Sam had met Miranda when they were both a bit older, as she was everything she would have loved in a daughter-in-law, but they were both so young.
“You know guys I am feeling a bit left out. I am not sure that I fit in anywhere here. I don’t seem to have a job,” Rob teased.
With his arm around Miranda’s waist, Sam told him, “You have the big one Dad. Helping us make it happen.”
“That’s what I was afraid of.” Quickly he shook his head and then laughed. “Okay, let’s talk about every possible idea you two have and then we’ll all go away and have a think. We’ll have a meeting together in a couple of days. Let’s start making lists and we’ll see if this plan can work.”
The young couple walked them around, revealing all of their exciting ideas. They wanted to open the house up entirely across the front. On one side they cleverly suggested putting in huge bi-folding glass doors and on the other, large glass windows overlooking the street. In front of the bi-folding doors, Sam thought they may be able to obtain council approval to build a large covered deck that ran right out to the footpath. Inside they wanted to knock out every wall unless it was load bearing. Thankfully they wanted to keep the old fireplace and renovate it.
“We want a mix of modern and old Chilli, but we will be guided by you,” Miranda explained.
“Not wanting to upset the apple cart, but you two have been living together here, so where do you see yourselves going?” Chilli asked. “You can of course, come home to us.”
“Thanks Mum. We probably will during the renovations. But I was thinking about the old store rooms downstairs. I know they haven’t been touched for years and are full of Grandad’s tools and stuff, plus when I checked them out the other day, I noticed that they are pretty dank. There must be a water problem somewhere. Do you think that there is any way we could make those liveable? We don’t actually need much space and as I’m going to be up early every morning, it would be quite handy?” The block the house was on, dropped away from the road and there was another level underneath.
“Anything is possible. You know Sam, we are talking big money here in general though. This is going to be an enormous renovation job and it will have to be done properly.”
“Yes I agree it will,” Rob cut in, “but I think it would be a great investment and as much as I have to look into it further, I am excited by it and I’m in if you’ll have me mate.”
“Gee Dad, I’ll have to give it some thought...” Sam laughed. He looked up at his father and patted him on the back. Rob was a good four inches taller than Sam. Growing up, it had never been hard to see who Sam’s mother was, they were alike in so many ways, dark hair, brown eyes and olive skin, but as he matured, his mannerisms were becoming more like his father’s every day.
*
Nearly 12 months after they first talked about it, Montgomery’s was ready to open. It had been a huge amount of work, more than any of them had envisioned.
Tonight was their soft opening. Their plan was to wait until they had been trading for a couple of months for the more formal one. Tonight’s guest list comprised of one hundred people, mainly made up of their family and closest friends.
Three months earlier, Rob had insisted that the young couple take a week’s holiday in Hawaii. Both had worked extremely long hours every day and it was finally taking its toll. He had said to them, “Look guys if we don’t have a chef, we don’t have this business. The two of you have worked your butts off. And I’m really proud of you both. Once the business opens, there’s no way possible you’ll be able to have a holiday for a while. Take a week now. We have everything under control. Come back refreshed and be ready to get back into it again.”
Sam had argued futilely, but finally said they would think about it. He didn’t want to miss one day of any part of this adventure. A few days later, Rob walked in with airline tickets to Hawaii. Waving them in the air, he said, “All booked and paid for. Just turn up and enjoy.”
“Dad, I can’t pay for these just yet.”
“Of course, you can’t. I have. I wanted to. What do you think I am going to do, take my money with me when I go? It’s for us to enjoy now, and if it’s okay with you, I’ve just picked you and Miranda to enjoy it. We can’t have an exhausted chef for the opening. Case closed!”
“But what about you and Mum? You’ve both been working pretty hard as well.”
“Not as hard as you two. We can take a holiday whenever we want. Your mother’s not going to be indispensable on a daily basis. We’ve talked about this and we’re good. We’re hoping to go to France within the next year, so we’ll be fine until then. You know your mother has been hoping to show me her Paris for the longest time.” Rolling his eyes, he laughed.
Hawaii had been a great idea of Rob’s. The young couple came back brown as bears and loving each other all the more.
*
Finally Montgomery’s was ready to open. From the footpath, Chilli stood looking in, admiring all of their hard work. The restaurant literally sparkled as every light was switched on. The bi-folding doors were stacked back and there was a view straight into the kitchen, all stainless steel and shiny. Amid the flurry of activity behind the counter, the kitchen staff bobbed and weaved fluidly.
Glad to have a couple of minutes to herself, Chilli continued to stand there and take it all in. It had turned out to be a much bigger job than envisioned. All of the carpets had been ripped up, the floors sanded back and then glossed to within an inch of their lives. The ceilings were painted white and the remaining walls black. Right along the right hand side of the house, they had lost all of the windows and ran a huge white, leather, studded banquette, resembling an enormous white Chesterfield. Strikingly, it sat against the backdrop of a black wall and beneath two enormous Venetian mirrors. White chandeliers were fitted throughout into coffered ceilings, and white marble tables adorned the floors. The old fireplace had been retained and revamped with white paint and then topped with a Calcutta marble mantle. On either side of it were two Louis XV chairs, upholstered in black and white striped fabric.
Tucked behind the kitchen was where her homewares and gifts were housed on black shelving against black walls. A 12-seater French oak dining table took centre stage to display treasures. The table was also to be used for small private dinner parties that Sam had planned for in the future. There was black tissue paper for wrapping, and the carrier bags were black and white striped with a hot pink square, embossed with Montgomery’s signature in black.
A certain amount of the stock was themed in the restaurant colours; black, silver and glass. Overall there was an eclectic mix of all of Chilli’s favourite things, a blend of the contemporary and the nostalgic. Style books and cookbooks sat alongside elegant black and white striped cups and saucers. There were black anodised water carafes; crystal perfume bottles; vases and urns and fluffy white towels with black trim; luxurious towelling robes and slippers to match; fragranced bath and body products that came packed in black and white boxes; monogrammed scented soaps in silver plated dishes; and vintage glassware in red and clear crystal.
Miranda had filled the restaurant with white orchids in square, white, china pots. Square mirrors were placed under each pot and tea-light candles in glass votives were scattered around. Candles of varying sizes were massed on the fireplace mantel, glowing reflectively in the huge, ornate mirror hanging above.
As a double bonus, Miranda had been brilliant with the
