Greasy Food and Small Talk (Milan)

[Sienna Reid-Estrada]

Red hair tied up into a neat ponytail, Sienna slipped between the kitchen and the booths with relative ease, only spilling a tad bit of coffee on her white apron throughout her shift. She had about an hour left before she was allowed to clock out, though she might stay for another thirty minutes and cover her coworker for the time being, since she said she was going to be late anyway. 

Sienna rarely asked for overtime, so she would more than likely be paid. Hey, four dollars extra to her paycheck was four dollars more that she could save for the future.

For a moment, her mind wandered to that simple idea, and she had forgotten exactly which table she was going. The redhead looked down to her hand and her eyes lit up in remembrance as she saw the coffee pot; table 4 had asked for a fresh refill of their cup, after all. Sienna scurried over to the table, grabbing the creamer on her way toward the booth, passing by the hostess station briefly and looking to see if anyone had been waiting.

She didn't see anyone yet, but at this time of day, that was sure to change in a few minutes. 

Sienna took a breath and poured the coffee to the older man who couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her chest, an obligated smile curling her lips upward. 

[Deleted]

Milan had been at Bessie’s before. He liked the food, and quite often he came across other Pilot Ridge residents there. The familiarity of the place made him go back, along with the great service. The employees were nice and he hardly ever had to wait longer than what one would expect based on his simple orders. All those things combined led to him heading there now. The recruiter was in no rush though, so his plan was to actually take a seat and perhaps to catch up with whoever familiar would be there as well.

Upon entering, only one face seemed to ring a bell – the older man shamelessly focusing on the waitress’ chest as she poured him some coffee. It made Milan smirk at himself, lightly shaking his head as he emerged further into the room. In the progress he passed the pair of them, squeezing the man’s shoulder. “What’s the wife going to say about that, Mr. Perkins?” He mused before shooting Sienna an empathic smile. He could tell she was not overly comfortable, so hopefully that resolved it some.

After that, the Irish man retreated his hand and moved forward to an available booth. He settled down and tugged the menu card closer. He pretty much already knew what to order though, but just in case he were to change his mind.

[Sienna Reid-Estrada]

The Irish man wasn't a new face, but his presence was very much appreciated; after all, the guy was married -indicative of the wedding ring on his left ring finger- and still he was looking down her shirt as if there was nothing wrong with it. Her lips turned into a legitimate, relieved smile at the reddening of the guy's face.

"I c'n appreciate beauty, c'nt I?" The man said in a strained voice, and Sienna held back a laugh. "Well I appreciate the compliment, Mr. Perkins," she replied, which only further reddened his cheeks. Almost, Sienna thought, as red as my hair. How funny.

Sienna had filled in another order of apple pie for the regular customer before returning to the back to place the coffee pot back where it had come from. She wanted to thank the man who intervened earlier and made an uncomfortable situation into a rather amusing one, and so if nobody had seen him -despite the fact that she wasn't assigned to that section- Sienna would take his order.

Lucky for her, her coworkers were a little too preoccupied with the lack of staffing that day, and so she headed over to the man as quickly as she could.

"Welcome to Bessie's," Sienna started with her typical greeting, trying to make it as upbeat and cheerful as possible. After a while, the greetings began to sound mundane and monotone, so she tried to switch things up; a smile always seemed to help, too. "My name is Sienna and I will be your server today. Can I get you anything to drink?"

[Deleted]

Milan had glanced over for another second, simply to check how the young woman was dealing with it now. Based on the soft smile that he could detect on her lips, he figured Mr. Perkins was the one to feel uncomfortable now. Knowing the man, however, he would never learn, but at least this might have given the waitress more courage to speak up about it next time. That is if Mr. Perkins would be shameless enough to victimize the same girl all over again – one who knew his name now.

When Sienna stepped over, the recruiter had expected her to thank him and to be off to her customers again. He had inwardly prepared for that, sitting up a tad bit straighter when the redhead stood next to his table, and ready to brush it off as if it were nothing. Instead, however, Sienna welcomed him and then introduced herself with the same sentence he had heard from other coworkers before. He didn’t mind though, but for a second the man worried that he might have embarrassed her.

Either way, the smile on his face mirrored her cheerful attitude. “A cappuccino would be nice, with extra milk.” Milan looked up for a second to make sure she caught that. Then he focused on the menu card again, laying it flatly on the table so that he could point out what his decision was for lunch. “And the toast with ham and cheese, please.” His finger tapped the letters, but blue eyes had settled on Sienna’s face. Mr. Perkins should have been staring at that. He clearly could not distinguish true beauty.

“I think that will be it.”

[Sienna Reid-Estrada]

Just to ensure she would remember, though her memory was quite decent if she would say so herself, the redhead wrote down his order with a quick but neat hand. When trying to write notes, you learned to quickly jot down anything you could that would be useful in a decent handwriting as fast as you could so you didn't miss anything else. This was no exception.

"Got it," Sienna nodded, standing there for a moment to place the pen in her pocket and to give her time to think about something she wanted to say; after a short while, the girl figured a 'thank you' would suffice.

