Free Energized by Mary Behre

to me?” Sadie snapped her fingers in front of Hannah’s face, jolting her out of her thoughts. Thethirtysomething, faux red-haired waitress’s blue eyes narrowed to slits as she tapped one red-tipped nail on the prep table.
    â€œSure thing. Gold-tipped cooking utensils go in the gluten-free section and the silver-tipped in the regular. The two sets cannot be mixed up because of the risk of cross-contamination. When serving both at a table, bring them out on separate trays and try to serve the gluten-free meals first. Honestly, this is not the first time I’ve served food. I really do know what I’m doing.”
    Sadie’s overly large nostrils flared. “From what I hear you were a bartender. I’m the only one who tends bar at events so don’t try to horn in on my turf.”
    â€œLighten up, Sadie. The girl’s only been here three hours.” The shy busboy made a sound that was a cross between a snort and a cough. With a gray bin in his hands, he carried in the dishes from the front of the restaurant. His eyes were obscured behind hair that wasn’t brown and wasn’t blond. His dirty white apron covered his equally dingy white shirt and pants. He might have been sixteen or he might have been Hannah’s age. It was hard to tell. But one thing was clear, he was quick to defend Hannah. “It’s not like she’s applied to take your job. Go easy on her, why don’tcha?”
    â€œAh, look! The mute has found his voice.” Sadie glared at him. “Run along and wash the dishes or clear a table, Mouse. It’s all you’re good for.”
    The man seemed to shrink but his white-knuckled grip on the dish bin and the thinning of his lips radiated anger. An anger matched, if Sadie’s death ray glare was any indication.
    â€œIs there a problem, Michael?” Karma asked the busboy, stepping into the kitchen through the swinging door separating it from the Master dining room. Her voice took on a slight Hispanic accent that she hadn’t had before. Her face was friendly but her eyes assessing. Her gaze bounced from Michael to Sadie and finally to Hannah.
    Then one by one, all eyes turned to Hannah, as if expecting her to answer. So she did. “Nope. Just getting the rundown of how the restaurant operates from Sadie and Michael.”
    â€œI’ll bet.” A smile curved Karma’s lips and her voice lostits accent. “Sadie, if you’re finished showing Hannah the prep tables, I could use you out front. We have some guests arriving for dinner. Michael, why don’t you see about washing the dishes you cleared from lunch? We don’t want the boss to come back and find a sink full.”
    â€œFine.” Sadie scowled but the moment her palm touched the swinging door between the kitchen and the front room, a believable smile lit her face.
    Michael didn’t answer, but disappeared around the corner. His expression had blanked to the quiet, introspective one he’d worn when Ross had first introduced her.
    â€œDon’t mind them,” Karma said when the water started running in the other room. “Sadie and Michael had a fling a few months back.”
    Oh, ewww.
    â€œBut she’s old enough to be his mother.”
    â€œHe’s older than he looks. But I suspect the age difference was part of the reason it didn’t work out. I think poor Sadie wanted more than a fling but Michael . . .” Karma shrugged. “He’s only twenty-five and still trying to find himself. Still young, you know.”
    â€œHe’s older than me. Isn’t he older than you?”
    â€œNo, I’m twenty-seven.” Karma winked. “Women mature faster than men. Besides, you and I are unique. We needed to figure out who we were much younger than most people, don’t you agree?”
    Hannah wanted to ask what Karma meant by that, but Virgil appeared at the screened-in back door, two grocery bags in