After Dinner

This is the continuation to "Dinner" and describes how Sammy made it up to Fin.

Josefina Hale was furious with her boyfriend Sammy Metz. He had not only embarrassed the whole family, but also endangered his well-paying job as security guard at an import company. "How could you attack your boss?! Are you totally mad? What has gotten into you?!" Sammy cradled his head. He had a hangover. Sammy couldn't explain exactly why he had thought at the time it was such a brilliant idea to pitch Judo against Tai Chi. He had lost. His boss Coldham Fintan Noose III had looked at him as if he wanted to murder him. Instead he had threatened him with being fired and a law suit if Sammy was ever going to do that again. Sammy didn't plan to repeat it. The near fight had spoiled an otherwise very nice dinner. Fin, as his boss wanted to be called, had invited his team to get them to know better. He had just started his job a few days ago.
Josefina shook her head. "You have to get back into Fin's good books at all costs. If you only do one misstep he's going to fire you! Do you understand?" "Yes, I do, Josefina." Sammy's girlfriend was walking up and down, trying to figure out how they could salvage the situation. "Apologize on Monday first thing in the morning." "Alright." Sammy wasn't looking forward to that. "Maybe you could bring something to pacify Fin..." On Sunday Tamika, Sammy's eighteen year old daughter from his first marriage and living with him, had an idea. "Didn't Deante McDonnell ask Fin to get cooking lessons?" Deante was the son of a work colleague and friend Adrain Bennis. "Yes, you are right," Josefina confirmed. Sammy could remember Deante and Fin had agreed to have a lesson the next day, so it had hopefully happened already. If Sammy's behavior hadn't caused a cancellation...
Sammy called Adrain and asked if he could talk to his son. Maybe he knew more about what Fin liked.

Deante McDonnell was an intelligent, shy thirteen year old African American. Unlike his father, who was tall and bulky, he was slight and looked more like his mother Emily with light brown skin, black hair and amber colored eyes. Deante liked Sammy, so he tried to help him. He described what Fin and he had been up to. Fin was interested in locally sourced, organic food and seemed to like pastries, like macaroons. Sammy believed that was a starting point.
Returning home he told Tamika and Josefina what he had learned. Tamika rang a friend, whose mother had a stall at the University District Farmer's Market in Seattle, trying to find out which bakeries had been there. Deante hadn't remembered the name. He hadn't been that interested, because he was excited about the frozen yogurt he just had had and about the impending cooking instructions. Fitting Fin's tastes and profile Josefina and Tamika worked out Belle Epicurean would fit the bill. They were relieved when they found out Belle Epicurean had also a real shop and not just a stall. "Go there tomorrow morning and buy maybe macaroons or something Fin could like. Use your common sense." Josefina advised Sammy. He nodded. "Of course the cost is subtracted from your allowance." Finding out early in their relationship that Sammy wasn't good with money, Josefina took over the finances. Josefina gave Sammy a monthly allowance, which he could generally use as he liked, but if he ran out of money before the month was over she didn't give him more.

Sammy was standing at the counter of Belle Epicurean. He had difficulty to choose and asked for a recommendation. "Why don't you try our Belle's Buns?" The lady behind the counter showed him the brioche and explained the different flavors. Thinking hard, Sammy decided to buy 5 pecan caramel brioche buns. He shuddered when he heard the price. It hurt handing over twenty dollars. For the same amount he could get at least two dozen donuts at his favorite Krispy Kreme.

Sammy hesitated at the entrance of his work place. He really didn't want to go in. Sammy knew exactly what he had to do and he was embarrassed about his behavior. Adrain hadn't treated him differently after the shameful incident. Sammy was relieved his other work colleagues stood by him as well. Fin wasn't there yet, so Sammy had to stew a bit longer. He hoped Fin didn't hold a grudge and forgot about it quickly, if Sammy apologized and bribed him with the pastries. Fin arrived and greeted them all, pretending not to notice the tensions. At Ty Hansen's nudging Sammy knocked on Fin's door. He was invited in. Sammy's boss was cold. Sammy offered a heartfelt apology and promised he would never ever get drunk or try to start a fight. Fin replied icy: "Good." He didn't make the impression as if he was ready to forgive his subordinate. Sammy stammered: "Does... Does it have any implication in regards to my work?" "If there are no future incidents, no. If you excuse me now, I've got to catch up on a few things." Before fleeing the office Sammy gave Fin his peace offering. He felt relieved, but also angry and hurt about Fin's coldness.
Shortly after Sammy had gone back to work, Fin bought coffee for his team and shared the pastries. He thanked Sammy, to make it clear where the treats came from. It pacified Sammy and tasting his bun Sammy realized why they were so expensive.
Sammy found out Fin held a grudge and it took more than a months to be back in Fin's good books. Sammy took his boss serious and made sure he never gave him any reason to distrust him and worked hard. He even started to like Fin and was sad to see him go after a year.

