by Kara Parker
Going about the business of running a restaurant allows her to operate on autopilot, reflecting on the past week, her mind whirling in ever tighter circles as she tries to cope with falling back in love, and being emotionally gut punched, all within just a few hours. Her family had owned The Green Goose, or the Goose as the locals call it, for more than thirty years. She had grown up working in the Goose until she left to start her own restaurant in Las Vegas. Tim and Melina Scholly, long-time childhood friends of hers, had bought the Goose and her parents’ house when her parents decided to retire to Florida. She had been thrilled that the Schollys had bought the place. She, Tim, Melina, and that asshole Joseph had worked in the Goose all through high school. But Tim had never left, working his way up from busboy, to assistance manager, and finally to owner.
But then a week ago she had received a call from Melina, telling her that Tim had been shot mid-morning as he was leaving the Goose. With two small children, three-year-old Michael and eleven-months-old Kimberly, Melina had been in a bind and had asked Rose to manage the Goose for a few weeks until she could make other arrangements.
Because Aguilar’s, the restaurant that bears her name in Vegas, is only open for dinner and serves a quarter of the meals in a day that the Goose does, she had turned Aguilar’s over to her assistant managers for a few weeks while she tries to help Melina cope with her loss.
What she hadn’t counted on was Joseph Warner. They had been lovers for several years until he announced his leaving to join the Nine Devils motorcycle club in Tucson. She had been heartbroken over his leaving, but after seven years she was past that. Or so she thought.
She was unaware that Joseph had relocated the Nine Devils back to Eagle Valley, a loose collection of houses outside of Carson City, Nevada. Joseph had always been a little different, fiercely independent and intolerant of authority. During the seven years since he had left her, he had taken that independence to a new level, living “off the grid” as he called it. No phone. No credit cards. No address. Tim and Melina had enabled him to live like this by allowing him to use the Goose as a mail and phone drop.
And that is where it all went horribly wrong. The moment he walked into Tim’s office, she felt the chemistry between them again, chemistry she thought long dead. And now look where she finds herself. After falling under his spell once more, and realizing that she had never really stopped loving him, she finds outs he is a fucking drug dealer. No wonder he is living under the radar. The fuck.
Rose shakes herself free of her thoughts as a family of five enters the Goose. She quickly seats them, passing out menus along with a box of crayons and a kids’ menu designed for coloring for the tyke.
The Goose has two rushes a day: one for breakfast and one for dinner. Since it is Friday night, the restaurant is at capacity… allowing her to forget her troubles for a time. As the dinner crunch begins to ease, Melina arrives with Kimberly in her arms and Michael in tow. The moment the staff notices her arrival she is mobbed by sympathetic well-wishers. Melina holds up well, obviously sad but able to keep her eyes dry.
“I feel so bad for her,” Tonya, one of the long-time waitresses, says quietly to Rose after speaking with Melina for a moment. “I can’t imagine how hard that must have been.”
“Were you here when Tim was killed?”
“No, thank God. Jack and I had already left so we could come back for dinner.”
"Something is going on". Rose says out loud, but inwardly, she's telling herself. I can’t figure out Melina’s reaction to Tim’s death. She’s sad, and upset, but it’s like she doesn’t even care if they catch the guy that did it.
Tonya nods. “Maybe she just can’t deal with it right now?”
“Maybe. But it seems like there is more to it than that.”
Tonya shrugs. “People cope in different ways. Maybe that is her way… ignoring it. Even if they catch the guy that did it, it won’t bring Tim back.” She pauses, watching Melina as she speaks with another of the wait staff. “How’s she holding up? Okay? I remember when the four of you guys were working here after school. Tim and Melina still had their whole life in front of him. I can’t even imagine what she must be going through.”
“She’s tough,” Rose says quietly. “Every day she does a little better.”
“I’m glad you’re here for her.”
“Yeah. Me too,” Rose says before turning to greet a young couple just entering.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“How are you doing?” Rose asks Melina as she slips into an extra chair. She had stepped over when she noticed they were finished eating and preparing to leave.
“Okay. That was hard when everyone came up to us after we first arrived. I thought I was ready for that, but I barely got through it without crying. Everyone is so nice and supportive,” Melina says, her eyes filling with tears.
“Melina, you have been part of the Goose forever. You’re like family.”
Melina smiles, sniffs, and wipes at her eyes. “I guess.”
Rose pats her gently on the hand before rising. “I told you. Each day it will get a little better. You’ve taken another step forward, I think, by venturing out among friends. It just takes time, Melina. But time really does heal all wounds.”
