Maya's Bistro

This story is submitted for the 2025 On the Job Story Event.

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Maya's Bistro

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"Good morning, Doctor. Another rough night on call?" asked the server at the hospital cafeteria line.

"Ah, no, Maya. You must know by now that dermatologists rarely have emergencies, and being on call means just keeping a cell phone nearby."

"That must be a major sacrifice for you, Doctor," she laughed before going on, "This morning we have prosciutto and feta cheese omelets in addition to our usual offerings."

"Please, Maya, you know I'd prefer you call me Kyle and, by the way, I'd like to try the omelet. What's the special occasion that you're offering omelets, anyway?"

"I kept begging Christine to let me vary things a little and she finally let me. Hope you like it."

"I'm sure I will. Put this and a cappuccino on my account, please. Have a good one."

"You, too, Doctor," she laughed.

Kyle Berlin was in the last year of his dermatology residency at County Charity Hospital and dropped by the cafeteria most mornings to grab a quick breakfast before going to the clinics. Of all the residencies at County, dermatology was by far the easiest; at least he wasn't dealing with gunshot wounds or diabetic comas like his surgical and medical colleagues had to. He had done his internship in medicine before switching to dermatology for the three-year program. Most of his time at County was spent in the clinics although he had to consult on inpatients occasionally and spent half a day each week working at the burn unit with the plastic surgeons dealing with skin grafting issues. All in all, he was quite happy with his professional life and looked forward to having his own practice someday.

His personal life, however, was not that exciting since his girlfriend dumped him some six months earlier. He had thought they were doing well together but she apparently found a neurosurgeon to be far more to her liking. Although no promises had been made, he still found himself upset by her leaving him. He broke the lease on his apartment after she left and moved into a small efficiency unit owned by and next to the hospital. He rarely cooked in the tiny kitchenette and relied on cafeteria food for most meals.

Maya was a bright spot in his day. She was a few years younger than him, definitely attractive and seemed to put more into her work than most of the cafeteria workers. She always teased him, called him 'Doctor,' even when he requested she use his name and had a warm smile whenever he came through the line.

A week later she greeted him with an offering of eggs benedict, a week later it was a Mexican breakfast quesadilla, but the next time she offered yet another special, his curiosity got the best of him.

"Doctor, today we are offering a special breakfast of Mexican rice with poached eggs. Can I dish some up for you?"

"Maya! It's Kyle. How many times do I have to say that?"

"Apparently more than you have, Doctor. Interested in the special?"

"Yes, I am. Looks delicious."

"And a cappuccino?"

"You know me well. Ah, who's making these wonderful meals every now and then?"

"I am. I think I have convinced Christine to let me do this once a week. People love them and we're not losing any money. Plus, I like coming up with new ideas."

When Kyle looked around to see no one near them, he leaned over the counter slightly, speaking softly, "Your culinary skills belong in a real restaurant but you need to stay here for another half year, please."

"What happens then?"

"My residency will be done and I won't be here anymore."

"Oh, Doctor, what's good news for you will certainly not be good news for me. I'm sure we'll miss you."

"Thanks, Maya, but it's Kyle. Remember?"

"I'll try to remember, Doctor," she laughed as he turned to leave the cafeteria.

-----

On one rainy, nasty night, Kyle decided to work on his research project. Although his residency did not require it, he felt doing one might improve his chances of finding a good position after he finished his residency. He was still doing background reading on his chosen topic and needed, even in this day of online journals, to do some library reading. It was late and he knew the hospital library would be deserted, just as he preferred it. He walked from his small apartment over a sky bridge to the hospital, swiped his ID card to open the hospital door and headed for the elevator. After swiping his card again, this time for the elevator, he wondered if 'they' knew everything about him. Certainly, the hospital could track his movements without trouble.

On the deepest basement floor, he swiped his ID to open the library door. He had expected to find no one there and was surprised to see the lights on. They were motion-activated so someone had to be there. He nosed around for a few seconds and other than a book, a few opened magazines and a computer in sleep mode, the place looked empty. He grabbed a bound volume of the journal he needed to review and settled in.

A few minutes later he heard a distant sound of water running before becoming aware of someone behind him.

"Well, Doctor, we meet again," chuckled Maya.

"Oh, Hello, Maya. You studying here tonight?"

"Yeah, well, more like looking for ideas."

"Ideas about what?"

"Recipe ideas. I don't have a computer and I'm tired of trying to read them on my phone. I decided to log on here and look at magazines for a change."

"So, this is where you come up with those great breakfast ideas, huh?"

"Some of them, yeah. What are you doing here?"

"I'm going to be writing a review paper and need some more background info before I start."

"What's it about?"

"Kinda complicated, but I want to review the factors which influence the migration of lymphocytes in the skin of people who have pemphigus vulgaris."

"Wha? That would sound so exciting," she giggled, "If I only knew what you just said."

"Well, lymphocytes are a kind of white blood cell and..."

"What are white blood cells?"

"They fight infection. Part of the immune system."

"Oh. And...?"

"So, I'm going to look at certain factors which..."

"Stop!" she laughed, "I was just teasing you. There is no way I'm going to understand anything you're talking about. You lost me way back at the beginning."

"But it's kinda exciting and I was gonna tell you more."

"Look, I'm a cafeteria worker and can't follow all those details, even though you think it's exciting."

"Yeah, you're right. Uh, so, you're getting more ideas for fancy food you can serve upstairs?"

"Maybe. You know, it isn't as easy as it looks. A top chef may have a few things prepared ahead of time but the final product is usually made to order. Upstairs we can't work that way. We have to prepare things in bulk so my job is to figure out which of these fancy foods we can prepare at the cafeteria."

"Sounds a little more complicated than I thought."

"It is, but not nearly as complicated as vulgar pimples."

"Vulgar pimples?... Oh, you mean pemphigus vulgaris," he laughed, "But if you put me in a stressful kitchen situation, I'd be just as lost as you would be with my research."

"OK, so we need to agree not to bore the other with our job details. Uh, tell me a little about you."

Kyle was generally fairly reserved with strangers but could easily open up with people he had come to know. Somehow Maya was a comfortable person to talk with so he plunged in.

"Grew up in Colorado. Since I am an only child, I joined the scouts where I learned the love of the outdoors. Did well in school, went to college on my parents' dime and then to med school."

