AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“All right. Enough of the birds and the bees talk. We’re way past that. Let’s go play some gin rummy with the girls. It’s that time. Kingston’s probably already in there flirting with all the ladies.”
Yes. I came here several days a week, but Wednesday was gin rummy night at the nursing home, and Kingston and I always spent an hour playing with Grammie and her friends.
It was the least we could do.
This woman had done everything for us.
So, in a way, I’d already away given my heart when I was a young boy.
The woman who owned my heart just happened to be an eighty-three-year-old saint whom I called Grammie.
eight
. . .
Ruby
I hadsome time before I had to be at the bar, so I walked the short distance to Demi’s coffee shop, Magnolia Beans. When I pulled the door open, I was happy to see that it wasn’t very busy. Romeo was behind the counter, talking to Demi, and he tipped her back and kissed her.
Oscar Daily was there, and he made a gasping sound, as if the move was completely inappropriate. Romeo laughed as Demi’s cheeks tinted pink.
“What can I say, Oscar? I’m just a guy who’s crazy about his girl,” Romeo said as he walked toward me.
“This is a place of business, Golden Boy. I don’t want to see that kind of smut when I’m paying too much for a cup of coffee,” Oscar grumped.
“You get your coffee for half price. You’re hardly paying too much.” Demi laughed. “And don’t knock the smut until you’ve tried it.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” Romeo said as he winked at her and then turned his attention to me. “Hey, Ruby. How’s your dad doing? I’m going to try to get over there this week to see him.”
“Rehab is going well. I’m sure he’d love to see you.”
He nodded and made his way out the door, and I walked toward the counter as Oscar pushed to his feet from where he’d been sitting at the table. “All right, Demi, I need to get to work. Thanks for the coffee.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said.
“Hey, Ruby. Your brother no-showed to work this morning, and I had to call in my son to cover his shift.”
My brother, who needed the money to cover rent, no-showed to his shift.
Shocker.
The apple did not fall far from the tree. My mother could never hold a job down for very long either.
“I’m sorry about that. I’ll talk to him.”
He shook his head and shrugged. “Not your problem. But it might not be my problem for much longer either, if he pulls this one more time. He’s a good worker when he shows up, but I can’t have him not showing up for his shifts.”
“Yep. I understand that.” I sighed. “But if you could give him one more chance, I’d sure appreciate it. I know he loves working there.”
“I wish that brother of yours had your work ethic. Then I’d be a lucky man.” He held up a hand and waved before making his way out the door. I’d worked for Oscar in the summers during high school. Hell, I’d always been hungry to make my own money. To be independent. I’d started a dog walking business when I was ten years old, and I’d realized no business would hire me because I was too young. I’d had a long list of clients by the time I was eleven and had been able to tuck away more money than most teenagers could make at a summer job.
“He shouldn’t hound you about Rico. He’s not your responsibility; he’s a grown man,” Demi said.
“It’s fine. My brother’s a flake, and it’s frustrating. I get it.”
She poured each of us a glass of sun tea, grabbed two lemon bars, and motioned for me to sit at the little table in the corner. “Things are finally slow. Let’s sit and visit for a little bit.”
“Thanks,” I said as I took a sip and groaned at the sugary goodness. “This is so good.”