“I suppose you are right,” Melina says as she also rises and begins to unhook Kimberly from her highchair. “But that doesn’t make the wait any easier.”
“No. I suppose it doesn’t.”
***
The Goose closes at ten, but it is nearly midnight before Rose steps through Melina’s door. “I was beginning to wonder if you were coming home,” Melina says with a faint smile as she hands Rose a glass of wine.
“We got a large party in late.”
“Typical… but you’re here now. Feel like talking?”
“Not much to say,” Rose replies, settling into a chair, thankful to be off her feet.
“Tell me what happened.”
Rose sighs, not sure she wants to rehash it all. “Joseph stopped by and asked me out for dinner last night. I couldn’t go because that would have left the Goose shorthanded. But when I closed up, he was waiting. Scared the shit out of me because I didn’t see him sitting there. Anyway, he took me back to his place.”
“And?” Melina prompts when Rose doesn’t appear to want to continue.
“And we had dinner. Spaghetti. He said he made it while he waited for me to get off work.” Rose offers Melina a sad little grin. “The sauce was very good, and he gave me the recipe, but I forget it this morning. I was going to replace the sauce at the Goose with it. Damnit.”
“You could always ask him for it again. He would probably give it to you.”
“I’m not asking him for a fucking thing.”
“Okay. I’m just making a suggestion. I’ll ask him if you want. So what happened then?”
“Then? I don’t remember exactly. Somehow we got onto the subject of us, and what happened, and he told me that he loved me. That he had never stopped loving me. And that’s where I fucked up. He told me if I would tell him to go away he would, and never bother me again. I started to… but realized that I didn’t want him to go away. I wanted it to go back to the way it was between us.”
“And you two went to bed.”
“Yeah.”
“How was it?”
“Nosy!” Rose teases. “It was fantastic. It was like we had never been apart. We went twice that night, again this morning, then again, later in the shower.”
“So when did he tell you about what he does?”
“You know, you don’t seem all that surprised that he deals drugs,” Rose says in sudden realization. “Did you know?”
“Yes,” Melina says quietly, looking at the floor. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“Why not?” Rose cries in frustration.
“I didn’t think of it. Partly because of Tim and everything going on, but another part is… well… it’s just what he does to live. It doesn’t change who he is.”
“I can’t believe you just said that! I can’t believe that you have anything to do with him since you have two small kids.”
“Look,” Melina says, her voice firm. “I know you are hurt right now, but Joseph is the same person he has always been. I would trust my life around him. I would trust him with my children before almost anyone else.”
Rose stares at her as if she has grown another head. “Melina! He’s a drug dealer!”
“So? Would you be upset if he was a beer distributor? Or a restaurant supplies distributor? It doesn’t change who he is. Quite frankly, if more drug dealers were like him there wouldn’t be nearly so many drug related killings and so much violence.”
Rose can’t get her head around Melina. “I can’t believe you are defending him! What is wrong with you?”
“Nothing is wrong with me. The better question is what’s wrong with you? Think about it. What changed between last night, and this morning?”
“I found how he is a fucking drug dealer, that’s what!”
“But did Joseph change in anyway? How is he different now than he was?”
“That’s not the point!” Rose objects.
“That’s exactly the point! Nothing changed except your perception of him. He is still the same man he was the night before.”
Rose tosses back the remainder of the wine in her glass before standing. “I’m done talking about this.”
“As you wish. But before you leave you need to think about this. What is more important to you? The man, or what he does?”
“I’m not going to be involved with a drug dealer, Melina!”
“Then I guess you have made your decision.”
“Yes I have.”
Melina nods slowly. “Okay. I just hope it isn’t one you later regret.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t.”
“Okay,” Melina murmurs, then pauses. “I just know how much I want Tim back. I would give anything just to have one more night in his arms. To kiss him just once more,” Melina says as a single tear runs down her cheek before she wipes at in angrily.
“That’s different,” Rose says softly.
“You’re right. It is. Joseph is still here.” Melina looks at Rose a moment, then picks up the two glasses and carries them into the kitchen without another word.
Rose watches Melina go into the kitchen and set the glasses in the sink before she places both hands on the cabinet, her head falling down as her shoulders begin to shake as she sobs quietly. She feels like a heel, dumping on Melina like she has. She strides into the kitchen and pulls Melina away from the sink and turns her into her arms, holding her tight. “Melina… I’m so sorry,” she murmurs while holding her tight, her own tears falling as her heart breaks for Melina’s loss… and perhaps her own.
