It was no secret that the peace and tranquility that generally surrounded the small town of Ponyville was subject to…interruptions. Monster attacks, natural disasters, magical mishaps, among others ensured that despite the fact that Ponyville could, to the untrained eye, be considered Equestria’s most idyllic town, there was always something eager to breach the peace.
“DIAMOND TIARA!”
Said breach came in the form of a yell that only the most disappointed of fathers could muster, and it was a yell that the target of said yell, a certain pink-haired tiara-obsessed young lady knew all too well.
“Ugh, again?” Diamond Tiara groused, rolling her eyes.
“What do you think it is this time, DT?” Silver Spoon asked, known to nearly everyone as Diamond Tiara’s longtime partner-in-crime.
“Oh, probably just some junk about spending my allowance too fast or something equally stupid,” Diamond replied whilst nonchalantly inspecting her recently-painted nails, courtesy of her best friend. “Why can’t he understand that the measly 150 bits he gives me every week just doesn’t do it?”
“Tell me about it!” Silver agreed wholeheartedly. “This town is so, like, boring. There’s nothing to do but buy nice things enjoy them, am I right?”
“Totally!” Diamond concurred, blowing softly on her newly-painted nails. “Daddy just doesn’t understand that a girl, especially girls as important as we are, need to look our best all the time. Besides, I don’t know what he’s so uptight about; it’s not like he can’t afford it.”
“My dad’s the same way,” Silver added, putting the finishing touches on her own nails. “These days, it’s like all he can talk about is money and how much of it I’m spending. I’m getting really sick of hearing it. It’s like you said; he can afford it so why worry about it?”
“I don’t know,” Diamond replied with a sigh, falling back onto her luxurious four-poster bed. “All I know is that I’d better see what he wants so I can get it over with. I’ll be right back.”
“Good luck!” Silver called after her friend as she slipped out of her room.
Having been summoned in such a way before, Diamond knew exactly where her father would be: his office. Located on the main floor of the sizeable mansion, it housed his library, study, and for the next few minutes, interrogation room. Sure enough, seated in a large oak chair behind a matching desk, hands folded across his chest, was Mr. Rich. Entrepreneur, business whiz, retail tycoon…and extremely displeased father.
“You wanted to see me, daddy?” Diamond asked as innocently as she could upon entering the room. Having practically patented the ‘innocent teenage daughter routine’, it was a deadly weapon, and one that Diamond wasn’t afraid to unleash if necessary. This time, however, there was a certain chill in the air, a chill that Diamond could not describe, a chill that she was sure did not mean good things. Regardless, she knew she had to brave it and hopefully, she would emerge unscathed and her lifestyle of excess could continue unabated.
“Sit, Diamond.” Mr. Rich stated flatly, motioning to one of the chairs directly across from him. Although she tried not to show it, Diamond felt a bead of sweat run down her forehead.
“What’s going on, daddy?” Diamond asked, gingerly taking a seat but keeping the façade alive. “Is something wrong?” It was a dumb question and she knew it but her façade required all the implied innocence she could bring to bear.
“I think you know exactly what’s going on, Diamond Tiara,” Mr. Rich countered, resting his hands on the table before intertwining his fingers. Cocking her head to the side, Diamond gave her father the most innocent expression she could.
“I’m afraid I don’t, daddy.”
“These bills, Diamond!” Mr. Rich exclaimed, grabbing a nearby stack of papers before setting them none-too-gently on the desk in front of her. “You have got to be more sensitive about these bills! Do you have any idea of how much you’re spending every month?”
“I…um…kind of?” Diamond answered quietly, hoping to lure her father into a false sense of security before springing the façade on him full-force.
“‘Kind of’ is not good enough, Diamond,” Mr. Rich continued, shaking his head in disappointment. “The point is, you clearly don’t have any appreciation for money or any idea of how to manage it!” Diamond gulped; she was losing control of the situation, if in fact she had ever had any to begin with. This wasn’t just another lecture about spending her allowance too quickly; this sounded much more serious and much more encompassing.
“But Daddy, we’re rich!” she protested. “We have lots of money so who cares if I use a little teensy-weensy bit on myself!? Don’t you love me?” Despite her plea, Diamond cringed internally as he face-palmed. The facade was losing its potency with every word.
“Having money, whether it’s yours or mine, is not the point, Diamond,” he replied with an exasperated sigh. “The point is that it’s extremely important to develop a sense of responsibility, something you desperately need to do.” Hoping to stave off her father’s final judgment, Diamond let out a (somewhat) fake sigh and decided to try something drastic: appeasement. A technique, she knew all too well, she had learned from her father.
“You’re right, daddy. I’ll be more careful from now on, I promise.”
It should come as no surprise that Mr. Rich was well-aware of the dynamic, having resorted to such more times than he’d care to admit. Now that the tables were turning, he had a chance to redeem himself and undo at least some of the damage he’d done by raising his daughter as a spoiled brat.
Of course, he might not have worded it quite like that but it wasn’t far from the truth. It was time for a change and Mr. Rich was determined to see it through. It was the only way. He shook his head and looked upon her once more.
“Not this time, Diamond. You say that every time we have this talk and I’m starting to believe that you have no interest in making good on that promise.”
“But Daddy, I can totally be responsible!” Diamond insisted, the façade rapidly falling away as her plan collapsed upon itself. “I…I…” Mr. Rich could naught but sigh as his daughter stumbled over her words, trying to convince him (and indeed, herself) that what she was stammering was the truth. “I could…help Green Thumb water the plants!” Even as vehemently as she had stated it, Diamond had to hold back a shiver at the very thought of performing such a…common task.
“That’s not a bad suggestion but I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately and I’ve decided that you need something else to occupy your time, something to do besides spend money.” Mr. Rich replied, fixing Diamond with a serious expression.
What could he possibly mean by…oh no… Diamond’s eyes widened as she anticipated what he was about to tell her. Not that! Anything but that! Please, please, please not that!
“You’re eighteen now, Diamond. It’s time for you to take some responsibility and learn some life lessons. It’s time for you to get…”
***
“A job?” Silver Spoon exclaimed in surprise, complete with a slightly overstated jaw-drop. “What brought that on?”
“Apparently, I need to learn how to be responsible,” Diamond replied with a huff, rolling her eyes before falling back onto her bed with a mild shout of exasperation. “Ugh! I though all of that boring responsibility crap was for old fogeys and poor people!”
“What happens if you don’t get a job?” Silver asked, almost afraid of the answer.
“Then I’m completely cut off; no more allowance, no more going out, no more cell phone, no more fun!” Diamond replied with a groan. “He says that some time in the real world will be good for me. How will getting my hands dirty and nails broken be good for me?”
