A Night Of Stolen Food
He watched from the shadows as she scraped the leftover steak and asparagus into the plastic bag.
She went for a plate of mushrooms, looking over both shoulders before shaking the cold food into the bag.
With furrowed brows, the man dared to step closer. It wasn’t every day a ninety-year-old stole from him.
A Surprise Visit
Restaurant owner Henry Luc Lenoir hadn’t known he’d find an unrecognizable elderly woman taking food from his kitchen when he decided to make a surprise visit that night.
He was never one to show up unannounced, knowing that his manager, Hannah Olsen, kept the place in excellent order.
But tonight, something urged him to get into his car and drive to the restaurant.
A Dark Night
It was a cold night when he did so, and Henry had strongly considered not going. His watch read 1 am when he hopped in his car, and swirling black clouds above the dark cityscape promised a night of rain.
But despite the hour and the weather, Henry still turned on his car, cut through the night’s lazy traffic, and headed for his restaurant.
What he’d find would show him he should’ve done this a while ago.
Inside The Restaurant
The rain was already dribbling on his windshield when he got to the restaurant. Parking his car a block away, Henry hid under an umbrella so no one would recognize him.
The restaurant usually closed at 10 pm, which gave the night shift cleaners ample time to set things up for the following day.
Henry sneaked through the backdoor, ensuring no one saw him. It was thrilling sneaking through the premises like this, and Henry hoped he’d see his workers in their natural state. He had no idea what he was about to uncover.
A Good System
The cleaning crew was already on site, placing dirty dishes into washers and ensuring the restaurant was sparkling clean.
They usually came at 9 pm just as the kitchen staff was winding up with the night’s work and prepping the next day’s meals.
They would set all the leftover foods in containers meant for shelters all over the city. But tonight, Henry would discover that not all the leftover food made it to the shelters as planned.
The Lady
Parts of the kitchen were already clean, with the bright lights switched off.
Henry watched from a dark corner as some of the night crew hurried out of the kitchen, leaving the ninety-year-old woman alone.
She looked around for a while, her eyes glossy with stemmed tears. With a sigh, she walked to a few dirty dishes that were yet to go into the washer.
Her First Plate
The first plate she grabbed was halfway filled with ketchup and curly fries. It also had fried mushrooms slathered in what looked like ranch.
The woman lifted the plate for a second before setting it aside. It was free of the leftovers when she did so, save for the tale tell smear of grease and sauces.
But Henry couldn’t tell where she’d poured the food.
Her Second Plate
His brows quivered, and he quietly walked to a different corner for a better view. The woman reached for another plate, this one heavy with a steak and asparagus.
She pulled a plastic bag from her apron and slipped the food in before looking over her shoulders.
Fury erupted inside Henry. How could someone be stealing from him right under his nose?
It’s His Passion Project
Although Henry inherited the restaurant from his late dad, he’d loved and worked on it as if it was his own.
He’d expanded the business from a mere diner into a well-known and beloved restaurant, quickly growing it into a must-visit location for many of his city’s tourists.
As such, he’d poured more than his blood and sweat into the business, building it as a brand and homely place for friends and families to make memories. He was livid when he saw the woman stash food meant for shelters.
A Third Plate
But instead of confronting her, Henry stayed within the shadows, watching as she reached for another plate.
It was loaded with leftover gravy and mashed potatoes, and she wasted no time emptying it into her bag.
Seemingly satisfied with what she had, she called a different cleaner, who asked her if she was done. She nodded, “Yes,” and the cleaner told her he’d finish up. What was happening?
Finishing Up
The woman walked to a different corner of the kitchen where a large purse was waiting.
She hurriedly stuffed the food-filled plastic bag inside and returned to help with the dishes.
A few minutes later, the restaurant manager, Hannah, walked in and told her and the other cleaner to hurry as she was about to close the restaurant.
Follow Her
The two nodded in unison and cleared the remaining plates. The elderly woman grabbed her purse and exited the kitchen.
As quietly as Henry had entered, he sneaked out after her.
He’d never been one to stalk people, especially in the dead of night, but he was keen to know this woman who was bold enough to steal from him.