"Wow. Kinda expensive, isn't it?"

"Yeah, med school was and I had to get student loans for it. Once I finish residency, I'll need to pay back a lot of money."

"Your parents around?"

"Dad is a pharmacist and Mom is a librarian. What about you?"

"I was, well, I was a fire station baby."

"What's that?"

"My birth mother apparently couldn't take care of me and dropped me off at a fire station when I was maybe two days old. I still had my umbilical cord and they figured it out from there."

"Wow. What happened then?"

"I was put into the foster child system and my first family named me after my birthdate which was, they think, the first of May but after a few years, the state went to take me away because they were tired of sending support money to Mom and Dad. By then they loved 'their child' so they officially adopted me."

"Neat."

"Yeah, well, it was a financial hit since the state wasn't sending them any more money after that. I grew up in a house where they had to watch every penny."

"How'd you get here?"

"Finished high school, got good grades but college was totally out of the question. I looked around for work and happened to find this job. Much better than working at the Burger Barn and pay is better. Even get some bennies and can live in the hospital suites like you."

"And now you're looking to improve the food in the cafeteria."

"Yeah, but you know what my dream is?"

"Uh-uh."

"I want to be a chef. Cooking has gotten in my blood."

"Well, from the special breakfasts you make, I'd say you'd be a good one."

"Yeah, but going to a chef school is super expensive and they're kinda snobby and I don't think they'd even let me in even if I could pay."

"What about working your way up? You know, be a sous chef for a while and try to do more OJT. Maybe if you did well, they'd consider supporting you."

"Doctor, you are..."

"Kyle, please."

"Hmm. OK, but only when we're like this. Out there you're still 'Doctor.' Anyway, you're pretty naïve, (That's the word, isn't it?) about the restaurant world."

"How so?"

"Look at me. No college, no money and I look like I've got a lot of Latina blood in me. No, there's no chance I could make a big change like that."

"I don't know. You're obviously smart and dedicated. Who knows what might happen?"

"Don't go and get my hopes up, please. I'll just keep working here and doing everything I can to make the cafeteria the best one around."

"Well, look, I've gotta start my reading."

"Would it bother you if I stayed?"

"No. Please do. Kinda nice to have someone in here to scare away the ghosts."

"You silly. No ghosts here."

"Who knows? This could have been the morgue at one time."

"Now you're making it creepy. I'll stay here until you leave."

They sat at the same large table with him reading and her leafing through magazines and looking up culinary sites. Around ten p. m. she had to call it quits saying she needed to be up and in the cafeteria by five thirty.

"Get some sleep. You OK going to your place alone?"

"Yeah, as long as I'm in the building I feel safe. Good night, Doc... uh, good night, Kyle."

"Good night. Maybe we can do this again sometime."

"Mmm, maybe," she responded with a smile before she left the room.

An hour later as he was getting ready for bed, Kyle found himself wondering about Maya. She was an attractive woman with dark skin and long, straight black hair. She had mentioned the possibility of her having Latin heritage and he could certainly see it in her. But what struck him the most was her no-nonsense attitude about her situation and how it was potentially preventing her from her dream. It was sobering to realize how different their lives were. She wasn't struggling with homelessness but her future appeared limited while his was far rosier.

-----

Several days later when he had been planning another night of research, he ran into Maya as she was finishing her shift.

"Sorry you missed my special for the morning, Doctor."

"I am, too. I was stuck in a breakfast meeting where we had cold fried eggs and limp toast. Maybe if you did a better job..." he joked.

"Hey, that's not done by the cafeteria crew but by the inpatient kitchen staff. Talk to them."

"Maybe I'll do that. Say, I'm studying again tonight. Care to keep the ghosts away with me?"

She looked at him with a quizzical smile before answering, "Yeah, I think I would."

"Great. See you around eight or so."

They had a comfortable, casual evening together. At first, they talked quietly about some hospital and local current events before they settled down to their reading. After a few hours, they left together to return to their apartments which were in the same hospital complex though several floors apart. That evening was the beginning of their twice weekly 'library dates,' as she named them.

As time went on and he realized he was becoming attracted to her, he decided to take a big step and ask her out. Towards the end of one library date, he found himself nervously tapping his foot until she called him on it.

"What's got into you? You're as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs."

"I, uh, I've got something on my mind. Sorry."

"OK, but if you keep it up, I'll have to leave."

"I guess we should probably leave, anyway."

"Yeah, it's getting late."

"Say, uh, Maya..."

"Yeah?"

"Uh, would you, uh, would you like to go out with me sometime?"

"Out? Like on a date 'out'?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Are you sure? I mean, a doctor going out with a cafeteria worker?"

"Look. You're a smart, attractive woman and yes, this doctor would like to invite you to dinner. You know, get away from hospital food and..."

"Wait a second!" she laughed, "Are you dissing my cooking?"

"No, I didn't mean it like that. I mean..."

"I'm teasing you, Silly. And yes, I would love to have dinner with you sometime."

"Great. Is this weekend open for you?"

"Yes. Just let me know when and where we're going."

"Will do. And, Maya?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

-----

On the evening of their dinner, he went to her studio apartment to escort her downstairs for their gig ride. When she opened her door, he was stunned. Usually, she wore scrubs and an apron but on that night, she had a torso-hugging dress which featured a risqué neckline and a high hemline. A gold pendant swayed between her ample breasts and her long hair was tied up exposing her sexy, thin neck.

"Cat got your tongue, Doctor?" she laughed.

"No, but I'll sick him on you if you keep calling me..."

"Doctor. I know, I know, it's Kyle, but I had to tease you a little."

"Mission accomplished. Ready?"

"Yes. I'm looking forward to this. I haven't been out for dinner in ages. Where are we going?" she asked as they made their way down to the front door.

"Antonio's."

"Oh, my God, you're kidding!"

"No, why?"

"I've heard it's the best. Oh, I'm so excited. It'll be fun to see what a real chef does with the food."

As she slid into the backseat of the gig ride, her hem slid up, exposing two very attractive thighs. Kyle had been attracted to Maya but seeing her that evening resulted in a huge jolt to his libido. Maya had gone from a nice, attractive gal in the cafeteria to a beautiful and sexy woman, a woman no hetero man in his right mind could ignore. As his slid in next to her, she gently tugged her hem down, an act which covered more skin but seemed to accentuate even more of what he had just seen.