"You know, I really do appreciate you intervening over there. It certainly wasn't the first time it happened, but you have been the only one to step in." Funny what that said about society and their social acceptance over such actions or maybe it was their fear of confrontation that stopped people from even standing up from one another. For Sienna, it was because she had a job and intended to keep it, and in this business, no matter what the customer is doing (unless physically inappropriate) you need to act courteous at all times.

"Anyway, I'll get you your drink real quick and place your order in the kitchen." And so she did exactly that, servicing some of the other customers on her way over to input the order. She glanced over to see that Mr. Perkins had left, and he left a note on a napkin stating his apologies and a very decent tip. Well, that worked out very well for her.

She returned, placing the hot beverage in front of him. "There you are," Sienna said, "So tell me, are all Irishmen always taught to be such gentlemen or did you just have a great set of parents?"

[Deleted]

A simple ‘thank you’ would have been enough, but of course Milan’s didn’t mind her expressing the gratitude with more words than that. He still had the gentle smile plastered upon his lips when she did – for a second developing into one of empathy when Sienna confessed to it not being the first time. Stating that it was nothing felt out of place now; clearly it did mean something to her.

“Hopefully I set an example for others then,” the recruiter replied. “But you’re welcome.” He wanted to add how he had taken notice of her discomfort, but perhaps that would embarrass her, so in turn the man opted to leave that remark out. However, Milan had to admit to himself that if this had not been Mr. Perkins, but more of a stranger, his actions might have been different. He would still have commented on it, sure, but in a less lighthearted manner. Yet also more careful for strangers were not predictable.

Of course he didn’t want to keep her from doing her job after that, so a thankful nod was given as Sienna informed him about her next steps. Eyes followed the redhead for a couple of seconds, simply to reassure Mr. Perkins would not show disrespectful behavior. He appeared to have left, so in turn Milan simply glanced outside, focusing on the people passing by. Paperwork could have brought with him, but for once he wanted to enjoy a moment of rest.

The hot beverage being placed down caught his attention. He looked at it and then back up at the young woman who happened to earn herself a brief laugh in response to her question. “I would like to believe that all Irishmen are taught to be gentlemen, but that might be an invalid generalization. So, I’ll go for option two and attribute it to a great set of parents.” A soft chuckle joined in during the last couple of words being spoken. In the meanwhile fingers fumbled open the sugar and put it in the cappuccino.

Picking up the spoon, Milan gestured to the empty table where Mr. Perkins had been seated not too long ago. “He better treats you and your coworkers with more respect next time though.” Now putting the coffee spoon in the hot beverage, he looked up at Sienna again. “Sienna, right? I’m Milan.” The man had heard so correctly earlier on, but he just wanted to double check. In the meanwhile he held out a hand to shake.

[Sienna Reid-Estrada]

"Ah, well give my compliments to them," Sienna joked lightly, tapping her booklet with her pen. Her own mother was of Scottish descent, and she had been to the country once or twice in her life, and they had taken a trip to Ireland on one of those trips. To say she remembered much was a lie, but she did remember the beautiful green.

Sienna smiled sympathetically, her mind veering off to the man being addressed. "I almost feel bad for the man, though. He comes here every day just to get away from his bickering wife, or at least that is what he says." Sienna had never really been in a relationship of her own, but she knew for a fact that it wasn't working when day after day there were fights about something or another. "Says he can't break things off because he is too old to find someone else."

When was there a cutoff point? When you became too old to be loved? It didn't make much sense to the redhead who knew love came in every form and from every place; to sienna, it didn't matter what you looked like, but it mattered if you cared.

The topic was changed, and she was grateful for that fact. "Yes indeed," Sienna nodded, "It's a pleasure to meet you, as well, Milan." The redhead took his hand and gave it a firm squeeze before pulling away.

[Deleted]

The lighthearted chuckle that broke past Milan’s lips was genuine. “I am quite positive Mrs. Perkins has reason to bicker. And it quite possibly is about the fact that he comes here every day.” Of course the recruiter could not tell for sure, but he figured no woman would appreciate her husband being gone every day. Sure, it was not a bar, yet it might cause suspicion that Mr. Perkins was heading to the same place every time. A place where cute waitresses work even. “She’s a great woman though. I am certain he would not be able to live without her.”

Either way, it was not his business to discuss, hence the reason his voice kept a slightly amused tone to it. Milan could not imagine the other man being serious about his words. That assumption helped to form a foundation for the smile that formed when Sienna confirmed he got her name right. His hand soon settled down on the table again as he seemingly mulled on something else.

He came here often enough to know the staff tended to trade shifts around this hour, so that probably meant the redhead would be off soon as well. “If I am correct and your shift ends soon, will you let me buy you lunch?”

Milan wasn’t smooth when it came to picking words. That might have come out weird, like he was hitting on her. He just wanted to what was in character for him. He didn’t want to come across like a creep. “I mean, not like that.” Dragging a hand through his hair, the recruiter lightly pursed his lips. “Just to make sure you don’t lose hope in mankind. To compensate for that disrespectful moment.”

