I spent Sunday walking and window shoping. Viktor was always on my mind, as I looked in the shops, I wondered what he liked and disliked. My emotions were running wild, one moment I felt so happy and in love with Viktor, the next I was afraid he would turn out to be just like the rest of the men I had known. My life was being changed too fast, and I was afraid it would come crashing down around me like a paperhouse in a storm

When I got home that evening, I called Lisa, my part-time waitress, and asked if she would be willing to work every Saturday and Sunday. She said: "Sure Miss Christensen, that will really help pay the bills. I'll take all of the hours I can get! If you don't mind my asking, what is going on at the cafe?" I laughed and said: "First Lisa, my friends call me Glory, not Miss Christensen. And second, I want to be able to take weekends off. You might as well know now, because the girls will be telling you anyway. I've met a man, and I plan on spending as much time as I can with him. So I will be giving you all of the time I can afford to give up. By the way, he's offering to take us out this Friday night, you are welcome to join us if you like. I will see you next Saturday Lisa," and hung up.

Monday morning I went to the cafe and opened up, Karen was there and we had the usual breakfast crowd. Viktor didn't show up for lunch, and I was beginning to wonder if he had only been looking for a one night affair after all. But just before five that afternoon the phone rang, and Karen said: "It's for you Glory, I think it's your man!" When I answered, I heard Viktor say: "Hi Baby, sorry I missed lunch. If you will hang around, I would like to come on down and talk to you." I said: "Okay Honey, I can wait for you, there is no place I have to go tonight." Viktor thought for a moment and then said: "I'll see you shortly. And Glo, if any of the girls are there, ask them to stay too will you?"I said: "Sure Love, I have to go now, I have customers waiting. I'll see you soon, and I love you Viktor," and hung up.

As I walked past Karen I sad: "You were right, that was Viktor. He wants you and the rest of the girls to stay after work and talk with us. He should be here shortly. Will you call the others and ask them to come in?" She replied: "Okay Glory, but I can't stay very long."

Just as Viktor had said, he walked in a few minutes after five. Ellen was already there and Karen had called Lisa and Marie. Marie had agreed to pick up Susan on her way to the cafe. So before long, all of the girls were sitting at our table. Then Viktor said: "Well Ladies, I suppose you are wondering why I asked you to come here tonight. As you know, I fell deeply in love with your boss Glory, the moment I saw her last Friday. You Gals play a very important part in Glory's life. I want to thank each of you for taking such good care of her.

I have been thinking about you since I dropped Glo off last Saturday. It seems to me that the six of you are just like Sorority sisters. so I had my jeweler make these up for you. It's not much, but I thought it might be nice, if each of you had something like a sorority pin to wear when you go out together."

Viktor then handed each of us a little box. When we opened them, there was a small heart shaped garnet pin inside and a second pin that said: "Cafe Love" in gold letters attached to it by a little gold chain. I said: "Love, these are beautiful!" Karen stood up and said: "Thank-you Mr. Anderson, it is a beautiful pin. I would love to stay and talk, but I have to go. My husband will be home soon, and I always try to be there to meet him." Viktor smiled and said: "I understand Karen, it is good to see that you love him so much. Invite your husband to come with us this Friday evening." She answered: "Thank-you, Mr. Anderson, I will," then turned and left.

I said: "Well Love, I know that you have met Karen and Ellen. This is Susan, Marie and Lisa; the rest of the 'Cafe Love Girls'. Is this why you asked all of us to come down here tonight Viktor? Or do you have something more up your sleeve?"

He just sat there and didn't say a word. Then he looked around the table at each of the girls and stopped with me. Viktor said: "Glo, I like your little cafe, it keeps you busy and it seems to make a fair income for you. But I know you are capable of a lot more than this!" He waited a moment for what he was saying to sink in and then continued: "I love you Glory Christensen, and I want to see you become all that you can be. If someone were to give you an open bank account so that you could open a restaurant or whatever you wanted, what would you do?"

