Only You

Chapter 6 If Only I'd Known

Rena was still up when her mother got back home at 2:30 in the morning.  She lay in the bed hearing bits and pieces of a conversation from a male that she assumed was her companion, Eldred Clark.  The thought of her with a man 25 years her junior was unthinkable.  But she had bigger problems, as she could not get the thought of Blake out of her head.  The way he looked and his thoughtfulness had her unhinged.  All she could think of was what could have been. 

Blake was her world and everybody in town knew it.  They'd known each other since they were five years old.  Their homes were only a few doors down from each other.  Blake's mom and Clarissa were really good friends.  They used to take morning walks on the beach together and bring the kids along.  So Blake and Rena spent plenty of time building sand castles on the dunes while they were little.  Later in life, it was no longer the mothers taking them on walks.  They were alone, taking walks, building a budding friendship that blossomed into so much more.  They were inseparable. 

Clarissa gave Blake his first job at the restaurant, putting him in even more contact with Rena.  At first, Senator Glass didn't think anything of it.  He thought working at the Chicken and Waffle Inn was just a beginner's job and that Blake's fascination with being there would wane.  But when he realized that Blake wanted to make a career in the restaurant business, he tried to crush his aspirations because the senator wanted him in politics.  The rift was so bad that Mrs. Glass was no longer allowed to associate with Clarissa and Blake cut his father off. 

"Why did I come back?"  Rena whispered, just as her mother was passing down the hall.

"So you're still up?"

Rena wanted to turn over and not say another word, but she knew her mother had heard her.  "Are you coming back from a hot date with Dr. Clark?"

"Don't sound so facetious.  We've got a lot in common and he's good company. Rena, I'm really glad that you're here and one day I hope you can forgive me."

Rena couldn't respond.  She was simply overwhelmed.  "Do you think that Blake is considering moving back to Florida?"

"So Ian's been running his mouth.  I can handle this restaurant by myself if I have to.  Blake's given me a break and I really appreciate that, but I'll be okay.  I'll just have to pace myself. "

"You didn't answer the question."

"You'll have to ask Blake."

***

It was past noon when Rena finally awakened.  Her mother and Ian had already gone to the restaurant.  "I can't believe I overslept." 

There was no way that she wouldn't have overslept.  Rena didn't get very much sleep at all.  Family matters had her mind popping like drips of water striking hot oil in a skillet.  As soon as one thought popped up, another relentless thought popped into her mind. It was maddening.

She grabbed her phone and dialed Blake but he didn't answer.  She felt horrible.    The next thing she did was call a cab.  Hopefully, he'd be at the restaurant and they could talk there.  By the time the cab arrived she'd grabbed a pastry and cup of coffee, which she ate while en-route.

As she entered her family's diner, it was hard to grasp how everything looked the same and yet everything was so very different.  The glossy, pine-paneled walls and bistro tables scattered about and the awesome smell of southern food was the same.  But the staff was different.  They wore uniforms now.  There were flat-screen TV's on the wall and the old rickety cash register was now something electronic and touch-screen activated.  The old ticket food order system was gone and replaced with some type of electronic ticker-tape monitor flashing food orders when food was ready.  It was surreal.  Several people that she knew from town and a few employees that remembered her came over to shake her hand and give greetings.  A warmth came over her that made her glad that she came to visit.