Fic: [NR] Tuesday Night Restaurant (TNR) Series: Juliette's Project [1/1]
Tuesday Night Restaurant Series: Juliette’s Project
Word Count: 1,193
Pairing: Dani/Nico hints
Spoilers: none
Summary: just a scene from Tuesday Night Restaurant Series… expounds a bit on the project Dani thought of in Mix of Dark Minors and Sunny Majors but no need to read that one first.
Author’s Note: While it highlights Dani’s project for Juliette to work on, the story is slightly hijacked by other restaurant goings-on.
Marcie frowned when she saw Doctor Santino enter the restaurant. “Doctor Santino, Mr. Careles called earlier to say you two wouldn’t be joining us tonight.”
Dani smiled. “I know. He got called out of town earlier today. I’m not here to eat. I wanted to talk to you about a project I would like a friend to start. She needs something she can work on.” Dani sighed as she looked over the crowded restaurant. “I had hoped it would have calmed down by now.”
Marcie studied the woman and smiled. “Why don’t you catch up with Chef and I’ll come find you in about 45 minutes? A lot of the tables will have been served by then if they haven’t left already.”
Dani nodded. “Sounds like a good plan.” She made her way back to the kitchen. For a couple of minutes she got to watch the Chef, unnoticed, in his kitchen. She smiled as he alternated between yelling and praising his staff: keeping them afraid of him but wanting his approval and praise.
“To what do I owe this honor? I heard you would not be making it tonight, Dani.” Chef Antioco finally acknowledged her presence, without even looking over at her.
Dani smiled and moved to hug him. “Can’t I just visit a friend without the third degree?”
He kissed her cheek. “You could, but what fun would that be?”
They chatted, he insisted on making her something to eat, and she observed him in his element. It was a commotion in the dining room that forced her out of the kitchen thirty minutes after she entered, not Marcie.
Dani eyed the couple and the “press” and groaned. But as she saw the waitstaff almost bumbling to get to them, she sighed and moved to the hostess table.
“Terrence King, you treat this place as you do other places and I’ll have Nico deal with what is left of you after I finish with you.” Dani glared, her hands resting on her hips.
TK swallowed and turned to face the voice he knew too well. “Doctor D? What’s you doing here?”
Dani smiled over at Vivica then focused on TK. “The chef and a few of the waitstaff are good friends of mine. That means your best behavior, Terrence.”
TK nodded. “I was going to ask for a quiet booth. It’s just V and I tonight but everywhere we go-.”
“It will be taken care of, sir.” An older male voice stated from behind them and everyone turned.
Dani smiled and looked for Marcie. She mouthed ‘thank you’ and watched the older man push the paparazzi back outside. The hostess seated TK and Vivica at a back, private booth while Dani waited for the unknown man to return. “Thank you, sir.”
He smiled over at her. “Not a problem, Doctor Santino. Any friend of Mr. Careles deserves spectacular treatment. I am Sergei and I am half owner of this restaurant.”
Dani beamed. “Sergei, I appreciate you taking care of Terrence and Vivica, but let’s not let them know that Nico is a regular here.”
“And of yourself, ma’am?”
Dani shrugged. “Better I am known here than Nico, Sergei.” She eyed the restaurant: it was still busy.
“If you wish to speak with Marcie, Doctor Santino, why don’t you sit at your table and I’ll send her over?” Sergei suggested.
Dani smiled. “I can wait, Sergei. It’s not critical.”
Sergei shook his head. “Please, Doctor, I insist. I can handle her tables for a half an hour. Keeps me young-and keeps the rest of the staff on their toes.”
Dani laughed and leaned over to kiss Sergei’s cheek. “Thank you, Sergei.” Then she turned to head for Nico’s table.
-%-
Marcie stared at Doctor Santino. “You want your friend to organize packages to soldiers Donnie knows who don’t get much mail. Why would she or you do this?”
Dani smiled over at the younger woman. “Because she needs a project to focus on, one that fits her bubbly personality yet keeps her a bit distant from people. Juliette can meet with you to start off but when more and more names come in, she can run with them.” Dani leaned forward, lowering her voice a bit. “She’s a recovering addict, Marcie, and while she is thriving and sober, dealing with people is not an easy thing for her right now. She expects people to judge her by her past because it’s been broadcast everywhere. This gives her the opportunity to help others, make non-physical contact with other people, and show her she can be friends with men and not sleep with them.”