Through The Rainy Night
Henry walked a few paces behind the woman, who, although advanced in years, didn’t need a walking aid to traverse the rainy street.
She held her umbrella sturdily as she walked, even impressing Henry.
She made her way through different corners to a part of town Henry rarely visited. He saw her disappear into a bus and knew he’d lost her for the night.
Go Home
Henry went back to the restaurant, hoping to talk to Hannah. But he found all the doors locked, the place quieter than a cemetery.
He could have called her but decided against it. It was already three in the morning, a clear indication that even he needed to be in bed.
He’d deal with this when the sun came up.
Who Is She?
Sunrise came up faster than Henry expected, and he drove to the restaurant to speak with Hannah.
He’d given her strict instructions on what to do with the restaurant’s leftover food and needed to know why a woman he’d never met was stuffing it into a bag at 2 am.
Henry usually made an effort to know all his workers, even the night shift crew. The fact that he knew nothing about this woman rubbed him in all the wrong ways.
Talking To Hannah
He parked his car outside the restaurant and hurried inside, finding Hannah making breakfast and lunch preparations.
“Hannah,” he called her over, motioning to the office where they were meant to discuss the night’s occurrence.
But just as Hannah was hurrying to him, the elderly woman walked into the restaurant, waving at Hannah before heading to the kitchen.
She’s Here
Her appearance made Henry hold off from asking Hannah any questions. It was clear that the woman knew Hannah.
Henry didn’t understand why she was here so early in the morning, especially after how late she left the previous night.
Henry pretended like he’d only come to say “Hi.” He lied that he’d leave the country that night for a few months, so he was here to say goodbye. Hannah’s response showed him something was happening behind his back.
Something’s Up
Hannah seemed too enthusiastic that Henry was leaving the country. She assured him the restaurant was in safe hands.
Under different circumstances, Henry would’ve believed her. She’d proven an asset in many ways, and Henry was glad to have her by his side.
But now, with everything happening, he couldn’t help but feel apprehensive.
Searching For Her
He walked through the kitchen, saying goodbye to the cooks, servers, and cleaners. His sight scanned the entire place, but he couldn’t find the elderly woman.
He didn’t want it to be evident that he was searching for someone, so he called off his search and quietly walked away.
He’d be back in the dead of night. He hoped he’d catch the woman in the act, unaware of what he was about to uncover.
A Thorough Search
Henry spent the day searching his worker database for the woman. But he couldn’t find her.
As far as he was concerned, either the woman didn’t work at the restaurant and was stealing food meant for shelters, or she was a recent hire waiting to be processed into the system.
Regardless of her case, what she did wasn’t good, and Henry needed to stop it. But he had no clue just how deep this rabbit hole went.
Hard Work And Integrity
For Henry, catching this woman was slowly becoming paramount. He even canceled the day’s plans and meetings just so he could scour his database.
He’d built his family’s restaurant on hard work and integrity and had thought each of his workers upheld the same virtues he did.
The fact that they were openly letting the woman take leftover food made him feel they didn’t care about the restaurant as much as he did.
There’s More To This Than Meets The Eye
But the more time Henry spent wondering about what had happened the previous night, the more he realized that something more was afoot here.
First, the other night shift cleaners knew what the woman was doing. One of them even asked her if she was done before they continued cleaning.
But that wasn’t the most disturbing part.
Hannah Knows Her
Hannah, Henry’s right-hand woman, and most trusted employee knew who the woman was. For the past few years, she’d been running new hires by Henry, ensuring he vetted them to see if they were a perfect fit for his team.
So why would she hire this woman without bringing it up with him? That morning, the woman had walked by nonchalantly like she’d done it a hundred times over.
That could only mean one thing!
Comfortable And Friendly
The woman had worked or at least frequented the restaurant several times for her to be as comfortable and friendly as she was that morning.
She’d even greeted Hannah, of all people, and hurried into the kitchen as if she was part of the staff.
But none of this answered the integral question: Why was she stealing leftover food meant for shelters?
Did She Work With His Dad?