“He’s not changing his mind on this one, is he?” Silver asked. Diamond shook her head.
“Doesn’t look like it. I think he might actually be serious this time.” she replied with yet another sigh. Ever the observant BFF, Silver wasted no time taking her place at her despondent friend’s side, sitting beside her on the large bed.
“It’s okay, DT, you’ve gone through worse, right?” Silver reminded her, gently massaging her shoulders. “Remember when you had to help Apple Bloom and her family with Zap Apple…whatever jam, and they made you wear those ridiculous rabbit ears?”
“Ugh, how could I forget?” Diamond Tiara groused with another roll of her blue eyes. “I’m never gonna live that one down. Imagine what’ll happen if people see me…working? They’ll think I’m…” She shuddered before continuing. “…poor!”
“There, there,” Silver Spoon replied, gently massaging her friend’s shoulders. “I doubt many people will think that. I mean, you’ll still be rich but…well, not using your family’s money. You’ll have to use what you make at whatever job you get, I guess.”
“You’re not making this any easier…” Diamond grumbled.
“I know. I’m just trying to tell you that it might not be so bad. Sure, you’ll have to do things you’re not used to doing and the pay might not be very good and the hours might be terrible and the boss might be a complete jacka…” She cringed slightly at Diamond’s glare. “Okay, so it’s not gonna be much fun. Just…take a deep breath, do your best, and the time will pass quickly.”
“You sound just like my dad…” Diamond huffed, prompting Silver to sigh once more.
“I know. Don’t forget that you’re my best friend, Diamond. I just wanna see you happy and I think that the sooner your dad’s happy with you, the sooner you’ll be happy again.” It was Diamond’s turn to sigh as she rolled onto her side and enveloped her friend in a hug.
“I know, Silver. It’s just…this is totally outside of…anything I know. I don’t even know where to start.”
“Hey, it’s alright,” Silver replied, comforting her friend with a hug of her own. “You could start by making a resume and taking it to places around Ponyville. Y’know, to see if anyone’s hiring.” Having finally resigned herself to her fate, Diamond grudgingly sat up, rubbed her eyes, and blew a strand of hair out from in front of her eyes.
“I guess I don’t have a choice, do I?”
“Not if you wanna keep enjoying things like your phone and doing fun stuff. Look, I’ll even help you look around town for job openings tomorrow.” Sighing for what felt like the thousandth time, Diamond Tiara gently took her best friend’s hand in hers and squeezed it, nodding slowly.
“Thanks, Silvy.”
***
The next day…
“Order up, Featherweight!” a gruff voice laced with caring undertones called before slapping a nearby bell, prompting the young man to hurry over to the restaurant’s servery. “Here ya go; two ham ‘n’ cheese omelets on whole-wheat.”
“Thanks, Short Order,” Featherweight replied somewhat breathlessly, grabbing the plates and setting them onto an empty tray. It had been a busy day as usual at the Ponyville Patio, compounded by the fact that they were, at the moment, short-staffed. While Sweetie Belle and Twist were doing a terrific job in their busy sections, it was often up to Featherweight to pick up the slack, whether it was getting someone a refill or bringing out their food. That, combined with the responsibilities of overseeing his own section, ensured that the young waiter had his hands full, usually with trays of hot food or empty tubs of vacant dishes.
Jeeze, waiter, busboy, delivery boy, I’d better get a raise for this, Featherweight thought as he set yet another tub of dishes down beside the dishwasher, having successfully delivered another tray of food that wasn’t his. He took a few deeps breaths and wiped his brow. It wasn’t the extra work that was bothering him; rather, it was the consistency. Being short-staffed not only made more work for everyone else but cut into the level of service he could provide for his customers. And that, of course, cut into the only aspect of a waiter’s job that made it worthwhile: the tips. Precious, sacred tips. The lifeblood of the food-serving industry. Well, to him at least.
“Doin’ okay there, Featherweight?” The gruff yet kindly voice of Short Order asked from behind the adjacent kitchen.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” Featherweight answered, putting on a strained smile. “Just…really, really busy.”
“Listen, I know it’s been tough ‘round here the last few weeks and you’ve done a great job o’ pickin’ up the slack,” Short Order complimented, joining Featherweight to take a break of his own. “Trust me, as soon as someone comes along with a half-decent head on their shoulders an’ a resume, I’ll make sure everyone gets a breather.”
“Still no applications, huh?” Featherweight asked. Short Order shook his head.
“Afraid not, kid,” he half-muttered, clearly as frustrated as his employee. “Looks like we might be under siege for a while yet.”
“That’s okay, sir,” Featherweight assured him. “I’m just glad to actually have a job right now. I know times aren’t exactly easy. I mean, this place always does okay but that’s only ‘cause we’ve got the best breakfast within 200 miles and everyone knows it.”
“Ah, go on, ya little suck-up,” Short Order replied with a snort, slapping Featherweight on the back amicably. “Don’t you have somethin’ better t’ do than butter up your boss?”
“Probably,” Featherweight replied with a shrug.
“Well then, why doncha go help Twist with that tray o’ glasses? I don’t think she’s supposed t’ carry that many on one tray.” Featherweight’s eyes widened as he witnessed the small girl attempting to balance a tray of stacked glasses and coffee mugs on her way back to the servery.
“Oh man, I’d better get back out there!” Featherweight exclaimed, bolting out of the servery to assist his beleaguered colleague. Short Order couldn’t help but chuckle as Featherweight skidded to a halt in front of the dangerously unsteady stack and managed to keep it from toppling over and covering both Twist and himself in dishware and a cocktail of cold coffee and other assorted beverages.
Sure, things were a little chaotic but Short Order didn’t mind. He knew he could depend on his staff to do their best, even as swamped as they were. Sweetie Belle, Twist, and Featherweight had been working for him for three years, ever since the very start of tenth grade. Over time, he had watched them grow from clueless teenagers into intelligent and mature young adults. In fact, they were practically family.
He wiped a stray tear from one eye and suppressed a chuckle as Sweetie Belle, ever the sweetheart, effortlessly charmed yet another table, undoubtedly guaranteeing some excellent tips in the process. His eyes darted across the restaurant, eventually settling on Twist, once an awkward teenager who hated her bright-red hair more than anything, now an adorable young lady, if not a little vertically challenged. Noting the confidence in her posture, step, and voice, Short Order couldn’t help but be proud.
And then there was Featherweight. Short Order could remember the day the gangly young man took his first nervous steps into the restaurant as a potential employee as if it had been nary a fortnight ago. It had been clear that Featherweight once thought himself a head case; indeed, it had taken months of coaxing, prodding, and challenging to make the boy the waiter he was (or rather, the man he was). In the end, it had been a resounding success and the bright, somewhat unassuming young man had become like a son to Short Order.