©2014

Dinner

"Did your boss say what we should wear?" Ines Hansen asked her husband Ty. "He said nothing about that. Just that the dinner was going to be a casual affair and nothing too fancy." Ty worked as a security guard at an import company and had a new boss, who had invited all his employees to dinner at his home.
Ty and Ines were in their mid-forties. Ty over towered most people with his 6 ft. 5 in. heavy frame. He loved to eat, especially steak and potatoes. Ines didn't mind Ty's stomach was bulging.
Ines took more care what she looked like and spent a lot of time at the fitness center and used Botox to smooth out her wrinkles. She was reaching up to her husband's chin, had colored red hair and blue eyes.
She was also slightly more ambitious than Ty and had been upset when she heard Michael Kuraite, the head of security had been fired for being unable to solve the thieving happening under his watch at the company, but Ty, who was second in command, had been overlooked for the promotion and instead some unknown young guy had been given the position.
"I wish we could refuse. Did you tell Mr. Noose David is coeleriac?" "Yes, I did. He knew about it and promised to make sure there weren't any gluten in the meal." Having no choice Ines started getting ready to go out.


"Do I really have to go?" Deante McDonnell asked his mother Emily in a whiney tone. She nodded. "It's very important for your father to be in the good books of the new boss." "But what has it to do with me? Can't I simply stay at home? I promise I behave." "No, Deante, Mr. Noose wants to meet the whole family." "But there is nobody my age..." "You heard your mother. Get dressed appropriately and be ready in ten minutes. We don't want to be too late." Deante's father Adrain Bennis ordered, his tone allowing no further protests. Adrain was muscly and strong. He was African American like his wife and son. Emily and Deante were fine boned and light skinned, but not very tall. Deante was thirteen and drove his parents mad, when he proved to be stubborn and wanted to do things his way. Deante believed he was mature and could take care of himself. He wasn't a baby!
Deante knew his parents well enough they weren't going to budge on this one, so before they were shouting at him and threatening to take away privileges, he decided to fight another time.


"But, Dad, I promised Kendall to meet with her at the mall tonight!" Tamika Metz protested. She had been looking forward to the outing. "I know, honey, and I'm really sorry. If you go tonight with us to the dinner, you can go to that party of yours." Tamika thought about it. The high school senior was long legged, blond and had a honey colored teint. Normally her parents didn't allow her to go out during the week, so this was a real sweetener. "Alright." She considered the two or three hours the party was going to last wouldn't kill her. Tamika was also pleased to hear David and Samantha Hansen were invited as well. She wouldn't be too bored then.

Jeana Stansfield was looking forward to the dinner. She liked Adrain Bennis and his family. Ines Hansen was a bit too superficial in her opinion.
Jeana was curious about her husband Aurelio's new boss. She had heard he was her age and seemed to be interested in healthy cooking, which she was too. Jeana's mother had diabetes and her father high blood pressure. Jeana wasn't interested in going the same way, so the dark haired and brown eyed petite beauty, wanted to change her lifestyle. Aurelio, who was bulky and a former college football player, had other ideas. For him salad was rabbit food and refused to eat even a tiny leaf. Jeana thought Mr. Noose was a fresh change of wind and maybe he could influence Aurelio to consider picking up healthier eating habits. Jeana was stupid enough to bring up her concerns and Aurelio should take an example on his new boss. Aurelio reacted hurt and counterattacked. They soon were having a blazing row, causing them to be late and they forgot the chocolates, a gift for their hosts. Both were disappointed, because they had wanted to make a good impression.

When they finally arrived all the others were already there. Jeana was surprised about their hosts. She thought Fin, as Mr. Noose wanted to be called, was good looking, but his wife was plain. Fin was tall and blond with blue grey eyes. She had expected Frieda would have also model looks. She was roughly Jeana's height, black haired and had dark brown eyes.

