First Sunday Brunch Sunday Aug 18

Bobbie was up even before the kids. She was excited to see the brunch buffet all laid out. She asked Eddie, the night before, to bring the kids down around 11:00 so they could eat early and maybe beat the rush. Hopefully there would be a rush. She got dressed, putting on a summer weight suit she used to wear to meetings back when she worked. She headed to the restaurant and was pleased to see tables had been moved to accommodate two large buffet tables that were set up along the end of the restaurant that had the access to SPOKES and was across from the big windows. There were about 2 dozen new plants. 12 hanging ferns and 12 large floor plants that were arranged around the room. She saw Mark come in with the heating trays for the buffet.

“Mark, did you get all these plants at the garden centre?”

“Yes, I checked with Lorne before I got them and we think they add so much to the room.”

“It was what the restaurant needed the whole time. More shrubbery.”

“Shrubbery?”

“It’s an old Monty Python reference, I think. Anyway, it looks nice. Do you need help setting up?”

“We decided we are going to put full silverware on the tables like a real restaurant. We don’t do that for tea service and you could set the tables.”

“I’d be happy to.” Bobbie went into the kitchen along the wall with all the dishes and found the big silverware trays. She brought one out and set it on a table. She went back and found a box of clean napkins and set up the tables. Finally, she brought water glasses out. “I’ll leave the coffee cups off; people can get them themselves as well as juice. How about making the coffee and dessert station on another Buffet table over here.” She pointed to a free patch of wall between the kitchen doors that usually had a table for coffee in the Mornings.

“That’s what I was thinking, we just moved the tables that are usually there over here for the big buffet and I forgot to put them back.” He disappeared and he and Sipho came back with tables for the coffee and dessert. Bobbie found the boxes with tablecloths for the big tables. Soon she was arranging coffee and juice and the trays and stands for desserts.

Bobbie looked around. All we need is the food and the people she thought. Then she went in the kitchen to make the big pot of coffee and a couple pots of tea. They would use the large ornate samovars and people would serve themselves. Bobbie imagined she would walk around and offer to freshen coffee just to see what people thought.

Mink came in. “Wow, wow! Things look so nice; we love the greenery and the tables are beautiful.” They went to the fridge and got cream and sugar organized and took it to the coffee table.

Bobbie was behind, with one of the samovars. They put their stuff down and Bobbie looked at her watch. “It’s about time to get the food out here, I guess. I can’t believe I was here at 8. It took a bit of time to set up. Maybe because it was it’s our first time.

Mink smiled. “Will you make one of your organizing lists for this Bobbie?”

Bobbie laughed. “Mink, you know me so well! Let’s go get the desserts and stuff.”

Mark, Sipho and Denny arranged the salad bar and Mark fussed with the omelette bar at the end. He had his omelette mixture in a big bowl and a ladle to measure it out for individual portions. “I cracked a lot of eggs for this Bobbie, if we run out, we’ll use cartons of egg, or hire someone else to get cracking.” He had 4 electric woks on one side him. “People will pick the omelette fixings and I’ll quick fry them in these and add them to the omelettes over here.” He gestured to 4 induction burners and omelette pans.

They were ready by 11:30, when the doors opened. About 20 people, including Bobbie’s family. The girls really wanted to sit in a big booth and the boys sat at a table near by with Jamie and Jarrod. Bobbie’s mother and her roommate June even arrived. Bobbie, Eddie, Laura and Niko sat in a booth. Mink came over and directed them to the drinks and then the buffet table and they were off. Bobbie and Eddie followed. Wally wanted salad and Clay just wanted an omelette so he took a small dish and picked the stuff he wanted in his omelette and continued to see Mark.  Mark quick fried the veggies and added bacon and ham and with tongs, added a big clump of shredded cheese, folded the omelette, covered for a minute and served it Clay on a warm plate. “Thanks Mark, it looks good!”

Niko was next and just wanted cheese, Laura just wanted bacon and cheese and then Bobbie got her omelette and returned with two plates, one salad and one omelette.

Bobbie looked at the food. “My eyes might have been bigger than my stomach.” The kids laughed thinking it was a silly thing to imagine.

Everyone had their food and Johnny joined them with two plates. The rest of the place was filling up. A few minutes later Wally looked up. “It’s Mom and Mac. Hi Mom.”

