Love and Food by K.L. Prince Read Free Book Online Page B

you wanted the restaurant.  You are like a superstar in my book.  Anyway, I said all that, to say this, you owe it to yourself and all the hard work you put into that place, to exhaust every single avenue.  Asking your parents for help is an avenue that you need to go down and exhaust.  At the end of the day, when everything is said and done, if the restaurant closes, at least you can say that you tried absolutely everything.”
    She sighs loudly.  “Why are you always right about everything?  It makes me sick, you know that?”
    “I can’t help it.  It’s a gift,” Monica says and laughs.
    “I will probably break down and ask my parents,” she says, giving in.
    “Good girl.  I’m glad that I could talk some sense into you.”
    “I haven’t done it yet, don’t get too excited.”
    “Haillee, you would have to be crazy not to ask them.  They have money.  Giving you a couple grand would be like pocket change for them.  You’re their daughter; they’ll help you for sure.”
    “If you haven’t noticed, I’m a grown woman.  I don’t want to have run to Mommy and Daddy whenever I’m in trouble.  I want to be able to support myself.”
    “No, no, and no.  You’re not going to back out of this one.  You call them or I will.  I’m not going to let your stupid pride get in the way this time.”
    “Fine.  I will call them.”
    “Good.  I was just thinking, remember when the restaurant first opened?  It was a booming success.  Are you still doing the same thing that you were doing then?”
      “Absolutely nothing has changed.  People just lost interest.  I’ve wracked my brain trying to figure out where I went wrong, but the answer escapes me.”
    “Well, I know nothing about cooking or restaurants, except how to pick up a fork and shovel food into my mouth, but I know that you know everything there is to know and I know what kind of person you are.  If there is anyone that can turn the restaurant around, it’s you.  Whatever the answer is, I believe that it’s inside you.  You just have figure out what it is.”
    “I used to believe that about myself, but I’m starting to question myself and my abilities.  I’m starting to realize that maybe I didn’t know as much as I thought I did.  I’m starting to wonder if I got in way over my head.  My dream is blowing up in my face and there is nothing I can do about it.  It’s frustrating and a huge blow to the ego.”
    “Failure happens to the best of people, but I don’t believe that you’re going to fail.  I believe you’re going to turn everything around and I’m not just saying that because I’m your best friend.  I’m saying it because I truly believe it.  You’re a person who doesn’t give up on their goals.  You’re the type of person that makes things happen.  You have all the right ingredients to be successful again and I believe that you will do it and next year at this time we will be raising a toast to celebrate all your success.”
    “I really hope that you’re right, but realistically, it doesn’t look good.”
    “Don’t give up, Haillee.”
    “There is still a little hope left, but a little more dies everyday.”
    “It’s not over for you.  I can feel it.”
    “All I can do now is hope and pray for a miracle.  That’s about what it’s going to take at this point - a miracle.”
    “Well, I believe that miracle is on its way.”
    “Well, it better hurry up because the clock is ticking.”
    Monica lifts up her glass.  “I would like to make a toast.  To the miracle that is on its way.”
    “To the miracle,” she says, clinking her glass with Monica’s and hoping that a miracle really is really on its way and will be showing up on her doorstep very soon.
     
     
     
    * * * * *
     
     
     
    Haillee is standing in the dining room talking with Mack when Marcos, the owner of the restaurant across the street, and Bill, her landlord, walk through the doors of the restaurant. 
    “What the