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“Hey, has Nat come back?” Sydney looks up at Carmen at expo as she handles the plating of the next dish in the middle service.
”I don’t know. Tina refire!” Carmen’s voice simmered with suppressing the impatience that he always led with.
“Yes chef.” Tina looks at Sydney and rolls her eyes. Sydney smirks at her and mouths “Take your time.”
”Tina.”
”Chef.” Sydney looks at him. “I’m worried about Nat. I’m gonna take 10 to check on her. She’s like 39 weeks.”
”Chef Sydney. I need you.” His face crinkles in frustration at the sudden change in their flow.
”I’ll finish this then I’m taking 10.” She states with finality as she passes Richie another plate.
”Yeah, Chef Sydney. I agree, check on Nat please.” He takes the plates and stiffly passes by Carmy out to the dining area.
”Fuck you.” Carmy whispers quietly to Richie on his way out.
”I’ll cover Syd’s station Chef Carmy. Almost done with my last slice.” Marcus lifts his hand up to show Carmy he’s nearly complete with his last plate of princess cake.
”Thank you Chef Marcus. Can I get hands please?” Carmy calls out and to focus his staff and his temper at Sydney’s sudden need for a break.
“Hands Chef!”
“10.” Sydney whispers to him, her hand gently squeezing his wrist before slipping out of the kitchen and to the locker area. Something inside of her worried about Natalie and she kicked herself internally for not keeping her phone on her even though they, well Carmy, implemented a no phones during service policy. It was stupid with his sister being nine months pregnant and her dad being, well, her dad. But like most things, she was willing to do whatever it took to get a star and make The Bear a success. She didn’t have much of a choice. Well she thought she didn’t, until her meeting with Adam Shapiro.
She opens her locker and pulls out her phone.
5 Missed Call from Natalie Berzatto.
”Oh fuck! Fuck!”
“Chef Syd, everything okay mama?” Tina yells back at her from her station.
“Uhh, yeah missed calls from Nat. Going into the office.”
“Chef, I think Natalie is in labor.” Tina looks up at Carmy as she plates her next dish.
”What? How do you know?”
“Women’s intuition papi.”
Sydney closes the office door and redials Natalie. She doesn’t pick up on the first or second ring like she normally does which dials Syd’s anxiety up another level.
“Sydney. Hey honey.” Sydney’s lets out a breath after she answers.
“Nat are you ok? What’s going on?”
“Yeah Syd. The baby’s coming. Pete’s out of town. I’m stuck in traffic. I called Donna.”
“Donna as in your mother?”
“Yes sweetie that’s the one. Oh god—”
Sydney heard heavy breathing on the other end as Natalie pressed through labor pains.
“Ok Nat. Umm, I’ll get Carm and we’ll be there ok. Do you think you can make it to the hospital?”
“I don’t know Syd. 75 is packed. I’m turning off on the nearest exit, sending you my location. Move bastard, I’m having a fucking baby here!”
“Uh ok, we’ll be there. Just breathe.”
“Ok sweetie I’m doing my fucking best here. Fuck. Thank you for calling back.” Natalie’s voice shifts from exasperation to sweet as she navigates through traffic and labor.
“Of course, this stupid ass rule for phones when you’re pregnant. I should’ve said something to him.”
“He wouldn’t listen anyway. Good luck pulling him off expo.”
“Don’t worry we’ll be there.”
“Thanks my love.”
“Mmhmm.” Sydney hangs up and swings open the door quickly bursting through the kitchen. Carmy and Richie are yelling again but Marcus seems to have it under control. Sydney makes a mental note to make a line item for a bonus for him in their next budget meeting.
”I am giving them a free bottle since you won’t substitute your stupid fucking mushrooms.” Richie spews at the red faced menace in front of him.
”Do whatever just get the fuck out of here.”
”Heard, little bitch.” Richie whispers loud enough for the entire kitchen to hear.
”Um, Chef Carmen.” Sydney walks next to him.
”Yes, chef?” His face red,he hands gripping the edge of the expo counter tightly as he tries to calm himself to speak to her.
“We needa go. Like now.”
“Go where?”
Sydney takes a breath and looks up to the ceiling before back at him.
