For Better And For Worse
Chapter 6

Rose, the daughter of Monsieur Félix, manager of the 5★ restaurant, visits her father around 10 a.m. She joins him in the kitchen.

Rose: hi dad.

Felix: hello my darling, you look beautiful this morning.

Rose: Thank you. So, is the restaurant thriving?

Félix: yes, it is thriving very well.

Rose: I’m delighted.

Krist arrives.

Krist: hello boss, hello miss.

Felix: hello Krist, actually, this is my daughter, Rose.

Krist: ah, nice to meet you, miss.

Rose: enchanted.

Rose was stunned when she laid eyes on Krist, his beauty and charm did not leave her indifferent. She looks at him longingly while Krist gives people orders to his boss without any attention to his daughter. Felix gives him the orders and he goes to serve. Other servers arrive and take the meals to serve.

Rose: Looks like you’re overloaded?

Félix: yes, it’s like that every day my darling, I won’t have time for you here.

Rose: It doesn’t matter. I just want you to serve me one of your most delicious dishes.

Felix: go sit in the next room, I’ll send it to you right away.

Rose: I’m not going to eat alone.

Felix: you can see that I’m overloaded so I can’t eat with you.

Rose: then ask one of your waiters to eat with me, Krist for example. The meal is more delicious when you eat it together.

Felix: ok, go ahead!

Rose: thank you dad.

She goes to the indicated room and her father asks Krist to bring her food while telling her to do whatever she asks. So Krist brings the meal to Rose.

Krist: miss, here is your dish, enjoy your meal.

Rose: no, I don’t like eating alone, please accompany me.

Krist: but I have work ahead of me, a lot of work.

Rose: I know, but you can at least give a young girl who hates eating alone a few moments by accompanying her, right?

Krist: ok, I’ll just stay for a little while.

Rose: thank you, we can speak informally, right?

Krist: It doesn’t bother me.

He sits down and they start to eat.

Rose: So Krist, how long have you been working here?

Krist: for over a year.

Rose: I see that you have the build of a big man so how come you are a waiter?

Krist: I had to take what life gave me.

Rose: um, I see. Otherwise, as a normal person, what would you do?

Krist: I got my degree in business management, I’m a doctor.

Rose: wow, a doctor, that’s impressive! I imagine you in a suit, you will look so handsome.

Krist: Thank you. Well, I have to get back to my work.

Rose: no, stay a little longer, I really like talking with you.

Krist: but…

Rose: don’t worry, my father won’t blame you for anything.

Krist: Okay.

Rose: you don’t want to know anything about me?

Krist: yes, then tell me about yourself.

Rose: Well, you already know my name and my father. I have just returned from studying after my law degree. I’ll go back later to continue a little further.

Krist: ah that’s good, do you want to be a lawyer?

Rose: yes, or even magistrate, prosecutor or judge.

Krist: it’s a great ambition.

Rose: I am still single and I plan to continue my studies further but I would not say no to marriage even if it presents itself there immediately.

Krist: Do you already have someone in your life?

Rose: no, no one serious. I need men… men like you.

Krist: like me, what am I like?

Rose: handsome, physically perfect, hardworking, intelligent…

Krist: you don’t know me yet?

Rose: no but I see it, I see the kind of man you are when I look at you.

Krist: oh yes, you must be special!

Rose: Do you think so?

Krist: Of course, only a special person can know a man by just looking at him. But remember that appearances are often deceiving.

Rose: yes but not all.

Krist: You’re right.

Rose: I think I should let you work. Can I have your number ?

Krist: It’s not necessary.

Rose: Of course I do, I need to talk from time to time.

Krist: ok.

He takes his phone to put her number on it and they separate. Krist returns to work and Rose goes to say goodbye to her father and goes home. After work, Krist comes home to his wife.

Krist: good evening darling.

Isabelle: good evening my love, how was your day?

Krist: Exhausting as always. The boss’s daughter was here this morning and I have a feeling she’s going to cause me some trouble.

Isabelle: oh well, why do you say that?

Krist: because I feel like she’s courting me.

Isabelle: well, she’s going to leave empty-handed because no one can take my husband away from me.

Krist: You can be sure of that. And your day ?

Isabelle: It went well. I was in the hospital for a while and then in the salon when I was free.

Krist: Stella should stay at home to prepare for her baccalaureate exam.

Isabelle: yes I spoke to her about it but she told me that she will be able to find time to study and do well on the exam.

Krist: yes if she knows how to organize herself but it’s even better if she concentrates solely on her exam in order to compose well. Who knows if she won’t be lucky enough to receive a scholarship if she works well.

Isabelle: it’s possible seeing as she is very intelligent.

Krist: Indeed. Okay, I’m going to take a shower.

Isabelle: okay.

Krist takes a shower and his wife serves him dinner. They eat together and Isabelle receives a call from the hospital where she goes immediately to carry out her work. Meanwhile, Krist receives a call from Rose.

Krist: hello!

Rose: hello handsome man, it’s Rose.

Krist: ah Rose, how are you?

Rose: I’m doing very well. So, are you back?

Krist: yes, since 5:30 p.m.

Rose: oh okay, I really enjoyed talking with you this morning.

Krist: Me too. I wish you a good evening.

Rose: okay, thank you. Same.

He hangs up. Rose wonders why he doesn’t want to talk with her. At 9 p.m., Stella comes home as does Isabelle. Krist suggests that she devote more time to preparing for her exam rather than managing the salon, but Stella makes him understand that she knows how to find the right balance between the two. So they agree with her. Until then, Krist and his wife still do not have children but that does not stop them from being happy. With each passing day, Rose goes to the restaurant just to see Krist. After a week, she decided to confess her feelings to him. It was one evening, when Krist finished his day’s work. When he goes to take his motorcycle to the parking lot, Rose joins him.

Rose: Krist, give me a few minutes, I want to talk to you about something.

Krist: ok, what is it?

Rose: Well, it’s… it’s a little embarrassing for me.

Krist: Don’t be shy, tell me.

Rose: Well, I… I think I’m in love with you.

Krist: what, are you serious?

Rose: I’m very serious.

Krist: But I’m a married man Rose.

Rose: I know but is it then my fault, I didn’t decide to fall in love with a married man, it’s the choice of my heart.

Krist: do you at least know that it’s an impossible love?

Rose: It could be possible if you want it.

Krist: unfortunately I don’t want to. Good evening to you.

Krist starts his motorcycle to go home. His wife comes back a little later and he tells her what had happened.

Isabelle: be careful my love, she could cause you problems to the point of losing your job.

Krist: I know, I feel like I’m going to lose my job because of her.

Isabelle: don’t say that, don’t be negative.

Krist: You don’t know what a woman is willing to do to get what she wants.

Isabelle: I know, take heart my love.

Krist: Thank you. And you, are things going well at work?

Isabelle: yes, but there are two midwives who want to hinder me, I don’t know why.

Krist: They are certainly jealous of you, take care of yourself.

Isabelle: of course. We will get out of this.

Krist: Yes.

They encourage each other like this before sitting down to eat.