Chapter 6 The Basil Paradise

"You said that you shifted here in London two months ago right? What's your age then?" I asked Harriet as we both started walking towards the gate of the cemetery.

"Oh I'm eighteen years old and an FE student, taking my A-levels as we speak."

"Really? Me too. I mean I'm also taking my A-levels, but I'm still seventeen. Will turn eighteen in couple of months. So which school did you join?" I asked hoping she'll say MountBatten High.

"Oh it's something called MountBatten High," she said and eyed me when I grinned at her.

"You too?" She asked dumbfounded as I nodded eagerly.

"That's great. Honestly it has been two weeks there and I haven't even made one friend yet and now that I have I feel amazing. They all don't bother with me and I don't bother with them. Well the first day, the news spread fast and almost everyone knew about me as the 'new girl,' but I didn't show any signs to befriend because honestly no offense I found that all the girls were grade-A bitches," Harriet was ranting at this point, drawing a chuckle out of me.

"And the boys? They have nothing else but the only motive to get inside a girl's pants. So a big no-no," she continued ranting. And I couldn't bring myself to speak any words so therefore, I just kept on nodding. I was trying so hard to pay attention to what she was saying, but it was so difficult. My mind kept wandering to places it wasn't supposed to. My mum's  death and I being the major cause behind her untimely demise.  My mind filtered with the images of her lying in her car, eyes wide open, blood gushing, wounds aching, and my eyes teared up. Harriet noticed something was off when when stopped mid-way and saw me having an episode.

"Cadence? Are you fine?" She asked as I leaned against my Vespa, desperate for some support. I must have zoned out on her. I had been doing that a lot lately. I snapped out of my daze and look at the figure in front of me, not even realizing a small frown was playing on my lips and a few tears were running down my face as I thought about my mother and her death. I quickly wiped the tears away, as I looked at Harriet with blurry eyes and rubbed my eyes. Harriet on the other hand looked at me with wide, concerned eyes.

"What's wrong? Hey, talk to me," she cooed as her arms wrapped around my small figure and I rested my head against her chest. For someone who just met me, she seemed genuinely worried. Not wanting to share my deepest, darkest secrets just yet to a mere stranger, I shook my head and offer her a small sad smile.

"It's just that I miss my mother,"I answered, which was not exactly a lie but somehow not even remotely true. I did miss my mother but also I am crying because of the monster that I believe have become. I can't believe that I am able of such a heinous crime.

"Oh trust me she misses you too. But I believe you are very strong and you will pull through it. You are a strong person," she said smiling softly at me as I absentmindedly nodded my head. I know that I can't pull through, not after I know what I have done.

"I hope so," I say absentmindedly. She just nods her head looks away and that's when I realize we are heading to the same street where my mom's workplace is, 'The Basil Paradise,' and I remember my promise to do something for my mother. And idea suddenly sparks in my mind and I grin inwardly.

"Hey Harriet? Why don't you go ahead? I think I want to visit someone," I say as I think of an excuse to shoo her away.

"You sure? I don't mind being with you honestly?" She said shrugging. Oh no she can't come with me. I want a little space from people and someone like her who resembles Hailey in way too many aspects, won't let me alone for sure.

"Yes I'm sure Harriet. Why don't I meet you in school on Monday?" I ask her and she nods after shrugging.

"Sure then. See you on Monday," she said as she smiled at me and giving me one last glance, she left for the opposite direction where her supposed house was.

"Bye," I said quietly to no one in particular. The road was pretty empty right now and I sighed.

I had made up my mind. I know what I am going to do to make my mom proud of me.

Well thought Cade!

With a new found determination and courage, I started marching towards 'The Basil Paradise.' There were a few apartments lining the road and a few shops around the corner and scattered here and there. But other than that there were not many people lingering around. I just found an old couple snogging by the side of the road that brought a small smile on my face. A few kids running around with a few pounds bills in their hands as they chanted 'candy! candy!' that actually made me chuckle and a few young adults walking to their God knows what destinations.

I just had to trudge through another street and I would have made to my destination.

Just when I turned around to head to the next street, I ran into this hard wall that almost broke my nose. I gingerly rub my nose and looked to the unexpected wall which radiated some body heat which is not something you see in an actual brick wall by the way. To my utter astonishment, it didn't turn out to be a sudden wall that seemed to have popped out of nowhere but instead it was a familiar face that instantly brought a smile to my face.