”To Nat. She’s stuck in traffic on the highway. Her water broke. She called me like five times, dude. We need to go.”
”Like now Syd? Like in the middle of service, Syd?”
”Yes Carm, it’s your fucking sister.”
“Who the fuck is going to handle this?” He gestures around the kitchen.
”Um, Richie can handle expo. He did when you were, um. He can handle it. And Tina is good. She’s got a good grasp on all the cooks now. Right T?”
”Yes, Jeff. You and Jeffrey Ballet go help Natalie. We got this. Right Marcus?”
”Yes, chef. We can do it, Carmy. You need to go be with your sister.” Marcus squeezes his shoulder as Carmy continues to stare at her with wide eyes.
”No I shouldn’t. I needa be here.” He stares between the three of them, pleading.
”I think you would hate yourself if you weren't there when she needed you.” Sydney whispers.
”Well it’s too fucking late for that.”
Sydney shuts her eyes tightly at his self flagellation. “Richie, can you take over the expo for Carmen please? We’re going to the hospital.”
“Anything for you Chef Sydney and nothing for the fuckwad.”
“Nuh uh, it’s not the time for that.” She scolds Richie before stepping around Carmy to organize the tickets and Sharpies for Richie.
”Let’s go Chef.” She looks at Carmy with fire blazing in her eyes.
”Syd, you can’t.” He gives her his most sympathetic blue eyes, but it wasn’t going to work. His comfort zone of avoidance was the last place she was going to allow him to be.
”Yes I can. This is my place too. If tonight goes bad it’s on me too. It’s one night versus the only day your niece will be born. We are going. I’m not asking.”
“You tell him.” Fak whistles from the background.
”Niel Geoff if you don’t take that fucking plate to the right table, I’m taking you off service tomorrow and you’ll be scrubbing ovens.” Richie bursts his bubble.
”Aww man, no I hate the ovens. Go get the baby Carm!”
Sydney pulls him by his sleeve as he walks mindlessly to their lockers.
“I can’t fucking believe we’re doing this.”
”Having a baby is never convenient, Carmy. Do you have the keys to the truck?”
”Yeah.” He lifts them to confirm. They both slip out of their whites and slip jackets over their white t-shirts in unison as they walk out to the truck.
Sydney watches as his fingers tap impatiently against the steering wheel as he follows the navigation on her phone to Nat’s location.
“It’s going to be ok, Carmy.”
”I don’t know, Syd. You’re better at all this shit than me. I implemented that stupid fucking no phones rules when my sister was pregnant. What if we’re too late? What if she’s in labor on the side of the road? Like I know Sug is probably freaking out about having her baby on the side of the road and I can’t fuck up my niece on her first day.”
”I wish you would stop saying that. Let’s call Nat.”
She presses FaceTime and Nat’s red and sweat covered face appears.
”Where the fuck are you guys?” She breathes heavily.
”Five minutes. Are you ok?” Carmy voice shakes.
”As fucking okay as a fucking woman in labor on the side of the fucking road.”
”Be there soon.” Sydney tries her best to sound reassuring.
”Drive carefully Bear.” Natalie hangs up. Sydney feels a warmth bloom in her chest at the use of the nickname but she shakes it off. She knows Natalie meant Carmy who was driving but she was looking directly at Sydney when she said it.
”See she’s fine. We’ll get there. Get her to the hospital. Okay?” She turns to look at him even though he is focused on the road ahead. He flashes concerned blue eyes at her and then they arrive at Nat’s location.
”If you want, I can drive Natalie to the hospital and you take the truck?” Sydney suggests as they park behind Natalie’s Porsche.
”You aren’t driving a Porsche. Didn’t you just get your license?”
“That doesn't matter right now does it?”
”It does. I got it. Take the truck to the hospital, yeah?”
”Funny you’ll let me drive the company car but not a Porsche.”
”Well our company car is kinda shit so it’s fine.”
”Fuck you.”
”Yeah whatever.” He hides a small smile and Sydney feels like she just collected something special to add to the Carmy Smile Jar which is metaphorically low since he started to be on the whole ‘we’re gonna get a star’ wave. It almost makes her feel decent enough to reconsider the offer. Almost.
