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The boy hesitates. Right. Probably too much teeth. I turn down the wattage of my grin and try again. "Please, go ahead."

Marcello picks up the plate in front of the boy along with utensils and a napkin and hands them to the child. The boy reaches for it without hesitation and hurriedly takes a bite.

"This is really good!" he says enthusiastically. He shovels another bite into his mouth. The boy turns around and shouts to someone I cannot see. "Mom! Come try some!"

The woman who approaches the table next looks exactly like the little boy, except she's in a flowing floral print sundress and cork wedges, her long hair pulled down her back in a single braid. Marcello hands the woman a sample. The moment the food hits her taste buds, her eyes widen in pleasure.

"Wow. This 'is' good," she says, looking between me and Marcello. "Who made it?"

"I did," I say with pride. "My friend Marcello is my sous-chef. My name is Brielle Petitfour. Welcome to the soft launch of my brand- new supper club."

"Do you have a card?" the woman asks as she looks between me and another serving that Marcello has plated.

"Yes, I do." I reach into my trusty knapsack and pull out my card holder, then hold one of my cards out to the woman.

"I'll definitely keep you in mind for any opportunities that come up." She takes my card and stuffs it into a powder-blue bag that's so small it must only hold her ID and some lipstick. Gold charms with the letters 'DIOR' hang off the impractical purse, glistening in the sunlight. Okay, so this lady has 'money'. I send up a quick prayer that I actually get business from her. Or anyone, really. I'm not picky. The woman smiles before taking another helping and walks away, braid swishing. Her son follows but not before taking an additional serving.

Marcello and I hardly have time to gush with excitement when the next person comes up to the table. And another. And another. Some ask us about ingredients and preparation style while others eat without a word. There are still a few people who haven't made their way to the food station, so I pull out a serving tray and place some plates of food on it.

"I'm going to work the room," I say to Marcello as I carefully lift the tray. "Okay, miss business lady," Marcello says with a smile. "You feelin' fancy now."

"Oh hush," I say, returning his smile.

I weave in and out of the rows of people who are off in the seating area of the ferry. An older man thanks me for coming over because he didn't know if he'd be able to make it to the table and back.

"It's no problem at all," I say to him as he takes a bite. The look on his face when he tastes the first spoonful warms me from the inside out.

"This is quite delicious, young lady."

"It is," says someone beside me. I turn to see Nadia, the head chef of my place of work, Le Grand Fromage.

"You made it," I say as happily as I know how.

"I did," Nadia replies. "You have really outdone yourself, Brielle. I was going to wait until we were back at the restaurant, but I can't hold it in." She pauses. "How would you like to be my apprentice? You'll shadow me with front- and back-of-house work in a more formal capacity than you've been doing these last few weeks. Think of it as a rotation with time divided between prepping, cooking, and plating in the kitchen and learning the business end of things with inventory control, maintaining food safety standards, all that. I know you'll have to check in with your mother first, but does that sound like something you'd be interested in?"

I. Am. Euphoric. Floating above cloud nine. Out of the stratosphere.

'Nadia! This is amazing! This means so much to me—thank you! I knew I was on the right track! Ahhhhh! I can't wait to tell Mummy!'

But what I really say is "Wow. What a wonderful opportunity, Nadia. Thank you." Something always happens at the exact point when the excitement in my head passes through my lips. It sounds flat. Unenthused. Dead. Luckily, my boss is already used to it.

Nadia launches more deeply into what she hopes to teach me as I shadow her, hands fluttering away like she's getting ready for liftoff. As she rambles on, I allow myself a moment to finally relax and enjoy what I have created. I glance around the ferry and see the many people enjoying the various dishes. A small group of coworkers that I invited are also here with Nadia. I see them standing in a corner, eating and laughing over their meals. I notice my mother's ferry friends seated near the entrance of the vessel and one of them shakes her head at me as if in disappointment. I wonder what that's about. I continue to scan the room, and I find Marcello speed walking toward me. The look on his face makes the hairs on my arms stand on end. What is going on?

I feel a hard tap on my shoulder and immediately, I know.

"Brielle Swan Petitfour. Can you explain what is going on here?"

I turn to see Mummy standing right behind me. She does not look pleased.