The girls all looked at him in shock, and I didn't know what to do or say either. I thought about what Viktor was saying, I knew he had the money to do what he was saying, but I wasn't sure I wanted to accept money from anyone, especially Viktor! I was never going to get anywhere with one small cafe, but I couldn't afford to go deep in debt either. Everyone was looking at me, waiting to see what I would say. "I cannot accept money from anyone Viktor, I make enough money here to keep us in business, but there is nothing left over. I cannot allow myself to be put in a spot where we could loose everything!"

Viktor said: "That's my Baby, I thought you were a good businesswoman, and now you have proven me right! I also notice that you say 'us' and 'we' a lot when you are talking about the cafe. It is good to find an employer who truly cares about her employees."

"I don't think you are the kind of woman who would accept it if I were to try and give you the money. So wth all of your girls here, except Karen, I want to make you an offer, talk about it among yourselves and let me know on Friday: I will buy a restaurant, you an your girls run it for me. If you can make enough to pay me back out of your profits, it is yours! If not, you can still manage it for me. Or if you want out, I will find a new manager. Now if you girls don't mind, I would like to talk to Glo for a while before I have to leave."

After they were gone, I asked: "Where are you going Honey?" He said: "I have to make an overnight run to New York and pick up a diamond for a customer, I don't trust having it shipped. I will be back by tomorrow evening. Here is a card with my phone numbers on it if you need me, call the plane and Sam or Mark will get word to me." I reached over and placed my hand on his as I said: "Thank-you Honey, you know, I forgot to give you my phone number last weekend." I grabbed a napkin and wrote my number on it. As I handed it to him I said: "It's unlisted Honey, but any of the girls will give it to you if you should loose it."

Viktor laughed and said: "Baby, this is one number I will never loose! Will you let me get you a cell phone? I will put it in my name so it won't cost you anything!" I said: "Love, I really don't need a cell phone, it's just another thing I will have to carry around with me all of the time. But if you insist, it probably won't cost too much if I don't use it." Viktor shook his head and said: "Glo, will you quit worrying about money all of the time? You have all of the money you need now. I wish you would understand that you have first place in my life now. I will do everything I can to make your life better. If there is anything I can do for you or the girls, just tell me. I've got to leave now Baby, Mark and Sam are waiting for me at the airport. I will see you in one or two days." Then we got up, he gave me a kiss, and walked out of the cafe.

I walked over and joined the rest of the girls at the table they were sitting at and said: "Well what do you think of Viktor now?" Ellen was the first to speak up: "Well 'Baby', it looks like you've found a bank on two legs. You might have found a man worth having, but I think you had better be very cautious with him. He's too willing to give you anything and everything you want. Do what you want Glory, just be careful, I would hate to see you get your hopes up, only to have him break your heart. As for the restaurant, as long as he buys it, there is no reason we cannot run it!"

Then Susan said: "Glory, if this is for real, you've just had every woman's dream handed to you on a golden platter. Do whatever you have too, to hold on to this one. As for the restaurant, we can make it work but you will have to hire more help. There is not enough of us to run a restaurant and the cafe too. If it is a working restaurant, they will probably have enough waitresses and cooks already, but we will have to hire someone to take your place here."

Lisa said: "I know I am just part-time help, and not really part of your group, but I think you have found a man I would do anything to get my hands on Miss Christensen. You can count on me, if you need more help."

After everyone else had their say, Marie finally spoke up: "I think Viktor is a nice man Glory, and I think he really loves you. Couldn't you all see the way he lights up like a lighthouse as soon as he gets near Glory? If that man's not in love, I've never seen one that is! Do what you want about the restaurant Glory, as Viktor said, you are a good business woman and I trust your judgement. As long as we have the cafe, no one is going to loose her job. You are our leader Glory, it is all up to you!"

I said: "It seems you Gals are all in agreement then about the restaurant, so on Friday we'll tell Viktor to go ahead and buy one if he wants. Thank-you Marie, and you too Lisa, I believe you are right about Viktor's love. I know I am quickly falling in love with him too. And as for you Lisa, you are not just part-time help, you are one of us. And like I told you on the phone, my name is Glory, not Miss Christensen! Ellen, I don't believe Viktor is the kind of man who goes around breaking ladies hearts. If sex was all he wanted, he could have went out and bought himself a full time whore!"