Nora's Promise

by Sedona Hutton

  She couldn’t let that happen. Ben had a father out there somewhere and she would make it her mission to find him. Of course, she would check him out first. If he was a druggie like her sister had been, she would send him on his way and come up with Plan B.

  Forty-five minutes later, she rose feeling remarkably lighter. Funny how a little Bailey’s and a change of perspective could paint her world bright. She paid her bill, then ambled outside just as a Moonshine Brews and Beverages delivery truck pulled up in front of the building.

  An attractive man hopped out, winked at her, and circled to the back of the truck. As he raised the rollup door, Nora headed toward her old, but reliable Honda.

  “Nora.” The voice sounded from behind the truck.

  At the familiar voice, she spun around, and directed her gaze toward the rear of the truck.

  The delivery man hoisted up a case of Smithworks Vodka and slid it onto the dolly. He turned and caught her gaze. He had on the same clothes as the man who had just winked at her, but he looked like he’d aged several decades in the time it had taken him to walk to the back of the truck.

  Were there two delivery men? Her gaze shifted to the front of the truck, but there was no one else in sight.

  “Nora.” This time it was clear that the voice had come from the older man.

  Curious, she stepped toward him. “Do I know you?”

  “It’s me,” he said in that gentle, nurturing voice she would have recognized anywhere.

  Nora gasped as she took a closer look. Pap. Her gaze moved up and down his body, taking in the familiar features of the one man she had truly and completely adored.

  But how could he be here? A cold shiver ran down her spine as she remembered the day he had slipped away. She’d been nine, the same age as Ben was now, and had been overcome with grief and anger at his death. She hadn’t understood why God had taken away the one bright light in her life.

  Had she conjured up her grandfather in a desperate longing for family or was it a delayed reaction from the accident? She shook her head, blinked her eyes shut, then opened them. When she looked at the older man again, he still sported her grandpa’s lush white hair, long on the top, shorter on the sides.

  He lifted his warm, honey-colored eyes to hers as his fingers traced over the pocket watch attached to his khaki’s. She gaped in astonishment at the unique pair-cased watch, ornately decorated with pierced gold trim. It had been passed down to men in the family for generations, ending with her Pap when they had buried him with it.

  “It’s me,” he said again. “Sometimes you have to believe in the unbelievable.”

  He looked like her Pap, he sounded like her Pap, and he had her Pap’s pocket watch. As blissful acceptance coursed through her, she threw her arms around his neck. “Oh Pap, I’ve missed you so much.”

  He gently scratched the top of her head with his knuckles just like he had done when she was a child. “I’ve missed you too, Cupcake,” he said, using his pet name for her.

  “What…how….” She gave him the once over. There was no doubt this was Pap, but how in the world was he here?

  “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ve been watching over you.” He lowered a little to look into her eyes. “I’m proud of who you’ve become.”

  She choked out a laugh. While she appreciated the words, it was comical considering her current situation.

  “You’ve already made Ben’s life better,” he said. “And your life, my dear, is just beginning.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek.

  His statement gave her a warm, fuzzy feeling. How she had missed her grandfather and his positive outlook. But what about Lynn, she wondered, hoping her sister was in the good place. “What about Lynn?”

  “She’s just fine.” Pap smiled. “She’s home.” He pointed an index finger toward the sky. “Where there’s no addiction, no strife.”

  Relief washed through Nora with the knowledge that her sister was well. But she still didn’t understand how her grandfather was here considering he had died over fifteen years ago. “How are you here? Are you back for good?” Was he really here or was this the alcohol talking? She’d only had one Irish Coffee. “Did I turn into a lightweight?” she asked on a shaky laugh.

  Her grandpa laughed along with her, a deep, soothing sound. “I’m really here, but I can only pop in now and then for a quick visit.” He patted both hands on his chest. “Don’t want to take advantage of Scott.”

  Nora scrunched her lips together. “Who’s Scott?”

  “The Moonshine delivery man whose body I’m borrowing,” her grandfather explained. “Bill Henson’s grandson. You remember Bill?”