Henry spent the afternoon trying to break this case open. He even brought out some of his dad’s old restaurant files. Since the woman was advanced in years, perhaps she’d worked with his dad back when the restaurant was still in its infancy.
This thought seemed to hold water, given how old the woman was and how much respect she seemed to attract while walking through the dining and kitchen areas. But even this conclusion didn’t answer Henry’s integral question.
The real answer would leave him heartbroken and simultaneously fuming with anger.
The Same Age Group
Henry was quickly concluding that this mystery woman had worked with his dad. His dad was almost in his nineties when he passed, which meant the two were in the same age group.
If this was the case, then the woman had no business taking leftovers from the kitchen. She deserved way better than that.
Henry needed to talk to her and set the record straight.
Why Is She Still Working?
Henry made up his mind that the woman had worked with his dad. But in her advanced years, why was she still cleaning restaurant kitchens at night? Why was she waking up early in the morning to go to work?
Didn’t she have someone to take care of her? Perhaps she wasn’t part of Henry’s dad’s workforce when he first established the restaurant.
Maybe he’d read the situation wrong. With panic setting in, Henry found himself back in square one.
She Isn’t A Legacy Hire
The woman wasn’t a legacy hire. If so, Hannah would have told Henry. She had to be an imposter stealing food meant for the less fortunate in society.
This also meant that she was in cahoots with some workers, who were allowing her to take from the restaurant.
Slowly and gradually, this anthill of an issue was growing into a mountain. But Henry had no idea how big of a mountain it was.
The Waiting Game
He wondered what he’d do when he caught her. Would calling the police on a ninety-year-old be too much?
He took a deep breath as night covered the city, and a slight shower took the dark atmosphere. He only needed to wait a few hours before driving to the restaurant to bust the food thief.
What would he stumble upon this time?
He Knew What He Had To Do
Henry knew what he had to do. He couldn’t wait any longer. This whole situation was bothering him to no end. Lying in bed would do absolutely nothing.
Rain drizzled down outside, but that wasn’t going to stop him.
With each passing minute, Henry’s anticipation grew, mingling with a sense of apprehension about what he might discover.
Thinking Of A Plan
But before he could head out in the dead of night again, he needed to think of a plan. How exactly was he going to deal with this situation? He had so many questions that needed to be answered.
He felt a tinge of betrayal towards Hannah. She would usually go over any new employees with him.
He surely could not remember her mentioning an elderly lady to him.
Under Scrutiny
If it were the case, he would have dissuaded her from hiring someone so advanced in age.
First of all, he was sure it was unethical, and he didn’t want something like that on his hands. The business could come under scrutiny.
Even though the woman didn’t look sickly or frail, he just thought that someone her age shouldn’t be working, that is, if she was indeed working at his restaurant.
He Trusted Her
She should be enjoying her golden years to the fullest. He just couldn’t understand what possessed Hannah to do this. He trusted her with his business.
He was starting to think that he had given her too much authority.
Something like this could harm his reputation and ultimately sink the restaurant. No way was he going to let his father’s business go down because of something like this.
Getting To The Bottom Of The Mystery
He hurriedly jumped out of bed and got dressed. It was time to get to the bottom of this mystery.
He hoped that it would all be straightened out and sorted by opening hours in the morning.
He didn’t want this happening under his nose ever again. It was too serious to ignore. The rain fell down as Henry eagerly got in his car.
Back In Action
Henry was already on his way to the city when the clock hit 1 am. He parked his car away from the restaurant as he had the previous night and hurried in.
Sneaking into the kitchen, he was glad to find most of the lights off.
He stood in the same place he had the previous night, knowing history was about to repeat itself.
Be Strong
Like clockwork, the elderly woman entered the kitchen while others were working. She greeted them with a smile and held heartwarming conversations with them.
Henry was surprised to find her stories enthralling, and for a moment, he wished to step out of the shadows and talk to her.
But there was a lot at stake here. He needed to be strong.
The Moment of Truth
As the woman began to collect leftovers into her plastic bag once again, Henry felt his heart pounding against his chest.
This was the moment of truth. He couldn’t afford to hesitate any longer.