At the restaurant, they were escorted to a nice, remote table for two by a cute little high-school girl. Their waitress walked up, offered menus and promised to return quickly. The food sounded delicious and both had a little trouble deciding what they would want.

"You know, we could get two things and share," he suggested.

"That's a great idea! I want to go with their beef special and you're going to try the prawns."

"Don't I get a say in this?" he laughed.

"Nope. This is my big chance."

"Well, fortunately, I'm happy with those two choices. Wine?"

"Hmm. We're ordering beef and seafood which makes the wine decision kind of difficult."

"Uh, you're ordering beef and seafood," he teased.

"I know. Let's ask the waitress."

As it turned out, the sommelier dropped by and gave them a few recommendations and they each ordered a glass of wine. Once their food was ordered, Maya looked over to Kyle and said, "You have no idea how much I am enjoying this. I only wish I could be in this business all the time."

"Well, I guess I can only say to keep your eyes open and maybe someday something will turn up."

"I hope so. You know, even the staff here is great. They are pleasant and attentive without being too nosey. They do their job and then leave the diners alone."

Their meals came and, as planned, they divided up the food. After two or three bites, Maya moaned softly. "This, this is so wonderful. Do you taste the hint of oregano in this sauce? Not too much, but just enough to bring out the underlying flavors."

"It's good, yeah."

"Kyle, this is not good. This is divine. And on the beef, they used a nice mix of cilantro and, uh, I can't quite tell what the other flavors are, but it's sublime."

"We could always ask our waitress."

"Oh, a chef like this would never tell a diner their secrets."

"Never hurts to ask."

They slowly finished the meal and had a wonderful and tart dessert followed by a cappuccino for him and a straight espresso for her. When their waitress came with the bill, Maya looked up at her and asked, "I'm curious. The beef had a wonderful cilantro flavor mixed with something else, I believe it must have been fresh paprika. Would you ask the chef if that's what it was for me, please?"

A few minutes later she returned with a tall man wearing a white coat and a toque.

"Good evening, Madam, I understand you were asking about the seasoning on the beef dish?"

"Oh, Hi, yes I was. I clearly tasted the cilantro but the second flavor, well, it seemed like fresh paprika. Was it?"

"Madam, our recipes are closely guarded secrets but since you have a very discerning tongue, I will confess you are correct. Fresh paprika, as you seem to know, has a distinct taste that fades soon after the herb is ground. Since few people know what real, fresh paprika tastes like, I use it as my little secret."

"I won't tell anyone, I promise, nor will this Neanderthal sitting across from me," she laughed. "Thank you so much for coming out."

"If I may ask, what is your background in culinary arts?"

"Oh, I don't have a background, really, I, uh..."

"Maya, that's not entirely true. You see, Sir, she is the breath of fresh air at the cafeteria at work. She has made a name for herself by offering a special at breakfast once or twice a week. People have so enjoyed it that they come in asking for her days in advance."

"Oh? What kind of dishes do you prepare?" he asked as he pulled a chair up and sat down with them.

"Oh, it's nothing, really."

"She's being overly modest. This week, for example, she produced a wonderful breakfast quesadilla that had people coming back for more."

"You do all this at a cafeteria? Which one?"

"Uh, the cafeteria at County Charity."

"The hospital? Really?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, ah, Madam, that is quite the achievement to do that at a cafeteria. You must do mass production but still keep it tasty. My hat's off to you," he said as he doffed his toque.

"Thank you. Those are kind words coming from a chef with as good a reputation as you have."

"May I ask your name?"

"Uh, Maya. Maya Dryden."

"Well, Ms. Dryden, if you are interested, would you like to take a tour through the kitchen?"

"Oh, I'd love to!"

"Then come with me. You too, Sir."

Maya spent the next twenty minutes asking dozens of questions about the kitchen, how the restaurant was run and the challenges the restaurant faced. Towards the end of their time, the chef turned to her and said, "I failed to tell you my name. Everyone thinks I'm Antonio but my real name is Bob."

"Bob? As in Robert?"

"Yes. Now I can't imagine a place called Bob's or Robert's would survive, so I took on a fake name. Please don't tell anyone!"

"I won't," she laughed, "I promise. But it strikes me as funny. What about you, Kyle?"

"The man has a point."

"Uh, Maya, I'd like to give you my card. If you ever think you might want to expand your repertoire, please give me a call. I have a good, solid staff and I can't offer to take you on, but who knows? Maybe one day something will happen, eh?"

"Oh, thank you! That is so kind. Here, let me give you my number in case you need some short-term help sometime. I work until one p. m. and can be available some evenings."

"I will keep you in mind, Maya. And, Sir, thank you for bringing your girlfriend in for dinner."

"Oh, I'm not his girlfriend, we're just pals." Her response, while true, seemed to throw cold water on any hopes Kyle might have had about their relationship.

"Even so, thank you both for coming by. Now if I don't get back to work, I'm going to have a riot on my hands. Good evening."

On the way home, Maya was on cloud nine. She was like a twelve-year-old on the way to see her favorite pop star, bouncing up and down while talking rapidly.

"Can you believe it? Me? He practically asked me to consider working for him. Maybe I could sub. Maybe a sous chef. I could work two or three evenings a week, maybe. But I couldn't stay too late if I have to get up the next morning at five-thirty for work. But maybe I could figure out a way to work the nights before my days off. Oh, I could learn so much. Maybe..."

"Maya, Maya, relax. Yes, it's exciting, but there is so much you don't know..."

"Haven't you ever been excited about your work? Weren't you excited to apply for residency and on 'Match Day,' I think it's called, weren't you super pumped to hear where you were going for residency?"

"Well, yeah."

"Don't you realize this is the first really good thing to happen to me since my parents got me when I was a week old?"

"I guess I do. You're right. It's OK to be excited. I'm proud of you, by the way."

"Thank you," she said as she slid over and gave him a quick hug. Once they got out of the car, he let his hand rest lightly on her low back until they got to her door. There she gave him another light hug before turning away and opening her door. There was no hesitation on her part and no opportunity for even a chaste kiss.

