie was cleaning the grill, one hand perched against her arched back. “You okay, Melanie?”

“Just tired. My back is acting up a bit, but I’ll be fine.”

Katherine rolled into the kitchen. “Well, that was some night, wasn’t it? I haven’t seen the cafe that busy in years. Maybe we need more afternoons with no water.”

“Bite your tongue. That was busy, though, wasn’t it? Like the old days when there were only two places in town to eat.” Becky Lee set the tub of dishes on the counter.

“We’d need more workers if that was how busy we were all the time,” Katherine said.

“Workers who actually stayed and worked. Unlike the dishwasher kid who quit on us this morning.” Melanie sat on a stool by the food prep counter.