“Hey Shorty, whatcha dreaming about?” the voice of Sweetie Belle asked, bring him back to earth.
“Right now, a hot shower ‘n’ a cold beer,” Short Order admitted as Sweetie Belle handed him an order slip.
“Hey, just a few more short hours, right?” Sweetie Belle replied in her signature chipper tone. “Nothing we can’t handle!”
“That’s f’ sure, Sweetie. How’s everything goin’ out there? I haven’t had much time t’ look.”
“Oh, it’s busy but not bad. Twist was getting a little overwhelmed so I took one of her tables to help her out.”
“Good job, Sweetie. That’s what I like t’ see,” Short replied with a smile, taking the order slip to the back and sticking it over the large griddle. “Now get back out there. I’ll have this done in a jiff.”
“Gotcha, boss,” Sweetie Belle exclaimed with a smile, bouncing back out into the fray.
Meanwhile…
"Ugh! We've been at this for an hour already!" Diamond Tiara exclaimed, thoroughly exasperated. "Let's face it, Silvy; there's nothing in this town suitable for me to waste my time doing! My dad's gonna yell at me and then my life is officially over."
"Hey, try to relax, Di," Silver replied, trying to calm her friend down. "Let's have some lunch and try again, okay?"
"Fine…" Diamond huffed, letting her shoulders fall. "Where do you wanna go?"
"Hmm…what's good around this time?" Silver mused.
"In this one-horse town? Nothing." Diamond remarked.
"Come on, Di, I know you're pissed but seriously, I'm getting hungry and I'm sure you are too. Now, let's find a place to relax at least, okay?"
"Fine." Diamond relented. "So what's edible around here this time of day?"
"Well…I know of a place. It's not exactly fancy but the food's really good," Silver offered. Diamond Tiara was on the verge of a complaint until her stomach stated its opinion. She sighed.
"Alright, let's see this 'not-fancy-yet-delicious' place of yours." Silver smiled.
***
"You've got to be kidding…" Diamond muttered as they approached the plain, slightly-yellowed sign of the Ponyville Patio. "This place?"
"I know it doesn't look like much but they have the best omelets in town."
"Silver, it's 11:30." Diamond reminded.
"I know but they serve breakfast all day," her friend replied. "What?" she asked as Diamond gave her an incredulous look. "You've never eaten breakfast for lunch?"
"That's absurd," Diamond remarked. "Breakfast is for breakfast, lunch is for lunch. Anything else is…is just weird!"
"Well, you don't have to have breakfast," Silver pointed out. "They also have really good soups and sandwiches." Diamond was about to protest about eating poor people food but some familiar sights silenced her immediately. Instead, she grabbed her friend and practically dragged her away from the doors and to the side. "What is it?" Silver asked in a harsh whisper.
"Didn't you see them?" Diamond asked in a panicked tone. Silver spared a moment to take a look around.
"See who?"
"Them! Sweetie Belle and Twist!" Diamond hissed.
"Yeah. So?"
"They were working there!"
"Again; so?"
"Ugh, don't you get it? If they see me eating there, what do you think they'll think?"
"That you're hungry?"
"Not helping, Silvy!" Diamond exclaimed. "If they see me there, they'll start talking about me and saying…things!"
"Probably your order, Di," Silver replied in an exasperated tone. "Now come on, I'm hungry and I promise you that you'll like the food and that Sweetie Belle and Twist won't say anything about you."
"But Silvy…" Diamond whined.
"Come on, Di!" Silver exclaimed impatiently, half-dragging her friend back to the doors before practically pushing her through them and into the restaurant.
A cacophony of foreign scents assaulted Diamond Tiara's olfactory senses. Surprisingly, she didn't find them unpleasant, a sentiment her stomach agreed with. A tentative sniff suggested pancakes, melting butter, eggs, toast, hints of some kind of soup, and especially the smell of piping-fresh coffee. While it wasn't the scent of the fancy lattes she favored, the smell of coffee was one that transcended social status, prompting Diamond to simply follow her friend to the counter in silence.
"Oh! Hey, you guys!" Sweetie Belle greeted warmly, grabbing some slightly-stained menus. "Table for two?"
"Hi Sweetie Belle and yes, for us please." Silver replied with a smile, prompting Diamond to give her friend a strange look. Noticing, Silver gave her a shrug just before Sweetie ushered them to a small window-side table.
"Is this okay?"
"Can we get something big…"
"It's fine Sweetie, thanks," Silver assured her.
"Perfect! Would you like to hear about our specials today?"
"Not real…"
"Yes, please."
"We have a soup and sandwich on special for lunch today for six bits. The sandwich is a BLT, and the soup is potato leek. Would you like something to drink to start you off?"
"Um, just water for me, please." Silver requested.
"Coffee." Diamond muttered.
"Okay! I'll be right back to take your orders!" Sweetie Belle chirped, skipping off to fetch their beverages.
"I can picture it now," Diamond muttered. "She's gonna go to the back, find Twist…and then, let the gossip begin!" Tempted as she was to remind Diamond not to call any kettles black, Silver simply resigned herself to sighing and rolling her eyes. She had the feeling that within the next few weeks, anything she could've told Diamond would've been redundant.
"You don't know that," Silver pointed out. "I'm sure she's just fetching our drinks."
"I hope so…" Diamond grumbled.
"Besides, Sweetie Belle's always been…well, sweet. Even when we…weren't." Silver pointed out.
"Maybe she just wants some payback," Diamond retorted. "I wouldn't be surprised if she was…" There was a pause as Diamond Tiara suddenly went silent.
"If she was…" Silver Spoon prompted. Upon receiving no response, Silver took a second look at her friend, who seemed to be staring out onto the restaurant floor. A third look confirmed the focus of her attention, causing the silver-haired girl to smirk knowingly. "So…Featherweight, huh?"
"W-what are you talking about?" Diamond asked, a little too loudly. "I don't like Featherweight!"
"You sure about that?" Silver asked, just as Sweetie set their drinks on the table.
"Have you too decided?" she asked brightly.
"Yes, we'll both have the soup and sandwich on whole-wheat, please." Silver requested, taking care of an embarrassed Diamond Tiara's order.
"Sounds good! Coming right up!" Sweetie replied before gathering their menus and skipping off. Silver waited until Sweetie was out of earshot before returning her attention to a rosy-cheeked Diamond Tiara.
"So…how long have you…" Silver asked, trying to nudge Diamond along. Knowing she'd been caught red-handed, Diamond Tiara sighed and resigned herself to the mercy of her friend.
"Since …I don't know, Silvy…a long time, okay?" Diamond confessed. "Ever since we were kids, I…even though he was such a dork, I kind of…liked him."
