When the Stars Go Blue

Sigourney Barnes had always wanted to be a chef and decides to move herself from small town Maine to the Big Apple after receiving a job offer from Darryl Foxworthy owner of Saturn an upscale Manhattan restaurant with a rumoured 4 month waiting list. But unfortunately New York isn’t all the glitz and glamour that she had hoped and she’s stuck with her hands behind her back making meals she could never eat, for celebrity clients she doensn't like and she begins to see that there may not even be a diamond in this rough

Chapter One: ready, steady go

Sigourney starred at the practically bare apartment, the only thing that was there was a hastily packed hockey bag. Since she had a habit of always doing things at the last minute. The apartment was so small, and it felt way too constraining compared to the freedom she usually had in her family’s small house which sat on oven an acre of land. She pulled out a purple phone from her bag. It had stickers all over it and looked like it belonged to a five year old. She plugged it in and sprawled on the floor. Dialing the numbers that she knew off by heart.

“Talk if you wish.” The familiar voice spoke over the phone. She sighed letting his voice sink in, she could almost smell her mother’s apple pie from across the line.

“I miss you already.” Sigourney spoke over the phone closing her eyes.

“Told you.” He responded, she almost laughed but it would have been far too sad.

“I want you.” She whinned holding the receiver close.

“I want you too babe but you’re just gonna have to wait it out for a while, I'm sure there are lots of other guys for you to bang.” He joked.

“But it just wont be the same,” she responded in a false sentimental voice.

“Sure it is, just moan for me.”

“Ew Davis,” he laughed again.

“When do you start?” he asked she looked down at her watch.

“Twelve hours” she told him, once again starring at the barren apartment.

“Well then you better get your beauty sleep sweetheart, you wanna look nice an’ pretty for the rich boys tomorrow.”

“No,” she lied “I don’t care what they think of me.”

“Sure you do, now get to bed and call me after your shift I wanna hear all of the juicy New York gossip.” Sigourney grunted.

“And good night to you to babe.” He told her and hung up the phone, she starred at the receiver before putting it down. She then silently moved towards the hockey bag and fished around a bit before finding the green blow up mattress her mother had given her as a parting gift, it had belonged to one of her older brothers who had taken it to hell and back on some of his many boy scouts outing trips. She then pulled out a pump and proceded to pump up the bed until it was at a comfortable height. But by that time she was half asleep and simply fell asleep on the blowup bed dressed in her jeans and t-shirt with a blanket draped lazily over her self.

---

“Shit,” she mumbled moving through the busy Manhattan streets filled with business men and women bustling about while carrying on conversations with people half way around the world on their cell phones. She had woken up late, and on top of that it hadn’t exactly been easy to get the water to change from a putrid brown to a foggy some what normal colour, and then their was her exciting subway trip that seemed to go on forever.

She continued to run until she finally saw it, and stopped in awe. It was Saturn, one of New York’s hottest restaurant. And it would be her new home if she made it in without angering the boss.

“She’s late.” Ryan Antonio Foxworthy spoke looking down at his watch tapping an impatient foot on the ground, his hands resting on his almost non existent hips.

“Ah give her a minute she’s new.” Yannic Lourdes, his second in command spoke sympathetically.

“I don’t care if she’s the freaking queen of England she’s late.” Fox, as he was known around Manhattan spoke. Everyone knew he was a hard ass and he ran a tight ship, well at least all of his workers knew that, although the same couldn’t be said for his party girl girlfriend, although that was another story for another day. Yannic just wish this girl knew that.

She burst through the doors gasping for breath, he face flushed and her eyes wide as she starred at the two men. One of them was standing behind the bar. The other one, caught her eye. He was tall, lean, he had the face of a model, a chiselled jaw line and features that any girl no matter who she was would find attractive. He had some what of an old world Holly Wood looks about him, like James Dean and Robert Redford. And he was dressed in a plain black silk dress shirt and black pants that somehow seemed sexy and refined on him.

“You’re late.” He told her, and she barely processed it, she was far to busy starring at his somewhat sexy-pouty lips. She hated that this random man made her feel like a thirteen year old again.

“Yeah I’m sorry about that.” She said blinking and shaking her head a bit, she turned to the other guy who was standing behind the bar, he seemed to be rather amused by something. She smiled at him and spoke.

“Hi I'm-“ she began walking towards the bar her hand outstretched.

“Sigourney Barnes, Yes we already know that.” The hot one spoke the other laughed and shook her hand.

“Actually most people call me Barnzey.” She told him politely.

“Oh that’s great would you like me to put it on your name tag Barnzey?” he asked sarcastically.

“I’m Yannic Lourdes, and this is Fox.” He told her she smiled again and turned to Fox.

“Well I don’t see why not, sure slap in on the name tag.” Fox squinted his eyes at her angrily and she could tell she was treading on his nerves. He turned on his heel to go.

“Show her around Yannic.” He instructed, his cold footsteps could be heard leaving.

