The Caterer

Chapter 15

A LICE CALLED FOR HER MOTHER, setting her bag on the couch in the front room. It always felt like she was breaking the bliss of a B surely her father left something out for her to enjoy.

“She’s at her tennis game.” Her father came out of the kitchen in his well-loved overalls, covered in paint and dirt. “This is a surprise.”

“We didn’t open the truck today with the long weekend, and nothing is going on that I need to be in town for. I thought I might crash up here for a few days. ”

“You’re free to stay, though we got invited to the Capitol dome for the fireworks tomorrow.” Her dad rubbed his chin with his broad hand, leaving a trail of dirt on his skin. How opposite her parents were. Her mother—The Queen as she became known on The Hill—always perfect and presentable. Somehow, she’d come back from tennis looking like a magazine ad. Then there was her dad, Dr. James Gibson, renowned horticulturist, disheveled and easygoing. Her father taught her about edibles and led her into a world too many overlooked, cultivating Alice into the chef she became.

“I can go.” So much for her relaxing weekend in the country. “How are things growing this year?”

“Come see.” He started back for the greenhouse, walking through the kitchen, which her mom remodeled into something from a hotel. Hilarious, considering her mother only knew how to cook soup. Alice soon realized her mother wanted her to feel comfortable cooking for her mother’s parties and other get-togethers. A fireplace sat in the center of a full wall of windows, providing a view of the valley around them. The loose pages of her dad’s latest book waited on the table against the far wall.

The greenhouse was her father’s addition to the house. Two steps down into another world. Fresh earth and herbs replaced the floral of her mother’s candle in the kitchen. Plants covered the various laboratory tables, grow lights pulled against the beams in the ceiling until they would be needed again. The glass panels stood open for the summer. Alice took a deep breath and relaxed. She picked a mint leaf and slipped it on her tongue. The family bloodhound slept in the corner, who raised her droopy eyes to Alice before going back to sleep.

“It’s the heat of the summer,” her dad said. Alice set her fingers on the tomatoes vining in the corner, the black strawberries starting to poke their heads out of the earth. A collection of snap peas climbed up a trellis near the back windows .

“What’s going on, Birdie?” Her dad tended to the vegetables around him. Alice studied the peas.

“I got an investor for my catering company…”

“That’s great!”

“Delany Clare.”

He tilted his head. “How do you know Delany Clare?”

“His admin hired me to do an event before everything went down with Tabby. I-I can’t turn him down, Dad.”

“Why would you?”

Alice paused. “Because of what happened with Tabby.”

Her dad passed it off with a wave of his hand and went to find his spray bottle.

“She won’t understand.” Alice leaned on a workbench.

“You cannot make your choices based on your sister. What would your mother say? This is business. Your company is not TabiKat. Is that your only holdup?”

The only one she was going to tell her father about. He indulged her schoolgirl crushes when she was younger. It hardly seemed a viable reason to turn down Delany’s offer. Alice glanced at her father who watched her, waiting for an answer.

“If your sister can’t be happy for you—that’s hers to figure out. I know you, not cooking is eating at you. Clare is well-connected. This is your chance to prove Jonas and the others wrong.”

“What if they’re not wrong?” Alice tried to swallow her emotion. “What if I take this money and Delany’s Rolodex and I fail? What if Cornelia was wrong, and I’m not meant to be an executive chef?”

Her father took a moment to finish spraying the chard before he set the bottle down and came to stand before Alice. She couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze, the tears a little too close in her eyes .

“What did we tell you growing up—people only bullied you because you highlighted something they didn’t like in themselves. Jonas’ want of talent is not a secret. Those men trying to hold you back are using you to mask their insecurities. If you do your best, this company will not fail.”

He wiped the tear off her cheek, leaving a trail of mud. He started to apologize, but Alice shook her head. It was fine. The grit on her skin reminded her of her childhood and the promise her dad would always be there for her.

“I’m scared, Dad.”

“I get that. You should be. A healthy bit of fear never hurt anyone but don’t let that keep you from what you want.”