Marcie nodded. “I know Donnie has buddies outside the SeALs who don’t get a lot of mail.”
“Marcie, I want everyone’s names-SeALs or not; men and women; friends of friends. I don’t care. They all deserve something from home.” Dani stated quietly.
Marcie nodded and wrote her mobile number down. “Have your Juliette contact me and we’ll sit down and start this. As long as I am able, I am helping.”
Dani smiled. “Of course, dear.”
-%-
Dani said goodbye to the Chef, then stopped over at TK and Vivica’s table to see how they were enjoying their food.
“Doctor D! This place is the shizzle!” TK announced.
“Dani the food and service is outstanding. You said the chef is a friend? Please tell him I’ve never had better putensesca.” Vivica smiled and patted TK’s hand.
“The fried squid was awesome and so is this filet! It totally melts in my mouth, Doctor D! We’s totally coming back. And Marcie is a friggin mind reader! Totally knows when I need something. And that old dude who kicked out the pap? Superb!” TK rambled in his excitement.
Dani chuckled. “Well, I’ll let all know but definitely leave a big tip for Marcie-her fiancé is serving in the Middle East and she’s saving for the wedding.”
“Will do, Doctor D, will definitely do!”
“You two enjoy the rest of your meal. Vivica, do not miss the chocolate cake.” Dani smiled and headed to the hostess table.
“Please give Sergei my farewell.” Dani requested before she stepped outside with a wave to Marcie.
-%-
Nico blinked: someone was with Dani at their table. He frowned and headed over only to stop short. Sergei was back?
“Hello, Nico, my boy. Your Doctor Santino was just telling me about the first time she ate here.” Sergei stood and held out a hand for the younger man.
Nico smiled and shook it. “Good to see you, old man. I had not heard you had returned.”
Sergei shrugged. “I wanted to let Doctor Santino know that I had indeed received her farewell last week. I’ll let you two catch up and enjoy your meal.”
Nico looked over at her with a raised brow as he sat down. “Last week?”
Dani smiled and shrugged then filled him in on her last Tuesday night: from TK and Vivica’s arrival to her project for Juliette and Marcie to meeting Sergei.
Nico smiled and reached for her hand. “Sometimes you astound me, Danielle.”
Dani raised a brow. “Only sometimes?”
Word Count: 1,193
Pairing: Dani/Nico hints
Spoilers: none
Summary: just a scene from Tuesday Night Restaurant Series… expounds a bit on the project Dani thought of in Mix of Dark Minors and Sunny Majors but no need to read that one first.
Author’s Note: While it highlights Dani’s project for Juliette to work on, the story is slightly hijacked by other restaurant goings-on.
Marcie frowned when she saw Doctor Santino enter the restaurant. “Doctor Santino, Mr. Careles called earlier to say you two wouldn’t be joining us tonight.”
Dani smiled. “I know. He got called out of town earlier today. I’m not here to eat. I wanted to talk to you about a project I would like a friend to start. She needs something she can work on.” Dani sighed as she looked over the crowded restaurant. “I had hoped it would have calmed down by now.”
Marcie studied the woman and smiled. “Why don’t you catch up with Chef and I’ll come find you in about 45 minutes? A lot of the tables will have been served by then if they haven’t left already.”
Dani nodded. “Sounds like a good plan.” She made her way back to the kitchen. For a couple of minutes she got to watch the Chef, unnoticed, in his kitchen. She smiled as he alternated between yelling and praising his staff: keeping them afraid of him but wanting his approval and praise.
“To what do I owe this honor? I heard you would not be making it tonight, Dani.” Chef Antioco finally acknowledged her presence, without even looking over at her.
Dani smiled and moved to hug him. “Can’t I just visit a friend without the third degree?”
He kissed her cheek. “You could, but what fun would that be?”
They chatted, he insisted on making her something to eat, and she observed him in his element. It was a commotion in the dining room that forced her out of the kitchen thirty minutes after she entered, not Marcie.
Dani eyed the couple and the “press” and groaned. But as she saw the waitstaff almost bumbling to get to them, she sighed and moved to the hostess table.
“Terrence King, you treat this place as you do other places and I’ll have Nico deal with what is left of you after I finish with you.” Dani glared, her hands resting on her hips.
TK swallowed and turned to face the voice he knew too well. “Doctor D? What’s you doing here?”