“Jesus whats his problem?” She asked Yannic shrugged,

“He’s always like that, you’ll get used to it, anyways let me show you the kitchen and you can meet everyone else.”

They were all really nice and they all seemed to be a great big family. There was Constance the pastry chef with her sou-chef Nicole. And then Mark, Isaiah, Jerome, Fancy, Jesse and the waiters would be in later. Constance had Studied at the Cullinary institute along with Mark and Isaiah. Jerome, Jesse and Yannic had gone to Le Cordon Bleu in France. Fancy and Nicole were simply college grads with a whole lot of spunk who had been trained in part by the chefs at Saturn.

“So what can you do?” Nicole piped up and everyone turned to her, she knew that the question would inevitably come up. Afterall, she didn’t have a college degree and certainly had no expenience working with chefs who had degrees equivalent to doctorates. They were probably wondering why Mr. Foxworthy, the owner of the restaurant had hired her so quickly on the spot since they had had to go through many gruelling interviews to get this job.

“Well, I can cook.” She began. They laughed, but the truth is she didn’t really know what to say.

“ I make a mean clam chowder.” She continued and they laughed again heartily.

“All right quit the laughing, Jannis Thompson is coming in for a very important lunch meeting with some clients and I would like everything to be perfect. So get to work people, and you, Sigourney” he said oddly, she looked at him.

“Barnzey.” She corrected, he rolled his eyes.

“What ever kid, just follow Yannic around until you learn the ropes.” So she did, she followed behind him like a lame duck, while catching glances of the big name fashion editor who sat down with a group of eight at a large table.

He began with the poached salmon that they had ordered and she watched him, her eyes wide as she watched this artist at work. It was amazing how he moved so fluidly and continuiously as if it was a breeze and it was then that she realised that she had a lot to learn.

“Hey you.” Someone yelled from the front no one else even looked they were all too busy working on what ever it was each one was doing so naturally Sigourney went to the front.

“Me?” she asked bending down somewhat to see a girl with jet back hair, her bangs cut like Betty Paige, pale white skin and bright red lipstick on. The girl nodded, and Sigourney came out of the semi hidden kitchen to the front, for the first time realising that perhaps she should have worn something more professional than a pair of jeans and a black shirt.

“Listen I need some drinks.” The woman told her.

“Sure.” Sigourney spoke, that was one thing she could do well, she had been trained by her father to be a bartender since the age of 10, sure when she was small she didn’t drink but she was good at stacking and mixing. And even more amazing at showboating her skills. She whipped her hands on the apron around her waist.

“What can I get you guys?” she asked looking around for a bartender not wanting to infringe on his territory.

“Four apple martinis, One Shirley temple, two cosmos and…” she turned back to the table. “One Scotch on the rocks” Sigourney nodded.

“Coming right up” she drawled getting to work, although working slower than usual trying to figure out where everything was. It came to her so naturally that she barely even noticed that she was back to her old tricks, flipping and spinning the mixer, practically dancing as she moved. She threw it in the air in front of her and caught it behind her.

The whole table had turned around to see this interesting bartender who seemed to be in her own world.

“Wow” one of them spoke.

But it wasn’t only the guest who were watching her it was also the chefs who had stepped out from behind the slim barrier that partially hid the kitchen to see this new chefs stuff.

“She’s good” Constance whispered to no one in particular. And by the end of it Sigourney put it down and the room erupted in clapping. She stopped wide eyed and starred at everyone who had been watching her. She smiled a bit and then looked of to the side where she saw Fox looking at her angrily. Uh oh, she thought to her self as he disappeared into the back and so did the rest of the chefs.

The girl came up and got all of the drinks bringing it back to the table, but Jannis kept her eye on her watching as the girl sulked her way back into the kitchen.

“That was amazing,” Yannic spoke resting for a bit as a waiter came and got the food he had finished. Sigourney smilled sheepishly.

“You think?” she asked he nodded,

“Yes definitely, I can’t wait to see what you can do in the kitchen.” She nodded, me neither, she thought.

“Yeah when will he let me cook?” Yannic shrugged

“When he trusts you, but don’t hold your breath it will be at least a few weeks.” She nodded.

“I better brush up on my culinary skills then” Yannic nodded.

“For sure, hey I could come and help you some time.” He spoke kindly, and she looked at him oddly, was he trying to get in her pants? Already. Well sure he was a nice guy but geese she wasn’t quite ready to jump anyone’s bones just yet, and if she was the only guy she would really only think of was F-

“Sigourney!” his booming voice rattled through the kitchen as he walked towards she and Yannic, who had disappeared back to work; clearly he knew what was good for him.

“In my office, now.” He commanded, and she followed behind him not quite knowing what was in store for her next.

a/n: my most ambitious piece yet to date. Anyways umm I hope you like, ignore the spelling errors but any suggestions please do tell, I don’t quite know what I'm going to name this one but… hmm oh well please review, I will write the next chap by the end of next week hopefully, after my exams thanks

and shimeee!