"Caleb?!" I half yelled, my voice showing clearly how much surprised I was to run into him.

Standing in front of me, in all his glory was, ladies and gentlemen, Caleb Moore. He is my mother's boss and is in his early twenties. He is the first of the two heirs of 'Moore Corporation.' He is my mother's biggest fan in the terms of her food, that is, after my family of course. He is a boss to her but in reality treats us like his family and vice versa. Apparently the staff of 'The Basil Paradise,' believes that he was more close to my family than his. And to some extent, I do believe it. My eyes scanned the familiar face of Caleb. He was of course donning his signature Armani suit and it was kind of normal for rich businessmen to wear such expensive suits. His clothes didn't have one crease in them, but I can't say the same about his face. His eyes were tired and blotchy. His dark circles were a big give away for his lack of sleep. A little stubble appeared on his Greek God like sculpted face and all in all he seemed like going through a rough time which apparently he was. Maybe my mother's death took a toll on him, too.

Just the person I was looking for.

"Cad-Cad?" He asked not believing his eyes as he referred to me by my nickname he had kept for me.

"It's me," I say in a mere whisper.

"Oh God, I have been trying to reach you out for hours. Where were you and where the hell is your phone? Do you have any idea what has been going on my mind? I called Mark and he tells me that you are not at home and I was literally panicking so damn much. And about Pat...," he trailed off as his ranting finally came to an end.

"I know. I didn't bring my phone with me. Needed some me time without anyone disturbing my state of peacefulness. And I have missed you, you know?" I reply.

"I know. I missed you too, damn it. I visited her grave yesterday, you know. But I only found your Uncle and Taylor. I asked them about you and they said that you ran away from everyone while addressing your mom. You know how worried I was? And then later, I get to know from Mark that you were in the hospital for your apparent loss of salts. You made my heart go on a hype, you know that? Anyways, how are you holding up? " He asks referring to my mom's death. Not exactly wanting to scare him away with the truth about how I actually was holding up, I decided to lie.

"I'm just, you know, trying to get used to the fact that she isn't around me anymore. It hurts. So damn much, you don't even want to know," I say sighing. Well not exactly a lie, it held a little bit of truth within it.

"It's okay. I know you are strong. You'll pull through it," he said which are somewhat the same words Harriet told me a few minutes ago. Scary it is, though.

"Thanks," I say smiling gently at the brother like figure standing in front of me.

"Anyways, what are you doing at this part of the town? Don't you live on the side of the town?" he questioned me and I smiled at him and nodded my head vigorously.

"Are you free?" I ask him as I realize I cannot just talk to him about what I wanna talk about in the middle of street.

"I have a few meetings,"he started off but soon paused seeing my crestfallen expression, he continued,"But I can pull a few strings and cancel them all," he said smiling slightly and I grinned back.

"But before we start our little rendezvous, I want you to know that this conversation we are going to have is entirely professional," I said sternly.

"What? Professional? As in an employer to his employee?" he asks and I nod but his face turns into a confused one.

"But you are not my employee?" He asks his eyebrows deeply furrowed as he looked at me in confusion.

"I'll explain it all when we reach 'The Basil Paradise,'" I say and he nods but his face is still confused.

The next few minutes while walking towards the Michelin Star Restaurant were spent with us talking about how our lives were going in the past week when we didn't meet each other. His week was hell for him. He was like a son to mom so definitely it was like hell for him. He had been detached from the whole world as he said and just today, he had returned back to work because his father was apparently making a big fuss about his absence. So basically, it was not only my family and relatives who were distraught by the news of my mother's demise, everyone who knew her, loved her and cared for her felt the same. And the way Caleb mentioned, everyone at my mother's workplace were equally sad and they also have a little memorial for her tomorrow, that is, on this Sunday.

A few minutes later, the mighty restaurant stood in front of our eyes. It stood at the huge height, still intimidating and daunting like always. But honestly, it looked royal. The restaurant was themed about the mid nineteenth century, the Victorian Era. It has this amazing aura around it that makes it look beautiful. The outside walls of the restaurant were sculpted and designed by intricate patterns that looked so pretty and royal, it had me melting away at just the sight of it. Suddenly a large, warm hand engulfed mine and I looked up at the owner of the hand and saw a smiling Caleb questioning me with his eyes that bored into mine saying a silent, 'Are you okay?' I just nodded back and smiled back warmly at him. A chauffeur or the guard dressed in the traditional British Indian Army uniform gave a slight salute as he saw us and opened the door to the restaurant for us. I smiled at him, but I didn't seem to get a similar reaction from his stone face.