Dani smiled over at Vivica then focused on TK. “The chef and a few of the waitstaff are good friends of mine. That means your best behavior, Terrence.”
TK nodded. “I was going to ask for a quiet booth. It’s just V and I tonight but everywhere we go-.”
“It will be taken care of, sir.” An older male voice stated from behind them and everyone turned.
Dani smiled and looked for Marcie. She mouthed ‘thank you’ and watched the older man push the paparazzi back outside. The hostess seated TK and Vivica at a back, private booth while Dani waited for the unknown man to return. “Thank you, sir.”
He smiled over at her. “Not a problem, Doctor Santino. Any friend of Mr. Careles deserves spectacular treatment. I am Sergei and I am half owner of this restaurant.”
Dani beamed. “Sergei, I appreciate you taking care of Terrence and Vivica, but let’s not let them know that Nico is a regular here.”
“And of yourself, ma’am?”
Dani shrugged. “Better I am known here than Nico, Sergei.” She eyed the restaurant: it was still busy.
“If you wish to speak with Marcie, Doctor Santino, why don’t you sit at your table and I’ll send her over?” Sergei suggested.
Dani smiled. “I can wait, Sergei. It’s not critical.”
Sergei shook his head. “Please, Doctor, I insist. I can handle her tables for a half an hour. Keeps me young-and keeps the rest of the staff on their toes.”
Dani laughed and leaned over to kiss Sergei’s cheek. “Thank you, Sergei.” Then she turned to head for Nico’s table.
-%-
Marcie stared at Doctor Santino. “You want your friend to organize packages to soldiers Donnie knows who don’t get much mail. Why would she or you do this?”
Dani smiled over at the younger woman. “Because she needs a project to focus on, one that fits her bubbly personality yet keeps her a bit distant from people. Juliette can meet with you to start off but when more and more names come in, she can run with them.” Dani leaned forward, lowering her voice a bit. “She’s a recovering addict, Marcie, and while she is thriving and sober, dealing with people is not an easy thing for her right now. She expects people to judge her by her past because it’s been broadcast everywhere. This gives her the opportunity to help others, make non-physical contact with other people, and show her she can be friends with men and not sleep with them.”
Marcie nodded. “I know Donnie has buddies outside the SeALs who don’t get a lot of mail.”
“Marcie, I want everyone’s names-SeALs or not; men and women; friends of friends. I don’t care. They all deserve something from home.” Dani stated quietly.
Marcie nodded and wrote her mobile number down. “Have your Juliette contact me and we’ll sit down and start this. As long as I am able, I am helping.”
Dani smiled. “Of course, dear.”
-%-
Dani said goodbye to the Chef, then stopped over at TK and Vivica’s table to see how they were enjoying their food.
“Doctor D! This place is the shizzle!” TK announced.
“Dani the food and service is outstanding. You said the chef is a friend? Please tell him I’ve never had better putensesca.” Vivica smiled and patted TK’s hand.
“The fried squid was awesome and so is this filet! It totally melts in my mouth, Doctor D! We’s totally coming back. And Marcie is a friggin mind reader! Totally knows when I need something. And that old dude who kicked out the pap? Superb!” TK rambled in his excitement.
Dani chuckled. “Well, I’ll let all know but definitely leave a big tip for Marcie-her fiancé is serving in the Middle East and she’s saving for the wedding.”
“Will do, Doctor D, will definitely do!”
“You two enjoy the rest of your meal. Vivica, do not miss the chocolate cake.” Dani smiled and headed to the hostess table.
“Please give Sergei my farewell.” Dani requested before she stepped outside with a wave to Marcie.
-%-
Nico blinked: someone was with Dani at their table. He frowned and headed over only to stop short. Sergei was back?
“Hello, Nico, my boy. Your Doctor Santino was just telling me about the first time she ate here.” Sergei stood and held out a hand for the younger man.
Nico smiled and shook it. “Good to see you, old man. I had not heard you had returned.”
Sergei shrugged. “I wanted to let Doctor Santino know that I had indeed received her farewell last week. I’ll let you two catch up and enjoy your meal.”
Nico looked over at her with a raised brow as he sat down. “Last week?”
Dani smiled and shrugged then filled him in on her last Tuesday night: from TK and Vivica’s arrival to her project for Juliette and Marcie to meeting Sergei.
Nico smiled and reached for her hand. “Sometimes you astound me, Danielle.”
Dani raised a brow. “Only sometimes?”