The Driven

Chapter 33

Hank

He checked his wrist and noticed it was exactly two minutes after two. He had to pickup his goddaughter from the daycare. Lollipop had entrusted her into his care and there was nothing that made him scared like disappointing his best friend.

When Thea had bailed on him some years ago, he had ended up at the strip club looking like the fool he actually was. He had overestimated his luck per usual and it eventually ran out when she found out he was related to Jamal. It was Lollipop that offered to join him, he hadn't seen that coming so he had argued about her staying and doing her thing. When she explained how enslaved she really was dancing at the club, he had gone home with her and helped her pack her things.

Hank grabbed the key to his co-worker's car and drove towards the daycare. The babysitter smiled when he walked in, he smiled in return and breathed in the baby scent that always filled the air.

"Give me a minute," the pretty babysitter asked and he nodded. When Estelle was brought out, he noticed she was fussing. "Had to disrupt her sleep," she explained at his questioning gaze.

"Aww," he said and went to her side.

Her eyes opened when he touched her soft cheek and he smiled as she was transferred into his arms. He knew right then that there was no greater feeling than seeing the recognition in a baby's eyes as you held them. He grinned as she burrowed into his arms. He knew he had to transfer her to the car seat but he rocked her for some minutes and her eyes began to sparkle as drowsiness fled from her body.

Estelle babbled on their ride back to the cafeteria and he chuckled as she explained how her day went. Half the things she said couldn't be deciphered by his adult brain but he smiled and laughed whenever she got really animated. He tried talking about his day as well but she interrupted him with more babbles. Hank took his eyes off the road for a second to look through the rear view mirror at her cute face.

He recalled how Lollipop had panicked when she got pregnant. At that time, she had been cruising around town with some raffish guy he didn't like. But when she told him they were pregnant, he had been excited about the situation much to Hank's surprise. To his credit, he waited until the baby's arrival before fleeing town, so his responsibilities had automatically shifted to Hank.

He parked in the space reserved for the staff and lifted Estelle from the car seat. As he settled her in the crook of his right arm, he grabbed the diaper bag on the seat with his other hand and used his elbow to push the door close. He went through the back door and entered the tiny office he shared with some other co-workers.

Lollipop came in as he finished changing Estelle out of her soiled diaper. She gave him a shoulder pat as he sang to his goddaughter. The whole cafeteria was tired of him singing but was he going to stop, of course not. He sang for the cutest girl in his life and she gave him all the approval he could ever want. Even now, her chubby fingers held onto his shirt as her mother spread her arms for her.

"Oh, so that's how it is," Lollipop said in feigned annoyance.

Hank smiled and shrugged. "How was your day?"

"Same, same."

Lollipop worked two jobs. While he was fully involved in the running of the restaurant, she did mid afternoon shifts after finishing at the studio as a background singer.

She tied an apron around her waist and spoke sweet nonsense to her daughter before leaving the room. Hank rocked Estelle until she fell asleep in his arms, he transferred her to the crib he had spent hours learning how to build. In the end, he'd had to ask for a neighbor's help. He stayed by her side as she slept for five minutes before placing the baby monitor beside her.

Hank went to the kitchen and checked on the meat that had been grilling all morning. The evening crowd was going to arrive anytime soon and the kitchen special was going to be prepped and passed around to hungry customers. He got his apron from the hook in readiness before washing his hands by the sink.

Someone on the team passed him some pastries and he smiled in appreciation as he chewed. Lollipop looked over at him from her position behind the counter and he gave her a thumbs up, she nodded then went back to work. By the time it was five, the place was full and he had to help arrange some chairs and tables outside as they often did whenever the turnout exceeded the room's capacity.

Hank soon got lost in the hustle and bustle around. He deftly sliced meat as he got them off the grill. Bones were tossed to the side while he chopped meat into smaller pieces as orders such as steak salad, chicken skewers, chicken salad, burgers, kebabs and so on came through. He bounced on his feet as he worked and used his sleeve to wipe the sweat off his face when he perspired.

A customer sent him a shot of vodka as a token of appreciation and he took a swallow before returning to adding more spices to the diced meat in his mixing bowl. He took little breaks to check in on Estelle as Lollipop worked, she was thankfully resting peacefully.

Once nine o'clock struck, he left the heat in the kitchen behind and went to mingle with the regulars. He asked after family members, trolled soccer lovers with lost matches, and he smiled as they paid the dishes compliments. Hank's plan was to buy the place since the owner was always talking about selling. If he could acquire this little piece of perfection for himself, he'd sleep well at night.

Lollipop walked into the kitchen smiling while he was cleaning the grill and he knew she had her eyes set on a heavy tipper.

"That heavy?" he asked.

She smiled some more. "Wish me luck."

He smiled when she left and went to attend to Estelle as he heard her cry through the baby monitor. Hank signaled for one of the waitresses to get her mother while trying to soothe the infant. Her loud cries had everyone turning their heads towards his direction and he spoke reassuringly to her.

Hank saw Lollipop rushing to his side. "She wants to feed."

"Thanks, Ha-" she was interrupted by a customer at the table outside calling for her attention.

Lollipop looked at him for help as she got the wailing child from his arms and he dropped a kiss on Estelle's forehead before nudging them towards the kitchen.

Hank took off his apron before going to attend to the table she was coming from. It had about four chairs surrounding it and his face broke into a smile of hospitality as he got to its occupant.

"I'll be attending to you, Lollipop took a break," he informed.

"Is she okay?" One of them asked in concern.

"She's fine," he reassured. "What can I help you with?"

"We need more burgers and sausages. Can you wait a minute, I think the boss mentioned needing something too."

"Here she comes..." another pointed.

Hank stood mesmerized as he watched her flip her ginger colored hair off her face as she walked up to the table.

He had to be dreaming.