Chef Acel spoke again, followed by a hearty chuckle as he elbowed the waiter amusingly. The waiter didn’t seem to enjoy whatever Acel had said, but he translated it anyway, “If you do not enjoy it, we’ll take your waiter out and stone him in the alley.” That one made me laugh too.
Then Chef Acel motioned for me to stand up and come with him. I looked nervously at John who smiled and said, “Well don’t just sit there; get going!”
My mouth went dry and my throat felt like it was coated with sand as I rose from my seat. Acel reached around, placed his big hand on the small of my back, and pushed me into the kitchen while saying something over his shoulder in French to Mom and John. I didn’t get to hear what the waiter translated because Acel and I had already slipped into the kitchen.