We entered the restaurant and were immediately hit by the familiar scent of the restaurant. It was fairly large and huge from inside too. A large glass chandelier hung from above in the centre of the room. The walls were a beautiful, rich cream and pastel colours that had people swooning at the sight of them. The tables were designed in an off white colour and the chairs were some royal golden and brown coloured. The place was filled with a few rich, royal type of people who seemed to belong to the richer families of London.

"So do you want to have a seat here or want to go to my office?" Caleb asks me as we both stand near the doorway.

"Your office will do," I say.

"Sure as you say," he said and started leading the way to his seemingly office.

We both walked and stopped in front of a large red oak door. Caleb fished out the keys from his pockets and unbolted the door and stood aside to make way for me mumbling a slight 'Ladies first.' I smiled at his chivalrous behavior and entered the office. Caleb soon followed me in. The office was just like I had expected it to be. A large brown desk stood proudly in the centre of the room. A large chair that seemed for Caleb was behind the desk and two chairs were in front of the desk. On the desk, were a few files and documents that didn't really quite catch my attention. What caught my attention was the large shelf of books that stood aloof against the wall. I haven't been in his office here in the restaurant before. There were so many books. It kind of reminding me of my walk-in-library.

"Nice office," I say absentmindedly while Caleb just smiled and nodded.

"So, what is it that you oh-so-professionally wanted to talk about?" He asks me

"So you know that how my mother was a brilliant chef?" I ask and nods and gestures for me to continue.

"And you also know that I too have a few good cooking skills. So I just wanted a job here. Not as a waitress or anything but as a chef," I say and I wait for his reaction but it never comes. He just looks at me wide eyed and shocked.

Silence.

"Look I know you are kind of shocked about this whole proposal but you do know that if someone knows mom's secret recipes it's me. And I know how much people love her special pot chicken, which by the way was her specialty. So it's kind of a win-win situation for both of us. Your restaurant's sales won't go much down and also I'll get a job for myself," I say and cut him off when I see him opening his mouth, about to protest.

"Please. Just think this through. I'll work real hard. I'll put my everything in it," I say and look at expectantly to give an answer.

"I... I don't really know what to say right now, Cade. You know what I really don't understand is why do you want this job so bad?" He asks as his blue-green eyes bore into mine.

"You have real amazing grades and are a real gem. Your parents love you the way you are," he looked a little pained when he said the last statement but continued anyway,"Why would you want to do this job?"

"I.. I just want to make my mom proud of me. And cooking is the thing she was most passionate about. I just wanted to feel the passion and I thought this was the only way I could," I say in a mere whisper and my eyes started to water with a new set of unshed tears.

"Oh Cadence," he says and I don't fail to notice his eyes glistening with tears that he is trying so hard to have a control over.

"She already is proud of you. You don't have to do something like this to make her proud because she always was. Her eyes showed how much she loved you and it was one of the things I loved about her and trust me when I say she was so damn proud of you and Mark, that it kind of hurt to know that my mother didn't love me that much," he chuckles humorlessly and I looked at him wide eyed when he made the statement and continued," But if this job means so much for you, you already have it," He said smiling brightly and all the sadness spreading on his face from previous comments disappeared and I grinned back at him.

"But you have a few conditions. I won't let this job affect your studies. You have always dreamt about being a lawyer and you will pursue your dreams. You won't have to do something stupid," He says sternly and I nod.

"What are those conditions?" I ask curiously.

"Firstly, your shift will start daily at 5:30 pm and will last upto nine in the evening. You will earn £10 per hour. Also you will have a day off on every Saturdays. On Sundays you will have to start your shift from afternoon itself," He completes sternly and I nod.

"And if you need some days off or anything like that, don't come to me for that, you can talk to John, the manager of this restaurant. But if it's something important, you can come to me anytime, okay," he says and I nod again.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so damn much," I say as I scramble off the chair and enveloped him a huge bear hug. He happily hugs me back.

"Oh and your shift starts from this Monday," He says and I nod happily.

Hopefully, this won't be that of a bad idea. I will make my mother proud. I have to.