Last Summer 🔪Scream 1996

Ch. 18: Milly's

"Mom!"

We rush into the kitchen, both of us with a large smile on our faces as we spot my mom sitting at the counter. She's sipping a cup of coffee, still in her scrubs from the night before. She looks up from the paper, giving us a stoic look as we step up to the counter across from her.

"Can Sophia and I go eat at Milly's?"

"Aren't you still grounded?"

"Please?" I throw on the puppy dog eyes that hardly ever work, holding my hands up in a pleading way. "We'll bring you back breakfast..."

She stares me down, sipping her coffee before looking at Sophia. An agonizing minute passes of her sipping her coffee and looking between us, making my palms sweaty. She looks back at me before finally talking, setting her mug down before picking back up the paper.

"Add a slice of cheese cake and...you can go."

"Chocolate?"

"What else?"

I smile before kissing her cheek and turning to rush towards the stairs to grab everything from my room. I stop when I hear my mom clear her throat, drawing my attention back to her.

"Take your cellphone with you...I want to be able to get ahold of you while you're out."

She sets it on the counter as I smile, rushing over to give her another kiss on the cheek before grabbing it. Sophia also gives my mom a kiss on the cheek, thanking her for allowing us to go.

"Thanks Mami! We'll be back later!"

"Thank you, Aunt Izzy..."

"Go. Before I change my mind..."

We both smile before rushing upstairs to grab our stuff.

——

Milly's is that one Dinner you go to when you need comfort. It's run by Milly Tackle, who's from New Orleans. Her and her late husband, Ricky, moved to California with the dream of making it as a singing duo. When things didn't pan out, they moved up north and opened this place as a back-up plan.

Milly's husband passed five years ago in a tragic accident. Ever since then, she's taken over full time as the head chef in her restaurant and bakery. She spends all her time working and raising her three children all under the age of eighteen.

My mom used to take me every Friday after school, it was a way to distract us both from the separation. Then when Sophia started to come visit in the summertime, we all went. When my mom got the promotion at the hospital, she stopped being able to come. So Tiffany, Layla, and sometimes Sophia would come with me to keep the traditional going.

Speaking of Tiffany...

"Hey!"

"You're alive! Hallelujah!"

I laugh into the phone as Sophia and I walk down the road, heading towards town. Tiffany starts to ramble as I adjust my sunglasses, smiling at her behavior. Sophia brushes her straightened hair back, pushing her own sunglasses up a little.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh...just hanging out with Joey..."

"Joey?"

"Joseph. He lets me call him Joey when we're alone..."

"Okay..."

I smirk at her, even if she can't see me. She scoffs before speaking again.

"Shut up! It's not like you're any better..."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

I laugh as she hums, meaning she has that one smile on her face right now. Sophia blows a bubble in her gum, looking ahead as she smiles at Tiff and I. I see Stu's house up ahead, his car parked in the driveway out front.