2019-06-04 - It's a Gift

Presumably, it is indeed about 2pm. The shop is reasonably quiet, in a lull between people who think pastry and tea sound great for lunch and people who have decided this afternoon tea lark is a stellar idea. There's only one customer in the shop right now, lounging in a chair and reading a book while slowly going through what appears to be at least their second small cake. At the counter, a man of probably near Byron's own age is leaning against the back wall reading Infinite Jest, with the cover clearly visible, and a woman perhaps 20 is actually doing proper work, wiping down the counter and making sure everything is properly neat and arranged. She's the one who glances over when the door opens and gives Byron a bright smile and, "Good afternoon." Both are neatly dressed in black and white clothing that's probably their own beneath the black aprons which are clearly not.

While people tend to see him around town in full business attire, Byron Thorne is in casual dress today, donning a comfortable hunter green sweater, a pair of jeans and combat boots. All made of the finest materials of course. As usual, it's raining outside, so when he steps in he's working to get the rain off of his umbrella before proceeding forward. He returns a smile to the greeting given him, "Good afternoon yourself. I'm here to pick up an order for Byron Thorne. I know I ordered a gift basket, but I'm thinking of picking up three more boxes of assorted pastries if you have them on hand." Big order.

"Absolutely, sir," the young woman says -- Carmen, that's her name, isn't it? -- and shoots a quick glare at the man, who, weren't he and Byron in high school together? Small towns are so great.

Trey sets his book down, giving Byron a quick smile and getting to setting up the boxes that generally end up containing assorted pastries. "Any particular preferences?" he asks, "Pastries only, or would you like chocolates too?"

Carmen looks satisfied that this is being acceptably handled, and gives Byron another quick smile before heading over to push open the kitchen door. When it opens, sharp ears might hear a quiet but decidedly clipped, "--has split. That is entirely unacceptable." Another voice mumbles something, and what might be a chilly silence in there is broken by Carmen's tentative, "Um, Mr. Vydal? Mr. Thorne's here." The "Thank you, Carmen," that answers it is a bit louder, and as she lets the door close again, there's a once-more quiet but still audible, "Do it again," and a grudging, "Yes, Chef."

Carmen's only just returned to help packing things into the boxes when the door opens again, this time revealing Vyv himself, with the basket in question. And it's very nice. The basket itself is good quality and nicely shaped, the wine and pastries are arranged in a pleasing and well balanced manner, it has an elegantly placed and tied ribbon and bow in a deep blue shade. And the selection does look really quite tasty, assuming one likes pastries. And chocolates. "Mr. Thorne," he greets, inclining his head slightly as he comes to the counter, "Good afternoon. I do hope this will meet your needs sufficiently."

If Trey and Byron went to school together, Byron probably tried to force Trey into investing into one of Byron's adolescent money-making endeavors. Look at Thorne now! "No pref--" He starts, but when chocolates is mentioned, he considers, "A mixture of pastries and chocolates actually. A dozen per box." There's a slight considering pause, then adding, "Hmm. eight pastries, four chocolates." He's suddenly particular! "How do you like working here?" Of course, he recognizes Trey, the guy looks like a model. The question, itself, is not condescending, merely curious.

That curiosity is soon directed towards the door where a certain conversation takes place. Hearing some of what is said, he returns to Trey, "Looks like this place is run like a tight ship. I don't expect anything less for perfection."It's mere idle chatter.

With Carmen's return, he offers another friendly before that smile brightens on seeing the man of the hour. "Mr. Vydal." He returns in greeting, "That looks spectacular. I'll definitely look forward to ordering more of the same in the future." A hand reaches into his pocket to pull out his wallet. "I really like what you've done here. If I'm being honest, it's surprising to see a place like this in Gray Harbor, but this may very well be just what the town needs."

Trey may even have invested at some point! Shame it wasn't in quite the right one, but on the other hand, he only had adolescent levels of investment to make. The return probably wouldn't have had him moving into Byron's apartments in any case. "Good choice," he answers, and despite the lack of self-motivation in the lull, he seems fairly efficient about this. "It's not bad; people are mostly pretty nice when they come in here, and no one needs CPR so far, so you know, relaxing." A quick grin, which becomes a small laugh at the observation. He'd glanced briefly toward the door as well. "Rather work out here than back there," he murmurs, and back to normal, "Perfection's definitely the goal."

"Our goal," Carmen corrects brightly, starting in on her box. Both settle things in neatly, if perhaps not as carefully arranged as the basket is, though at one point Trey reaches toward the tray of madeleines and Carmen immediately steps on his foot. He stifles a yelp and glares at her, but puts in a chocolate-orange entremets instead.

If Vyv notices that particular bit of interplay, he ignores it. "Thank you," he says to Byron, the corners of his mouth turning up in a very slight smile, "And I suppose I can only hope so. But after all, every French town worth the title boasts a decent bakery, so why not here?" The basket is set on the counter, and he gives it a quick, appraising glance. Apparently, it passes muster. "The baskets are an interesting idea. I think we may take your advice and make them an official offering. So, thank you for that."

