More customers. Oh no.
She turned slowly and saw Livvy. Her sister took one look at her and burst out laughing.
Angie straightened. "Youre here to laugh at me?"
"The princess working at DeSarias? Of course Im here to laugh at you. " Livvy touched her shoulder. "And to help you out. "
BY THE END OF THE EVENING ANGIE HAD A POUNDING headache. "Okay. Its official. Im the worst waitress in history. " She looked down at her clothes. Shed spilled red wine down her apron and dragged her sleeve in the creme anglaise. A discoloration on her pants was almost certainly from the lasagna. She sat down at a table in the back corner beside Mira. "I cant believe I wore cashmere and high heels. No wonder Livvy laughs every time she looks at me. "
"Youll get better," Mira promised. "Here. Fold napkins. "
"Well, I damn sure cant get worse. " Angie couldnt help laughing, though it wasnt funny. In truth, she hadnt expected it to be so hard. All her life, things had come easily to her. Shed simply been good at whatever she tried. Not exceptional, perhaps, but better than average. Shed graduated from UCLA--in four years, thank you, with a very respectable grade point--and shed immediately been hired by the best ad agency in Seattle.
Frankly, this whole table-waiting handicap came as a shock. "Its humiliating. "
Mira looked up from the napkins. "Dont worry. Rosa hardly ever calls in sick. Usually she can handle the so-called crowd. And youll get better. "
"I know, but . . . " Angie looked down at her hands. Two bright pink burn spots marred her skin. Fortunately, shed spilled the hot sauce on herself and not on Mrs. Guiliani. "I dont know if I can do this. "
Mira folded the thick white napkin into a swan and pushed it across the table.
Angie was reminded of the night Papa had taught her how to turn a plain square of fabric into this bird. When she looked up and saw her sisters smile, she knew the reminder had been intentional.
"It took Livvy and me weeks to learn how to do that. We sat on the floor by Papa, trying to copy his every move so he would smile at us and say Good job, my princesses. We thought we were doing so well . . . then you joined us and learned how to fold it in three tries. This one, Papa said, kissing your cheek, can do anything. "
The memory should have made her smile, but this time she saw more. "That must have been tough on you and Livvy. "
Mira waved off the concern. "That wasnt my point. This place--DeSarias--its in your blood, just as its in ours. Not being a part of it for all those years doesnt change who you are. Youre one of us, and you can do whatever needs to be done. Papa believed in you and so do I. "
"Im afraid. "
Mira smiled gently. "Thats not you. "
Angie turned her head and stared through the window at the empty street. Leaves fell to the ground, skittered across the rough cement sidewalk. "Its who Ive become. " She hated to admit it.
Mira leaned forward. "Can I be honest?"
"Absolutely not. " Angie tried to laugh, but when she looked at her sisters earnest face, she couldnt do it.
"Youve gotten . . . self-centered in the last few years. I dont mean selfish. Wanting a baby and then losing Sophie . . . It made you . . . quiet. Alone somehow. "
Alone somehow.
It was true.
"I felt as if I were hanging on by a thread and there was a huge hole beneath me. "
"Then you fell anyway. "
She thought about that. Shed lost her daughter, her father, and her husband in the same year. That was certainly the fall shed been afraid of. "Sometimes I think Im still falling. At night its especially bad. "
"Maybe its time to look outward. "
"I have the restaurant. Im trying. "
"What about all t
he hours when were closed?"