Mac & Cheese

Lui's Diner was never fully packed, but there were always enough guests to keep the kitchen busy. “I need runners!” the chef bellows. “Behind!” a server shouts, cutting through the tiny space. “Table 34 said their burger was overcooked!” a server starts to argue with one of the sous chefs. Lui’s Diner is open Monday through Wednesday, 8am-8 pm, but is open 24 hours Thursday through Sunday. Tonight, since it was 11:30pm on a Friday, there were a lot of people either getting a late-night bite or a meal before hitting the bars. The owner has been doing this since opening the diner's doors in 1975.

Lily hurries from table to table, bringing out food, refilling drinks, and clearing dishes to earn good tips. She usually works long 12-hour shifts from Thursday to Sunday, which she enjoys because most customers are in a good mood and tip well. On other days, she works shorter 6-hour shifts and has more time to relax. But this week, between Christmas and New Year's Eve, hardly anyone is cooking at home. The diner was so busy that Lily came in early to cover for a coworker whose child is on winter break. Lily is known for her strong work ethic and motivation—she truly loves her job.

As Lily is clearing a booth, she notices one of her regulars walking toward the front door. Instantly shifting gears, Lily leaves the booth and quickly grabs silverware to set the table where her regular always sits. The front door chimes as Lily grabs his Coke with two limes from the bar. “Hi George! I was just getting your table ready!” she greets. George tips his hat and heads to his regular table. Lily drops the soda off with a straw and tells George, “I’m going to finish clearing that booth, and I will be right back with your coffee!” “I’m in no rush, sweetie! Take your time.” George replies happily.

Moments later, Lily clears the booth and grabs a coffee mug, some sugar, and some milk. She drops it off at George's table and does a loop around her section to check on all her tables. A few of her tables asked for the check, so as she makes her way back to George with a fresh pot of coffee, she drops those off. Lily fills his mug 3/4’s of the way and asks, “What’ll it be tonight? The usual?” George took a sip of his coffee and nodded. “Sounds good, it’ll be right out!” She replied. She rings in his usual order of the Quadruple Cheesy Mac & Cheese.

Lily goes to turn around when she feels a gust of wind. “Behind!” a server yells, rushing past. “I need runners!” her manager yells. Lily helps run food, give her guests their checks, and help other servers with drinks. Within 10 minutes, Lily’s section clears out. She clears the plates and, frustratedly, wipes down the tables. She was frustrated that the hostess, Ellie, consistently sat guests in Lily’s section. Lily was running around for the last hour, and now she doesn't have any guests, meaning she might be cut soon. This is Ellie's first job as a hostess, and she did not properly space out the diner guests between the servers.

When there's a break, Lily approaches Ellie. “Ellie, I know it's still your first week, and you’ve been handling the rush very well,” Lily whispers, trying not to draw attention to the conversation. Lily wants to make sure Ellie knows shes being polite and not trying to shame her. “But can you please rotate sections when you’re seating guests?” Ellie, embarrassed, replies, “I’m sorry” and runs into the bathroom, sniffling. Lily sighs and puts her head in her hands. “Well, I tried,” Lily thought to herself.

Back in the kitchen, Lily grabs George’s order and brings it to his table. “Watch your hands! Dangerously cheesy mac and cheese coming through!” Lily jokes. She places the mac and cheese down along with salt and pepper shakers. “Thank you, honey,” George says, chuckling softly. Lily walks away to set some silverware in case more guests come in. She notices George finished his soda, so she quickly makes him another. “Take a seat, please!” George said, smiling at Lily. She happily obliges.

A few months after Lily started working at Lui’s five years ago, George came in for the first time. He always orders the same exact thing and sits at the same exact table. Sitting across from George, Lily asks, “George, you’ve been coming here for as long as i could remember. Every time you order a Coke with two limes, a cup of coffee, and the mac and cheese. There are so many other items on the menu, why the mac and cheese?” Lily asked while refilling his coffee. “Also, why my section? I mean, I love you sitting here! But why me?” She warmly continued.

George takes a moment, smiles as if he were reminiscing on a beautiful memory, and happily replies, “I love lime in Coke, it tastes better than lemon. Lui’s coffee reminds me of when I worked at the police station. The smell reminds me of working on a case late at night, piecing the puzzles together.” This shocked Lily. This small, elderly man who sits in front of her was a detective? “I chose your section because you looked like my daughter when she was younger. She lives in Germany now, so I rarely see or speak to her anymore. But your similarity to her makes me feel at home here,” he continued. He stirred his Coke and took a small sip. Still curious, Lily says, “What about the mac & cheese?” George smiles. “It’s my wife’s recipe. I gave it to the owner when she passed five years ago. It was the first thing she cooked for me after we got married. I can't cook for the life of me, so I decided to give it to Lui’s so I can still enjoy her cooking.” George replied, before taking a big bite of his Mac & Cheese.