Chapter Text
Tamara was having a hard time finding her place at her new school. It felt like she simply wasn’t succeeding, that she wasn’t achieving everything that should be. She was getting frustrated with herself. Frustrated that she wasn’t achieving, frustrated that she was struggling, frustrated that she could potentially be ruining this experience despite everything that her mother has done for her to be here.
Although Lucy has said that she is proud of Tamara, and knows that her best is all she could ask for, Tamara still feels a bit of a need to succeed. As if to show her mom that taking money from her grandparents was worth it. That she was worth it. Taking such a gamble was going to be worth it. She would pass Chilton, she’d go to Harvard, she’d make a name for herself, someway, somehow.
Which is why she was spending her Friday night surrounded by books at Tim’s dinner. A plate of Chili Fries on her left, and an empty coffee cup beside it. She was gonna pass the test on Monday, she was gonna show her headmaster that she was meant to be at this school. He could say whatever he wanted about her and her mother, but they would both prove him wrong.
“Hey now Eniestien, wanna take a break and actually eat your food?” Tim says as he refills her coffee cup. “I will cut you off if I have to,” He said nodding to the cup.
“You wouldn’t do that to me,” Tamara shook her head. “I have to say, your diner is a very nice place to study,”
“Yeah?” Tim asked with an eyebrow raised. Tamara nodded and made a grand gesture to take a bite of her food. Tim rolled his eyes, she was so much like her mother. “You know coffee stunts your growth,”
“I don’t think that’s true,” Tamara said. “But even if it is,” She picked up her coffee, “It is so worth it,”
“Don’t come crying to me when you can’t reach the top shelf,”
“I’ll marry a very tall man.” She rebutted.
“Or get a stool,” Tim said frowning at the thought of her growing up, the thought of her getting married in the future.
“See, so at the end of the day, it won’t matter how much coffee I drink. I have backup plans for the whole top shelf thing,” She smiled at him as he shook his head. As much as Tim cared about the girl, she did drive him a bit crazy. “Have you seen my mom today?”
“She was in earlier for coffee,” Tim said. “She got a call from Nyla, something about the Inn,”
“Ah that’s never good,” Tamara smiled. “How much you wanna bet that Nyla insulted another guest,”
“The day I bet against Nyla insulting someone, I am crazy,” Tim sighed. “I gotta get back to work, let me know if you need anything,”
“Thanks, Tim,” Tamara smiled and went back to her studying. If there was one thing she got from her mother, it was her stubbornness.
|~|
Lucy was always amazed that Nyla worked in a job that revolved around customer service. That wasn’t to say that Nyla was a mean person, she was simply very blunt. She didn’t beat around the bush, and if you were acting like an idiot, she’d tell you. But given Lucy’s very sunshine personality, it made sense that Nyla was a bit more blunt and serious. But sometimes Lucy had to question the other woman.
“You can’t send a person away for being stupid,” Lucy said calmly.
“Sure can,” Nyla confirmed. “I wouldn’t have to if they didn’t ask such stupid questions,”
“Asking if we wash our bed sheets is not stupid,” Lucy said. “Okay, how about next time someone asks you a stupid question, you answer like I would,”
“With fake enthusiasm?” Nyla asked.
“Exactly,” Lucy smiled. “I am gonna go check on Jackson, can I trust that you won’t insult anyone else?”
“I guess,” Nyla sighed. “But I want you to know that I don’t get paid enough for this,” Lucy only rolled her eyes and walked away from her. Lucy waved her hand at her dismissively before moving on to the kitchen. There, she found her best friend loudly running around the kitchen making his next meal for the guest. He was quickly moving from dish to dish effortlessly rushing between his staff.
“Woah slow down there Bobby Flay,” Lucy called out to draw his attention. Jackson was an amazing chef, but he seemed to lose all notions of reality when he was in the kitchen. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
“Sure,” Jackson nodded. “I swear Luce I don’t know where you find these guys,” He gestured to the staff moving around the kitchen. “But they are great.”
“I had to find the best staff for the best chief,” Lucy smiled. “Sorry to interrupt your art,”
“I always have time for you,” He said. “What’s up,”
“I need someone to tell me I am not crazy,”
“Crazy? You, my dear, have never been crazy,” he said even though they both knew that he was lying through his teeth. “What’s going on?”
“Tamara, it’s this whole new school thing, it’s stressing her out.” Lucy sighed. “And I know she can do this, I know that she wants to do it, but what if a part of me presses her into doing this? What if she doesn’t actually want to do this? I don’t want to be on her back for something stupid like this, I never want Tamara to feel the pressure the way I did.”
“Okay, stop,” Jackson said. “Breathe, just one second.”
“I am breathing.” Lucy frowned.
“Sure,” Jackson rolled his eyes. “Trust me when I saw this Luce, but you are not pressuring that girl into anything. Believe me. She is a learner, the kid reads for fun! She isn’t just someone who will give up when it gets tough. You aren’t your mother Lucy.”
“I know…I just want to make sure,”
“Trust me, tonight you two will be surrounded by donuts for dinner as Tim yells at you two for being unhealthy.” Jackson teased. Lucy couldn’t help but smile. “Speaking of,”
“No, we aren’t having this conversation again Jackson,”
“You can’t keep denying it,”
“Fuck off Jackson I mean it,”
“You’re in denial, it’s so sad,” Jackson rolled her eyes. “You two could be the hottest couple in this little town,” He made a grand gesture to the town around them. Lucy could only roll her eyes in response before her phone rang.
“This is Lucy Chen,” She answered. “Okay wait slow down,” Her head shot up in alert. “She did what!?”