"To the worst summer we ever had and the best punch ever thrown!"
"Oh, stop it, Jenny... You're making me blush!"
~~~
George Marshall, owner of Lila's Seafood Restaurant since it first opened and for over forty years, tries his best to save it from...
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The next day, I was once again told by unckie George that there was no point sticking around at the restaurant because of the crushing absence of customers.
I decided to take a walk down the beach so I would be close by in case I was needed back at Lila's. My walk, though, was cut short when I heard a familiar voice talking to someone.
"What are you talking about? Dad I've been working so hard I- What?!" Bella was practically screaming on the phone. "I can't put everyone out of business, that's not why I came here. I'm not going to do it! This is just another project of yours that you'll forget about."
There was a pause. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help it.
"Dad? Dad! I can't believe he hung up on me!" she kicked the sand and turned around, facing me. At first she was surprised. Then terrified. Then both. "What- What are you doing here? Were you listening in?"
"I didn't mean to... Are you okay?" I asked her.
Her bottom lip started trembling. She tried to compose herself maybe turn back into what she usually showed, but didn't. She cracked. "No," Bella shook her head, "I'm not." she sobbed.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"I... Why do you care?"
"Hey, don't get all defensive on me. I'm just trying to be nice."
"Lou, right?"
"You remembered."
"Hard to forget a pretty face like yours." she muttered under her breath. I felt heat rise up my cheeks. She kept saying things like that whenever we spoke.
"So... What's wrong?" I changed the subject.
"Everything." she plopped down on the sand, resting her head on one knee. Her black curls got in her face, so she tucked a strand behind her ear, then started fidgeting with the tip of her sneaker.
I sat down next to her. "Care to elaborate?"
"My dad is the only family I have, you know? And he's really distant. Time is money, and he's always so busy doing that, so he doesn't have any time for me. Last Christmas I overheard him talking about some new project he had in mind and when I found out it was another restaurant, I asked him if I could be the manager for a summer, until I went to college. He doubted I had it in me, but that only made me more stubborn and I managed to convince him. To be honest, I think he just wanted me out of his feet. This, all of this, was to impress him. I just wanted to prove myself to him, and now that he saw that I'm doing well, he's pressuring me into doing things I don't want to, like getting everyone out of business. I'm not stupid, I know you hate me--"
"Bella, I don't hate you. I hate what you're trying to do, but now that I know what's behind it..." I squeezed her shoulder. "I know it's not the same, but my parents have been gone all my life, traveling around the world. I grew up at Lila's. My grandpa brought me up and now..." I gulped, forcing myself to steer away from talking about his disease. "My parents left again. They visited to tell me and my sister that they're leaving for about ten years and won't have any means to contact us."