"Diamond…if you've liked him for so long, why didn't you ever make a move, or at least tell him how you felt?" Silver asked gently.
"I dunno, Silvy," Diamond murmured. "Maybe I felt like…I wasn't my type, maybe I felt guilty, maybe I felt like such an outsider when he and his dorky friends hung out school to play that…Wizards the Meeting game, or whatever."
"So what you're saying is…you, Diamond Tiara, didn't get to know someone because you were scared?"
"I wasn't scared!" Diamond retorted. "I was…I just didn't think he'd be interested and you know how much I hate being told 'no'."
"I might have an idea…" Silver teased. "Okay, so you've had a crush on Featherweight for years now. Why did you date those other guys?" There was a pause as Diamond Tiara looked down at the table in contemplation.
"Because I knew they wouldn't say 'no'." Silver cocked an eyebrow in surprise at her friend's confession.
"Was that…really the only reason, Di?"
"Pretty much," Diamond said softly. "Honestly…I thought that maybe if I dated them, my crush on Featherweight would go away and I wouldn't be afraid of rejection anymore. But then, the more I dated, the more I realized how much I really like him."
"Okay…" Silver mused, nodding slowly. "So…what is it about him that you like so much?"
"You're really gonna make me tell you, huh?"
"Yep. Isn't that what best friends do? Expose each other's deepest, darkest secrets?" Silver replied with a smirk.
"It would appear so," Diamond grumbled. "Fine, if you really need to know, I…I…I think he's cute, okay?" As embarrassed as her friend was, Silver couldn't help but giggle at it.
"Is that the only reason?"
"No…he's also really friendly and smart and…could you at least try not to enjoy my humiliation so much?"
"Sorry, Di, it's just that I've never seen you talk this way about a guy before," Silver exclaimed. "It's exciting!"
"To you maybe," Diamond groused. "Look…I can't even tell you exactly why I like him so much. I just do but I know that even if I were to tell him, he wouldn't feel the same way."
"How do you know that?"
"Because…I may have been just a little bit of a bitch to him in school…and I'm afraid he won't forgive me." Diamond confessed.
"Di…" Silver murmured, patting her friend's hand. "That was a long time ago. I'm sure he's over it by now."
"And what if he's not?" Diamond asked, a little urgency in her voice.
"Well, there's only one way to find out, right?"
"Yeah, right," Diamond huffed. "And how am I supposed to do that?"
"Well, you could talk to him, for one thing," Silver suggested as Sweetie walked up carrying a tray of food. "Or…"
"Here you go, two fresh sandwiches and two piping-hot bowls of soup!" Sweetie announced, placing them down on the table in front of the two girls. "Is there anything else I can get you?"
"I think we're good for now, Sweetie, thanks." Silver replied. "Actually…there is one other thing…"
"Yes?" Sweetie asked.
"You wouldn't happen to be hiring right now…would you?" Silver asked, making Diamond's eyes widen.
"What are you…?"
"Oh! Yes, we definitely are. Are you looking for a job, Silvy?"
"Uh no, I'm not but Diamond here is and she would really appreciate it if you would put in a good word with your boss." Silver replied, shooting a fuming Diamond Tiara a cheeky wink.
"Sure! You can either bring in a copy of your resume or you can talk to Short Order. I'm sure he'd be happy to give you a shot!" Sweetie explained to Diamond.
"Uh…"
"We'll let you know after we finish lunch, okay Sweetie?" Silver answered, letting Diamond off the hook for the time being.
"Sure! Enjoy your lunches!" With that, Sweetie flounced off once more.
"What the Hell are you doing?" Diamond whispered as Silver calmly took a bite of her sandwich.
"Well, look at it this way, Di. You have the chance to get a job like your father told you and finally win your crush over. It's a win-win."
"Yeah but…"
"I know I stepped on your toes, Di, but I honestly wouldn't have done it if I didn't think it was the right thing to do. You're my best friend, Di, and I just want you to be happy." Silver assured her. Diamond's expression softened as her friend's words began to sink in.
"Maybe…maybe you're right, Silvy," Diamond said with a sigh. "Maybe…it's time to…I dunno, take the next step or whatever."
"Now that's a mature decision that would make both your father and Featherweight proud." Silver agreed with a smile.
"I hope you're right…"
"I know I am. Now, enough serious stuff. Let's enjoy this lunch."
And enjoy it they did. As much as she hated to admit it, Silver Spoon had been right about the place. It might not have looked like much but the food more than made up for it. Not only did everything taste homemade (because, as Sweetie later informed them, everything was), there was something about the meal that made Diamond feel…lighter, as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. By the time they had finished, the prospect of working at the Ponyville Patio was a little less daunting.
Coming to terms with her feelings, however…was an entirely different matter.
***
"You're serious?" Featherweight exclaimed as he and his co workers went about their evening cleaning regiment. "Someone actually applied?"
"I know I should feel insulted but yeah, we've got an applicant and I'm puttin' you in charge o' bringin' her up t' speed." Short Order replied as he tallied up the day's totals.
"Ooh, Featherweight gets to train the new girl!" Twist teased, prompting Sweetie to giggle and the young man in question to merely roll his eyes.
"You're gonna have fun, Feathers. She's a real 'diamond in the rough'!" Sweetie added.
"I don't care if you've gotta sweep the girly off her feet or bring her flowers, if you can train 'er up good, I'll make it worth your while, got it?" Short added.
"I'll do my best, sir," Featherweight replied with a sigh before pausing. "Sweetie…what did you say earlier?"
"About what?" she asked with an innocent expression.
"About the applicant being 'a diamond in the rough'."
"Ooh…did I say that?"
"Sweetie…who applied for the job?" Featherweight coaxed, making Sweetie fidget.
"It was, um…Diamond Tiara."
It was no secret that the peace and tranquility that generally surrounded the small town of Ponyville was subject to…interruptions. Monster attacks, natural disasters, magical mishaps, among others ensured that despite the fact that Ponyville could, to the untrained eye, be considered Equestria’s most idyllic town, there was always something eager to breach the peace.
“DIAMOND TIARA?”
Said breach came in the form of a yell that only the most disappointed of friends, waiters, and upcoming trainers could muster.
Author's Note
I know, another teen drama, right? What can I say, that's been the mood I've been in lately, for fics anyway. I hope you like my first attempt using...well, any of the tagged characters.
"Wow, you really got shafted," Rumble stated plainly, knocking out Featherweight's character with an unfair super-combo. Friday night video games had become a tradition for the young men, a tradition both took very seriously. Of course, in Rumble's case, the moment Twist finished her homework and yoga, game night would change to single-player (for Featherweight, anyway) but until then, their bond was rock-solid.
