Chapter Twenty-Three
Chandra watched as her mother walked through the kitchen door and straight to the bar.
“There are three of us for lunch. The bar okay, or do you want us at a table?”
Chandra couldn’t help but stare at her. She knew her mother could be curt, but she wasn’t usually that way with her. “You can sit here. I’ll get you some menus.”
“Three beers too.”
A moment later she watched as Mike and Paul emerged from the kitchen and headed to the bar. They both sat down next to her mother, hanging their coats on the back of the high-backed stools.
She set the beers down in front of them. “Do you want something different to drink?”
Paul shook his head. “This is great. Thanks.”
“It’ll be fine,” Mike answered every bit as curtly as her mother, and then directed his eyes down.
They ordered their meals, and she could hear her mother and Paul making small talk as if they were getting to know one another. Mike, however, nursed his beer and when his food came, he picked at it, but he hardly joined in the conversation.
When they were finished, he asked for a box to take the leftovers. “I can keep them in the fridge right here for you if you don’t want to go upstairs.”
He nodded. “Thanks. I’ll get them when I get back. We’re taking the final load over, and then I’ll take Gabe his truck back.”
He packed up his leftover lunch and handed her the box. “I could meet you over there in the morning and give you a ride back on my way to work,” she offered.
He studied her for a moment, and she was sure he was contemplating any other way around it. “Sure. That’d be great. I’ll see you later,” he said and swung on his coat, before heading back to load up the truck one more time.
Paul finished off his beer, pulled money from his wallet, and handed it to her mother.
“Oh, no you don’t. I said I was buying you lunch. Put that away,” Esther scolded.
Paul smiled, laid a few bills on the bar, and tucked the rest away. He slipped on his coat and then kissed Esther on the cheek. “Thank you. I owe you one.”
Her mother laughed easily with him, just as she did with Mike, Chandra noticed.
Paul gave Chandra a smile as well. “Thank you. That was delicious.”
“I’ll let them know in the back. And thanks for helping Mike.”
He gave her a nod as he slipped away through the back.
As she picked up his discarded plate, she noticed her mother’s quizzical stare.
“What?”
“You had to thank him for helping Mike? That’s what friends do for one another, Chandra. They help each other out.”
“Yeah.”
“You act like his mother,” she said sipping her beer. “I’ll hold your food, so you don’t have to walk up a flight of stairs. I’ll meet you in the morning and drive you, so you don’t have to make arrangements. You thank his friends for helping him.” She snorted out a laugh. “You’re smothering.”
Chandra let the plate slide into the bussing tub, perhaps a little to zealously. “Smothering? He’s a grown man. He has a lot on his plate right at the moment. I thought I was helping him out.”
“If that’s what you think.”
Grabbing the rag, Chandra began to wipe down the bar. “I don’t know how you think I’m smothering when you jumped right in and became business partners with the man after furnishing his apartment.”
Her mother gave her a thoughtful nod. “You’re right. I did all that. I taught you how to smother.”
Chandra couldn’t help but let the laugh escape. “I can’t decide if I'm supposed to laugh at that, or be mad over it.”
“It’s better to laugh,” her mother said as she climbed off her stool. “You’re already mad at everyone.”
She studied her mother as she pulled on her coat and hat. “What does that mean?”
“Just an observation. Mike’s a great guy,” she said laying money on the bar to cover their bill. “He’s interested in you. That seems to piss you off. You’re in a mood because you’ve been working too hard. You’re in a mood because Austin showed back up. And damn it, Chandra, sleeping with him isn’t going to make him a better husband or father.”
She felt her cheeks heat. “Why did you say that?”
“He told me.” Her mother waved her hands in front of her as if to ward off the thought. “I didn’t ask. I didn’t pry. He just thought I should know.”
Chandra felt the churning in her stomach. “I’m sorry.”
Her mother reached across the bar and rested a hand on hers. “It’s no secret. I don’t like him. He uses you, and he uses Jason. This one,” she said looking toward the kitchen where Mike had exited, “he’s just a good guy. Now I can’t say he’s a keeper, but I put my money on him—literally. He’s going to do great things with that house we’re buying. His plans for a B and B are fantastic. He’s laying down roots. Real roots that are going to stick. He takes time for your kid and his. He’s a catch, and he’s cast a line your way. But it isn’t going to stay that way, honey. Bigger fish in the ocean if he can’t get you to bite.”
“Fishing metaphors?”
“Seemed to work in the moment.” She pulled her hand back. “Austin did want me to tell you that he’d be stopping in sometime tonight with Jason for dinner. He didn’t want to have to cook.”
She felt the sting of her mother’s words, from her speech to the message from Austin. “It’s not so easy, Mom,” she said referring to making Austin leave.
“Easier than you think,” she said as she walked out of the restaurant.
They were well into the dinner rush when Austin walked past the hostess and sat himself at a table near the bar with Jason. Jason waved to get his mother’s attention. She signaled to the hostess that they were fine where they were, and walked to the table with two glasses of water.
