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Chapter One
September 2001
Juliana rushed past a man who seemed to be fascinated by the blue tiles on the floor at the subway station. What made me decide to move here? She thought. She thought that moving here was the chance of a lifetime. Her friends and family had warned her it would be hard but as stubborn as she was she didn't care. She was going to make her dreams come true. Little did she know that now a year later she'd be rushing through a subway station to work as a waitress at a semi-fancy casual Italian Restaurant. She had gone through a million interviews and still heard nothing from them, which was highly frustrating.
A day like today she wished she would of listened to her family and friends back home in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh was truly her home and she felt guilty at wanting to leave but she had goals and dream and she was set out to make them reality.
She was already late as it was and everyone in the damned station seemed to want Juliana fired. At least that's what she told herself every time. Everyone rushed around trying to get to his or her destinations. She knew this city was always alive and Pittsburgh was a busy city but nothing like this one. Everyone always seemed to be on the run. She knew for sure John would have some kind of sermon for her whenever she arrived at the restaurant.
When she first moved to New York City she was a little naïve. She had graduated from high school and spent an entire year working day and night at a local diner in Pittsburgh to save enough money to make her move to New York. She then realized it wasn't as easy as she thought it would be. She had won little beauty contest here and there all through high school and she wanted to make a career at it. So NYC was were she told her parents she wanted to go.
And now here she was in the middle of yet another packed subway train station on her way to work at Jake's Italian Restaurant. She had taken this job as a waitress after realizing her modeling career was not heading in the right direction. Hell it wasn't heading any direction at this point. She thought. Jake's, she had to admit was a great job. It was dead center of Times Square and lots of celebrities showed up. The place had a reputation for having the best Italian cuisine in town. She liked her job and it paid her ever-rising bills. But she wasn't in NYC for this. But she couldn't really just wait around for an agency to call she needed an income, and fast, so she took this job. She was experienced and although she tended to have a tad of an attitude all her regular people at the restaurant loved her. She was funny and charismatic, but as rude as a true Newyorker, when tempted. She wasn't like that back home at the small diner but I guess living and working in a town like this changes people's attitudes.
It was now twenty-five minutes into her shift and she was flying out the subway train and up the steps outside. She thanked God that Jake's was right across the street. It was Friday afternoon, the busiest day of the week. She was expected at work at two o'clock sharp and it was now two-thirty. "John is going to have another lecture for me" she said as she crossed the never-ending street. Oh so it seemed to her, she was late and everything seemed to take longer today. John was a nice guy and in her opinion too nice at times, especially with her. He was also a good friend of hers since she moved to New York, but when it came to work he made his dad proud. Juliana understood where he came from in that aspect because she lived to make her parents proud of her. If only they knew I'm not doing so great.
She walked past the front windows of Jake's and she saw John standing by the bar looking at his watch. Juliana immediately walked over to the other side and went in the employee door. She walked in only to find Anthony right in front of her. He was a middle-aged man straight from Italy and he spoke broken English but was the sweetest guy ever. He was a tall big muscular guy, which had surprised Juliana at first. He looks nothing like a chef! She had told John. He wasn't only the best chef around but he doubled, as he liked to call her, little Ana's bodyguard at night when she went home.
"Whoa" she said as she held onto the door to keep her balanced. "Is he fuming?"
"I wouldn't go near him at this point" he said in a deep accent. She smiled at him and walked over to the employee lounge area and quickly put her stuff in her locker grabbed a pencil off the counter and strategically placed it in her hair to hold all the never ending curls up. She had mastered this technique over the months at Jake's. She grabbed her order-pad and headed out the lounge to the bar where she hoped John had left from.
"Get in here Juliana" she heard someone call behind her as she walked past the storage closet behind the bar. He's mad. He called me Juliana. She said to herself as she slowly walked in to the room.
"Hey Johnny I'm really sorry I swear the subway gets more packed every.." she was interrupted when he just reached behind her and closed the door. That meant it was lecture time.
