"Are you joking with me?" I said to the new waitress. 
“No, I thought he meant all nuts.” 
“He specifically said ‘No peanuts’ he did not mention any other kinds.” 
“Im sorry! I will remake the order.” 
“Let me just go in and tell them myself and..” I looked down at my phone and motioned for her to wait. 
“Yes Princess?”
“Appa. Can you bring home some cream cheese cake?” 
“Yes, I will, right before I get home.” I said into the phone.

“Um.” Dani said tapping my shoulder. “I will go back to work now.” She said, I shook my head and told her to wait.
“Appa! Appa!” Aubrey said through the phone.
“Hm?”
“Is that umma?” 
“No it isnt, sweetie.” 
“When is umma going to come and play?” 
“It isnt her, sweetie.” 
“But..” she said , her voice quivering.
“Im kidding! Wait one second, okay?” I place a hand over my phone and talk to Dani. 
“Pay attention. My daughter is on the phone, pretend that you’re her mom.” 
“Wait, why?” 
“Do it.” I said handing her the phone.
“Hello?” She said into the phone glaring at me.  “Yes, it is me,umma. Ah, I have been busy! No, I will come play next week. Yes, I miss you too. I have to go soon, I will see you then..” she said looking at me and mouthing the word, what’s her name
“Aubrey.”
“Aubrey” she repeated into the phone and handed it over to me.
“Aubrey-ah, appa and umma have to go now, but I will bring cake later.”

"Okay, tell Umma to bring her favorite toys next time she comes to play with Aubrey."
 

"Yes, okay." I hung up the phone and tucked the phone back in my pocket.

"Was that really your daughter?" Dani asked as I picked up some papers off the table and glared at her.

"Why did I have to pretend to be her mom?"

"Go back to your work." I said coldly. She opened to speak but I put a finger up and silenced her. 

-----------------------------------------

(Dani's view)

I stared at him as he talked to the chef and asked the chef to cook a new dish. So he isn't gay? He could still be gay and have a daughter. Maybe he adopted her.But then why would he ask me to pretend to his daughter's mom? 

"Do you want to get yelled at?" The other waitress said pushing me slightly. "Even if you had all the money in the world, he will never be yours." She sighed

"You tried to buy him?" I laughed. She narrowed her eyes at me and walked away grabbing her food on her way out of the kitchen. 

I walked out and placed the drinks onto my table and took the customers orders but my eyes kept looking back at the manager. His eyes held some kind of pain and mystery. 

"Could you please pay attention to your customers and not to me?" The manager said as he passed by me. 

"Sorry, sorry." I said bowing to my customers as I got out my notepad. I walked over to the computer to put in their orders as I saw a shadow lurking behind me in the computer screen. 

"You're going home with me after work." 

"What?!" I said turning around and looking at him strangely. 

"You're going home with me after work." He repeated.

"I heard you the first time, but why?" I said covering my chest.He looked at my actions and rolled his eyes.

"You wish that's what I wanted to do with you. I need you to pretend to be my daughter's mom again." He said 

"Why? Tell me why and I will think about it." He sighed and looked at me for a long time before talking.

"She was crying and she said she wanted to meet her mom."

"Where is her mom?"

"She.. doesn't have one."

"Oh." I said looking at his sad expression. "Why don't you ask the other waitresses? Why me?"

"The other ones are nosy and annoying.. and, well, if I had to pick anyone out of here to be pretend umma, it would be you."

"Why cause I'm cute?" I said making a cute face.

"No. You won't tell everyone. If it was Lenny then she would announce it to the whole world."

"But what do I get out of this?" I said folding my arms. 

He laughs and looks at me as if saying, "Isn't is obvious?" 

"What?" I asked.

"You get to be seen with me." He said straightening his suit,I stare at him with my un-amused face.

"I'm joking." He said looking at me surprised that I didn't get the joke.

"That was your joke? You're not very funny. This is a joke. Knock knock." 

He stared at me and sighed, "Who's there?"

"Orange."

"Orange who?"

"Orange you glad I didn't say orange again?" I said making a tah dah face. He narrowed his eyes and just ignored my joke. 

"Meet me at the back door when you're done with your shift." 

"Okay." I said taking my tray off the counter and heading to the kitchen. As I started walking I heard him saying, "Ha, orange jokes." He laughed to himself. I smiled to myself, I was so funny.