"Not needing to have to do CPR is definitely on the list of things that make up an excellent work environment." Byron knows Trey enough, when he asks, "Still life-guarding then? Or are you here full-time?" No comment is made on whether being in the kitchen or out here with the customers is the preferred position to be in. Well, maybe he does comment, "Though I'm sure if you learned to be a bakery chef, you'd be making more back there than out here." Bright smile.

Thorne, himself, isn't a terribly strict employer, so he doesn't seem put off by the little playfulness on subtle display. "Those look delicious." He says of the items being packed away for him, though he's more than likely speaking to the owner of the shop as well. "You're very welcome. With fine delicacies as these." There's a gesture to the pastries in the display case, "the first thing I'd thought to do was pair it with some wine. You might consider various arrangements as well. Different price points and level of extravagance and the like."

"I also commend your team for putting all of these together on such short notice. First the basket, then three boxes full of pastries and chocolates." Byron says wearing a grin, "I'm feeling a touch generous today with the gift-giving, but I know that they'll appreciate it."

"Also, pastries," Trey adds, in belated enumeration of the benefits of the position. "But still doing both." He gives the kitchen door a sidelong glance when Byron suggests it would be more profitable, and a bit of that glance falls on Vyv, as well. "Maybe someday," he replies, but there's something in his eyes that says maybe that's never. Thorne's not wrong, though! Having started earlier, Trey's the one who ends up doing two of the three boxes, but Carmen's the one who catches 'gift' and pulls out the scissors and a roll of ribbon.

The contents of each box are balanced in type and include both sweeter and less-sweet options, and Trey's isn't the only sidelong glance; Vyv gives one to their work, and there's the ghost of a nod that suggests they, at least, are performing to an acceptable standard. "Yes," he agrees, "and various default selections, I suppose. Chocolate based, more savoury, viennoiseries and the like." A vague, negligent little gesture that seems to dismiss that last phrase, and he gives Byron another faint smile. "Kind of you to be thinking of people. I'm sure they'll be appropriately pleased. ...do let me know what your friend thinks of the basket, should you get the opportunity?"

There's a just-audible sound from the kitchen that has a somewhat crash-and-swearish quality to it, and Vyv's eyes close and brow knits in a subtle wince. "Terribly sorry, please do excuse me," he says, inclining his head to Byron again before he turns to head back through the kitchen door. Should Thorne be paying attention, he might catch, half under the patissier's breath, a darkly muttered, "If you want something done right... that is apparently too much to ask," just before the door finishes closing behind him.

Trey glances that way; Carmen quite serenely completes a lovely bow on the box she's working on and sets it beside the basket. "Trey, will you ring Mr. Thorne up? I'll finish the bows."

Byron isn't as mindful as Vyv is when it comes to the aesthetics of the contents of those three boxes. He doesn't have that kind of eye for detail in the pastry and sweets department. He didn't even expect there to be a ribbon around the boxes, only the gift basket, so it doesn't come as a splendid surprise. "Now you're going above and beyond my expectations. Then again, I've never been to a Pâtisserie in France before, so I very well may be missing out."

When told to inform Vydal about his friends' opinions on these delectable gifts, Thorne says with a grin, a lightness in his voice, "Of course, I'll get back to you on that." Though it seems that whatever is happening back in the kitchen has now caught all of their attentions. It's none of /his/ business, so when Vyv apologizes and excuses himself, Byron does not ask. It's when he returns back to Trey, though he's speaking to both he and Carmen in truth, he states, "Looks like there might be an opening for either of you to fit into." It's said in a matter-of-fact jest, if that makes any sense. He passes his credit card along to Trey so that he can be rung up.

Trey takes the card and does the whole cashier thing; nothing to be complained about there. And he laughs at Byron's observation as to the opening, but shakes his head. Nope. He's not going in there. Carmen grins, though the glance toward the door that accompanies it now looks slightly worried. "I think Mr. Vydal would likely prefer someone who won't be leaving in a year or two," she says, "but in any case, that's harder to arrange around classes."

"I think he'd prefer a proper apprentice," Trey says, something about that phrasing suggesting it might not be entirely his own, "but, well, Gray Harbor." Shrug. He hands back the card, along with the receipt and a pen -- a reasonably nice pen, as disposable ones go, actually. "Thank you," he says as he does, and Carmen sets the third of the boxes down, pausing to give the set a satisfied look, hands on her hips. A slight moue as a thought occurs to her, and, "Mr. Thorne, will you be wanting a hand out with these? It's kind of a lot to juggle."

Planting the seeds of inspiration into these young minds, though one of them is about his age, Byron seems content as he takes up the reasonably nice pen to scribble out his signature, before gently pushing both pen and signed credit card receipt back towards Trey. "An apprentice, hmm? The only person who I know whose taken any type of culinary classes has her hands full at the Fried Fish stand as it is. But I'm sure there has to be someone out there with a mind for baking. A pastries." He says with both a light-hearted smile and a touch of laughter.

