Homecoming

09

The cursor hovered over the submit button mirroring my finger on the mouse. I had a long conversation about my decision with my parents last night, and a rather quick one on the phone with my advisor this morning, but it didn’t make it any easier. I was getting flushed though I was wearing nothing but my boxers over such a simple act. It was a little terrifying to be embarking on an academic journey at this point of my life, but it was also a little exciting.

I confirmed my selection once more and made sure all areas of the form are properly filled-in before hitting the submit button. I stepped away much too quick knocking the chair back which thrilled Camus. The way I was hopping and waving my arms must have meant a new kind of play for him because he started barking and jumping while trying to make a grab for my arms.

"I did it, Camus. No backing out now."

Camus barked a response and his tail wagged in a furious manner. He didn’t care really—he wanted his human chew toy to hop around again which gave him open invitation to go for a bite.

"Sorry, bud. I’ve got to get ready for work."

Midweek was always slow at Cavanaugh’s especially during the lunch hour. It was the perfect opportunity to learn about running a restaurant, and Rosie was more than willing to indulge me. She took all credit, of course, when I announced my intention to study Hospitality Management. It was true in a way, with no prior direction as to where my future was heading, working at Cavanaugh’s carved the initial path. Work had been enjoyable even in the small amount of time I’ve spent here, and there was a sense of accomplishment at closing time that appealed to me. My part-time gig became a full-time job, and Rosie had increased my responsibility.

"What day do you want to take off?" Rosie asked while she watched me prep the liquors for the dinner rush behind the bar.

"What do you mean? I never asked for a day off."

"Kohl asked when you have a day off." She grabbed a rag and started wiping the bar as if what she just said was perfectly normal.

"What?! What the hell does that mean? I never made plans with him!"

Rosie turned around with hands resting on her hips and clucked her tongue. "See? You’re wound up tighter than this bun on my head. You need a day off. Go on a date and do other things." She waved the rag in a random direction while straining her head to look at a nonexistent event in the parking lot.

"You’re kidding with me, right?"

"Oh, hush! Go answer the phone."

I untied my apron and threw it on bar before making my way to the reception counter. The mere mention of Kohl’s name lately has gotten my anger level spiking. Kohl’s insistence in entangling himself in my life both frustrated and flustered me. I just wanted to realign my life without his and everybody else’s involvement.

"Hello, this is Verne of Cavanaugh’s Bar & Grill. How may I help you?"

"Verne? Honey, this is mom. I’ve been calling your cellphone, but you weren’t picking up."

I patted my pockets feeling for that familiar shape. "Must have left it in the employee lounge." Sensing Mom’s distress, I begun to worry. "What’s the matter? Is dad all right?"

"Yes, he’s fine."

I could hear dad speaking in the background before it was replaced by muffled static, and then his strict tone on the line. "Don’t even think about it, Verne. If you go back, so help me—"

"Would you be quiet and let me talk to him?!" Mom yelled.

"Verne?"

"Yeah. Mom, what’s going on?"

"Tony called the house."

"Oh… "

"He said that he’d been trying to call you, but it wasn’t going through."

"That’s because I blocked his number." I leaned on the counter and squeezed my eyes shut. "What did he say?"

"He was apologetic? He was apologizing to us at least. Saying that he wants you back and that he loves you, and that he’d do anything. He even said something about coming up to get you." Mom paused, hesitant with her next choice of words. "You wouldn’t go back to him, would you?"

"No way!"

She sighed on the other line. "Your dad is beside himself thinking you would."

I had to smile at the image of my dad in a rage panic mode. "Tell dad that he’s going to have to put up with this little peanut for a while longer."

"We love you, honey. You’re doing the right thing."

"I know."

"Oh, right! You’re at work. We just didn’t know if he got a hold of you. We can talk about this later."

"Bye mom, and thanks."

Since Tony’s refreshed vigor with his incessant calls the past week, I finally had enough and blocked his number. Something I should had done the moment I told him to go fuck himself while I loaded what I could grab in the trunk of my car and Camus in the backseat. But there was also a part of me that wanted him to call and to beg me to come back. A part of me that had grown accustomed to the kind of life Tony provided, and it took this long to see it wasn’t worthwhile.

"Everything all right?" Rosie asked.

"Yeah. Just, you know." I buried both hands in my mess of a hair and exhaled. "You know that ex I was talking about? He called my house."

"Your mom better have given him an earful!"

"Nope." I grinned. "But dad was apparently furious. He thought I’d go running back to him."

"You better darn not! I’d chain you to the freezer in the kitchen myself."

"I’m not!"

"Good! I know you have some sense in that brain of yours." Rosie winked. "Now get back to work. School’s letting out soon—then we’ve got to be ready for the dinner rush."

For every customer that wandered into Cavanaugh’s Bar & Grill, a bit of my worries wandered out. I had nearly forgotten all about Tony’s phone call or Kohl’s secret dealing with Rosie by the time the dinner rush died down. I was looking forward to closing time and taking a long hot shower at home. That was before a set of stubby little fingers followed by a head of lovely blonde hair popped up on the other side of the reception counter.

"Hi." Kori grinned.

I had to admit the little brat was growing on me.

"What’s an upstanding young lady like you doing in this seedy establishment this late into the night?"

A smack at the back of my head made me hiss in pain while Kori covered her mouth with her hands trying to stifle her laughter, but failing. I gave both her and Rosie a glare retracting everything I said about the brat growing on me.

"Whose place are you calling seedy? I ought to hurt you more."

"I was just playing." I mumbled rubbing the back of my head.

"You want a piece of pie, darling? With ice cream?"

"Yes!"

Kori followed Rosie to the kitchen, just as Kohl entered the restaurant looking haggard. He gave me a weak smile, and I was concerned rather than felt the typical annoyance whenever my eyes landed on Kohl Danford.