"Damnit Juls" he just stood there staring at her as if he felt bad that he had to talk to her this way. Juliana knew he had always wanted a relationship with her but she wasn't interested, instead they decided it was best they were just friends. Well she dediced, but who's keeping tabs? But she knew he had feelings for her and she never once took advantage of that. She had plenty of opportunities but she would never hurt him that way or anyone at that.
"I know Johnny I was late and I know I promised to be here early today but New York is crazy please understand me"
"Juls I don't know what to do with you anymore. What am I supposed to tell my father when he walks in the door and sees that one of my waitresses is constantly late? Not to mention the fact that I let you slide all the time" he looked at her and sighed.. He quickly noticed he was staring and continued, "Not to mention the other girls. They seem to think that I favor you and give you special days off when you need it. I have to admit you are one of my best friends, but you have to get on the same page with me here. I can't keep letting you slide every time you get caught in the subway. It's not fair to the rest of the waitresses and it's not fair to me. I'm sorry but this was the last time you are late or I'm going to have to let you go next time. I love you but I can't" he hated to be this way with her but he had a restaurant to run and a best friend to keep track of.
"I promise Johnny I swear"
"I don't need any promises Juls, just show me you want and need to keep this job" at that he headed back to the bar area.
"Hey Johnny are we still on for tonight?" she asked
"Of course, why wouldn't we be?" he told her smiling brightly at her. She had to admit he was a cutie. But to her he was like her guardian angel besides Anthony, the over-protective chef, but she loved him for it.
"Juliana" Angie called Juliana from the bar. "You have tables fifty-two through sixty-four. I'm sorry I had to give your tables to Melissa and Jaime today when you didn't show up on time."
"Urgh" Juliana answered. She detested those two girls. If she didn't know better she'd say they were attached at the hip. Fresh out of high school the two girls were clearly two bimbos. It was sad to watch, but Juliana found it entertaining at times." I bet they are having the time of their lives tonight then?"
" All Jaime has been talking about for the last five minutes is that Chris from Nsync is at one of her tables" Angie laughed. Melissa and Jaime hated the fact that Juliana always got to wait on the occasional celebrities. After all, Angie didn't want to scare away costumers.
"Well I guess I better warn Chris" she laughed and walked towards Chris' table
"So I thought they had broken up?" Melissa said to Jaime as Juliana walked by.
"Well I guess not I mean he's here with her so who knows? I think I'm going to ask if Justin's going to make it here today. You know we've worked here for three months now and nothing. He needs to show up already." Jaime said frustrated.
"Maybe he's heard that two psychos are after him so he decided to stay away" Juliana said now from behind the bar "in which case you guys can quit cause he's not coming"
"Oh whatever Julie or whatever your name is" Melissa snapped
" Ohh whatever" Juliana mocked " why don't you guys get back to your tables before I have to take them all?" both girls just gave Juliana a dirty look and turned around to walk away. "Go ahead girls don't be scared" Juliana teased from the bar. She had to laugh at those two idiots.
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"Hey guys how are you?" Juliana asked one of the funniest costumers she's ever had and the pretty blonde sitting across from him.
"Hey Juls" Chris said to her smiling " long time no see"
" Well you know I don't really have time for boy bands anymore so I try to avoid them as much as possible" Juliana said seriously.
" Good one Juliana" Danielle said giving her a high five " So how have you been doing girl?"
"Actually the same old thing, agency to agency, is there something really wrong with me? Shush Chris I didn't ask you" Juliana put her hands up to stop whatever comment was surely coming out of his mouth. Danielle enjoyed every minute of it.
"What? I wasn't going to say anything" Chris argued
" I'm sorry guys but I don't have this table tonight so you'll have to deal with dumb and dumber over there" she said pointing to Melissa and Jaime
"Hey, now be nice Juliana." Chris said in a fatherly voice " But I'll give them hell for ya" he said with a wink.
" That a boy, I taught you well." Juliana laughed as she walked to one of her tables.
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