In his apartment, Kyle kept thinking about Maya. She was attractive and through her research clearly knew a lot about the culinary world. And if things could have been different in their work and careers, there might have been a chance for them to potentially get closer. But he was leaving in a few months, whereto he didn't yet know, and she was tied to the community, to her job and, potentially, now to Antonio's. And she had kept him in the friend zone with her remark to the chef about the relationship and the way their date ended. But as he drifted off to sleep, the image of her wearing that sexy dress was the last thing he remembered.

-----

One afternoon in late May, he met a very interesting woman in the clinic. She presented with a complaint of a nasty rash on both hands. Once she was checked in, he entered the exam room.

"Hello, Mrs. Gutierrez, I'm Doctor Berlin. How can I help you today?"

"It's Ms. Gutierrez, but you can call me Sofia."

"Oh, my apologies. Ok, Sofia, it is."

"My hands, they are rashy and hurt."

"I see. Hmm. Uh, what do you do for a living?"

"I am cleaning woman for vacation rental company."

"What do you do?"

"When someone leaves a unit, I clean it. Top to bottom."

"You get your hands wet very often?"

"Si."

"How many days a week do you work?"

"Six days, six hours a day. Sunday I have off."

"Do you wear gloves?"

"Si. I need to keep my hands covered or they get tiny cuts in them."

"Any new gloves lately?"

"No. I can't pay for new gloves."

"Are your gloves dirty inside?"

"Maybe, I don't know."

"Let me ask a few background questions. Uh, any rashes in the past?"

"No."

"I see you have no brothers and one sister. Does she or your parents have problems with rashes?"

"My parents are gone and I don't talk with my sister."

"You didn't check on the form about any children. Do you have any?"

For a few seconds she looked down at the floor before she whispered, "I have a baby once but I don't know where she is."

"Was she taken from you or...?"

"I gave her away when she was a baby."

"That must have been very hard on you."

"Si, but I was too young. No job. I was sleeping in old building downtown and couldn't keep my baby."

"Did you go to the state?"

"No, I go to fire station."

Kyle's heart started to beat a little harder. Could it be? No, the odds were against it. Surely this couldn't be Maya's birth mother. "Uh, when and where was that, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I remember it like yesterday. It was May first, 1994. Here in Centerton. She turn twenty-five just two weeks ago."

'Oh, holy shit,' he thought, 'This could be her! Maya had her twenty-fifth birthday at the beginning of the month. And she was born here!'

"You ever see her?"

"No. I never see her again." A large tear slid down her cheek.

"Ms. Gutierrez, uh Sofia, I'm sorry things turned out that way. It must have been hard on you. Ah, let's get back to the rash. I think it is due to your gloves. They are probably wet and maybe moldy inside. This is what I want you to do: Take those gloves and turn them inside out and wash them twice with soap and water and then use some mild bleach. Let them dry out for a few days. In the meantime, put some of this lotion on your hands three times a day and at bedtime put on this cream."

"I can't pay for medicine and how can I work without gloves?"

"The lotion is paid for and the medicine is a free sample from a drug company."

"And gloves?"

"Here," he said as he grabbed a box of exam gloves from under the sink, "Wear these until your gloves are dry. After that, you will need to turn them inside out and wash them every week on your day off."

"Thank you, Doctor."

"And I want to see you back here in ten days. Let me see here... Oh, here it is. See me on the Thursday after next at five p. m., OK?"

"OK, Doctor, I see you then. Thank you."

After she left and he finished her note in the computerized record, he sat quietly wondering about Mrs. Gutierrez. The timing and location were perfect matches for the story Maya had given him. Mrs. Gutierrez was certainly Latina and the more he thought about it, the more he realized she had the same facial features as Maya.

Rather than tell Maya right away, he kicked around when and how he might tell her. He stewed on it for several days before he came up with an idea.

A week later shortly before five p. m., Maya showed up at the dermatology clinic as he had requested. Once the front office staff told him of her arrival, he escorted her back to a chair at the small nurses' station next to his exam room where Mrs. Gutierrez had been roomed and asked her to wait.

"Now why am I here, anyway?"

"Just hang on a sec, please. I'll come get you in a few minutes," he said as he turned to the exam room.

"Good afternoon, Sofia, how are your hands?"

"Doctor, you are miracle man. Look. All better."

"Wow, they look great. OK, you can stop the medicine but keep using lotion at least once a day. And wash and dry your gloves once a week. You should do fine."

"Thank you, thank you. Do I come back?"

"Ah, no, only if you have more problems. I am moving away at the end of June but the clinic will have someone else who can help if needed."

"Where you move to?"

"I have a new job in Kansas."

"We will miss you, Doctor. You good doctor."

"Thank you. Ah, before you go, I want you to meet someone. Can you stay a few minutes?"

"Si, Doctor. Who is it?"

"Just a second." He turned, opened the door and asked Maya, who had a puzzled frown on her face, to come in.

"Sofia Gutierrez, I want you to meet Maya Dryden. I believe you knew each other for a few hours about twenty-five years ago around May the first."

"Kyle, uh, Doctor, I can't remember anything about twenty-five years ago. I had just been born then and..."

A light seemed to go off in her eyes before she turned to Mrs. Gutierrez. "Did you, uh, did you have a baby then?"

"Si."

"And did you give her up at a fire station?"

"Si, I did."

"Which one?" she asked with increasing excitement in her voice.

"On Leonard Street."

"I was a fire station baby on Leonard Street! You... you must be my mother!"

"Oh, Dios. I not believe it."

"Believe it 'cause it's true."

"Maya? You are mi bebé? Mi niña?"

"Yes, yes I am!"

The two ran to each other with big hugs as they both talked and laughed through tear-strewn faces. Kyle silently slipped out the door letting mother and daughter get acquainted in private.

Six hours later there was a loud, insistent knocking on his apartment door which woke him from a deep sleep. When he opened it, he was nearly thrown off balance by an elated Maya who launched herself at him and gave him a wonderful, exuberant hug.

"Oh, Kyle, Thank you. Thank you. You have no idea how wonderful it was to meet my birth mom! She's such a great lady and has been through so much. And we hit it off just like that. I just left her place and..."

Kyle listened with a bemused look on his face as Maya told him all about her birth mother and their reunion. After nearly twenty minutes of nonstop talking, she wound down a little, caught her breath and looked at him.

"You have no idea what you have done. I can't thank you enough. I love my parents, they raised me and they will always be 'Mom and Dad' to me but now, but now I know Mamá and I feel complete."

"I'm so happy for you. When I first thought it could be her, I almost told you but I wanted you to be one to prove it."

"Well, I'm sure. We even stood in front of a mirror together and I look so much like her."

"Did you want to do a genetic test?"

"No! We both know in our hearts we are related. Same date, same city, same fire station even. No, she is my birth mother. I'm going to take the day off tomorrow and see my folks and tell them the good news."

"They won't get jealous?"

"Them? No. They're great and they know I'm their daughter and that I love them. I can't wait until we all four can get together."

"I'm so happy for you but there's one thing that upsets me."

"What's that?"

"Tomorrow is your day for a breakfast special and now I won't get one."

"You rat! This is one of the most important life-changing events I could imagine and all you can do is think about your food?"

"Hey, I'm a guy, right?"

-----

Since his paper was finished, Kyle had no need to go back down to the library as he had so many times before. However, he missed the casual evenings with Maya and knew he would not otherwise have a chance to privately say goodbye to her during his last few days. With this in mind, he headed downstairs on his last Thursday to see if she was there. When he opened the door, the lights were on and she sat at the big table leafing through some papers. She looked up with a big grin on her face.

"Still working on your vulgar pimples article?"

"No, I finished it awhile back. How's your mamá?"

"Wonderful. She's met Mom and Dad and they get along great. We've had dinner together a few times and it seems like they are totally comfortable together. She keeps thanking them for taking care of her little niña."

"Good. Glad to hear it. Say, uh, the reason I came down here was to, uh, say good-bye."

"Oh, Kyle, don't. Do you have to go?"

"Yeah, I do. I've got a clinic job in Kansas and my life as a student and trainee is over. Now I can join the working world."

"Gotta pay off those student loans, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"I'm gonna miss you, dammit."

"Me, too."

"And look at me now," she said as large tears slid down her cheeks, "This is how you're going to remember me."

"No, I'll remember the best damn cook who's going to go far, that's what I'll remember."

"Thank you," she murmured as she went up to him, wrapping her arms around him. He hugged her in return with his head tipped down, his nose inhaling her essence. And she felt so good in his arms. Her breasts teased his lower chest, her lithe torso under his hands was all woman and her pelvis snugged up against his was also... all woman. Before he knew it, he started to react and felt himself getting hard. And he knew she could feel it, too."

She snuggled a little more, sighed slightly and rubbed her pelvis even tighter up against his. He tried every trick in the book to will his erection away, but without success. He felt himself being gently nudged back until he was wedged between the wall and Maya. She looked up at him and with a sly grin, she reached up and hooked her finger over the top button of his shirt. She backed away, pulling his shirt and him with her until she was leading him between stacks of books and medical journals and off to the staff lounge. Once they were in there, she closed the door and pulled him towards a desk. She sat on it, spreading her legs and pulling him towards her.

As if driven by some unseen force, their lips slowly neared until they lightly touched. There were a few seconds of slight hesitation before both deepened the kiss. Lips softened and tongues probed until he was aware of her soft moan.

He pulled back. "Maya, uh..."

"Shh. We both want this."

"But..."

"No buts!" she exclaimed as she began working on his belt. Once she had undone his pants and pulled them and the underwear to the floor, she pushed him away giving herself room to untie her scrubs, letting them fall to the floor, and to pull her cute, pink panties free.

After hopping back on the desk, spreading her legs and pulling him to her, she whispered, "On the pill. Clean."

"Clean also."

"Good. Then I want him now." She took his cock, slid it up and down a few times between her moisture-laden lips before pulling him to her and driving his cock deep inside.

For a few seconds, he panicked wondering what would happen if anyone came into the library but that worry was soon lost as he felt her wet heat envelop him. He had been attracted to her for months but other than the single dinner date, there had been no obvious interest on her part, at least that he could tell. Now, however, there was a lot of interest! She pulled him to her and then relaxed her arms, letting him withdraw before the whole process repeated itself. He desperately wanted to kiss her but her face was so low that he couldn't easily reach her lips. He kept his arms around her and began to thrust wildly into her to her vocal encouragement. She wasn't screaming but her low moans and calls to God and Jesus were enough to tell him she was well on her way.

In an amazingly short time, she clutched at him with her sharp nails digging into his back, called out and clamped down on his cock. She had come, that much was apparent, but he wasn't finished so he kept pounding to her continued cries and moans. Eventually, it was too much and he lost all control, thrusting himself deep within her and coming like he had never done before.

As he lost the strength in his legs, he collapsed over her, forcing her to lie back on the desk, her legs wrapped around his low back. They caught their breaths and stared into each other's eyes until he brought his lips once again to hers. These kisses were the softer kisses of lovers recovering from love-making or of lovers thanking each other for being that special person.

Eventually, his cock softened and slid out, causing her to grab tissues off the desk to help prevent any telltale stains on the desk or carpeted floor. She giggled softly as she dried him off and pulled up his pants but playfully kept him from drying her. "A proper lady takes care of this," she giggled in a fake English accent.

"Would a lady have done what you just did?"

"Yes, if the circumstances were right, yes, she would."

"Maya, uh, I had no idea..."

"Honestly, neither did I. It wasn't until I realized you were leaving that I, uh, I, well, you know."

"Shit, I'm gonna miss you."

"Me, too. Me, too. Now please go, Kyle, before I start sobbing my eyes out."

"Yeah. OK."

"Do me one last favor, please."

"Sure, anything."

"Don't come to the cafeteria anymore. I won't be able to handle it."

"It's only tomorrow and the next day, so I won't. Take care, Maya."

"Will do. Now go, please," she said as fresh tears began to stream down her face."

"Yeah, sure." He turned, opened the door to the lounge and stepped out.

-----

Five years later...

-----

This is Maya's. For reservations, please leave your name and number.

"Uh, I'm interested in dinner for one any night this week. Please call me at 303-751-xyxy."

Ten minutes later, his phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Kyle, is that you?"

"Uh, yeah, it's me. How'd you know it was me?