She went to collect honey from the combs, the bees buzzing around her. Alice focused on what she needed to do before she reset the top cover and undid her suit at the bin her father kept near the hive boxes on the edge of their property. The only way her mother agreed to let him keep bees around was if they never interfered with one of her parties or made their guests feel uncomfortable. A chicken run surrounded her father’s outdoor garden, a series of raised beds in perfectly formed rows. Alice collected the eggs before heading back to the house.

Her mother’s voice floated out of the screen door. Alice drew in a deep breath and got ready. Inside, her mother waved and pointed to the phone in her other hand. Alice checked the sun tea brewing in the window before slipping out of the kitchen. She went to the bedroom she always stayed in with its antique four-post bed and vintage floral wallpaper. Her father’s books lined the top shelf of the hutch on the secretary desk. She reached for the one on fungi and sat against the wall by the bed. She’d read it half a dozen times but always got new ideas of things to try. Knowing her mother had boxes of the books in the basement and that she encouraged guests to take them, Alice found a pen in the bedside table and started making notes. Taco curled up on the bed beside her .

“I’m sure you have at least two marked-up copies of that in your apartment.” Her mother’s voice filled the room. She stood with either hand on a side of the doorway, her white tennis outfit perfect even after an hour at the court. The glow brought out her emerald eyes and full lips. Her mother’s skin chapped from being in the sun. They were the same height, Alice always feeling disheveled around her mother.

“But those are in a box in town, and I am here.” Alice smiled. Her mother laughed, using her hand to pull her tapered dirty-blond hair out of her eyes.

“It’s good to see you. I told your father we can do Charlie’s for dinner tonight, watch the sunset over the ridge. Lovely story they did on you in the paper.” She paused. Alice slid her finger into the book and waited. “Your dad told me about the offer…”

“Please don’t side with Tabby for once.” She didn’t need her mother’s guilt trip on top of her own.

Her mother sighed. “I was just going to say, let me know once you get going. I’m a bit miffed you held back those charcuterie boards from me.” She walked away. Alice dropped her head. A lifetime of not measuring up reared its head at the worst times.

HER MOTHER CAME INTO the bedroom the next morning, setting a shorter pink dress on the bed. Alice kept herself from asking if the designer felt inspired by messy frosting. After the previous night, it would be better to not upset her mother. Most often her mother would be hurt for a few days and then act like nothing ever happened. Alice learned long ago to keep her head down.

“I was hoping you might be available to cater your father’s birthday in October.”

“Of course. ”

“It’ll be here. Thirty, forty people. I need food for the whole weekend. I will pay you. Run it through your business and treat it like another event.”

Alice started to laugh and say she couldn’t, but seeing her mother’s serious expression all she could think to say was, “Yes ma’am.”

Her mother set her hand on the tall railing of the bed, choosing her words. Alice studied the oversized pearls on her mother’s right wrist, matching ones on her ears and neck.

“Have you thought about Mr. Clare’s offer?”

Alice closed the book around her hand and took a deep breath, preferring the conversation with her father. He might not understand any better, but he’d be gentler.

“I don’t see how Tabby would ever understand.”

Her mother nodded a few times. “Do you have any other prospects?”

“For backers? No.” Except Harry, and Alice might be getting desperate enough to take him up on his offer. Not that Tabby would understand that decision any better.

“And Valencia leaves in two weeks?”

“Yeah.” She hoped to keep the frustration out of her voice, not sure what her mother was getting at. Maryanne cleared her throat.

“We agreed to let you live in the apartment, Birdie, not sublease it to strangers. If you are not going to be there…”

“It’s just until Hasty Pudding gets going.” She dropped the book and sat up more. “I asked you and Dad if you cared.”

“Yes, I remember. And in the spring, it felt like you had some momentum.” She looked out the window and flexed her jaw. Alice’s heart rate picked up. She started to tell her mother about the potential events she could have, to ask for more time. But her mother lifted her hand. “I took your sister out to lunch after she got back from college and told her the free ride was done. I would only support her as much as she put in the effort. I never thought I’d have to have the conversation with you.”

