[For Bay] Roommate bonding

[happy_dsign]

The kitchen was a mess, but the order was almost finished. An assortment of canapés, petit-fours, some of the bruschetta that she'd had at the cake run was all going to a wealthy client's party. The hot courses were being handled by the client's personal chef, but she'd been hired to provide the bites for before and after, which was fine. It was evidence that she was getting her name out there, if nothing else.

Now if Bay could just get home with the car so she could deliver it all on time, this would be perfect. She started packing everything into boxes, keeping one eye on keeping everything immaculate, one eye on the light on her kitchen timer for the last batch of hot food, and one eye on the door waiting for Bay. She was running out of eyes.

Comments

[neither_a_nor_b]

And, lucky for Daphne, the cavalry was on its way. Bay was clattering up the stairs, untying her apron as she went so that she could reach the keys she'd clipped to her belt loop.

As she came in, Bay knocked on the counter to get Daphne's attention. "Hey, I'm back!"

[happy_dsign]

Daphne looked up as the counter vibrated, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thank god. I just have one more batch to go in the thermal bag, and then we can deliver. Do you want to start taking boxes down? It's gonna be tight getting it all there and set up on time, as it is." She knew she was being brusque, and that Bay was just getting off of work, but she was frazzled and worried about making the client happy just then. Later she'd thank Bay for her help, she wasn't taking it for granted or anything. She just needed to get this done first.

[neither_a_nor_b]

"You know the deal," Bay said. "Leave me some snackies and the Thing and I are your bitches in perpetuity."

Grinning, she hefted up a few boxes to carry down to the car. "I've been petting cats all day, my blood pressure is so low I barely have a pulse."

[happy_dsign]

"Yup, I know the deal. And that makes one of us," Daphne sighed, turning away to check on the bites in the oven. "I can relax after this is done." Maybe she'd even talk Bay into grabbing a drink or something.

[neither_a_nor_b]

Bay nodded, hurrying down to load up the Thing before worrying about carrying on the conversation.

One the second trip, she lifted up another box. "How much was the order for?"

[happy_dsign]

By the time Bay got back up Daphne had the final batch out of the oven and was carefully removing it from the baking sheet to be packed away for transport. She waved at the order form sitting on the counter. She'd designed it on her computer for just such occasions, though she still had to go to the local copy and print place to print them out. "Enough hors d'oeuvres and dessert bites for 40 guests. We really need to get a printer, by the way."

[neither_a_nor_b]

"Next paycheck," Bay promised. "It'll have money from my promotion."

The word still made her grin a little bit. In Mission Hills, no one had expected much of her, job-wise. Here? She'd earned a position all by herself.

[happy_dsign]

"Sounds good." Daphne nodded, making a mental note to set aside some of the money from this job to cover her share. "Okay, this is the last of it," she said as she finished packing the insulated box. "Let's get it delivered and then grab some Indian? Oddly enough I don't feel like cooking," she said with a wry grin.

[neither_a_nor_b]

"Wonder why," Bay said dryly, giving Daphne a wry grin.

"I could totally do with a vindaloo right now, so I am way okay with that."

[happy_dsign]

"Vindaloo for you, palak paneer for me. Perfect. And lots of naan." Daphne fingerspelled the last, then grabbed one of the remaining boxes. "Let's go." She opened the door with her free hand and then hung back so Bay could precede her out, locking the door as she held it open so she could just pull it behind them.

[neither_a_nor_b]

"Samosas," Bay reminded her. "Star Goa does the best samosas and we always forget."