"I dunno, man," Featherweight muttered as the third and final round began. "Maybe she's…changed. Like, not a massive…"
"Bitch?" Rumble suggested.
"Yeah, that," Featherweight agreed, landing a combo of his own. "It's just…what the odds? I mean, out of everyone in this town, in freaking Equestria, it had to be her."
"What's with that, anyway?" Rumble asked, effortlessly sidestepping Featherweight's attempt to attain victory. "Isn't she supposed to be…y'know, super rich? What does she need a job for?"
"No idea." Featherweight said with a shrug, sending Rumble's character flying. "Maybe her family lost everything, made a bad investment or something. How do rich people become poor, anyway?"
"Maybe you should ask her that tomorrow," Rumble suggested. "Great 'first shift' conversation, doncha think?"
"I have the feeling that if I did that, my day would be hilariously bad," Featherweight mused, just in time for Rumble to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat yet again.
"Still, it wouldn't hurt to find out why she suddenly has to work, right? If only to satisfy my curiosity." Rumble replied. "Besides, it won't be all bad…"
"What do you mean?" Featherweight asked, one eyebrow raised. Taking a brief look around his bedroom, Rumble leaned towards his friend.
"Don't tell Twist I said this, but…Diamond Tiara…she's kinda hot. For a spoiled brat, I mean. Don't get me wrong, Twist is way better in every respect. I love the heck outta her but I think we can agree that Diamond Tiara is attractive from a purely objective standpoint."
"I…guess?" Featherweight said, slightly surprised. "I can't say that I've ever spent a lot of time looking at her."
"Oh come on, remember Nightmare Night last year? When she went as…"
"Okay, okay, I have to admit that she looked really good in that," Featherweight conceded. "I suppose, now that I think about it…she's not bad-looking, is she?"
"That's for sure. Too bad her personality makes up for it." Although Featherweight joined his friend in a laugh, his mind began to wander.
Diamond Tiara had always been a bit of a mystery to him. While he didn't know her especially well, even from working with her (briefly) on the Foal Free Press, Rumble had rustled his curiosity jimmies. Her demeanor (towards her peers, anyway) had improved after losing the class president election but that had been many years ago. It seemed like, between then and the present day, something had stifled that growth, leaving it to stagnate during junior high and high school. Sure, she wasn't overtly awful to anyone anymore, just…standoffish, as if afraid to let anyone get too close.
What was up with her, anyway?
It was a question that bounced around in Rumble's mind for the rest of the evening, even after departing Rumble's house after Twist had arrived, even as he himself settled in for the night. It was only natural, he told himself. If they were going to be working together for any extended amount of time, successfully navigating her various quirks would be key.
It was either that or wear body armor and have a shrink on retainer.
One of the reasons that the Ponyville Patio consistently ranked highly among other eateries was the level of service provided by the team of Twist, Sweetie Belle, and Featherweight. Their friendliness and collective belief in doing their jobs well had rewarded the Patio with a very loyal clientele, which Short Order had in turn rewarded his crew for on many an occasion. Paid vacation days, regular raises, and so forth ensured that the three young adults continued their excellent work.
The question facing Featherweight was the matter of where Diamond Tiara fit in the scheme of things. If she self-destructed or otherwise didn't work out, while it was no skin off their backs, the fact remained that they needed someone to help ease the workload. With no other applicants for weeks, Diamond Tiara was now their best hope of earning a little well-earned respite.
Which meant that it was up to Featherweight to make such a lofty dream a reality.
Oh man, he thought as he lay in his bed, trying to drift off to sleep. What have I gotten myself into?
***
Oh man, a certain pink-haired girl thought as she lay in her four-poster bed, trying to drift off to sleep. What have I gotten myself into?
***
"You okay?" If not the fresh coffee, it was the melodious voice of Sweetie Belle that aided a tired Featherweight on his return journey to the world of Awake.
"Yeah, just a little tired," he assured her, trying not consume as much of the caffeine-laced beverage as he could as fast as he could without scalding himself. "Didn't sleep much last night."
"Too many games with Rumble?" Sweetie asked. Featherweight nodded. "I think the same could be said for our little Miss Twist here," she added with a smirk, sending the poor girl into a blushing mess.
"S-shut up!" Twist stammered.
"Don't worry, no one's judging you," Featherweight assured her, resting an arm on her shoulders. "You're a big girl now and if you and Rumble want to play one-on-one all night, that's your business."
"You two are terrible," Twist stated, trying to hide a grin. "Besides, at least I have someone to play one-on-one with," she pointed out with a smirk of her own. Sweetie's hands flew to her mouth as she snorted.
"That's a good point," Sweetie then pointed out. "What's your excuse, Feathers?"
"You're into girls?" Featherweight said with a grin, poking Sweetie on the nose.
"So sorry to disappoint." Sweetie replied unapologetically.
"It's fine. I'll find someone someday," Featherweight said, finishing his coffee. "Probably not here but maybe when I go to university. Isn't that usually when the dorky guy hooks up with the token hot girl and they fall in love through convoluted circumstances?"
"You've got to stop watching so much of that Neighponese stuff," Sweetie stated with a sigh, resting her hands on his shoulders. "It's warping your brain." Twist snickered.
"Oh hush." Featherweight replied, rolling his eyes.
"Speaking of token hot girls, where's yours?" Twist asked, no doubt alluding to their newest teammate.
"What am I, her keeper?" Featherweight asked.
"Well, you're the one Short Order wants to train her, so…I would say that yes, yes you are." Sweetie said a-matter-of-factly.
"Fair enough." Featherweight conceded with a shrug before glancing at the wall clock. "She should be here soon. It's almost 7:40 and I was hoping to at least show here where everything is before the breakfast rush."
"Don't worry, Sweetie and I will cover as much as we can for you," Twist said with a smile, resting a small hand on the young man's arm and giving it a squeeze. "Just do your best to show her the ropes and not go too crazy, okay?"
"Thanks. I appreciate it, seriously," Featherweight said with a nod. "Well, it's almost quarter to. Guess she'll just have to learn on the fly." It was at that moment they heard a series of impatient-sounding raps on the front door. "Hopefully that's her," Featherweight added as he ran to the door.
At first, Featherweight wasn't sure who it was. Obscured by a hood and almost comically-large sunglasses, the person's face wasn't instantly recognizable. Nevertheless, he opened the door slightly.
"We'll be open in a few minutes but if you…"
"It's me!" the person hissed. Featherweight gave the stranger a quizzical look. With a sigh, the stranger tugged her sunglasses just enough to reveal her eyes and gave him an impatient glare.
"Oh! Um sure, come in," Featherweight said apologetically, opening the door and stepping aside. "It's, uh, pretty warm out, weren't you uncomfortable in that hood."