She didn't have to accept the offer of course!

[Sienna Reid-Estrada]

"That is very true," Sienna grinned, nodding in agreement to the words Milan was offering her, "After all, there are two sides to every story. Poor woman might just miss him." Mr. Perkins came every day, and knew almost all the staff by name; if his actions with her were representative of his behavior with the other waitresses, he probably recognized their cleavage by heart, as well. "They are still married for a reason, I'm sure."

His next statement caught her off guard, considering he had just warned away another man from looking at her chest and now...? His clarification eased her confusion, however, and she nodded. "I have about 30 minutes left, but if one of my coworker's doesn't show up, I was going to cover her for roughly another half an hour." There was no reason to lie to him, or to anyone really - a lovely trait she acquired from her foundation.

"Don't worry, I understand. If you're still here in 30 minutes, maybe I'll say yes." Her voice was light and teasing, but she was very much open to his proposition. A free meal with a kind, irish gentleman? She was most definitely up for that!

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30 minutes had passed relatively quickly, and she had actually received a text message from her coworker stating that she would be on time, because her appointment was rescheduled. Convenient, it truly was. By the time she was ready to clock out, she had already given Milan his food and saw a few other customers out.

The redhead returned to the Irishman's table, seeing if he needed anything before she gave him the check and clocked out. "Enjoy the food?" Sienna started, a genuine smile growing on her features, "I don't have to cover anymore, so I'm getting off soon. Do you need anything or do you want the check?"

[Deleted]

Perhaps it has been quite some bad timing to invite her to join him for lunch. While Sienna had to finish her own shift, she might also end up covering for a friend. Even if the latter did not go down, the recruiter would have finished eating by the time the redhead would be able to clock out. With that on his mind, he had already came up with the solution: to order a coffee and perhaps a slice of pie as desert. It might be weird for the girl if she decided to take the offer and would be the only one eating at their table.

So when the young woman stepped over, a smile easily mirrored hers. Milan was not sure if she would accept his suggestion from before, so he opted to approach that carefully. “A coffee and a slice of pie sound good actually. And some pleasant company.” A hand gestured at the seat opposite of him, but not in an obligatory manner. “No obligation though. And in case you do wish to accept the offer and would like to eat lunch somewhere else, that works as well.” Might be weird to do so where she worked. Milan had no issue with it, but he did not know Sienna enough to make the decision for her. If the latter, however, he would save that coffee and pie for some other time.

“But yes, I very much enjoyed the food. It was very good.” The napkin that had been used to wipe over his mouth before speaking was now placed down on the empty plate. “Kind of wish I could cook like that.” He joked.

[Sienna Reid-Estrada]

The honest smile that she wore as he spoke did not waver when his order came in - pleasant company was something she could attempt to offer. However, while she enjoyed the food at the diner, she had spent a total of 8 hours working in it. There was that, and also the fact that she knew her coworkers, and most likely they would chat about it in the break room nonstop if she had stayed.

"Angie makes several different pies, all just as good as the next one. Do you have a preference?" If anything, there was a local coffee shop that she frequented that had the most delicious white hot chocolate that she had been craving for the longest time; it was a decent drive - 20 minutes or so - but it was worth it.

"As for the coffee and company, I was actually going to offer the idea of a coffee shop in downtown pilot ridge - a cute place but with great coffee and a nice atmosphere. So if you'd like, I could get a to-go box for that pie, and I can show you where it is?" She didn't want to force him to do anything that he was unwilling to do, and she most certainly didn't want to offend him by suggesting such a thing. Had she been less confident in herself, she would have taken back the question immediately, but instead she simply waited for his answer. She had time, after all.

Plenty of it.

[Deleted]

When it came to food, Milan didn’t have many preferences – especially when it concerned pie. The fact that Sienna mentioned that all of them were good didn’t make it any easier either. The recruiter was still mulling on the question, knowing it possibly showed on his features while also listening to the offer that soon enough followed. It made the smile on his lips brighter – if even possible – and a nod was given in approval. The redhead might not have formulated it literally, it only made sense to him that she would like to go somewhere else instead of lingering at the place where she worked.

“If Angie’s apple pie is still available, that one. Otherwise you’re free to pick one for me.” Milan wasn’t a picky eater. While speaking, he was already taking some cash from his wallet, knowing how much a slice cost. It wasn’t the first time he enjoyed some baked goods around here after all. He handed it over to her, despite it being too much. “Keep the tip,” Milan mused while tucking the wallet away again. “I’ll get ready.” He figured that was enough approval for Sienna to introduce him to the local coffee shop she seemed to frequent.

So while she moved to fill a to-go box, the man picked up his coat from the boot and soon enough moved to the counter to wait for Sienna. At that point something else was spinning through his mind, wondering if he should offer to drive. Perhaps it would be inappropriate given she had their destination in mind.

When Sienna returned, he opted to check. Maybe she was wondering about the same thing. “Want me to drive?”