CHAPTER TWENTY
For the next three days, Rose throws herself into her work. When she isn’t working the restaurant, she is working the phone, trying to find a buyer for the Goose. She has a couple of people that express an interest, but she gets the feeling from their conversation that if an offer is forthcoming, it will be a lowball bid.
Roger and Arnie express an interest in buying, but they are honest enough with her to admit they would have a difficult time raising the necessary capital together, much less alone. She talks with Melina about it, presenting her with the idea. Melina is willing to finance the sale herself if that is required, but Rose convinces her to wait, to see if another buyer turns up before she takes on that much risk.
Tuesday evening, just as they are preparing to lock the doors and clean up, Joseph walks in. “Hey, Joseph! Where you been?” Tonya calls as he enters. Rose looks up from where she is counting out one of the two registers to see him standing there.
“We’ve been around.”
“Yeah… but you haven’t been here. I’m beginning to think you’ve found someplace you like better,” Tonya teases. “You’re not two-timing us, are you?”
“No. It’s not that. I’m just not sure, uh, that we’re welcome here anymore. I don’t want to cause problems.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
Joseph doesn’t answer, but Tonya sees his eyes flick briefly to Rose before coming back to her. “It’s nothing. I’m sure we’ll be back sooner or later.”
Rose can feel Tonya’s gaze fall upon her, but she focuses on counting the drawer, both to avoid her stare and to avoid making a mistake. “It’s close enough to ten. Let’s lock it up,” she orders.
“Make it sooner, okay? The place isn’t the same without the Nines in here occasionally,” Tonya says softly, looking away from Rose.
“We will. Give my best to Gail and Jack, okay?”
“I will,” Tonya replies, moving away to the door to lock it as the rest of the staff begins setting chairs up on tables.
“What do you want, Joseph?” Rose says, pulling the drawer to put it in the safe.
“I came to collect the post office key and to let you know that I have arranged for someone else to take the phone line. It will still be a day or two before the switch is complete.”
“Good. Follow me and I will get your key.”
Joseph follows Rose into her office. She locks a lid on the register drawer before sliding it into the safe, depositing the excess cash and checks into a bank bag for deposit tomorrow and placing that in the safe as well. She then opens the desk drawer to retrieve his key, only to realize they are hanging in the door. “Shit. Wait here a minute,” she says, slamming the desk drawer shut.
It was a slow night and by the time she returns to the public area the restaurant is almost ready to go lights out with only Tonya and Jack left. “You want me to count out the drawer?” Tonya offers.
“No. That’s alright. As soon as Jack is done, you two go on. I will finish up.”
“Then come on, babe,” Jack says, stepping up behind her. “We’re ready to go.”
“Thanks you two,” Rose says as Tonya reaches under the cabinet for her purse.
“The grease trap is going to have to be emptied pretty soon,” Jack says as puts his arm around his wife’s waist.
“I’ll call tomorrow,” Rose promises as she follows them to the door, locking it behind them and removing the keys.
Before returning to her office, Rose stops by the remaining register and pulls the drawer, carrying it with her to her office, flipping out lights as she does. She sets the drawer on the desk to count after Joseph leaves, then works the post office key off the ring. She hands it to him without comment.
“I’m sorry, Rose,” he says, standing, taking the key, and dropping it in his pocket.
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s something to me.”
“You should have thought of that before getting involved with drugs.”
“Perhaps. But that doesn’t change how I feel about you. I’m sorry it changes how you feel about me.”
“Well, it does. You’re not the person I thought you were.”
“How? How have I changed?” he asks, returning to his chair.
Rose rolls her eyes. “The Joseph I knew wouldn’t be involved in drugs.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. The Joseph you knew is involved in drugs. I haven’t changed, Rose.”
“Were you running drugs when we were dating?”
“No. But I could have been. My views haven’t changed.”
“That just means my mistake is seven years old, then.”
Joseph can feel himself mentally wince. “Okay. I’m sorry we got involved again. I was hoping that we maybe had a second chance, but I see I was wrong. I won’t bother you again.”
“Joseph! Wait!” she calls as he rises and begins to walk out. “Tell me why. I have to know.”
“We’ve been over this. Does it matter now?”
“It matters to me. Before it was all abstract. But this is concrete. You don’t have to sell drugs to live off the grid. So why are you doing it? Is it just to shaft ‘the man’ or what?”
“Nothing like that,” he says, turning to face her once more. “It is just a means to an end. This is cash rich business. There is no paper trail for where my income comes from. No income reported to the IRS. I would be just as happy working here, in the Goose, but Tim would have to report my income or he could go to jail. The system is designed that way. The only way to avoid that is to go underground.”