"I didn't want anyone to see me, okay?" Diamond muttered, reluctant to remove her 'disguise'.
"Well…you know that you can't wear that stuff on-shift, right?" Featherweight asked. "We'll have to get you a uniform. What size are you?"
It was too late. The damage had been done. All poor Featherweight could do was wrack his brain for an apology as a red-faced Diamond Tiara stared indignantly back at him.
"Excuse me? What business is that of yours?"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you!" Featherweight replied frantically, holding his hands up defensively. "Um…hey, Sweetie, can you help Diamond find a uniform?" he called towards the servery.
"Sure!" came the swift reply, making Featherweight thank his lucky stars. She soon emerged from the servery and beckoned for Diamond to follow her. "Come with me and we'll find a shirt that fits, okay?"
"Like I have a choice…" Diamond muttered as she followed. As they disappeared up the stairs to the small storage room, Featherweight breathed a sigh of relief, remembering once again how lucky he was to have friends like Twist and Sweetie Belle so close by.
"…and you can wear that skirt today because you didn't know but from now on, it has to be a plain black skirt or pants when you're on shift, okay?" Sweetie said as they re-emerged a few minutes later, Diamond clad in the familiar basic light-blue button-up T-shirt worn by Sweetie and Twist. Being a male, Featherweight's was identical but grey, giving his a more masculine look.
Despite his appreciation for Neighponese TV, uniforms were not a real turn-on for Featherweight. However, seeing Diamond Tiara, grumpy and red-faced beside Sweetie Belle, he had to admit that she looked good. Maybe it was the fact that he was seeing her in a whole new light. Up until that point, much of what she'd worn had been to show off. Now, in regular clothes (save for the knee-long designer skirt), there was something…beautiful about her. For the first time, she seemed…real.
Not to mention how nice she looked with a ponytail.
"Well? Are you gonna stare at her all day or show her around?" Sweetie teased, shaking Featherweight from his reverie. "I mean, I know she looks adorable but let's at least try to be professional on the job."
"Adorable. Yeah, right," Diamond groused. "I look…poor."
"Adorably poor!" Sweetie added with a giggle.
"Can we just hurry this up?" Diamond half-demanded, trying not to outright glare at Featherweight. "This is humiliating enough without getting gawked at."
"Sorry, sorry," Featherweight said again, suspecting that his second apology in 10 minutes would only be the second of many. "Um, just come with me and I'll show you where everything is, okay?"
"Fine…" Diamond muttered, reluctantly following Featherweight, trying to ignore a giggling Sweetie and Twist behind them.
"Well, guess I'll start at the beginning," Featherweight began, gesturing to the restaurant itself. "There's 18 tables numbered one to 18. Table one is over there by the door, two is right after, three is after that, and so on. Got it so far?"
"I guess…"
"Uh…great. Let's go to the servery." With that, Featherweight led her to the server home base, the area in which they picked up orders, poured drinks, and kept everything needed for the task of serving food. "This is the servery. Basically, if it's used to serve food, it's here. That's the counter where you grab the food, there's the cooler, that's the soda dispenser, over there's the to-go containers, and that's the toaster. Since most people come here for breakfast, you'll be using that a lot…"
And so it went for nearly half an hour; as Sweetie and Twist attended to the growing crowd of hungry customers, Featherweight did his best to explain everything to Diamond in a way that someone unfamiliar with the nuances of the food service industry would understand. Thus far, she seemed to be following without a problem, although she gave very little reaction, making any progress difficult to gauge. She seemed to be loosening up a little bit; either that or maintaining a scowl had finally exhausted her facial muscles.
Seeing the situation on the restaurant floor well in-hand, Featherweight allowed himself a small sigh of relief. If they had been swamped from the get-go, there was simply no way he would've been able to show Diamond everything in such detail. As the morning progressed, he showed Diamond everything from the settings on the toaster to how to prepare a fruit and yogurt parfait. Diamond, for her part, was a decent learner and didn't seem to be struggling with anything he showed her. What was holding her back, however, was her attitude.
Simply put, she did not want to be there. It was evident in everything from her walk to her posture and Featherweight knew that that would be his greatest challenge. While she was trying not to come off as completely uncooperative, Diamond was in no hurry to establish a career at the Ponyville Patio.
Which begged the question of what she could do to be useful while not feeling immediately overwhelmed by a busy day (which was most of the time). The servery was under control; most of the work in the morning was ensuring the right toast went with the right order. Featherweight thought about it hard before it finally came to him.
"Diamond, I think I figured out what you can do," he said, motioning for her to follow him out of the servery and into the restaurant. "Okay, now bear with me here. We've got pretty much everything under control but there is something you could do that would really help us. Think you could give it a shot?"
"I suppose I might as well." Diamond replied with a sigh.
"Alright, that's great but I need something from you first." Featherweight said as they reached the front counter, home of the cash register, menus, crayons for kids, and so forth.
"What's that?" Diamond asked.
"I need you to smile. Half of the job is being as friendly as possible to the customer," Featherweight explained. "It can be really hard sometimes but it's necessary to do most jobs here. Besides, the friendlier you are, the more likely you are to get a good tip."
"Seriously? I have to smile?" Diamond halfheartedly protested.
"I know, it sounds lame but it's true," Featherweight confirmed with a nod. "At least fake it if you don't feel like smiling. It's better than nothing, especially with difficult customers."
"Hmm…like this?" Diamond asked, giving him a sharp smile that absolutely reeked of falsehood.
"Um…try softening your expression a little," Featherweight suggested. Diamond rolled her eyes but did as he requested. "Okay, that's better. Now just…I dunno, relax into it." She did so whilst taking a deep, calming breath. "There, that's better." Featherweight stated with a smile of his own. "You look…mildly satisfied. By the way, how did you manage to relax your muscles so fast?"
"What do you mean?"
"When I asked you to relax into it. You closed your eyes and…it was like a bunch of stress seemed to melt away."
"Oh that? It's a yoga technique," Diamond explained. "I have a private yoga instructor that trains with me six days a week."
"That's pretty cool," Featherweight said, trying not to notice how physically fit Diamond appeared to be. "A-anyway, I think you should try being a hostess for a while. Don't worry, it's really easy. All you have to do is show people to their tables. The trick is knowing how many to seat where."
"And how am I supposed to know that?"
"Again, it's easier than it sounds. You see how Twist has three tables and Sweetie is currently looking after four tables?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, if another table of, say, four people comes in, who would you send them to?"
"Twist?"
"You got it," Featherweight confirmed with a smile. "Basically, how it goes is Sweetie has table one to six, Twist has table seven to 12, and I have table 13 to 18. Easy enough, right?"
