Marcus came in, lowered his voice. There's something going around among the staff. What kind of something? The kind that involves you and Ms. Hayes.
Daniel's hands stopped for exactly one second, then kept moving. Specifically, Marcus said carefully, "Someone saw her car on your street three weeks ago, and then apparently someone else saw you two leaving this building together on Thursday." And now there's a version of the story going around that is creative. How creative involves the phrase favoritism and a couple of other words I'd rather not repeat in a professional setting. Daniel set the knife down.
He turned to face Marcus fully. Who started it? Marcus hesitated. Marcus. Kevin Draper.
Daniel was quiet. Kevin Draper was a line cook who had been with Aara's Kitchen for 18 months and had applied for the kitchen supervisor position before Daniel was promoted into it. He was skilled enough, fast enough, and had never once in 18 months said a single unkind thing directly to Daniel's face. He had also never hidden the fact that he believed the promotion should have been his. What exactly is he saying?
Daniel said that Miss Hayes promoted you over him. Because you two have a personal situation and that whatever improvements you've made in this kitchen aren't merit-based. They're relationship based. Marcus paused. He hasn't said it to your face.
He's saying it to everyone else. Daniel nodded slowly. He picked the knife back up. Okay, he said. Okay.
Marcus looked at him. That's it. What do you want me to say? Marcus, I want you to tell me if there's something I need to know so I can manage this properly. Daniel kept chopping.
I had dinner with Miss Hayes on Saturday once. She drove me home 3 weeks ago because it was raining. That's the entirety of it. Which was true and also not the entirety of anything. But it was what he was willing to say in a professional kitchen at 10:00 in the morning.
And Marcus, who was a smart man, understood the difference. Is it going to become something I need to manage? Marcus said. Daniel looked at him. I don't know, he said, and it was the most honest answer he'd given anyone all week, Marcus sighed.
I'll talk to Draper. Don't, Daniel. Don't make it a thing. If you address it directly, it confirms that there's something worth addressing. He paused.
Let me handle it. Marcus looked at him for a long moment. How? The way I handle everything, Daniel said. By doing my job so well that there's nothing else to talk about.