"You have a voice I'd never forget."

"Oh, OK. And how are you doing, Maya?"

"Great. Great. I can't believe I'm talking to you. And you looked me up."

"Yeah, I did. Ah, I heard about your restaurant and wanted to see if your cooking is still up to the standards of CCH."

"Oh, I'm so excited to see you and show you my little place. I, I'm booked for this week and next but for you, I'll make room."

"Oh, you don't have to do anything like that."

"Maybe I want to. There's only room for ten in the dining room but I'll let you eat at the warming bar."

"Warming bar?"

"Yeah, it looks like a bar between the kitchen and the dining room but it has some heating coils so food won't get cold while I'm putting finishing touches on the rest of the meals."

"Can't your staff help?"

"Oh, Kyle, there's so much to tell you about but, no, I don't have any staff."

"No staff? How can you function?"

"I'll show you when you get here. I want you here at six, OK?"

"Sounds great. Can I bring anything?"

"Bring yourself. That's more than enough."

Shortly before six, Kyle drove up to a small Craftsman building where a tasteful, unvarnished wooden sign in the front yard with the simple words 'Maya's Bistro' were carved, accented by a blackening torch. Along the side the building was a narrow driveway holding three cars while another two were on the street. Small solar-powered lamps lined the short sidewalk to the covered porch where an old-fashioned porch swing hung. Behind a simple screen door, the main door was open and he took a few minutes to check out the tiny restaurant. Five two-person tables, two of which were shoved together for a party of four, filled the space without undue crowding. The floor appeared to be recently refurbished oak, dark green wainscot paneling rose several feet from the floor and the walls above were a lighter shade of green. The windows were new and double-paned yet had a nice leaded glass inlay consistent with the age of the building. Tasteful artworks hung from the walls. Soft classical music played on unseen speakers.

The kitchen, which was open to the room, was separated by a bar on which a few plated dishes rested. Behind the bar, he saw Maya moving quickly and efficiently as she saw to her work. She had a warm smile and did not appear to be stressed or overworked.

He opened the screen only to be met by the wonderful aroma of spices and cooking. Then she looked up and saw him. She paused for a long second before she bolted around the corner and rushed into his arms, squealing with delight. After a long hug, she broke away and turned to the assorted diners.

"Hey, everyone, this is an old friend of mine from my days at Charity. I promise he is well-trained and won't spoil your evening. Here, Kyle, have a seat up here while I finish in back."

He sat at the warming bar and watched in amazement as she seemingly juggled three chores at the same time. When things seemed to be settling down at the stove, she hustled around front and went to each table refilling water glasses and taking drink orders; then a few minutes at the stove and back to the diners with their drinks. He wondered how she could keep everything straight in her mind. True, there were only ten diners in the small room but each one seemed to have special issues or requests, all of which she handled easily.

Eventually, all the diners had their meals and as things slowed slightly for her, she slipped a plate to him. "Aren't you going to eat?" he asked.

"No, I already ate earlier and will get something after they all leave. Want some wine?"

"Yeah, that'd be great. I'll take whatever you have open."

Once he had his wine, he worked on his tasty food while she scurried to the tables. Over the next hour until the customers were gone, she was serving, clearing the tables, offering more to drink and dealing with desserts; the list was seemingly endless. Once they left, she locked the front door and turned to him with a smile. "That is how my life is for two and a half hours four nights a week. Hectic, very hectic."

"Why don't you hire some help?"

"I'll tell you why. I heard about this style of dining from a friend who ate at a tiny restaurant in France. She loved it and I thought it might be the way to go. I get to know the customers, they get to know me, I hear their feedback and it's more like a family experience. Plus, I don't have to deal with employee issues and their paperwork. It's just me."

"Four nights a week, huh?"

"Yeah, Wednesday through Saturday. I get Sunday and Monday off and on Tuesday I am in full preparation mode for the next four nights. On dining nights, I do any buying late that morning, start prep by midafternoon and do some cleanup after they're gone."

"How are you doing financially?"

"Kyle, you wouldn't believe it. Because of the personal service, I can charge a lot, wine adds to the total and the tips can be substantial. I'm doing very well."

"What are your costs?"

"Food and drinks, obviously, my mortgage and a loan I'm paying back to Bob. Remember him from Antonio's?"

"Yeah, how'd that work out?"

"After you left, I started working for him several evenings a week and it expanded to full time. When I decided to go out on my own, he offered to loan me some start-up money. That helped with the kitchen equipment and basic remodeling up front. My rooms in back are still in need of work but they are comfortable enough to live in."

"Up front it is nice. The old flooring is great and it looks like you've put in some nice windows. The colors are perfect."

"Thank you. Look, I need to start on the clean-up but I'd love you to stay so we can talk. I want to hear about you, too. I know you're moving back..."

"How'd you hear that?"

"I might still be in contact with a certain cafeteria manager," she laughed. "And she knows everything."

"I guess she does. I haven't even been there yet."

As she went over to the tables and began to bus them, he wandered back into the kitchen, plugged up a sink and began to fill it with soapy water. When she returned with a stack of dishes, she teased him. "The med school not paying you enough?"

"I'm fine. Thought I'd help a little."

"That's so sweet of you," she said as she gave him a tiny hug from the side. Soon the lights in the dining area were doused and the two kept talking with him washing while she took care of a seemingly endless list of tasks. Once he neared the end of his washing, she came up and hugged him from behind.

"You know, it's a major turn-on to see a guy with his sleeves rolled up and his hands doing the dishes. Could make a girl pretty frisky."

"Just wanted to help."

"Yeah? But you're making me want something else."

"What's that?"

She answered him by hugging him tightly around his waist.

"Uh, Maya, I didn't come here for that."

"I know. Is there, uh, is there anyone special in your life?" she asked as she brought her hands up to his chest but remained hugging him from behind.

"Uh-uh, but if we are going to see if there's a possible relationship here, I'd like to take it a little slower."

"You party pooper," she laughed, "But you're right. Maybe I should insist you wine and dine me and try to win me the old-fashioned way."

"I would love to wine and dine you. Could I ask you out for tomorrow night?"

"You bet! Since it's summer, Antonio's is open Sunday evening. OK?"