Setting the glasses on the table, she turned and kissed Jason on the head. “One more week and I’ll have a normal schedule again,” she said ruffling up his hair with her fingers.
“Good. I want a hamburger and a Coke.”
She shook her head. “No soda. Water.”
Austin leaned back in his chair and looked up a her. “I want something fancy. Whatcha got?”
Chandra bit down on the inside of her cheek to keep from saying what she truly wanted to say. “Fancy has a big price tag.”
“And you run the joint. It ain’t like you have to pay. I want a beer too.”
“You’re driving.”
He dismissed her with snort. “One beer, Mom. I’m fine. Get me that prime rib sandwich. Yeah, that’s what I want.”
Why couldn’t she tell him that he needed to leave? Why couldn’t she push him out of her life? He’d done it to her plenty of times, but she saw the smile form on Jason’s face as he handed her his menu. He was happy to be there having a hamburger with his father. She couldn’t deny him that.
Though she was usually good at knowing when they would be busy, and when they wouldn’t, there was always the odd Wednesday night that surprised her. The hostess had a waiting list going, the bar was full, and there sat her ex-husband looking at his smart phone, eating a free-to-him meal, and not even talking to their son.
“Where can I help you?” Mike’s voice came from behind her. She hadn’t even realized he’d come back to the restaurant.
“Cammie is behind on drink service. She’s working the most tables. This tray goes to table eight. That tray goes to table thirteen,” she said pointing to the other tray on the bar.
He picked up the first tray and moved on as if he’d worked there for years. When he returned, he placed the tray on the stack and reached for the other.
“Austin and Jason are having dinner huh?”
She growled. “Jason is. Austin seems to be very occupied. He hasn’t said a word to him in ten minutes.”
“What time is bedtime?”
She slid a look of irritation his
way. “What does that mean?”
“I mean, what time does Jason have to be home and in bed?”
“Nine.”
“I have a wall that needs another coat of paint, and I know his teacher puts his math assignments online. We could get his math done too. Then I can use Gabe’s truck to take him home when we’re done.”
Her heart hitched. He was willing to step in and do the fatherly thing when Jason's own father wasn’t. She should be giving that opportunity to Austin, but she was over it. Jason needed this kind of attention, and damn it, she was going to take it.
“I’ll even give him a few bucks,” Mike offered as he hoisted up the tray to balance it on his hand. “I know you’re thinking I shouldn’t, but a guy should have the opportunity to earn a few bucks here and there doing manual labor.”
Now she realized she was staring at him. Hadn’t she prayed for years for a good and decent man to come into her life? Here he was. It should have been a sign, the way he was stranded and opportunity had him staying.
He was interested, she reminded herself. Mike was interested in not only her but in her family, her son, her life. She swallowed hard.
“Thank you.” The words were soft, and she was never soft. “He deserves someone like you in his life.”
The comment must have taken him off guard just a bit. His cheeks had filled with color, and a small smile curled up on his mouth. “I’ll always be here for him, Chandra. For you too.”
He took off with the tray.
She watched him deliver drinks, bus tables, and make small talk when a couple stopped him, asking if he owned the place. She’d heard him tell them he was helping out since the owner was helping him out too. When they’d heard that Gabe was on paternity leave, the woman dabbed at her eyes. Why did that make people so soft inside, she wondered? Every man deserved time with their newborn, just as a woman did. And every woman deserved to have the father of her child there while she recovered.
She shook the thought from her head as she looked back at Austin, who eased back in his chair, still looking at his phone. If she thought that was acceptable for everyone, why wasn’t it acceptable for her? Why did she belittle herself like that?
Chandra grabbed up an empty tray and headed toward their table.
She began to bus the dishes, and Austin set his chair back on all four legs.
“What’s the rush?”
She narrowed her stare on him. “I have a waiting list for seats. You’re done eating.” She turned to Jason. “Mike would like to have you stay here and help him with some painting upstairs. He’ll pay you.”
His eyes grew wide. “Far out.”
“I could use some cash,” Austin said, as he looked back down at his phone again.
“Then you can get your ass a job,” she said as she carried off the tray.
It took all the control she could muster not to throw the dishes into the bin. She watched as Austin and Jason gathered their coats. Jason found Mike, and they headed up to his apartment eagerly talking about something. Austin walked out the front door without even leaving a tip for the waitress, saying thank you, or goodbye.
Chandra pressed her fingers to her eyes before pulling a few dollars from her pocket. “Cammie,” she called to the waitress. “This is for you from table eight.”
“That was your kid, right?” she asked as she took the money.
“Yeah.”
“Sweet kid. Who was with him?”
Chandra forced a smile. “His dad.”
“Not your husband, right?”
“No.”
Cammie laughed. “I thought you had better taste than that. What an ass.” She strode away, but Chandra stewed in that. She did have better taste than that.
Suddenly she felt the prickly feeling of guilt and disgust cover her body. She’d given in to him. She’d let him kiss her, touch her, have her. But even that wasn’t the worst part. Giving him leeway to use her again only spoke of her weakness, and hadn’t she always fought to be such a strong woman?