Summoning all his courage, he stepped out of the shadows, his footsteps echoing through the empty kitchen. He wanted to talk to her with every fiber of his being.
What About The Shelter?
The woman was hurriedly scraping together all of the leftovers that she could find. This got Henry thinking.
If she was taking everything for herself, where was the food for the shelters?
He had made a deal with a homeless shelter downtown that all of the restaurant’s leftover food would be going to them. But upon seeing this scene before him, he knew that that was no longer the case.
Seething
Henry was seething with anger. He felt like an outsider.
He felt like he didn’t even know what was going on in his own restaurant anymore, and that was unacceptable.
Henry wasn’t a cruel man, and he wouldn’t deny anyone the right to food, but it just felt like something sinister was happening right under his nose.
Did He Make A Mistake?
He had left the restaurant in the capable hands of Hannah.
What exactly was she doing behind his back? She seemed too eager when Henry said that he was going away.
He was very suspicious of her at this point. Had he made a horrible mistake by putting her in charge of his restaurant? He was starting to think so.
What Was She Going Through?
He kept on watching the elderly woman. Even though he was furious, some part of him felt sorry for the woman.
He had no idea what she was going through or what her circumstances were.
He didn’t know what it was like to struggle. However, he still wanted to know the story behind all of this, and who better to ask than Hannah? He was certain that this was her doing.
Hannah Olsen
Hannah walked into the kitchen, and the other cleaners excused themselves. “Well, hurry up,” Hannah told the woman flatly, her hands on her hips.
“Despicable,” she sneered. Her voice was heavy with disgust, and her face contorted.
The woman looked away from her, her eyes growing wet. But she wiped them and got to business.
She’s In On It
Henry watched everything unfold before his eyes. He’d had a hunch that Hannah was in on this.
This was his confirmation. The woman packed enough leftovers into her bag and quickly stuffed the plates into the washer.
Henry had never seen someone as sad before. The scene melted his anger away, replacing it with a burning curiosity. He needed to know who this woman was.
Where Is She Going?
He watched her finish up and turn off the lights as Hannah locked the restaurant’s front doors.
Henry sneaked out, following the woman through the street. But this time, he got on the bus when she did.
He kept her in sight, alighting after her on a dark road outside the city. She walked to a trailer park, humming quietly as crickets chirped around her and distant thunder bawled through the black sky.
Be Done With It
The woman entered one of the trailers, where after a few minutes, Henry heard the sound of kids talking. There was joy in their young voices as the sound of someone unwrapping plastic paper took the air.
After a second, the woman came out, walking to the back of the trailer, where she checked a gas pipe before hooking it.
But without turning around, she said, “If you’re gonna do something bad, be done with it. If not, join us for dinner, maybe shelter from this wretched rain.” Henry froze.
Sorry
The woman turned around with a smile, and hot guilt fired through Henry. He rubbed his nape, awkwardly taking a step back. “I’m sorry,” he said. He’d just realized the woman had no idea who he was.
He turned to leave, but she insisted he stay “for a cup of coffee at least.” Her voice and smile were soft and welcoming; her eyes windows to a soul that had seen all the world had to offer.
Henry stepped into the trailer.
Inside The Trailer
He watched the woman make him a cup of joe before she started dinner for four kids playing with toys in the trailer’s living room. None of them looked older than ten.
Henry was amazed when she emptied all the food she’d gotten at the restaurant into different containers, making a mini feast for the little ones, Henry, and herself.
But as she made the food, she also shared information about herself.
Three Pots
The woman brought out three pots and started cooking. One by one, the restaurant food fell into the hot containers, the aromas making Henry’s mouth run wet.
He watched the woman make a mini feast for the little kids, who had resolved to draw and play in the trailer’s living area.
But as the woman made the food, she also shared information about herself.
Kimberly Harker
The woman’s name was Kimberly Harker. She was ninety-one years old. The kids in her living room were her great-great-grand-children and the only surviving relatives she had left.
Their parents and grandparents passed away a year before in a freak accident, leaving them in the care of Kimberly.
Although almost a century old, she had taken them with both arms open. But that wasn’t the half of it.