  Nora nodded, even though it was all surreal. Still, an honest-to-God joy bubbled through her. Being with her grandfather made her feel as wispy as the clouds floating overhead and strong and powerful as the tallest mountains.

  Pap leaned against the stack of boxes. “I’ll come around to be of service for the next little while.”

  The next little while? A pang of unease slipped into Nora’s belly. Now that she had her grandfather again, she didn’t want him to leave. She brushed a hand up his arm. “I wish you could stay forever.”

  “You won’t need me for that long, Cupcake. Now….” He pulled a box of wine from the truck and added it to the dolly. As he straightened, a folded section of newspaper dropped to the ground. He picked it up and handed it to her. “Well, lookie here.”

  She unfolded the paper to reveal the classified section of the Serenity Herald. One of the ads was circled—Waitress needed @ On The Rocks Bar & Grill. Experience preferred. Apply in person.

  A waitress? Not exactly the career of her dreams. She had gone to college and she had a business degree. “But I’m an office manager.”

  “Not anymore.” His voice was matter-of-fact, but his amber eyes twinkled as he spoke. “Bigger and better opportunities are in store for you.”

  She gawked at him. “As a waitress?”

  “It’s an honorable profession,” he said quietly.

  She hadn’t meant it like that. She was the last person who would look down on anyone’s profession. In her youth, she had worked any job she could get. But then she’d gone to college and earned a two-year degree so she could build a career. Before she could express any of this, her grandfather touched a hand to her cheek.

  “Things happen for a reason,” Pap said, and then he faded away in a blur right before her very eyes. It happened in supersonic speed, before she could even blink. In the next nano-second, the younger man came back into focus, hazy at first, then he transmuted into a clear and solid form.

  Astonished, she pressed a hand to her chest. The younger man, presumably Scott, had on the same uniform her grandfather had worn, but he was taller, his hair darker, his arms muscular. She glanced down at the tabs on his khakis. As she had suspected, the pocket watch was gone.

  When she looked up, he gave her an arrogant grin. “Hello again.” He leaned against the dolly, now fully stacked with boxes. “Can I help you? Maybe I could interest you in a beverage.” His grin widened as he waved a hand over the merchandise. “How about later tonight?”

  She clutched the paper to her chest. “Uh…um….” Not a chance in hell, with reasons so voluminous, it was almost laughable. Her boyfriend had just broken up with her and fired her. She didn’t trust men, didn’t even like them at the moment—Ben and her grandfather excluded—which brought her to the last, but most important reason. There was no way she could date a man who had just been her grandfather. Still, she didn’t want to be rude. “I’m sorry, I’m dating someone,” she lied, then dashed through the parking lot to her car.

  Behind the driver’s seat, she rested her flabbergasted head on the steering wheel, giving her heart the chance to settle. She had strong intuition and she was open minded. Even so…had she really just seen and spoken with her grandfather? She traced a finger over the newspaper ad that she’d placed in the passenger seat, material pr
oof of his visit.

  Despite her screwed-up life, the weight on her shoulders had lessened. It had been like that when she’d been a child too. Her grandfather could make any grim situation better and growing up she’d had more than her fair share of grim.

  Lifting her head, she glanced at her phone. It was almost time to pick Ben up from school. She hoped he was okay. Making him feel safe, loved, and provided for was her number one priority now. With this in mind, she sent Ella a quick text suggesting pizza for dinner since it was Ben’s favorite. Drawing in a long breath, she headed toward Serenity Elementary, passing by forests and trails, and part of the 20,000-acre blue-green lake that drew thousands of tourists to their small town.

  She parked in the school’s pick-up lot, then put the newspaper ad and her purse in the back seat. A few minutes later, the bell rang and Ben rushed outside. He waved, got in the car, and pitched his backpack over his shoulder. “Garrett tossed his cookies all over the lunch lady today.” Ben pulled on his seatbelt. “It was epic.”

  She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

  “Aw, Aunt Nora,” he said, but his voice told her that he didn’t really mind.

