Trey
"We may have to delay the opening a few days," my head chef, Alexander, states.
I scrub my hand over my face. "Are you fucking serious right now?" I groan loudly.

He shakes his head. "I know, don't worry, the electrician will be here by the end of the week to fix the circuit breaker."
Fuck me. The restaurant is supposed to open on Saturday night. I can only hope the electrician comes before then, or we'll have to wait until next weekend.
"Trey, all we can do is wait. Please go home, relax, do whatever to get your mind off of this. I will call you as soon as they arrive."
That's easier said than done. I can't relax knowing a circuit breaker just decided to start tripping last night.
I have too much to prove.
Too much to lose.

*Flashback
I wake up to a loud crash downstairs. Checking to make sure Jeremiah is still asleep, I quietly tiptoe across the hall to find Candy in bed trembling and crying. "Are you okay?" I ask in a hushed voice.
"No, Mama and Daddy are fighting again."
I hold her hand tightly and lead her to my room. With the sound of their arguing only getting louder, I lock the door.

Dad must be drunk again. They always argue when he gets drunk and it ends with him hurting Mama or pounding on the door to try to hurt me.
Somehow, Jeremiah is still sleeping through all of this. I gently scoop him from his crib and hold him in my lap while Candy hugs me tightly. "I'm scared, T," she whimpers.
"It'll be okay," I assure her, planting a kiss on her forehead.
I'm scared too, but I have to be strong for them. Mama said that's what good big brothers do.
There's a loud bang outside that make startles us all, even Jeremiah. He starts to cry, and realizing I don't have his binky, I shove my finger into his mouth. He suckles on it and immediately starts drifting back to sleep.
Then, comes a louder bang.
"William, leave them out of this! Please!" Mom screams hysterically.
He begins to pound on the door like a stampede of wild horses. "Come on out, Trey, I know you're in there!" he shouts angrily.
Candy begins to sob, but I quickly hush her. "Stay silent," I whisper, making sure only she can hear.
She nods, curling up and burying her face in my pillow to muffle her tears.
"Leave him alone! It's not his fault!" Mama continues to plead, but a harsh slap cuts her off.
"Why should I? You had me believing for six years that Trey was my son after you cheated on me. How do you think it makes me feel having to see his face everyday?" he keeps yelling, determined to break down the door.
Blood pounds loudly in my ears. A mixture of feelings arise inside me: anger, betrayal, hurt. Is that why he always finds a reason to spank me even when I haven't done anything bad? There has been times when Candy admitted to something and he still hit me for it. Is that why he doesn't love me anymore?
"Please, go back downstairs. We can talk ‘bout this!" I hear Mama whisper.
Once I hear their voice carry back downstairs, I hand Jeremiah to Candy and say, "When I go, don't open the door for anyone, okay?"
"You can't go out there, T. He'll kill you."
"Better me than you or Jerry."
Mom said never to call the police no matter how badly Dad hurt her, but this time feels different. I'm scared he might actually try to kill her.
I lock the door from the inside and silently close it, leaving my siblings safe and protected. Then, I creep into Mom's room and find the house phone on her nightstand.
I dial 911 and tell the woman our address. She says help is on the way and that I'm such a brave young man.
Running downstairs, I find Dad hurting Mama while she lays on the floor. She screams and cries for him to stop, but he doesn't.
"Leave her alone!" I jump on his back, but he knocks me away. I wince as the back of my head slams into the wall and I feel something warm in my hair.
Suddenly, I hear police sirens blaring in the distance.
Fear fills Mom's eyes as she looks over at me. "T, what did ya do?" she asks, her voice trembling.
I know she'll be angry with me, but I don't want him to hurt us anymore. I want Mama to be happy again.
Tears well in my eyes. "I'm sorry Mama, I was scared he would kill you."
Dad storms towards me, lifting me up by my shirt collar. "You're never going to be anything, but the little piece of shit that you are, you hear me?" he roars in my face, his breath reeking strongly of alcohol. He then drops me to the floor and returns his anger to Mama.
"You raise the little bastard by yourself," he growls.
"Please don't leave me, William! I need ya, our children need ya!" Mama wails, grabbing hold of his arm, but he shakes it off.
"Fuck you and those kids."
He dips out the door right before the cops show up.
Flashback ends*
That was the last time we saw William. I never met my biological father and most likely never will. Mama said she was too drunk to remember who he is anyway.
Even though she'd never admit, Mama did resent me for calling the cops on William. He was abusive, but he did help pay the bills. Without him, she had to work twice as much and that left me to raise Candy and Jeremiah until I left for culinary school. Then, I hurried and got a job so I could still provide for them and send Mama a decent amount of money each month.
As I drive to my penthouse, desperate to distract myself from worrying about my dreams failing, I catch sight of a cozy little bar just around the corner from my restaurant.
A drink won't hurt right now. I'll just make sure I stick to just the one.
I step inside and my eyes immediately lock on the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen.