Chapter 57— Expecting A Thank You?

"Good morning, Ria." Lena greeted when she walked into the restaurant's kitchen. Ria just rolled her eyes at Lena before ambling away. "Sorry about that, " Greg mumbled as he suddenly appeared in front of Lena. "I'm guessing she is in a bad mood today as well, it's been a week. Is she always in a bad mood?" Lena's voice was heavy with sarcasm as she spoke. Greg smiled, "I don't know. I'm sure she'll come around. Just give her time." "It's pretty obvious that Ria doesn't like me and I don't even know why, " Lena sighed reaching for her apron, she tied it around her body. "I'm sorry about that Lee." Greg apologised putting his hand around Lena's shoulder. "It's Lena, not Lee," Lena stated. Greg calling her Lee just reminded her of Henderson and right now she didn't want to think about him, her heart was going to ache even more and she was going to break down. She was trying her best to put her emotions in check and be strong so she could move on with her life and t take proper care of her son. "Noted, " Greg smiled. Lena took Greg's hand off her shoulder when she noticed Ria who was at the corner of the kitchen. Her icy glare dorked on Lena. "I should get to work now, " Lena said with a small smile. Greg nodded before ambling away. Lena gazed at the corner she saw Ria at earlier and she was still there, her intense fevered glare roamed Lena and she stared at her with lips curled up with disgust. 'What if Ria's hatred towards her was because she had feelings for Greg and probably thought Lena was interested in him?' That was the only reason Lena could think of. Lena shrugged off the thought and decided to focus on her work. Today she was assigned to the kitchen, sir was among those making the food. Ever since she started work, she had always served as a waiter but for the first time she was assigned to the kitchen and she had to focus so she could do great at it and not make Mrs. Clinton regret her decision. "Do you need a hand?" Greg muttered as he came to stand beside Lena while she washed the vegetables. "Thanks but I'm sure you have your own work to do." Lena smiled. "I do, I think you should know something," Greg said in a whisper. "What?" Lena halted turning to him. "You would be cooking with Courtney, Mike, Lisa, Dave, " Greg mentioned. Lena shrugged, her lips curved into a smile. "Well, that's not a problem." "I wasn't done. Ria is also joining you guys." "Huh!" Lena's brows furrowed lightly but she quickly covered it up with a smile. "I don't think it will be a problem. It might be a good time for us to actually become friends." Lena shrugged. "Hopefully!" Greg nodded. " I better go serve customers before Mrs. Clinton finds me here. " Greg muttered before dashing out of the kitchen. "A lot of customers loved the bolognese sauce and the mac and cheese, those were the top orders today." Mrs Clinton gleamed. She and the workers were having a meeting like they usually did after closing for the day. "That's because I made them, " Ria chipped in with a huge grin on her face. Greg glanced at Lena and she smiled. He could remember Mike telling him that Lena had made the Bolognese sauce and the mac cheese but Ria was taking credit for it yet Lena didn't say a word about it, she was smiling. "You did a great job, Ria. I think you will stick to.." "Excuse me, Mrs. Clinton, " Greg chipped in calmly making everyone turn to him. "Yes, Greg." Mrs Clinton spoke fixing her gaze on Greg. "Lena made the Bolognese sauce and the mac and cheese. Ria made the spaghetti." "Ria made the spaghetti? Everyone who ordered spaghetti today complained about it being too salty. Ria why would you take credit for what you didn't do? You know how much I hate dishonesty, I don't take that attribute lightly. I prefer honest workers to those who would lie just to get praised," Mrs. Clinton stated with a straight face. Ria lowered her gaze in embarrassment. "Mrs. Clinton I and Ria made the Bolognese sauce and mac and cheese together." Lena intervened. When she and Greg locked gazes, he had a questioning look on his face but Lena just smiled before she continued to speak. "And about the Spaghetti, it wasn't Ria's fault that it was too salty. I had no idea that she had added salt already so I put some salt in it." The truth was that Lena was not responsible for the salty spaghetti, and she made the Bolognese sauce, and the mac and cheese all by herself but she didn't want Ria to get into trouble. "Just your first day in the kitchen and you've made such a mistake, Lena. Do you know how many bad reviews that silly mistake of yours can cause us? You should have checked with your co-cooks before doing anything." Mrs Clinton sighed gazing downwards. She let out a breath before tilting her head in Lena's direction. "I'm sorry, Lena. But I have to do this, henceforth you have to focus on attending to customers until you learn how things work in the kitchen, " Mrs Clinton muttered. Lena nodded, "Thank you, Mrs. Clinton and I'm sorry for all my mistakes must have caused." Lena was taking off her apron when Ria came in front of her. "Hey, Ria," Lena said with a wave as she put the apron away before turning to face Ria who had a scowl on her face. She stared daggers at Lena, scoffed and then folded her arms across her chest. "I'm guessing you are expecting a thank you for what you did back there? Acting all nice and taking the blame. Let me tell you something, I didn't ask for your help. And it's good you've been kicked out of the kitchen because I can't stand seeing you anywhere near me." Ria snarled staring at Lena with eyes flaring with dislike. Lena chuckled when Ria was done talking. Ria's brows puckered in confusion that wasn't the response she was expecting from Lena. She expected her to flare up and yell at her so everyone else could see the facade she was putting on. "Well to let you know, I didn't do that to get a thank you from you. It's not going to add anything to me. I just saw a friend in need and..." Lena stopped talking when Ria's pearl of mocking laughter filled her ears. "Friends?" Ria huffed. She perked at Lena with raised brows," If you think we are friends, you must be joking. I don't need you as a friend, you are just a pretender putting on this facade of being a nice person just so everyone else can like you but I can see through that." "Ria, I think you are mistaken. I have no ill intentions. I don't know why you hate me but I have no bad feelings towards you, I promise." Lena muttered calmly. Ria scoffed and pointed a finger at Lena. "That's what I'm talking about. The first thing you did when you got here was take my best friend away. The trouble you thought you saved me from was caused by my own best friend, he was trying to make you look good in front of everyone and he didn't even care about me and it's all because of you. It wasn't always like this." All of a sudden Greg perked out and stood in front of them. "Lena, " he smiled. When he glanced in Ria's direction and beheld her he raised a brow. "Ria, I thought you left already." A frown marred Ria's face as she peered at Greg. "I'll leave you two besties to talk while I find my way home." Ria forced a smile on her face before dashing away.