Chapter 565 - Tell me why? (1)

4 June, Coffee House, City K

Lexi motioned to the helper pushing her wheelchair. Meeting friends let alone working was a constant frustration because of these injuries and she could not wait until she was able to get rid of the casts, complete her rehabilitation and return to as normal of life as could be. The one good thing from the check-up she had this morning at the Military Base Hospital is that her recovery was considered on track, if not a little ahead of what they had expected.

Lexi, wanting to be alone while talking to Rachael, quietly said "I will be a while with my friend, feel free to go and do some things for yourself."

"Ma'am, that is not needed. I promised that I would stay with you…"

Somewhat frustrated, Lexi said "I just want to spend time with my friend, alone…"

The helper said "How about I sit across the room…"

Sensing that this was going to become an argument that she would not win, resigned to the situation Lexi added "Fine, but make sure that you are far enough away."

Before the helper could respond, a voice from behind said "Why would I expect anything other than you being on time?"

Lexi quickly responded "And me expecting anything other than you arriving late…"

"Well, unlike you Miss Fashion Designer, I do have a real life."

Lexi chuckled and said "Rachael, it is always a pleasure. But I would prefer not to be out here."

"Come on. I spoke to the manger when I booked the table this morning, and because of your injuries he has arranged for us to be in the far corner."

Lexi smiled and responded "And how do you expect me to get there? We both know there is always a crowd and the tables are close to each other."

"Follow me," came the somewhat cryptic statement from Rachael, who turned and started to walk to the corner.

Lexi, wondering what Rachael was doing, signalled to the helper to push her after Rachael. Within a couple of minutes, they were behind the restaurant, and Rachael knocked on a door. Within seconds it was opened, and they were ushered inside, before being shown through a door into the corridor where the toilets were located and into the main area.

After they were settled down at their table, Lexi turned to Rachael and said "How…?"

"Did I arrange all this. Lexi, did you forget whose daughter I am?"

Lexi looked at Rachael, confused. Rachael added "You must have injured your head. My mother and her two brothers…"

It then dawned on Lexi. Rachael's mother and two uncles, were well known restaurateurs in City K. Lexi looked and said "Idiot me, forgot about your Mother and her brothers. Is this place one of their restaurants?"

"Not exactly. They own the building and provided the financial backing for the company. I convinced them four years ago that there needed to be an expansion from the mainstay of their business of upscale restaurants and catering services, here and elsewhere. Because they did not want to damage their brand, they agreed to create a separate company for me to use. The deal was that it would remain fully owned by the company for four years and if I made it a success, I would receive forty percent of it. As you can see, the concept was a success and has grown in such a short time to be as successful as the original parts of the business."

"I sense there is something more about this?"

"You know me too well. When it was created, part of the motivation was to create social businesses that can assist disadvantaged people within society. Contracts for the construction and the fitout of the restaurants required the contractors to employ people that fit within different disadvantaged groups. That continued when we opened each restaurant."

"I am betting that did not go down well with your mother and uncles?"

Laughing Rachael said "You know me too well. Unlike my parents and their siblings, and even my cousins I have a social conscious. Yes, I have forced that on them, but it not only has created positive publicity for the business, and of those disadvantaged people employed within the business they have developed so well, that many of them have been able to move on to the upscale areas of the business or secured jobs with our competitors."

"So, you used your position to get the table here and get me in?"

"Matthew would have killed me if we were too open in the restaurant…"

Rachael paused and silence descended over the two of them before Lexi said, "There is another reason for being here, isn't there?"

"Correct…" Rachael responded, trailing off.

"Come on, tell me why?"

Sighing, Rachael said "Joan is putting me in the middle of everyone presently, so I wanted it to get back to her that I had at least spoken to you. Here is the perfect location. She would wonder if we went to somewhere like the Lake View Café, which do not tell my family I like as a venue, because it is not controlled by my family. And this place is somewhere people come to be noticed as, to quote the critics this is a place to be. People love the food, and the atmosphere, and I know just be looking around the room there are at least half a dozen people around that will tell her that you and I met."

Lexi shook her head, before saying "You could have been honest when you asked me to meet you here."

"You know I hate my friends trying to put me in the middle of situations."

Sighing, Lexi said "I know. But I would have met you regardless. All you had to do was ask."

Shaking her head, Rachael said "I do not want you to feel obliged, simply because I do not want to be in the middle."

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