"What if one of you is sick or whatever and can't make it in?"
"Then we just do the best we can," Featherweight replied with a shrug. "That's why we're hiring right now. Sweetie, Twist, and I have been working without much of a break pretty much since the summer started. We really need someone else around to give us a bit of a break now and then or at least lighten the load. It can get pretty crazy in here some days."
"Yeah, I'll bet."
"A-anyway, you're gonna be doing four things while you're up here. First, you'll greet the customers as they come in. Just say something like "Good morning or afternoon or whatever, welcome to the Patio". Then you confirm how many there are in the party, something like "Table for two today?" After that, depending on who's busy, you'll seat them in one of our sections. If a customer wants a specific table, it's okay as long as they know that if that person's really busy, it might be a while before they can get to them."
"Really? You get people who want specific tables?"
"You bet. Actually, a lot of the time, they'll even specify which one of us they want to serve them."
"That's weird. Why would they care?"
"Honestly, it depends. Sometimes, they just like talking to one of us and sometimes they just trust us to remember their preferences to save time when ordering. I've had to memorize about a dozen different "the usual" orders but they always leave a nice tip so I don't mind." Featherweight paused and appraised Diamond's blank stare. "A-hem. Anyway, don't worry about that just yet. Anyway, the next thing you'll do is make sure they all have menus and cutlery. If so, just tell them which server will be taking care of them, what the specials are, and then you're pretty much done. Oh, and if you have time, it's really helpful if you're able to clear tables and just bring the coffee pot around to tables drinking coffee. That's pretty much the hostessing job in a nutshell."
"What if someone wants to pay?" Diamond asked. "Isn't the till right there where I'm going to be?"
"Ah, right. Sorry about that," Featherweight said, rubbing the back of his neck. "If a customer wants to pay, just bring up their table number on the screen, punch in the payment method and how much their bill is, and let them to the rest if it's debit or credit. It it's cash, just punch in the table number and the amount due. I assume you know how to make change?" Diamond nodded. "Good. So…yeah, that's pretty much the job. Think you're ready to try some of what I've shown you?"
"Guess I kinda have to, don't I?"
"Looks like it." Diamond sighed and took a deep, calming breath.
"I-I guess I'm ready then."
"Glad to hear it," Featherweight said, giving her an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, I'll stay with you until you've got the hang of things, okay? How about this; we'll take turns welcoming people in and seating them. How does that sound?"
"It's okay with me." Featherweight couldn't quite put his finger on it but Diamond's tone seemed to lighten up slightly at the idea of working together. Certain that it was simply Diamond's relief at not being thrown to the wolves, he smiled and nodded.
"Great! I'll take this next one and you can get the one after, okay?"
"Okay."
With that, Diamond Tiara's first day of hostessing began.
***
Needless to say, Featherweight kept a close eye on Diamond Tiara throughout the morning. However, despite his earlier trepidation, the young man was pleased to find that Diamond Tiara was far from a hopeless case. She was bright and determined, if nothing else. While Featherweight wasn't sure if it was work ethic or a stubborn refusal to show any weakness, he didn't really care. All he knew was that for the first time in a long time, the work stress was far more manageable. Just knowing that there was someone seating customers was a load off his back, allowing him to focus more on serving his own.
Still, as he checked up on his charge from time to time, one thing continued to bother him. While Sweetie and Twist were in their usual high spirits, with Featherweight close behind, there was someone who wasn't. Diamond Tiara was unhappy. She was doing the job and even forcing smiles to keep up the façade but to Featherweight, experienced as he was with such matters, the façade was easy to see through. It was a subject brought up between the three via fleeting discussions in the servery.
"I don't know, Feathers, she doesn't look like she's having fun," Sweetie mused, sneaking a peek at their pink-haired coworker from the servery. "Maybe giving her the hostess position wasn't the best way to start her off."
"What was I supposed to do?" Featherweight asked. "She doesn't have any experience, so she can't serve, not right away at least."
"Yeah but…there's got to be something else she can do, if only to make her feel more at ease. She's so tense." Twist pointed out.
"I got a suggestion for ya," Everyone turned to see Short Order emerge from his place behind the grill. "See that stack o' dishes there?" he asked, gesturing to the dish pit. "I don't know 'bout you but there ain't nothin' like a stack o' clean dishes t' calm ya down."
"With all due respect, I don't think she's ever washed a dish in her life." Featherweight pointed out. "I doubt she'll be very pleased."
"Look Feathers, I know ya mean well but I've learned a thing or two in my time. One was that sometimes, a girlie just needs t' blow off some steam, y'know? I bet after a few hours o' washin' dishes, she'll feel better." Short Order stated confidently.
"Alright…if you're sure…I'll show her how to use the dishwasher." Featherweight said with a sigh.
"Good luck," Twist and Sweetie called after him as he left the servery.
Steeling himself for the inevitable, Featherweight took his time reaching the front. Why was he so worried about something as simple as asking her to do perform a task? Was it because he was afraid she'd refuse and leave? When would they receive another applicant? At the moment, Diamond Tiara was their best hope for getting some enjoyment out of their last summer in Ponyville. After all, they all needed the money for their futures, and no one wanted to leave Short Order high and dry. He'd been far too good to them for that to happen.
"Uh, hey Diamond," he greeted nervously upon reaching the counter. "How's it going up here?"
"It's…okay I guess…" Diamond muttered. Okay, here goes nothing, I thought, taking a deep breath.
"Listen…I know that this isn't fun for you and that you're probably not feeling too great…"
"No, it's fine, I'm having a great time!" Diamond replied excitedly with the fakest smile Featherweight had ever seen. "Can't you tell?"
"Uh, yeah, I kinda thought so, that's why I've got another job for you. It's really easy and you'll have almost complete privacy." He continued, trying to sell her on the mystery task.
"Alright, let's see what you've got," Diamond replied half-heartedly.
"That's the spirit…" Featherweight murmured as he led her to the dish pit.
Located inside the servery just behind the left entrance (there were two, one on the right, and one on the left so the staff crashed into each other less) and just forward of the kitchen, the dish pit was the most secluded part of the restaurant besides the washrooms. Even Featherweight appreciated it as a safe haven for bad days, the days when you just don't feel like dealing with people and their BS. You can essentially avoid having to interact with people and be productive at the same time. Win-win.
At least, that's how Featherweight hoped Diamond would think.
"What is this thing?"
Guess not.
"That…" Featherweight began. "…is the dishwasher. It's commercial-sized for heavy-duty jobs, like washing restaurant dishes. And the best part is, it's really easy to use."
"Wait a minute…you seriously expect me to wash dishes?" Diamond asked, her tone saturated with doubt.
