Rejuvenate | Spruceworth 5.2

Chapter 48

Chapter 48

~Holden~

       "Aren't you supposed to be waiting tables?" Shaw asked from where he was cutting up vegetables in the kitchen of The Gold Mine. I was in the kitchen too, trying to make it look like I was doing something while looking out the serving hatch.

       "Technically, yes," I said. "But I'm allowed to hang out in the kitchen if my mind starts to get all frazzled."

       "Is it?" Shaw asked.

       "Nope," I said. "It's all good."

       Shaw sighed. "Then get back to work."

       "I am working. I'm..." I looked around the kitchen before picking up the sponge by the sink. "I'm washing the dishes. Because we're running out and if we run out, then we can't serve the food."

       Shaw looked at me suspiciously. "What are you really doing?"

       "I'm totally not spying on Grant if that's what you're thinking."

       Shaw immediately put the knife down on the counter before walking over to me. "Grant's here?" Once he stood beside me, he looked out the serving hatch, following my gaze to where Grant was sitting at one of the tables. Sitting with him was someone I hadn't seen before; a guy seemingly around Grant's age. "Oh, that's probably Ollie."

       "Ollie?" I asked.

       "They got into a tiff on the first day of school," Shaw said. "And then Grant told me that he fell in love with him. They've been getting along a bit better, though."

       "Yeah, they're definitely getting along," I said. Ollie was currently reading the menu and Grant was throwing spitballs at him, but he didn't even pay attention to it. He would just wipe off the spitballs and go back to focusing on the menu.

       "You know, the best way to spy on them is to do your job and wait tables," Shaw said.

       I sighed. "I can't. Their table isn't part of my job. That's another reason why I'm here. None of my tables have customers so there's nothing to do. Not too many people are here today, for some reason."

       "It's the middle of the day, so people are either at work or school," Shaw said. "Wait a second... Is he skipping school? Do I have to go scold him?" 

       Shaw headed towards the door exiting the kitchen, but I grabbed him arm to stop him. "Shaw, it's a professional day, remember? We had to drop the kids off at Josh's since we're both working."

       "Oh, right," Shaw said. "Well, I'm working. You're spying."

       "You were spying, too," I said.

       "I was not. I was seeing what was so interesting that it's preventing you from doing your job." Instead of walking back to where he was chopping vegetables, we went back to the serving hatch. "I hope Ollie likes him back. They would make a cute couple. It would also make Grant really happy. He needs that."

       "Yeah, he does," I agreed.

       While Ollie was still reading the menu, Grant ended up looking in my and Shaw's direction. I did the sane thing and just waved at Grant, but Shaw decided to be a pest and make a heart with his hands. Grant flipped him off, but quickly stopped when he saw Ollie look up from the menu.

       "You should find out who's waiting their table and switch with them," Shaw said as he finally went back to chopping up the vegetables for the meal he was working on. He better get that done soon otherwise there was going to be complaints.

       Though, I shouldn't be talking since I was hiding in the kitchen and not doing my job.

       "I'm not going to switch," I said. "I'm only going to spy from a distance, not actually go and bug them."

       "You're no fun."

       "Yeah, yeah."

       We soon got a sudden lunch rush, so I could no long hide out in the kitchen since my tables were now being occupied. It wasn't until Grant had left with his friend that it finally started to slow down, but that meant I could no longer spy on them.

       My and Shaw's shifts soon came to an end, so we clocked out before leaving The Gold Mine and heading to Josh's house to pick up the kids. I was happy Josh didn't have work today, because he was always willing to watch the kids if Shaw and I were both at work.

       Normally, my parents would watch them but things were still a bit tense between us ever since the whole amnesia thing when they thought it was a good thing I didn't remember my husband. Dad, at least, was coming around since he did help Shaw figure things out with the support group.

       Mom, on the other hand, was really stubborn.

       As soon as Josh answered his door, Gibson rushed over as fast as his little one-year-old feet could carry him. "Pa!" he said, holding his arms out towards me. 

       I smiled and picked him up. "Hi, Gib." Gibson smiled and threw his arms around me in a hug.

       "Thanks for watching them," Shaw said as the other three were getting ready to leave.

      "It's no problem," Josh said. "I'm pretty sure I've been designated as Spruceworth's babysitter."

       "It's your fault for loving kids so much," I said.

       Josh sighed. "Yeah, that's fair."

       "Alright, kids, say bye to Uncle Josh," Shaw said.

       "Bye, Uncle Josh!" Mercy, Lucian, and Castiel said in unison, also giving him a hug.

       "Bye-bye!" Gibson said.

       As the six of us were heading home, Castiel asked, "Can we get ice cream?"

       "Maybe after dinner," Shaw said.

       Castiel huffed. "But I want ice cream now."

       "That's nice, but it's too close to dinner to have ice cream," Shaw said.

       "Fine. I guess I'll just be sad now."

       Shaw chuckled. "Okay, Castiel."

       Castiel just huffed, upset that his clear plan to use reverse psychology on his dad didn't work. 

       As we got closer to the house, I was starting to feel a bit lightheaded so I stopped walking. "Shaw, I need you to carry Gibson."

       Shaw nodded and took Gibson from me, who immediately said, "Wee!" as he was handed over to his other dad.

       "You okay?" Shaw asked.

       I nodded. "Yeah. Just... lightheaded. Don't want to be carrying him when I am."

       "Holden..."

       "I'm fine. I swear. This happens from time to time. Maybe I've had too much sun or something."

       "It's autumn. And it's cloudy out."

       "Okay, but I swear nothing is wrong. Well, nothing from the usual."

       "Are you okay, Daddy Holden?" Castiel asked, tugging on my arm.

       I smiled down at him. "Yeah, I'm fine. You don't have to worry."

____________________

or do you????????

jk jk i'm probably done torturing holden. probably. maybe.

okay i don't think i'm ever done torturing characters oops.

BUT YAY OLLIE PHYSICALLY APPEARED NOW. just wait until he gets some dialogue omg i miss him