”Natalie, you good?” Carmy opens her door and holds out his hand to help her out of the front seat.
”Fucking NO! Would you move your asses!? Please I’m having a fucking baby.”
”Yeah, I’m sure this whole fucking block knows Sug. Gimme the keys?”
“It’s in the tray fucking idiot. Push to start. Help me to the passenger side.”
They work together to lift her arms as they waddle her carefully to the passenger seat.
“I’m so glad you’re here Syd.” Natalie squeezes her arm as she lets go of her.
”Me too Nat. I’m gonna follow behind in the truck ok.”
“Kay. Will you call Pete for me again?”
”Of course and anybody else.”
”No I already fucked up and called Donna.”
”What?!” Carmy eyes bug out of his face.
”Nobody was fucking answering. What the fuck was I supposed to do Bear? Thank god for fucking Sydney.”
He looks up at Sydney. “Thank you.”
”No worries. Let’s go.” She shuts Nat’s door and takes over the driver seat of the truck as she follows behind Carmy. He drives fast and whips through traffic but she manages decently enough. Plus she knows her way to the hospital. She dials Pete.
“Hi Syd, is everything okay?” Pete answers in his typical cheerful fashion.
“Um, we just picked up Natalie. You know you’re having a baby right?”
“Of course, yeah! I’m walking through the airport now. Can’t get there any faster, no need in panicking. Plus you’re there! Is Carmy with you?”
“He’s driving Nat.”
“Oh that’s wonderful. Ok well I should be there hopefully in a few hours. Thank you Sydney. You’re the best. Make sure Carmy doesn’t freak out too much.”
“Umm, I’ll try my best. See you soon.” Sometimes she hates that she is Carmy’s default handler but she knows they mean well.
“See you Syd.” The call ends and she pulls into the spot next to Carmy at the hospital.
She turns off the car and hurries to the passenger side of Natalie’s car to help Carmy with his sister.
“I’m good guys. Thank you. I think I can walk.” Natalie manages between short breaths.
“I can’t believe you called mom.” Carmy whispers.
“Who the fuck else was I supposed to call Carmy? Pete is working, Syd didn’t answer at first, you didn’t answer, Marcus didn’t answer, hell even Claire didn’t fucking answer!”
“You called Claire?” His face perks up.
“Yeah and thank fuck she didn’t fucking answer.” She rolls her eyes at him.
“It’s ok. I just had a feeling when you didn’t get back with the c-folds in a decent amount of time that something might have been up.” Sydney chimes in.
“So grateful for you Syd. The only one who pays attention to anything at that place.” She squeezes Syd’s shoulder and then rests her arm there and Sydney gladly takes on the brunt of her weight.
“Shouldn’t you just be focusing on labor or something?” Carmy asks as he looks at the seamless trust between Sydney and his sister .
“Shut the fuck up! I am.”
“Sorry shit I don’t know what to do.”
“Go get me a wheelchair or something. This walk is too fucking long.”
Carmy runs ahead of them as they walk through the entrance to find a wheelchair. He’s explaining to security that his sister is in labor and needs to be checked in when they catch up with him.
“Sydney.” Natalie looks at her and she knows exactly what she means.
“Hey Carm, it’s fine.” She brushes her fingers along his back to focus his attention. He stills and takes a deep breath as he lets her calm demeanor wash over him.
“I got one for you right here man.” The security officer pushes a chair toward them.
“Thank you. Sorry we’re just, um, yeah the baby.” Carmy apologizes terribly then pushes the chair in Natalie’s direction.
“Sorry.” Syd gives the officer a kind smile before following him to the check in desk.
“Hi, um, we need to check in Natalie Berzatto. She is in labor right now.”
“Ok and what relation are you to Natalie?”
“I’m um, her, um friend. Friend of the family, yeah.” They were more like sisters as the long days and long nights went by building the bear, mostly without Carmy. But officially that’s what she was, their family friend, and business partner. Well, not officially. Maybe not ever now that she was actively considering Shapiro’s offer and avoiding signing the partnership agreement the longer Carmy iced her out of the menu decision making.
“Ok and who is her next of kin that is available?”
