Wanted For Pleasure

Chapter Forty-three: we can move forward

"You hurt me in a way that I never would have imagined. But I don't want to spend the rest of my life hating someone I love from deep down inside my heart. I forgive you."

Morgan Ann Bennett

"—So, what do you say?" I asked The Jonses about my business proposal.

The husband and wife duo looked at each other for an answer.

I gritted my teeth with anticipation, fingers crossed behind my back.

"Well, I think it's a great idea," Mary spoke up.

"Me too," Callie agreed from behind the cash register. "As long as I get a raise."

Alvin scowled at her and Callie backed off, tending to Quinn who was coloring at the counter.

It was the middle of the day when I brought the idea to the business owners.

Black Elk Lodge makes so much money and is already such a hit, expanding would only be a bonus.

As long as they had the staff and funds, I couldn't see how this was a bad idea.
I mean, they had the whole town's support, and would be doing everyone a favor instead of letting Malcolm build that damn titty bar and smoke shop.

"It's just a lot different than a little ole' cafe," Sherry explained.

Alvin finished his black coffee and nodded stiffly. "Plus what about the pharmacy? I can't run both."

"You won't have to! I'll help out with the restaurant, whatever you guys need!"

"Really?" Sherry exclaimed, eyes wide and glossy.

"Mhm," I assured her with a side hug. "Just give me your delicious recipes and we'll be good."

The room cracked up.

"I don't know," Mrs.Jones hesitated.

"Just think, it'll be just like the café, but bigger - more room for, say, drag shows!"

That's when Brandon and his fellow performers ran out in quick drag to cheer for the Indigenous couple.

"Woo!" Mary hollered, making it rain but instead of money it was flyers for the upcoming fundraiser.

"Okay, okay," Alvin cackled, distracted by all the bad synthetic wigs and falling papers.

"But, where are we going to get that kind of money?" Sherry wondered. "All we make goes to bills, buying food, ingredients, and not to mention that new security system."

Alvin non-verbally agreed. Then he said, "It sounds good, but we just don't have the money, and the bank won't give us another loan."

I twisted my mouth and then checked the bank app on my phone.

Once it loaded, I checked my accounts.

"I have five thousand dollars, how does that sound?" I laid down.

Everyone looked at me like I had three heads.

"Morgan, what? No, that's too much," Mary blurted.

"Speak for yourself," Sherry said, pushing her friend out of the way.

"Morgan, you are a Godsend, you'd do that?!" Sherry thanked me.

I smiled, nodding my head. "Of course! And I was serious, give me the recipe for those muffins!"

She started to laugh in the hug. "Ugh, I love you, Elu."
Elu being the Native American (Indigenous) girl name for beautiful, or so she told me.

"Thank you, Morgan, you have no idea how much that means to us," Alvin said to me, his hand firmly on my shoulder.