  “How was your day?” she asked, pulling onto the road.

  “Okay.” He proceeded to fill her in on everything that had happened at school. Ben was a chatterbox, but today he wasn’t his usual enthusiastic self. Underneath the bravado, was a sadness that no nine-year-old should have to bear. It was understandable considering his mother had just passed, but it still weighed heavy on her heart.

  At home, Ben miraculously finished his homework with no protests. An hour later, Ella arrived with salad and pizza—a cheese pizza for Ella and Ben, who was a vegetarian, and a smaller vegan pizza for Nora. Over dinner, Ben seemed to be back to his usual self.

  That is, until she broached the subject of moving. “What would you think about moving to Knoxville?” she asked Ben.

  “No way!” Ben dropped his slice of pizza. “I hate Knoxville!”

  She drew in a breath of patience. “Have you ever been there?”

  The lines in Ben’s face tightened. “It’s stupid.”

  This wasn’t going well, so she changed her approach. “It would be as a last resort, but I need to find a job.”

  “I don’t wanna move.” Ben crossed his arms. “All my friends are here. Lucas is here.”

  A trickle of guilt swirled in Nora’s gut, but she had little choice. Job pickings were slim in Serenity. She glanced at Ella for support, but her friend looked almost as surprised as Ben. Ella gave a slight lift of her shoulder as if to say you’re on your own.

  Sighing, Nora turned back to Ben. “Sweetie, I haven’t found any job openings here in my field.”

  “But I got school and friends here.” Ben squeezed his arms into this chest. “I’m not moving.”

  Irritation inched up Nora’s esophagus, but as she studied Ben, she swallowed it down. His chest was puffed—which he had once confided was his lion’s posture of courage—but his bottom lip was trembling.

  “Please don’t make us move, Aunt Nora,” he whined. “Pleeeaaassee.”

  Her idea died a quick death as she sympathized with Ben. Her nephew needed his comforts—his friends, his school, his town—to help him through this difficult time.

  “You’ll always have a place here,” Ella said.

  Nora smiled. It was a kind offer, but Ella had a friend coming to visit for Thanksgiving and with Ben on the couch, there was no room for her. Still, it was good to have a fallback plan. “Thanks, Ella.”

  Nora pulled Ben’s arms away from his chest. “Sweetie,” she said, taking his hands, “I can look for a different kind of job here, but I might not make as much money.”

  Ben’s body relaxed. “It’s okay, we don’t need much.” He gave her a sweet smile.

  Ella reached over and put a hand on top of hers and Ben’s. “I’d miss you guys if you moved. I’m sure you’ll find something here.” Ella rose. “I’m gonna take the trash out, then we can play cards.” She winked at Ben. “I’m gonna teach you poker, young man.”

  Ben grinned. “Cool!”

  Ben’s blue lagoon eyes swam with mixed emotions—excitement, anxiety, and something akin to hope. Nora pulled him into a hug. “Don’t worry, I’ll find something.”

  “You will.” Ella hoisted the bag of trash over her shoulder. “Things happen for a reason.”

  Ella’s words reminded Nora of her grandfather and the ad he had given her.

  She would check it out tomorrow. There had to be a reason he had pointed her toward that job.

  Chapter Two

  That night Nora dreamed of her grandfather. When she awoke, his gentle voice lingered in her consciousness. Things happen for a reason.

  Drawing in a breath of resolve, she tossed back the covers. She would apply for the waitress job today. Even if it wasn’t the career of her dreams, it would pay for food and rent until she found something better. Besides, her grandfather had made his way back to Earth to suggest that she apply for that job. She didn’t understand the reasons, but she wasn’t going to question it either. Her Pap had never steered her wrong.

  She took a quick shower, made Ben scrambled eggs and toast, then dropped him off at school.