"Sounds great. How about I finish these pots and maybe I can vacuum for you."

"Kyle, washing dishes might make me frisky, but vacuuming? That's serious foreplay," she laughed.

-----

Dinner at Antonio's was simply great. Once Bob heard Maya was in the dining room, he came out, greeted them both and sat with them for a few minutes.

"Weren't you here several years ago when I first met Maya?"

"Yeah, I'm Kyle. I was a resident at the hospital, moved away but found I missed Centerton and the academic atmosphere. I've taken a position as a junior faculty member at the med school where I'm expected to teach as well as run the derm clinic."

"That's great. Have you had a chance to see Maya's Bistro?"

"Yeah, just last night. I was impressed. She might give you a run for your money," Kyle laughed.

"No, I'm not worried. When she fills up, she refers any callers to me and I do the same. And the better she does, the faster I get my money back."

"By the way, that was very generous of you."

"Thank you. I told her she was crazy to do it all solo but she seems to have figured out how to make it all happen."

"I'm efficient and I design my menus to be tasty but easy to make," Maya jumped in. "You should try it someday, Bob."

"No, I'm too lazy. I'd rather have someone else prepare the salads," he chuckled, "Nice seeing you again, Kyle, now I need to get back and make sure my staff are doing things right."

"That's one problem I don't have, Bob," laughed Maya.

They enjoyed their meal and had a sumptuous dessert before they headed back to her place. "Care to come in for a few minutes?" she asked as they drove up, "I can show you my living quarters."

"Sure."

She let him in through the side door which led to a common room featuring a small kitchen on one end, a high counter for eating in the middle and comfortable chairs and a TV on the other.

"Bathroom and the bedrooms are through that door, though I use one for an office now."

"Small, but nicely laid out. I like it."

"Yeah, but this part still needs a lot of work. I burned through a lot of money fixing the bistro so this will have to take some time. Here," she patted the sofa, "Come sit with me."

After they were seated, she turned to him with a slightly worried smile. "Are we still good? Did I pass the test?"

"Maya, there isn't a test. This is just a chance to reconnect."

"Good, 'cause I want my lips to reconnect with yours."

He lowered his head to hers and let his lips barely touch hers for several seconds before engaging in warm, deep kissing. She tasted as good as he remembered, even better. And when his arms wrapped around her, he could feel her lean torso while her breasts nudged up against his chest. After several minutes of wonderful kisses, she broke away to look up at him.

"Nice, very nice."

"I agree. You remember the last time we kissed, we..."

"We, nothing. I attacked you."

"Yeah, that you did. Come to think about it, why? I mean, why'd you do that?"

"I don't know. I guess I suddenly realized that I was seriously into you and you were going. I've never done anything like that before or since, but I desperately wanted you, needed you. Maybe in my immature mind, I was thinking you'd stay."

"You're not attacking me tonight?"

"Nope. But I consider this date number two and you know what they say about date number three," she giggled.

"Date number two?"

"Yeah. Antonio's back then, Antonio's tonight. That's two."

"OK, I consider myself warned," he chuckled.

They talked for a few more minutes before he made to leave, citing work duties the next morning, but not before another few minutes of sweet kisses.

-----

The next time they met was at her request the following Saturday evening. As she again had all ten seats reserved, she had him sit at the warming bar again. Her meal plan was a picture of simplicity in the kitchen but elegance on the plate. The customers raved about their food and made short work of their desserts and drinks. Once the last ones had paid and left, she closed and locked the front door before turning to Kyle.

"Successful evening."

"Successful? It was a smash," he said.

"I was talking more in terms of money. Table four even gave me a thirty percent tip."

"Whoa. That's pretty hefty."

"Yeah, let's see..." she said as she checked the credit card app on her phone, "I made close to twenty-two hundred tonight."

"Jesus, Maya. That's huge!"

"They're not all like that, but Saturdays tend to be the best nights."

"But still."

"Yeah, pretty good. I've set things up so I take a steady salary and keep the rest in the business account. Once I get a little money there, I can pay for some more work on the building or pay Bob back a little early.

"I'm impressed. You work like crazy on those evenings but it seems to pay off in the end."

"Yeah, it does. My work days are close to ten hours and I spend several hours on Tuesdays, but it's not too much."

"Well, can I help with the dishes again?"

"You'll never have to ask me twice. Throw the tableware into the washer but the wine glasses need to be done by hand. Then the pots and pans."

"You certainly are a demanding boss," he joked.

While he was washing, Maya quickly cleared the tables and began to work on cleaning the kitchen. "I can't stand to come in on Tuesday or Wednesday to a mess so I clean it Saturday. Let's me relax on Sunday."

Half an hour later, he was finishing up when she came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. "Mmm, feels good."

"What? Me?"

"No, Silly, it feels good knowing I don't have to wash the damn dishes," she laughed.

"You sure know how to hurt a guy," he said while trying to keep from laughing himself.

"I know how to make a guy feel good, too," she whispered as she let her hands roam over his chest and belly. "I know how to make a guy feel real good." Her hands slid to his belt where she began to undo the buckle.

"Wait, my hands are wet."

"Uh-huh. Got you trapped," she murmured as she dropped his pants to the floor and reached into the flap of his boxers. "Who's this proud fellow?"

"Ma-ya! You need to stop if I'm going to finish here."

"Nope. Gotcha where I want you," she giggled while gently stroking his erection and rubbing her pelvis up against his butt.

Kyle turned quickly and pushed her back, pinning her against a newly-cleaned counter. He pulled her apron over her head to false screams of terror, quickly unzipped her black slacks and pulled them and the underwear to the floor.

"Kyle, people can see us!"

"Nope, not now they can't," he said as he switched off the kitchen lights before lifting her onto the counter and spreading her legs.

In the dim light, he could see a most wonderful sight: her parted shapely legs drew his eyes to the Promised Land. He could see she was not shaved bare but was nicely trimmed and there between her lips was a faint reflection of moisture. Yes! She was as excited as he was.

Desire which had festered for five years came boiling up, a desire which drove his mouth and tongue to her. The first whiff was a mix of the essence of womanly desire and slight perspiration. The first taste on his tongue was pure ecstasy as he licked up and down her slit before concentrating on her pearl. Her smell, her taste and her moans all drove him to vigorously lick and suck her. He thrust two fingers into her, working the front of her canal. This was no delicate teasing, no, it was all-out lust. Right as he established a vigorous rhythm, legs clamped around him, hands pulled at his head and moans transformed into shrieks as she exploded. He kept licking. He kept sucking. He kept thrusting until her cries began to subside.