The printer to her side kicked up four more orders. The night wasn’t over yet, she thought. At least Mike had taken Jason with him, and he’d give him some attention. That’s what she wanted. That was what was important.
If she could let down the shield she had put up to protect her heart, just a bit, perhaps she could manage to give Mike the appropriate thank you without being a brutal bitch. He didn’t deserve that.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Mike watched as Jason used the paint roller just as he’d shown him to do. He slowly moved it in a V pattern, careful not to go too fast and spatter paint. He felt himself becoming very sentimental over the process. Dane had helped him paint for the first time when he was Jason’s age. They’d painted his bedroom from the blue, which his ex-wife had painted it when they found out they were expecting, to a bright green, which had been Dane’s favorite color at the time.
They’d talked about soccer, school, Emily Watson who was Dane’s obsession at the time, and Mike chuckled to himself even now for remembering her name.
He looked over at Jason who loaded up the roller again. “I told your mom I could help you with your math again. I know your teacher has your assignments online.”
“That’d be great. I’ll get an extra recess if I ace the test on Monday.”
Mike gave him a nod. “You can’t beat an extra recess.”
“I’m captain of the blue soccer team in gym. I mean, it’s just the P.E. teacher letting us choose teams and use her equipment at lunch time, but I get to pick my own team.”
“That’s exciting.”
“I try not to be the guy that only picks good players. I mean, I like to win. But there are a couple of kids who don’t play all the time, competitively,” he explained. “That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be on my team.”
Mike thought his heart might have melted just a bit. “That’s really big of you.”
“Jake always picks the same guys. And they all play soccer in a real soccer club. We’ve beaten them a few times,” he said with a smile as he rolled the paint on the wall. “It’s not that we’re better. But when they start to lose or argue between each other, they start playing bad. We just keep playing.”
Yeah, Mike thought, his heart had turned to mush.
“Dane comes soon,” he said as he loaded his roller. “He’s looking forward to seeing you play in person. He’ll be here for a little over a week. We’re going to go skiing too, but he thought it would be fun if you two could kick around the ball.”
Jason turned to him, his eyes wide. “Really? He’d want to do that?”
“He would.”
“I’d like that. I’d love to go skiing too. I’ve never been.”
“Maybe I can talk to your mom about it. Gabe will be back by then.”
“That’ll make me happy too. She’s been working really hard. He should be with his baby, though,” he said sincerely as he loaded his roller again. “Every dad should be with the mom and the baby.”
“Did your dad do that when you were born?” he asked knowing it was a cheap shot to get information on Austin.
Jason shook his head. “No. They weren’t together when I was born. He’d left Mom after she found out she was pregnant. I was about a year-old when he came back, and they got married. He came and went, just like he does, for a few years. Then she divorced him three years ago, and my grandma moved in.”
He felt the anger brewing inside of him, but this wasn’t his fight, he reminded himself.
“He’s back now, though, right? So that’s good.”
Jason shrugged. “He’ll be gone soon. He doesn’t stick around long. I think Mom hasn’t kicked him out yet only because she wants me to have him in my life.” He inspected his painted wall and moved over to paint a different section. “I’m okay when he’s gone too, though. Mom does a good job. Gabe lets her be anywhere I need her to be. Grandma is there when I get home and makes me dinner.” His brows drew together, and he looked at Mike.
“Well, she was until she moved out.”
Mike nodded. “I’m sure if things were to change she’d move back in.”
“I think I’m old enough to handle myself. I’d be a little scared at home alone, but don’t tell my mom that.”
Mike set his roller in the tray. “You know your grandma, Tracy, and I are buying an old house.”
“That one you were looking at that day you walked me home?”
“Yeah, that’s it. I’m going to have a lot of work to do on it. You wouldn’t be willing to help out, would you? After school, maybe till your mom gets home, or your Grandma is free for the evening? I’ll pay you.”
“Heck yeah. I want a new skateboard really bad.” His enthusiasm was contagious.
He wanted to ask what kind, but he knew it would be well over his head anyway. “I’ll talk to your mom. We close on the house in another week. I’ll almost be done with this job by then.”
“Then you’ll move into the house?”
“When it’s ready to be lived in. I guess I’ll stay here until then.”
“I like that you’re here,” Jason said looking up at him. “I worry about my mom working late. I shouldn’t, but I do. I know you’ll take care of her cuz you like her.”
Mike coughed and then cleared his throat. “I do like her.”
“I saw you kiss her at the soccer game,” he said looking down at the floor. “When I scored.”
Mike felt the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I was pretty excited for you.”
Jason lifted his eyes back to meet Mike’s. “I’m okay if you kiss her.”
And wasn’t this kid just about the greatest kid in the world?
When the wall had been painted, Mike pulled out his laptop and brought up the website Jason's teacher used for assignments and events. Mike fished a pencil out of the drawer, and a spiral notebook from the counter.
“You know what we need?” he asked as Jason sat down at the table. “Provisions. I’m going to go down and see if your mom will allow a snack.”
Never Saw it Coming Page 16