Dumbfounded
Knowing she didn’t have much time left on earth, she’d sold her house and car and put the money in a college fund for all of them. Although too old to get any job, she landed the cleaning position at Henry’s restaurant.
Henry was dumbfounded to discover she’d been working double shifts for him for six months. As part of her wage, Hannah allowed her to take leftovers home.
Henry couldn’t even speak. He would make Hannah regret the day she decided to go behind his back like this.
He Wouldn’t Have Let It Happen If He Knew
Henry couldn’t even speak. There was no way he would have allowed this to happen if he knew. How could Hannah hire someone this old, giving her tasks meant for younger people?
Did she mean to harm her? Henry thought about his own grandma, grimacing at the thought of her working double shifts for food scraps.
He would make Hannah regret the day she decided to go behind his back like this.
Good Food
For now, Henry sat and listened to the woman talk. He sipped his coffee slowly, watching as the woman worked wonders in the kitchen. When she offered him food, he knew he couldn’t say no.
Everything was so delectable that he knew what he would do as soon as morning came.
Leaving the woman’s house, he gave her his personal contact, telling her he would be in touch shortly.
Calling Hannah
By morning, Henry had already called a staff meeting at the restaurant. But before the meeting, he called Hannah to the side, telling her to bring all the payment records for the past six months.
It was then that Henry discovered Hannah’s true colors. She’d listed Kimberly as an employee and had allocated a full wage for her.
But was paying her in leftover food while pocketing the money. Henry nearly lost his mind.
Innocent Or Guilty
Hannah tried to prove her innocence, but the truth was finally out. Henry discovered that she had several other scams in the restaurant, which ensured she stole from him.
But none of what he found surpassed his anger at what she’d done to Kimberly. He’d seen firsthand how cruel she was to the woman.
He would make amends on her behalf.
The Best Way Forward
The first thing Henry did was find a home for Kimberly and the children under her care. He had a few apartments in town and offered them one that wasn’t too far away from the restaurant.
As for Kimberly’s work, he couldn’t have her cleaning dishes and taking food in the deep of the night anymore. But he’d tasted her cooking and knew he could use her cooking services.
Perhaps he could create a Saturday-only special where she’d be the head chef, blessing the restaurant with the decades of experience under her sleeve.
Rebuilding Trust
With Kimberly and the children settled into their new home, Henry turned his attention back to the restaurant.
He had to rebuild trust with his staff and ensure that such exploitation would never happen again.
In the staff meeting, he addressed the issues head-on, laying out his disappointment in Hannah’s actions and emphasizing the importance of honesty and integrity in their work.
A Necessary Decision
He implemented new protocols for hiring and payment, ensuring transparency and fairness for all employees.
As for Hannah, Henry made the difficult decision to let her go. Despite their history together, he couldn’t overlook her betrayal and unethical behavior.
It was a tough lesson for him, but one he knew was necessary for the health and future of his restaurant.
New Traditions
With the dust settled and changes implemented, Henry focused on moving forward.
He reached out to Kimberly and offered her the opportunity to become the restaurant’s Saturday chef, providing her with a stable income and a chance to showcase her culinary talents.
The Saturday special featuring Kimberly’s recipes became a beloved tradition at the restaurant, drawing in crowds eager to taste her home-cooked dishes.
A Bright Future
With Kimberly at the helm of the kitchen on Saturdays, the restaurant flourished in a way Henry hadn’t imagined.
Her warmth and skill brought in a new wave of customers eager to experience her flavorful creations.
As the days passed, Henry watched with pride as his restaurant regained its reputation for excellence and integrity. The dark chapter of exploitation and betrayal was behind them, replaced by a new era of trust and collaboration.
A Lasting Bond
In Kimberly, Henry found not only a talented chef but also a dear friend. They shared stories over steaming pots of soup and sizzling pans of comfort food, forging a bond that transcended age and circumstance.
Together, they proved that even in the face of adversity, kindness, honesty, and a shared love for good food could build bridges and create a brighter future for all.
As the years went by, the memory of that fateful night faded into the background, replaced by the warmth and laughter that filled the restaurant’s walls.