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“Rough day?” Gramps pops his head in, and Rocky barrels in behind him. Five o’clock on the dot every day, the two of them stroll in for our walk home.
“You could say that again.” I rub my hands along my face. The stress of this place isn’t kind to my body, and the lack of sleep doesn’t help.
I just wish there was an easy way out. A simple solution.
“Any luck with the bank?” Gramps parks himself on the couch and leans his cane against the wall. Rocky’s next to him in a flash, his wet mouth dripping water everywhere.
“No.” I finish up the last of the day’s tasks, closing out the register and setting up for tomorrow. I feel Gramp’s eyes following me. He’s sharp as a tack in his older age, and he hardly ever misses a beat. He knows I’m upset; it radiates off me in waves.
But I’m not in the mood to talk about it, and again, he knows that. He knows me inside and out. A bit too much if you ask me.
“Just gotta hit the bathroom, and we’ll head out.” I run down the stairs and head toward my private bathroom. Once inside, I flip the light and stare at myself in the long, wide mirror.
Fuck, Cole. You’re in deep now, man. Way too deep.
My stomach twists, and I steady my breathing. I swallow over the lump in my throat and turn the faucet on before I splash water on my face. Gripping the sides of the sink, I let the water drip down my face. Think, Cole.
I can’t afford this place anymore. First, it was the rent and then new equipment. With business slow all winter season long, I got behind. Now I can’t catch the fuck up.
The bank calls every day. Every. Single. Day.
Endless messages. I know I’m late. How could I not?
Time is running out, and I’m running out of options.
The shop and my beach house are the only things Gramps and I have.
I can’t lose it. We’ll be left with nothing.
I fucked up. I fucked up so bad.
This shop was practically set up for me, built from the bottom up, left for me to run it. I ran it well for a long time.
I got Gramps and I out of debt and into a nice home.
But then, new equipment and repairs set me back.
And a chain store opened up in town and things changed.
Business took a nosedive.
Now I’m left trying to play catch up when I can’t even stay on top.
Fuck, this shit is hard. I wish I had a magical answer.
I wish I could gain some of the strength I had five years ago when I took over this place, determination fueling my brain.
I ran it straight into the goddamn ground.
With water still dripping down my chin, I punch the wall, the crack of my fist against drywall oddly satisfying.
Fuck me.