“Jenny and Mac sat with the boys and Mac went over to get coffee.”

“We’re not staying, I just wanted to pick up the kids and check out your brunch.”

“You may as well eat while you’re here.”

Jenny nodded and her and Mac got up to go to the buffet. They came back with one plate each that held the salad and the omelette.

Bobbies’ mom moved over and sat beside Eddie. “Is that the other man? It’s inappropriate for her to bring him here.”

“We’re all on good terms Gramma. I had a nice weekend and didn’t think about all this until they came in. I’m done with my food I think.” Eddie pushed his plate away. “It’s nice to see you Gramma. You guys finish your brunch, I know Wally was itching for some of that trifle. I’ll go back up to Mum’s and get the bags all packed.”

Jenny got up and slid into the booth beside Laura. Laura was pretty quiet and just toying with her food. “Are you leaving us Mummy? Don’t you love us anymore?”

“I still love you to the moon and back Sweetie. Daddy and I have been unhappy lately and I’m looking for a new place to live. Daddy is going to live at home and will take you to Uncle Charlie’s in the mornings. Mummy’s going to find an apartment close by with enough rooms that you can stay with me on the weekends or whenever you want to. I was thinking we’d go pick a place for us this afternoon? Then you’ll have 2 houses.”

“I don’t want 2 houses; Will I have my own room at our new house?”

“Of course.”

Bobbie looked where Mac had joined Jamie, Jarrod and the twins. They were joking around and trying each other’s desserts. The restaurant was full. Brit was starting to clear tables and Mink was resetting them. Sipho and Denny were Mark’s eyes and legs and kept the buffet and the omelette fixings full. Mark was pink with the heat of cooking but was chatting and making lots of omelettes. Bobbie went to the kitchen and grabbed a coffee pot. She went around the tables asking if anyone wanted coffee top ups and how they liked the brunch. She sat down and chatted with the many people she knew. She got up and hugged her grand kids goodbye and then helped Brit and Mink with the tables.

About 10 minutes before they planned to end, Mark began to pack up the omelette bar. Brit was in the kitchen washing pots and pans and Denny was loading and unloading the counter top dishwasher.

Bobbie said thanks and goodbye to everybody. She wanted to go upstairs and make some notes on what had worked and what didn’t. She went up to the apartment and found Eddie sitting at the kitchen island nursing a drink. “Hi Mom, the brunch went well, eh?”

“It was quite a success. But how are you doing?”

“I don’t know Mom. I feel pretty low. It’s hard to really think about losing Jenny. We got together in university and it was just so convenient. We had the same classes and all that. I’m not sure we were ever in love.”

“I’m sure you were Eddie. Marriages wax and wane. People naturally move apart and then back together. Usually.”

“That’s a nice way to look at it, Mom. Jenny and I have been speeding away from each other. I guess I’m just feeling bad because I’m happier and I see she happier with Mac. I don’t want to lose her as a friend either.”

“You’ll always be in other’s lives because of the kids.”

“In the mean time she’s picking out a townhouse close to us so the kids can come and go freely. I think I’ll head home now so I can be there when the kids get back. I’ll get them ready for Monday.”

Bobbie hugged him and went to update the brunch spreadsheet while everything was fresh in her mind.

About ten minutes later Bobbie hard someone at the door. Jamie, Jarrod, Florence and Johnny came in. Bobbie sighed and saved her document. Florence was likely going to give Eddie the third degree.

As predicted Florence was sitting beside Eddie with her hand on his. “I’m no expert Eddie but if you and Jenny were swimming in troubled waters for a wile this break is probably what you need. The danger is that she’s attaching herself to someone new and that my make things permanent. It is natural to form attachments with people to whom you are not married but it is also important to be aware what is important and worth saving.”

“Don’t worry Grandma, I’m sure Jenny knows what she is doing and it’s not fair of me to try and hold her back because I don’t want her anymore. I just want to be friends.”

“You can stay married and be friends Eddie.”

Eddie stood up and hugged his grandmother. “I think we’ll both be happier if we don’t stay married and can still be friends.” He moved to the door and picked up his bags and the few things the kids had forgotten. “I’m taking off now, you guys don’t have to worry about us.”

Easy for him to say thought Bobbie.