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“That’s because you never leave your ice cream shop. Told you many times, Shug, you need to get out more.”
“With what time?” she countered. “You try running a business and raising two boys alone. It’s not easy.”
Chuckling, I shook my head. “No thank you. The bowling alley is enough for me. Plus, I help others when I’m needed. I don’t have time for anything else.”
Sugar said nothing. She turned on her stool and looked out over the room.
Doing the same, I wiped down the bar and smirked at the shenanigans I was witnessing.
However, when my eyes landed on my sister dancing with Frank, I groaned. “About damn time.”
“Huh?” she asked, looking back at me.
Pointing to Claudia, Sugar laughed. “Do they really think they are fooling everyone?”
“Yes.” I smirked, leaning against the bar, watching my sister smile up at Frank. “Lidi thinks if she says nothing, no one will be the wiser.”
“And poor Frank is so shy, he won’t say anything at all.”
“Yep.” I nodded in agreement.
The whole fucking county knew that my sister Claudia and Frank liked each other. It was interesting for a while to see who would make the first move. There was even a running bet in the clubhouse. Over the years, we all watched, waited, and tried to maneuver the two of them together, to no avail. Now, it was just plain painful to watch. Neither refused to budge, skirting each other while ignoring the writing on the wall. The fact was, Frank was in love with my sister, and Lidi was in love with Frank.
Turning back to me, Sugar asked, “You ever think about finding someone and settling down, Eugene?”
“One time I did.”
“What happened?”
“She didn’t want me.”
“Her mistake. You are a catch.”
I winked. “Thanks, Shug.”
For the rest of the night, I stayed behind the bar, mixing and filling drinks, while my brothers and friends partied. But like all good things, eventually the party ended and when I noticed it was just me and Sugar in the main room, I sighed. “Shug, you okay to drive home?”
Sugar lifted her head off the bar and mumbled, “Yeah, just give me a few minutes.”
Shaking my head, I hit the light switch, turning off all the lights before walking around the bar to gather her up in my arms. “Come on, Shug. You can sleep with me tonight. It will be like old times. Just no hogging the blankets, okay?”
Wrapping her arms around my neck, she laid her head down on my shoulder and whispered, “Not promising anything.”
I felt her move against me before I realized what was happening.
At first, I thought I was dreaming, but when her body rubbed up against mine, my beating heart slowed and my body relaxed, as if we’d done this dance forever.
Shifting closer, she wrapped her arm around my waist.
That’s when I felt her tears.
I didn’t know what upset her, but I never could stand seeing Sugar cry. Something about seeing her beautiful brown eyes wrecked as they shed tears broke something inside me. For as long as I could remember, I’d felt that way. Everything inside me demanded I make it right for her.
Wrapping my arms around her, pulling her closer to my chest, the tears she had been trying to hold back flowed freely. She wrapped her arms around me, sobs racking her body. I said nothing, while I lay there in my bed, holding the one person that I would walk through fire for.
There was nothing I wouldn’t do for Sugar.
Only, she didn’t know it.
