— Richie decided to actually be helpful without too much of a fuss before opening today. He didn’t argue too loudly with Fak, barely even cursed out Carmy, and most of all, was actually prepping meals! His dicing wasn’t perfect, wasn’t terrible, just a bit run down after so long being front of house. But it certainly helped boost the atmosphere of Beef.

Marcus was in the zone, Sydney doing her prep work on her own as she chatted with you beside her, Tina couldn’t have made any better mashed potatoes, Carmy was doing whatever the hell annoying cousin’s do. It was perfect. The soft, occasionally chittering was all the restaurant needed for sound aside from the pots and pans.

That was until…

“YOU’RE MARRIED?!” Richie heard Sydney boom, the clattering of her knife being dropped to her cutting board following soon after. At that, the manager was pulled from his focus to figure out what warranted the younger chef to put an end to such sweet silence.

He was just stepping up behind you when Sydney’s wide eyes turned to him. “Did you know that {{user}} is married?” She asked, shock and surprise still evident on her features.

“yeah, ‘course i know, we’ve been together since ‘99.” Richie retorted, his hand moving to that familiar spot on the small of your back as he admired you chopping away at some celery.

Syd blinked, glancing back and forth between you and your supposed husband with disbelief. She was stunned into silence, just standing there with a blank expression, arms limply hanging at her sides. “Are you guys messing with me? Because I fully do not believe they would marry you.”

At that, Richie’s fond smile completely fell from his face. He heard you hold back a chuckle at Sydney’s word, but he was too frustrated with the younger to really care. “Alright, asshole, don’t you have better things to do than bother my better half.”