Where is she?

Mrs. Trippelten-Mews sighed. “Gina had told you that she didn't want to see you again!”

“But that was all just a terrible misunderstanding. Please let me speak to her so that we can sort this out again. ”

“ I can't let you speak to her. Firstly, she expressly forbade me to do that, and secondly, she's not even there. ”Mrs. Trippelten-Mews clapped her hand over her mouth. In her anger she had betrayed more than she really wanted.

"Why is she not there? Where is she? ”The voice sounded desperate.

“I cannot and will not tell you! Go home, Mark, and forget about Gina! ”Then she closed the window in front of the young man, who had put on his saddest facial expression, and turned out the light to be on the safe side.

Gina hadn't come down that evening, but had read herself firmly in her novel and then went to bed early. That night she slept much better in her new bed, outside the loud storm had subsided and the noises from the dining room only came up very softly. Probably the few guests had remained seated in the dining room after dinner.

In the next few days, up to the non-working Wednesday, Gina got used to the routine of the day. She had already got to know a large part of her work, so that on Tuesday no one had to tell her what her regular tasks were.

In the days since the weekend, as it had already indicated on Saturday, the weather had calmed down significantly and many fishermen were out at sea with their boats during the day, so that the work in the pub at lunchtime was almost entirely by themselves. The nine-armed octopus was only well attended in the evenings and during the course of the days Gina got to know most of the regulars by name.

Only one thing struck her: there was almost no way to speak to Francis alone. She saw him regularly in the evenings when he was on the counter in the pub, but already at breakfast that she was having with his parents, he had either already eaten or he only came when she had already started work.

But she only really realized all of this on Tuesday afternoon when Francis arrived with a large delivery of steaks and she wanted to hurry ahead of him to open the door to the refrigerator for him.

He dragged the heavy plastic box with the meat from the back entrance into the kitchen and tried to push down the large handle of the refrigerator door with his elbow when she managed to go around him and open the door for him.

Their fingertips touched for a brief moment. Then he again grabbed the heavy box with both hands and looked deep into her eyes for a brief moment before stepping into the refrigerator and stowing the meat on the shelf.

There it was again, the moment, the look and also the touch that once again plunged Gina into deep confusion. It was like Friday, and although he hadn't said anything, the look into his deep blue eyes was enough that she thought she could look into his soul. And again he suddenly appeared to her as the tall, broad-shouldered, tanned young man who enchanted her in no time at all.

Suddenly, without her having heard him, Mr. Drake came up to her from behind, took the door from her and said in a friendly but firm tone: “Please go into the dining room and set the plates for today Evening one. We'll have twenty-nine guests to eat. ”

She looked at him confused, but then nodded and went into the taproom without another word. Her fingertips, with which she had touched Francis, still glowed from their encounter and her heart raced.

In the dining room she switched on the large candlesticks in turn and took a few deep breaths to force herself to be quiet. Then she carefully began to set the tables and prepared the wood for the fireplace, as the cold November air had already cooled the room down considerably, although it had no window and hardly any outside walls.

Then Gina switched off the light again and stood behind the counter to check which drinks had to be refilled. Then she heard the voices of Mr. and Mrs. Drake from the kitchen, muffled conversations, and she moved a little closer to the door.

"What should we do with her?" Mrs. Drake was saying. Gina held her breath. What should that mean?

"What do you think? She does a very good job. ”

“ Of course she does a very good job! But didn't you notice the way she looks at Francis? I'll bet she's already touched him. Oh, I made it so clear that he had to be careful, but he just kept forgetting. "

" Then we just have to tell him again. I definitely don't want to lose Gina. She works hard and gets on well with the guests. ”Mr. Drake's voice had become a little sharper.

“Well, I'll talk to him. And you make sure that they don't run into each other so often. ”

Grinding steps from heavy boots and the slamming of the refrigerator door told Gina that Francis must have come out of the refrigerator again. And then suddenly she heard his voice, which sounded so infinitely warm, soft and melodious: "But I want to talk to her, I have to talk!" She had to support herself or her legs would have collapsed under the weight of the sudden tears that gathered in her eyes.

“I know, my darling, that you would like that. But you also know that this is impossible. Now go to your room and rest for tonight. There will be a lot of work again. ”

And without another answer, Francis stalked out of the kitchen after a short pause. The heavy anxiety lifted from Gina's mind with every step the young man took. To distract herself, she started polishing the guests' tables with two rags when the kitchen door slammed open. Mrs. Drake looked into the taproom, saw Gina cleaning the tables, and nodded at her with a tight smile. "You can break up for this afternoon then, child. Get some rest before the guests come. ”

“ All right, I'm just finishing this up. ” “ Good , see you

later for dinner. ”Then the door closed again behind Mrs. Drake, who disappeared into the kitchen .