“Her brother, Carmen Berzatto. Her husband should be here soon. At least I hope so, um Peter.”
“And Donna, Donna Berzatto.” A manic voice speaks beside her and Sydney nearly jumps from the surprise of her presence.
“Oh fuck.” Sydney hears Carmen.
“Carmen! My son! My baby!” Donna turns verbosely to her youngest son and squishes him against her.
“Ma! I’m having fucking baby, please let him go.”
“Oh, Sugar my princess. Yes oh my god. You need to make sure you are breathing properly. Hee Hoo, Hee Hoo.”
“Ma, please Sydney’s trying to get us checked in.”
“Sydney? Who?”
“Um, yeah, hi, I’m-,” she holds out her hand but Carmy quickly steps in front of her like a bodyguard.
“This is Syd, Sydney, my partner… at the restaurant. Please don’t be weird.”
“Why would I be weird Carmen? I’m your mother. Of course I wanna meet your friend. Hi Dear,” she steps around Carmy. “I’m Donna or Didi. Whatever you wanna call me dear.”
“Hi nice to meet you.” Sydney takes her hand and Didi squeezes her hand with her sharp stiletto manicure and a mild tremor. She looks Sydney up and down and then turns back to Carmy with a tight smile.
“She’s a little young to be a chef, no? Are you sure you know what you’re doing with the place? Diane went a couple weekends ago, said the place was chaotic and loud. Are you sure?”
“Ma please. If it wasn’t for Syd we wouldn’t have a place. I wouldn’t even be here. Let’s help Nat, please.” Syd’s face screws up at his admittance. It was the first time he acknowledged her value in a while.
“Fine, fine you don’t have to get all sensitive Carmen. You don’t talk to me so how the fuck would I know?”
“Can you both shut the fuck up please?” Natalie says from her wheelchair as a nurse pushes her to a room.
Sydney and Carmen stand outside the room as she changes.
“Yo, are you good?” Sydney once overs him. He looks like his body is buzzing as he paces a short distance back and forth in the hallway.
“Um, not really. But I’ll be ok. You alright?”
“Not really. I feel like I’m intruding. Like maybe I should go back to service. This is like a family thing and maybe I shouldn’t… intrude.”
“Syd, what are you talking about? Natalie wants you here. I, um, I want you here.”
”Ok well, I just don’t wanna be in the way and your mom she um, she doesn’t seem to like me.”
”Well she doesn’t like me much either so what does that actually mean in the grand scheme of everything?” He stops pacing and stands next to her brushing her shoulder with his own as he sinks against the wall.
”Why don’t you answer her calls?” She feels like maybe now isn’t the time, but when else would have him alone and vulnerable enough to ask?
”I, I don’t, I think-“
“Peter?” A doctor walks up to him in the hallway.
“No Carmen, Sug, I mean, Natalie’s brother.”
“Oh,nice to meet you. I’m just going to check in with Natalie, see where we are in the process.”
“Sounds good Doc.” He puts his fingers on the tip of his mouth.
”Do you wanna smoke?” Sydney leans her head against the wall as she studies him.
”Real fucking bad yeah.”
”We can go.”
“No, it’s been 54 days and 10 hours. I wanna stick it out. I’m not wasting fucking time.”
“I mean well if we’re not going back to service all we have is time.”
”Are you encouraging me to smoke Sydney Adamu?” He looks back at her incredulously.
“I just want you to calm down and not naw your hand off in front of me.”
”You hungry?”
”A little.”
”Wanna see what shitty cafeteria food they have?”
”Yeah let’s just check in on Nat first?”
”Course. C’mon.”
He follows behind her back into the room.
“There you two are. Happy for you to join us. Hang on just-one- minute.” She suffers through another contraction and Sydney contorts her face in horror, which matches Carmen’s own.
“Just breathe honey. Heeee hooo, remember?”
“Mom please!”
“We were just gonna head to the cafeteria and check on the spot. Do you need anything?” Sydney breaks the tension. Carmy seems frozen in place at the scene in front of him.
“Ice chips.”
“Got it. We’ll be here. Whatever you need. My phone’s on for Pete too.”
“Of course sweetheart.”