With a few softer licks, he pulled his face from her, stood in front and guided his cock into her, bringing forth renewed moans. In and out he thrust, feeling her tight canal pull at him while her legs wrapped around him from behind. He knew he couldn't last long; it had been a long time for him and watching her had been so sexy, so stimulating, but he kept driving himself into her until he reached the inevitable crest. He felt himself pulsate into her more times than he could ever have imagined before he collapsed down on her, breathing heavily into her ear.

A few minutes later, he was aware of her beginning to giggle. He turned to her in the dark and asked, "What?"

"I'm not sure this would pass a surprise Health Department inspection."

"Probably not. Mmm, maybe we should take this to the back half of the building."

"We could, but you'll need to vacuum first," she laughed.

-----

Clad in a chic, midcalf-length white dress, Maya stood in front of the tiny group of people in her little restaurant and called for their attention.

"Uh, hey everybody, I want to thank you for coming out today. Before we get started, I want to deal with the food and drinks. Now you may have expected one of my culinary masterpieces..." she said to the laughter from those in front of her, "But there's no way I was going to cook on this day. So, here is the catered food: thin-crust pizzas from Paolo's Organic Za's and a selection of beer and sodas. How's that for a meal?"

Everyone cheered and clapped before they went over to grab some pizza and drinks. They settled in the chairs, talking and laughing while the newlyweds circulated from table to table. After everyone had eaten, she stood up to address them.

"Now I know it is customary for people to give little speeches at a time like this honoring the bride and the new couple but we're going to do things differently. I'm going to give the speech today. OK?"

There were cheers, clapping and a few shouts of encouragement.

"I have so many people to thank and I can't do them all justice now, but I will try. First off, I want to thank Reverend Pete for coming out today and making this thing legal. I can pay you in cash or with a dinner for two here after we get back from our honeymoon."

"Dinner for two, way better than cash. Thanks, Maya."

"You're welcome, Reverend. And next, I want to thank Christine who encouraged me to try my hand at cooking at Charity's cafeteria and then pushed me to strike out on my own. Thank you, Christine! You are a dynamite lady and a great supervisor."

After a round of cheers, she went on, "And I have to thank Bob for all of his support. He took a flyer on an unknown gal, offered her a part-time job in his restaurant and later when she told him she wanted to go out on her own, he didn't slam the door in her face. No, he offered to help and without him, Maya's would never have been as successful as it is. Thank you, Bob, you're my hero."

More cheers and applause interrupted her little speech until she held up her hands. "And if you want to be a bigger hero, you can forgive the little loan you gave me to get this started!" she laughed to his look of surprise. "Aw, you know I'm teasing you, Bob. I'm still good for it.

"I want to thank my new in-laws who have graciously taken me into their lives and in particular, I want to thank them for telling me all those juicy little secrets about Kyle when he was growing up. Much appreciated, Mom and Dad."

Next, she turned to her parents. "And I'm going to have trouble getting through this without crying, so please bear with me. Mom, Dad... you took in a tiny days-old infant all those years ago and gave her all your love. You raised her, kissed her boo-boos, taught her right from wrong and gave her the strength to become a successful, at least so far," she laughed, "Business owner and chef. I can't tell you how much this has all meant to me and I will never, never be able to tell you how much you mean to me."

As tears fell down her face, she went over and gave them both a huge hug. After wiping her eyes, she turned to Sofia.

"Mamá, I can't thank you enough for making the biggest sacrifice of your life after you had me. Your decision must have been terribly, terribly difficult but you made it to help your infant child and she will be forever in your debt. Gracias, Mamá. Te amo mucho." A long, heartfelt hug between the two seemed to punctuate her comments. As they broke apart, everyone in the room stood and clapped for Sofia, bringing even more tears to the two women's eyes.

After she collected her thoughts for a few seconds, Maya went on. "And now I'm done with my little thank you tour and... What? Did I miss anyone? Oh, him! Yeah, maybe I ought to say something about him. Ya think?"

To everyone's laughter and cheers, she went on, "And lastly I want to thank Kyle." She went over to him and held his hand as she addressed the gathering. "As you may know, I think he's the best thing since sliced bread, but since we don't serve sliced bread here at Maya's, I guess I should say he's the best thing since fresh baguettes. From day one he treated me like an equal. The doctor never looked down on the cafeteria worker, not once. And we became good friends, good study partners as he worked on a paper about vulgar pimples..."

"Pemphigus vulgaris, Hon!"

"Yeah, whatever," she laughed, "Anyway, while he worked on that I was able to do research and study the culinary arts so when I finally was able to break out on my own, I had a huge fund of knowledge and a million new ideas. When he came back to Centerton, I was one of the first he got in contact with. He had dinner here that night and after all the customers were gone, he did the sexiest thing imaginable. Can anyone guess?"

"Gave you a kiss?" "Asked you out?" "Danced with you by candlelight?"

"Anyone else? No, well, the sexiest thing was him going into the kitchen and washing the dishes... unasked! I tell you, there's not a thing a guy can do to get a girl's libido... sorry, Reverend, but I have to say this... nothing will get a girl's libido going faster than simply washing the dishes. I had an idea right then and there that we might be onto something.

"Anyway, you all know we've dated for a long time and I've finally made an honest man of him today. And I know deep down this, us, we are going to be together a long, long time. I love you, Honey."

"And I love you." After a warm kiss, he went on, "I want to toast to my lovely bride who has put together a phenomenal little restaurant where I'm not allowed to handle the food, I don't have a food handler's license after all, but I am allowed to wash the dishes. Guys, you should try it sometime!"

-----

Trionyx -- Spring 2025

Votes and comments are appreciated. Thank you.

For those keeping track, two scenes in this story pushed the limits of the 'workplace' theme in that they occurred once in Maya's future and once in her past work place, Antonio's. If this is unacceptable to you, I will gladly refund your money.

Other stories featuring on-the-job medical residents are found at The Call Room and Fat, Old Cow.