“Mom.” Alice’s skin felt clammy. Her mother shook her head.

“If you want to go back to a basement apartment in Georgetown and be a junior chef and live in the past, that is your choice. But we both know you are more than that.” She stood fully. “You have until the start of September to show me you intend to do something to make your company go. You know your father and I will do whatever we can. But I will not allow you to hide out at your sister’s and jot ideas in books while there is a real opportunity out there for you to do what you want. It’s time to find some gumption, Birdie. It’s time for you to be proactive for what you want.”

ALICE FOLLOWED HER PARENTS up the stairs to the balcony on the Capitol dome. No matter how many times she climbed these steps, the view still left her breathless. The latest country semi-star crooned from the lawn below for the televised event. The people looked like ants, and the city felt like a play set she could pick up and rearrange if she wished. It was her favorite place to watch the fireworks fill the skyline she loved.

She pulled at the high neckline of the dress her mother left. The Queen had standards for how the girls looked and behaved at The Capitol. After the exchange at the house, Alice was desperate to get on her good side again. She didn’t want to believe her mother’s ultimatum came because of what she said. A slip of the tongue, an indication she felt second to her sister. Her mother could remember offenses. Don’t get her started on how people stabbed her in the back in Congress. Yes, it was ten years ago and neither one worked there anymore, but her mother loved to turn any conflict within these hallowed halls into a gladiator battle. If Alice didn’t play things right, her mother would use the “well, you just think I love Tabby more” line against her any time Alice tried to stand up for herself. She wanted to ask her father if they were serious. Would they really kick her out of the apartment and sell it? But her parents tended to be in lockstep when it came to the girls.

Her mother chatted with some donor for the party, her father laughing with another representative’s husband. The National Symphony Orchestra started to play on the lawn below. The fireworks were close. She pulled at the high collar of her dress, feeling like an Easter egg in the pink shift dress that barely fell to her mid-thigh. She hated heels but indulged her mother. She could leave it all in the closet at Tabby’s house. For one night, just make her mother happy.

“I wouldn’t have guessed you owned anything so frilly.” Delany stopped at the rail beside her.

“What are you doing here?” She glanced back at her mother.

“The rep from Virginia invited me. Can you say hi, Helene?” He put his hand back over his daughter’s shoulders as she pressed into him.

“You cut your hair!” Alice knelt to her level. Her tight black curls were cut to chin length now. “It’s so cute.”

“We can’t figure out how to style it right though, huh, Bear?”

Helene shook her head.

“Well, I love it. I wish my hair was curly like that.” Alice winked at her. Helene giggled and looked up at her dad.

“It’s Delany, right?” Maryanne said behind her. Alice stepped back while her mother introduced herself. “I’m Alice’s mother.”

“We’ve met before, ma’am. I didn’t realize you all were related.”

“It’s rather fortuitous that you’re here.” She forced a smile.

“I think Rep. Duncan is trying to get me to move the Mystics to Arlington,” Delany said.

“Would you?” Alice asked .

“And take it out of where I grew up? Not a chance.” He introduced Helene, prompting her to say hello to Mrs. Gibson.

“How old are you?” Her mother bent down.

“I’m almost seven.” Helene stood a bit straighter.

Her mother chuckled. “Lovely to meet you. Enjoy the show, Mr. Clare.” She looked at Alice and walked away. The first firework burst into the night, Helene covering her ears. Delany picked her up and told her it was okay.

Alice swallowed her fears and prayed Tabby might someday understand her choice.

“Is your offer still good?” Alice asked. Delany looked at her and nodded, trying to hide his smile. “I’m in. But it’s business. That’s it.”

He leaned in close, Alice’s heart rate picking up. Another firework exploded overhead.

“Come by the office and we can work something out. You won’t regret this, Alice.” He leaned back and smiled with his mouth closed. Even when he didn’t flash that million-dollar smile, he was still attractive. Alice looked ahead and cursed to herself. It was business. B-U-S-I-N-E-S-S! There was no time for a crush here, no place for emotion. Delany Clare was a means to an end. That was all.