  Back at home, she meticulously applied make-up and put her hair in an updo, then changed into a floral dress with a denim jacket. She glanced at herself in the mirror. Her nose was a little too big, her forehead too long. At least her eyes were pretty—a deep sparkling green, the one good feature she had inherited from her mother. Stepping back, she took in the full view. She supposed she had a decent body now, other than a too big butt and too big boobs. She worked hard to stay fit—jogging, playing soccer with Ben, and exercising to apps on her phone. She’d been chunky as a child and it had been a constant source of teasing from the other children. Her own mother had ridiculed her too.

  She smoothed a hand down the front of her loose-fitted dress. She looked fresh, clean, and respectable. Grabbing the newspaper and her purse, she took one last look in the mirror. “Go get ‘em,” she told herself.

  Ten minutes later, she crossed over the railroad tracks and pulled into the parking lot of On The Rocks Bar & Grill. Hopping out of her car, she studied the building. The structure was old, but there were homey touches, like gnomes peeking around the shrubs and a large welcome wreath on the front door.

  Squaring her shoulders, Nora marched up the walkway and into the restaurant.

  Inside, the place wasn’t at all what she had expected. To the right were plentiful tables and booths, to the left, a long wooden bar and a smaller section with tall tables. A large game room occupied the back. The place was clean, well-lit, and filled with people.

  She headed toward the bar. As she passed a wall of NASCAR pictures, she shook her head. People spent hours and hours watching grown men drive cars around in circles until one of them crossed the finish line milliseconds before the rest. She didn’t get it, but she knew she was in the minority, at least in this part of the country.

  As she approached the bar, the platinum blonde bartender glanced over. “What can I get you?”

  Nora drew in a deep breath. “Actually, I’m here to apply for the job.” She lifted the newspaper ad. “That is if it’s still open.”

  “It’s still open.” The bartender smiled at Nora. “I’m Jenna.”

  “Nora Williams.”

  A middle-aged woman with gorgeous copper hair made her way toward them from the other end of the bar.

  “This is Nora.” Jenna waved a hand toward her. “She’s here to apply for the waitress job.”

  “Hi, Nora.” The other woman extended a hand. “Steph Daley.” She gave Nora a warm smile. “Let’s go back to my office to talk.”

  Steph escorted Nora down a hallway and into her office. Inside, there were two cushy chairs and a beige loveseat positioned in front of a large desk. The loveseat and chairs were accented with pillows in various shades of blue. The walls were lin
ed with framed pictures of stunning landscapes. The sun setting over a field of lavender, a waterfall cascading into a pool of turquoise, sunlight filtering through a dense green forest. The pictures were warm and inspiring, and made Nora feel at ease.

  “Please have a seat,” Steph said, waving at the chairs in front of her cluttered desk.

  Papers were strewn across the desk and folders were scattered across the file cabinets on the far end of the wall. The office was a fascinating combination of warmth and disorder, and Nora itched to organize the space.

  Nora lowered onto a chair. Steph surprised Nora by slightly turning the adjacent chair and sitting next to her instead of behind the desk.

  “Do you have any waitressing experience?” Steph asked her.

  Nora clutched her hands together. She’d expected the question, but even so, it made her feel underqualified. But she was smart and resourceful and she could figure it out. “No, but I’m a quick learner.”

  Steph asked about her last job and Nora enthusiastically described her responsibilities as the office manager at Cummings Construction.

  “I could use some organization around here,” Steph said. “I’m digressing, but do you know anything about payroll and invoicing?”

  A glint of excitement rushed through Nora. Maybe she could waitress and do some office work. She shared how she had automated Matt’s payroll, invoicing, and scheduling. “I’d love to help you with that.”

  “That would be nice.” Steph angled her head. “Why did you leave Cummings?”

  Nora twisted the ring on her right hand. She’d anticipated this question too, but she still didn’t have a good answer so she went with the truth. “I made the mistake of dating my boss.” Nora clasped her hands together and put them on her lap. “Things didn’t work out between us.”

  “Ah.” Steph’s eyes turned empathetic.

  Nora also told Steph about Lynn’s passing and her taking custody of Ben. “I’ll have to work mostly daytime hours.”