“Carmy, Carmen.” She tugs on the sleeves of his jacket to refocus his attention.
“Sorry, yeah, umm we’ll be back.”
“You sure you can handle this?” Sydney asks him as they board the elevator to the cafeteria level.
“No like not fucking at all. But it’s good I’m here right?” He nods at her for reassurance.
“Of course it is. Well check in with Sweeps and then I guess just hang until it’s time?”
“Yeah let’s do that. Hope there’s something fucking edible down here.”
“Ugh me too.” She finds a table as Carmy stands in the food line and dials Gary.
“Chef Sydney.”
“Sweeps. How is it man?”
“It’s steady. Richie is killing it. How is Natalie and Carmy?”
“Freaking the fuck out.”
“Wouldn’t be them if they weren’t right?”
“No, you're right. Tina and Marcus ok?”
“Yeah you know Tina doesn’t fuck around, especially if you left her in charge. She pulled Ebra in to cover her station.”
“Is he doing alright?”
“Managing. We got a couple more hours, chef. We can handle it. Tell Chef Carmen to take a chill pill.”
“You know that shit wouldn’t work.”
“It’s worth a try.” Sweeps laughs on the line.
“Thanks Gary. I’ll check in at close.” She hangs up her phone.
“How about I check in at close? You know you don’t have to take care of everything. We're partners.” Carmen places a tray with chicken soup, a turkey sandwich, and two grape juice boxes on the table she’d sat at and pulls out a chair to join her.
“It hasn’t really felt like that lately.” Sydney sucks in her bottom lip nervously.
“Syd what do you mean?”
“Carmy, you know I’ve been trying to tell you, and you have been shutting me out.”
“Tell me what?” He looks truly clueless and Sydney rolls her eyes at his obliviousness to her unhappiness.
“That we’re headed down the wrong path and I’m scared, Carmy.”
“You still don’t think I can do it.”
“It’s not that. I don’t want to do it like this and you know that.” She runs her hands across her face in frustration. He was never not going to make everything about himself.
“Is this why you haven’t signed the contract?” His eyes pierced at her truth and she turned away.
“Carmy, I don’t think this is appropriate hospital conversation.” Sydney turns back to him and widens her large brown eyes in warning.
He shakes his head in agreement. “I’m sorry Syd. I am. Have some sandwich or soup.”
“Soup looks decent.” She stirs it with her spoon and then takes a sip, adds some salt and pepper to it before stirring it and tasting it again.
“Thank you for getting me off expo.” Carmen leans in closer to her.
“Um no problem.”
“No, like thank you seriously. You’re always thinking about me. About all of us. It means a lot. And I’m sorry if I’m not always as thoughtful.” He fingers twitch across the table from her own. Her heart gives her impulse to push her fingers toward his. Her brain wants her to pull her hand back.
“You can be, when you really want to.” She shrugs casually, pulling her hand in to cradle her elbow. Brain wins.
“I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me like ever.”
“No it’s not.”
“I recall ‘piece of shit’.”
“Do you not recall ‘excellent chef’?”
“Doesn’t matter if you think I’m a piece of shit. Still do?”
“Yeah sometimes.”
“Fuck Syd.” He lets out a small chuckle and covers his face like she’s impossible for him to understand.
“You asked.”
“I did. Way to keep it real.”
“Always.”
“Your dad okay with you being here?” He sinks further into his seat.
“Carmen, I’m an adult. And I have my own place now.”
“Decorated yet?”
“No when the fuck am I gonna do that?”
“We’ll figure it out.” His confidence never fails to astonish her.
“Yeah okay.” She shrugs off his offer.
“I’m serious, Syd. I wanna help. I know I’ve been fucking this up. Let me help.”
”By what? Putting denim in my oven?”
”Shut the fuc—“ His eyes narrow in front of him and Syd turns to see what has caught his attention. Donna or Didi or whatever the fuck she wants to be called stands at the entrance of the cafeteria.
”I think you should talk to your mom.” Sydney whispers.
“Nah, I’m good.”
”No you aren’t. Talk to her. Do you want me to pull out the dead mom card again?”
He stares at her blankly.
”That’s what I thought.”