Ines was wondering how Fin and Frieda could afford a three bed room house with views over Mount Rainier near Washington Park, here in Seattle. The rent and house prices in the area were sky high. Ines assumed the rent was either as high or more as Fin was earning in a year. Maybe Frieda had a high earning job as well. Ines was going to find out.

Deante thought he was going to be bored. As always the older teenagers wanted nothing to do with him. Somehow Deante managed to get seated near Fin. "What would you like to drink?" Frieda asked. The teenagers wanted all Cola. Fin brought in the casserole he had made. Deante was impressed. His father could make fried eggs, but that was it as far as his repertoire went. His mother Emily claimed she could cook, but her meals were always dreadful, either too salty, burned or raw. The family had agreed to have take aways or go out eating. Deante was wondering how Fin managed to cook by himself. Deante felt a bit awestruck and shy in Fin's presence, so he didn't dare asking yet.
Fin gave everyone a generous portion of the lemon chicken bake. There was also a side salad. The guests seemed satisfied. It was moreish and Deante liked that there were a lot of vegetables in it. Deante noticed an immediate difference. Normally his meals made him full and lethargic. Now he wasn't hungry and felt energized. They talked about Deante's favorite subject at school. Fin told him about his own. The guests found out Fin had been a rebellious teenager and had been sent to a military boarding school. He regaled them with a few of his adventures there. Deante liked the idea of sneaking out during the night, going to a party and never getting caught.
The theme changed to fitness and what regimes the adults followed. Fin, for example was running five times a week and trained every day in Tai Chi, while Frieda went to yoga classes and swam regularly. Deante's father and Aurelio were into weight lifting. Sammy had a black belt in Judo. The other women went to the gym regularly.
When Fin's team heard he was practising Tai Chi they thought he was a sissy. Being influenced by their father David and Samantha believed the same. Fin rose in Jeana's and Deante's esteem. Ines had never spent any thought men would be interested in Tai Chi. The rest didn't care.

Ines asked about Frieda's job. Frieda explained she was a house maker. She also said she still breast fed Casey and it was more convenient to stay at home. Most of the guests came to the conclusion Fin was from a well off family, based on what Fin had told them about his upbringing, and that he was supported by his parents. Otherwise his lifestyle wasn't possible. Some of them were a bit jealous and thought about how hard they had to work to achieve where they were.

In the end the guests also met Casey. She was wailing loudly for a few minutes before Fin went to check on her.
Parenting wasn't easy and the Bennis' and Hansens believed to let the baby cry until it stopped by her/himself. The Metzs had a different approach. They had always reacted to Tamika's crying. In each parents' opinion the Nooses were treating the issue wrongly. They reacted too slow or too fast.

Fin and his daughter were back in time for dessert. At first Casey was a bit shy. Casey took a bite from Ty's passion fruit and orange jelly and smiled broadly. After playing peek a boo with Tamika for a while she got cranky and Frieda brought her back to bed.

Deante had been struggling with his own shyness, but overcame it and asked Fin to teach him to cook. Fin agreed. He was only surprised Deante wanted to start the next day. It wasn't an issue for him. Emily gave her permission.

The evening came to an end and everyone left, but before there was some added drama. Sammy had a bit too much to drink and thought he should test if Tai Chi was really good to defend oneself from an attack. Fin blocked a Te-waza - a hand technique in Judo to force an opponent to the ground - from Sammy. For a moment everyone thought there was going to be a fight between Sammy and his boss. Instead Fin threatened to make sure Sammy was fired and that he would drag him before court if Sammy ever tried to attack him again. It brought an abrupt end to a pleasant meal. Tamika was mortified. Josefina did the right thing and apologized immediately.  Fin accepted and seemed calm about the whole affair. Josefina and Tamika bundled Sammy into their car and left.
The
 others didn't know exactly what to do or to say. Ty, being Sammy's best friend, looked for an excuse. "I think Sammy had simply too much to drink. He didn't mean it..." Seeing Fin's eyes flickering dangerously, Ty trailed off. "Can we change the subject?" Fin's voice was surprisingly gentle. Ines thanked Fin and Frieda for the dinner and complimented the flavors of the casserole. Emily and Jeana agreed and shuffled with their feet. The atmosphere was tense. Deante suddenly didn't want to have cooking classes from Fin. He feared him a bit and wouldn't dare messing around. Finally after the silence was too awkward the guests said good bye and left.

©2014