"It's super easy, watch this," Featherweight continued quickly, trying to curb Diamond's trepidation. "Just set the dishes like so onto these racks, slide it into the machine, and close the door." With that, he demonstrated by first scrubbing& spraying off some of the more stubborn stains, then placing the dishes into one of the large plastic trays while minding the spacing, and finally sliding it into the large metal box-like dishwasher. "See? Just like that. Easy, right?"
"That's not the poi…"
"Then after about 45 seconds, you take the clean dishes and place them in their spots on the upper rack. Then when you have time, you can take dishes from there to replenish the ones in the servery or the kitchen." Featherweight explained.
"Ugh, fine!" Diamond exclaimed, taking Featherweight's spot in the dish pit. "Where's that stupid hose…" she grumbled as Featherweight simply sighed and let her be.
***
If you walked up to Short Order and called him a simple man, he would've agreed wholeheartedly. He was a simple man. He had simple tastes. He lived in a simple house. He ran a relatively simple restaurant with a simple menu consisting primarily of simple breakfast items. He wore simple clothes and enjoyed simple entertainment. One could argue that he was simple because Ponyville was, sans disasters, a simple town.
However, underneath that unrivaled love for the simple things in life, there resided a powerful understanding of how to treat and understand people. Simply put, Short Order could read a person like a book. He seemed to inherently know how a person ticked and, if the need arose, how to help ease their troubles. His method for such involved two principles: common sense and…you guessed it, simplicity. He had the ability to break down a person's issues into manageable chunks that a person could then digest individually and not suffer from psychological indigestion.
And, as Diamond Tiara worked away in the dish pit, muffling her curses and trying not to get completely soaked, you can bet everything that Short Order was cooking up a way to help the newest edition to their little family. He sighed, wiped his hands on his apron, and made his way over to the dish pit.
"How ya doin' there, sweetheart?" he asked, gruffly yet gently, as was his specialty. Now, Diamond may have had an ego the size of Redmond, Washington, but she wasn't so arrogant not to know who her boss was. After all, she'd been trained from birth to know her place in the pecking order and although Short Order wasn't exactly the type of boss she was familiar with, she still knew how to act.
"I'm fine, thank you." Diamond replied with a fake smile.
"Ya sure?" Short Order asked, leaning up against the wall. "I ain't exactly a mind-reader but it don't take one t' see when someone's upset. Ya don't gotta tell me nothin' ya don't want t', but if ya do, I'm all ears."
Diamond was surprised to find the…unconventional man's words somewhat…soothing. They were completely unpretentious and didn't seem to harbor an ulterior motive, a refreshing change from what she was used to, even in her own house. In fact, the genuine words caught her off-guard.
"Um…thank you, but…no, it's okay, you wouldn't understand." Diamond mumbled, attempting to dry her hands on one of the many stained dishtowels.
"Here, use this one," Short Order said, handing her a fresh one from the shelf above his small prep area. "If ya ever need a towel, I usually got lots up there." he added, gesturing towards the shelf.
"Thanks."
"It's no problem." There was a pause as Diamond slowly dried her hands. "So, what made ya wanna come work here, anyway?" Short asked.
"I didn't." Diamond muttered by instinct before realizing her mistake. "I-I mean…I was here with my friend, a-and Sweetie said you were hiring, so…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude…"
"Ah, it's okay, don't even worry about it, hun," Short replied warmly. "I know this place ain't exactly the Ritz Canterlot but it ain't all bad."
"I know it's not, I'm just…I…" Diamond sighed and focused on the floor. "I don't know what I'm doing here, to be honest. I just…needed a job, and this place…" She stopped, not really knowing how to continue.
"Don't worry, I know what yer sayin'," Short assured her. "Look, I hired you 'cause Feathers said you can be dedicated an' not afraid o' takin' chances an' working t' your goals. You're ambitious, an' I like that."
"Thanks…"
"But you've got somethin' on your mind that's holdin' ya back," Short added. "Listen; ya got potential, I could see it when ya were washin' dishes. Ya didn't like it but ya weren't givin' up either. Ya learned quick an' got the job done." Surprised, Diamond spared a glance about the dish pit; sure enough, she was practically surrounded by clean dishes, more than she'd ever seen any of her father's staff clean at once.
"I did this all…myself…" she murmured.
"Ya know why? 'Cause ya had somethin' t' focus on," Short explained. "Betcha feel better than ya did an hour ago."
"I…" Diamond began before abruptly pausing. Come to think of it, she did. Her body ached and she felt fatigued…but it was a strangely pleasant feeling, as if she'd accomplished something. "I…do feel a little better."
"Atta girl," Short said with a smile. "See what I mean? That's the beauty o' hard work, right there. Ya might start the job pissed off but if ya work hard 'nuff, ya always feel better in the end."
"Look, there ain't a job I hate more 'n doin' dishes," Short confessed. "That's why I get Feathers t' do it as much as I can get away with, heh, heh," he said in a near whisper, coaxing a small giggle out of Diamond. "Only if he ain't too busy, though. He's way more valuable out there servin' customers than back here, that's f' damn sure. But y'know what he does if he's havin' a bad day?" Diamond shook her head.
"He grabs an apron an' washed dishes." Short said, surprising Diamond yet again.
"But…why would he do a job like this if he's in a bad mood?"
"'Cause he knows he'll feel better when he's done. Washin' dishes can be real hard work but it can also be a great way t' just get away from the rest o' the world, y'know? When yer back here, yer outta the public eye. There ain't much t' washin' dishes, so you can relax an' focus on other things an' still be productive. An' then, y'know what happens?"
"What?" Diamond asked, genuinely curious.
"Yer troubles don't look near as bad as when ya started." Short stated, letting silence hang as Diamond thought about it. Yes, she was still angry about things but they did not seem quite as dire anymore. She was working, wasn't she? She had a job, didn't she? Was she not doing her best to live up to her father's expectations? She was around Featherweight again…wasn't she? "Aha, there we go," Short said as a small, tired grin made its way onto Diamond's lips. "Hey listen, why don't ya take a break, huh? Have a piece o' desert from the cooler, on me. I'm gonna go check on the kids out there."
"Uh, sure," Diamond replied as Short Order headed for the door. "Um, by the way…" she added, making him pause before making his way out onto the restaurant floor. "Thanks. For…everything. For hiring me." Short smiled and nodded.
"No problem, sweetheart. Have a good break, alright?"
"I will."
Satisfied that Diamond was at the very least feeling better, Short Order wandered up to the front, catching Featherweight as he headed for the servery.
"She's gonna be okay, Feathers," Short declared with an affirming nod, placing an arm around the young man's shoulders. "She's gonna be okay."
Author's Note
So...how obvious is that I was a waiter for three years before starting university?