”We’ll talk later?” He raises his eyes in question.
“Yeah I’ll call Gary. Don’t worry. I’m getting those ice chips for Natalie.”
”Whadda doing down here, Ma? I thought you were with Nat?” Carmen questions Donna immediately as she almost crashes into their table as Sydney gets up.
“I was. Pete’s here now. She doesn’t need me anymore. None of you do.” She sounds like she’s on the verge of tears or a mental breakdown and Sydney definitely takes that as her cue to leave. She is fearful for whatever Carmen is going to have to go through with Didi, but knowing it’s something he probably needs more than anything. More than her protection, or affection, he was going to have to battle this demon on his own.
I’m not your fucking babysitter.
Her phone buzzes.
”Hey T.”
”Hey mija. You and Jeffrey good?”
”Yeah we’re fine. We’ll at least, I think so. He’s with Donna so there’s that.”
”Oh fuck, that’s never good. But maybe his little angry ass needs it. How’s Natalie?”
”Pete’s here so I’m sure she feels a lot better. On my way back to them now. No baby that I know of. How was the night?”
”Hard chef. But we pushed through it. Hopefully you and Jeffrey never leave us on the same night again.” The pain of dread fills Sydney’s chest as she thinks about the gravity of Tina’s throwaway statement. She really doesn’t want to leave them but she might have to.
”Hopefully nobody else has a baby during service.” She quickly recovers.
”Unless it’s you, I think we’re safe.”
“What? T? Now why would I?”
“I’m not saying it would be you, I’m just saying, you and Jeff…”
“Please don’t finish that statement. Please.”
“I hope y’all figure out whatever freaky shit is going on between you. We’re tired.”
“Um, Tina, there’s nothing.” The only currently freaky shit between her and Carmy was the offer from Shapiro and her unsigned partnership agreement. At least, those were the only things she was allowing herself to acknowledge.
“Sure Jeff. Sure. We’re doing the final checks. I’ll let you know when everything is locked up.” Tina didn’t sound convinced at all.
“Sounds good. I’ll let everyone know in the chat any updates on Baby Berzatto.”
“Sounds good mija.”
She grabs the ice and heads back to Natalie.
“Oh fucking thank god. I’ve already gone through like two cups but this is good.”
“Are you feeling ok, can I do anything?”
“No sweetie. You’ve done so much. Where’s Carmy?”
“With Didi.” She raises her eyebrows unsure of how that is currently going.
”Good. Good.”
”Pete you okay?”
”Happy you guys saved the day. I can’t say how much it means to me, Syd.”
”Don’t say anything.”
”Syd sweetie, can you do something for me?”
”Yeah of course.” She walks to the edge of the hospital bed.
”Can you braid my hair? I know it sounds crazy but I don’t want my daughter meeting me with this rat’s nest on top of it ya know?”
”Are you, you sure?” Sydney’s hardly ever been asked to braid another person’s hair. Let alone someone white. But she would do anything to ease Natalie’s labor experience.
“Yes, my love I’m sure. Pete, will you get Syd that brush out of my go bag?”
“Of course.” He hands Sydney the plastic bristle brush and a couple scrunchies.
“Just two big ones to the back alright?” Sydney asks to be sure, leaning against the back of the hospital bed.
”Perfect.”
Sydney parts her silky blonde strands carefully making sure not to pull the brush too harshly through the tangles and adding a bit of water from a melted ice cup to the brush.
“This feels incredible.” Natalie sinks into her touch.
”Okay good. I was worried you might be tender headed or something.”
“Tender what?” Natalie quirks her head up in question.
“Don’t worry about it.” Sydney’s fingers glide through her scalp as she completes the first braid. She works efficiently before noticing a new presence in the room. She looks up and Carmy stares at her with his fingers on his lips, his bright eyes roaming over her as he watches her delicately take care of his sister. He holds an open bottle of Coke in her hand as he watches her.
The only noise in the room was the soft jazz Pete was playing from his ipad and the beeping of the machinery connected to Natalie and her baby bump. With Didi out of the room and Sydney selflessly attending to comforting Natalie, there was finally a sense of serenity surrounding them.
Sydney was, as she had always been, peace.