The Waitress Read Online Free Page B

view of everything in The Café as well as the window-front. By happy coincidence, it also gave a good view of any passing policemen who might want to check his kitchen for illegal substances and any passing traffic wardens who might disagree with him that laziness was a disability.
    Katie walked over to where two men were having a morning meeting, both pretending that their self-made careers were going excellently and that they were content to be in a café rather than a pub.
    ‘Two English breakfasts and two coffees,’ said one man, returning the menu to Katie without looking at her.
    ‘One decaffeinated,’ added the other, briefly examining her chest.
    Katie walked away, muttering, ‘I’m going to be an educational psychologist, I’m going to be an educational psychologist.’
    Keith the ‘chef’ had just arrived, a man not driven by demons as much as devoured by them. He had so many phobias it was a wonder he made it from his flat down the street into the café. He was telling Sukie about his weekend. Katie could tell this, because she kept hearing Sukie’s regular murmurs of ‘Oh dear.’
    ‘Two fried breakfasts,’ interrupted Katie.
    Keith turned to her. ‘Morning Katie,’ he said. ‘I was just telling Sukie my neighbours are trying to drive me out of my flat.’
    ‘Oh dear,’ murmured Katie.
    Sukie and Katie made brief eye contact before Katie went to make the coffees and give them to the men at table 8.
    ‘Are you sure that’s decaffeinated?’ asked one, examining her chest again.
    ‘Yes.’ Katie smiled at his bald patch.
    He smelt it warily.
    ‘I can smell coffee.’
    ‘Well,’ said Katie gravely, crossing her arms so he couldn’t give it back to her. ‘That’s because it’s so good.’ She turned away and walked back to the kitchen, muttering, ‘Believe me, if I wanted to put something in your drink, it wouldn’t be coffee.’ Then she repeated under her breath, ‘I know the names of everyone in the Cabinet, I know the names of everyone in the Cabinet.’
    As she walked to the kitchen, Matt appeared. He was seventeen and working as a part-time dishwasher while studying for his A-Levels.
    ‘Matt!’ greeted Katie.
    Matt grunted.
    ‘Nice to see you too,’ she answered.
    He grunted again and followed her in.
    ‘I’ve got something that will cheer you up,’ said Katie. She went to her bag and pulled out an A-4 sized piece of paper. Because of Sandy’s software package, there were four pictures from Saturday’s party, which she’d e-mailed the day before. It had only taken her five attempts and two hours. There was a photo of Jon, Sukie and Katie, all a little worse for drink, one of an unnamed couple in a clinch (the man in an almost luminous green shirt), one of Hugh and Katie chatting and one of Katie in deep conversation with an unknown man.
    ‘Ta-da!’ trumpeted Katie. ‘My new date.’
    Keith, Sukie and Matt all approached and Sukie took the piece of paper out of Katie’s hand. They all studied Dan and made approving noises. Then Sukie performed the now cherished ritual of adding the latest photos to the dairy fridge. Both fridges were covered with beaming glossy faces of various members of staff in poses with friends, partners, lovers, exes, but the meat fridge door was entirely filled with photos of Katie with men. It was titled ‘The Ones Who Got Away.’
    Sukie coughed loudly.
    ‘May I have everyone’s attention please? I hereby call this relationship . . .’ she stared at the photo, as if for inspiration, ‘Doomed.’ She Blu-Tacked it with all the other staff photos. It had become a bit of a standing joke just how fussy Katie was with her men. In fact, Sukie had hardly been surprised to discover that last weekend’s party had been so full of Katie’s exes. She’d been highly amused to see that Katie hadn’t even recognised some of them because she’d extricated herself from the relationships so quickly.
    ‘I have a feeling this one will last,’ insisted