"Actually, yes please." He'll quickly agree to this suggestion for assistance. "It's still raining, so I'll need one hand on the umbrella, but if either of you would like to accompany me, It should be large enough for two. My car is'n't parked too far away."

It would theoretically be chivalrous for Trey to volunteer to be the Carrier of Things, but he doesn't immediately do so, instead finishing off the transaction. Even if things like 'file the receipt away' probably could have waited. Works out, though, since Carmen doesn't actually even wait to see if he's going to volunteer before she does. "I can do that," she says promptly, and definitely more brightly than the weather warrants. "Just one moment..." She ducks down, coming up with and already slipping on a short raincoat she apparently had folded down there. Odds her purse is there as well?

"See you 'round," Trey says, with a tiny upnod, while Carmen comes around the counter to gather things up. Even with two of them it takes a little bit of doing to protect her bows, but she's got it sorted. "Yeah, I think Julia's a little too busy for that kind of thing," she agrees, "but either someone'll show up or David's going to end up decent despite himself." Possibly this is confidence in her employer's abilities, or at least his determination. It certainly isn't in David. "If I were going to try to be someone's apprentice around here, personally, it would probably be yours," she remarks, and starts toward the door. "Okay, lead the way!"

In fact, Byron expected Trey to be the one to help carry some of these boxes out to his car. Not that he's disappointed when it's Carmen instead and he even seems a little amused when slips on her raincoat before venturing into your typical Gray Harbor drizzle. He has the basket cradled in the crook of one of arm, which is the same arm that he uses to carry one of the boxes. The other holds up his umbrella once they are outside. There's enough space beneath it for himself and Carmen and her raincoat. It will, at least, help to keep the other two boxes as dry as possible.

"David is the new guy in the back then?" Byron asks now that Carmen's brought him up. "He's either really nervous or highly incompetent. But, hey, was he the one who baked some of these goods? I mean, if so, he's got that going for him." Thorne didn't lie, while his big black Rolls Royce Wraith isn't parked directly outside of the bakery's door, it's not too far. The sound of the car unlocking can be heard, with Byron fumbling with his key as he's carrying so much as it is. With the door unlocked, the little statue, the Spirit of Ecstasy, rises from being hidden within the hood when the car was parked and locked.

The trunk pops open and Byron sets the basket and box that he was carrying neatly inside, before reaching to take up Carmen's held boxes as well, one at a time. "You know, when I believe it's time that I need an assistant, I'll make sure to give you call. But by then, I'm sure you'll be elsewhere with your studies." This is said with a warm enough smile. He can tell that she's smart and the type of person who really could go places, so attending this community college must just be a stepping stone. "Thank you for all of your help today. The ribbons? Perfect. I'll make sure to spread the word so that the recipients of such wonderful gifts will know where to go when they need to sate their sweet tooth craving."

"He's the new guy, yeah," Carmen says, "and-- a little from column A, a little from column B? Mostly A, I guess. He's not super coordinated, but he does okay if he concentrates. Which I think frustrates Mr. Vydal more than if he were just plain bad at it, honestly. If I were doing the scheduling I'd probably try to have David working under Mr. Tanaka when I could, he's less scared of him." She sounds somewhat amused by this, though the consideration of the situation is serious enough. "He's not baking anything on his own yet, but the crčme pat in the eclairs? That's his today. And he got that right, or it wouldn't be in there." Absolute certainty.

The car gets an interested and rather impressed looking over as they reach it; she's seen it around, but never really seen it close up. And then the hood ornament automatically rises, and she gives a very small, delighted laugh, instantly looking as though she'd probably be covering her mouth to stifle it if she didn't have boxes in both hands. "...if you do, please do," she says then, looking back to him and carefully making sure he gets each box in turn, "If it's soon enough that I'm still around." Yes, she's definitely got plans that extend past BCC. "But in the meantime? Please do let people know, and I hope we'll see you back soon!"

"Then maybe you should be the one working on the scheduling." Byron isn't afraid to say, even if that isn't her particular job. "Bring up a suggestion to Mr. Vydal, perhaps. Not that I would say that David were afraid of him, but maybe on days where David's working under this Tanaka, your employer will see that he's working much more efficiently." He doesn't mind discussing work and business, even if it's not his own company that they are discussing.

Yes, Thorne's Wraith is most definitely the only Wraith in town, if not Rolls Royce. He's not the wealthiest Gray Harbor townie, but he likes to think he has style. He did purchase a $350K car just for style points alone. Once everything is secure in the back and the trunk door automatically closes, he says looking satisfied with his purchase, "Oh, I know I'll be back. Thanks again, Carmen and good luck with David."

With that, he takes hurried steps to settle down inside the relative dry warmth of his car with the first stop on his gift-list already in mind.