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She sighs heavily and nods. “I will. Have a good sleep,” she tells me, effectively dismissing me from her room.
“You, too.” I walk over and kiss the top of her head before making my way to my own bedroom. Kevin trots after me, following along to my bedroom so he can be a pest while I try to sleep.
Our home is much more modest than our home in Chicago. Our three-bedroom, two-bathroom ranch-style house is perfect for us. We have enough room for when Trotter and Logan come to visit that they can stay with us rather than at a hotel and that was our main goal when looking for a house.
Best part about our home? It’s mine. And my parents don’t have a single penny invested in it. Technically, anyway. While I hadsomemoney from one of my trust funds, the bulk of it has been transferred to Brooklyn. I took enough so she and I could start a new life and that was it.
Once in bed, I set my glass of water and phone on the nightstand and plug the phone into the charger. Having slept in my own bed for years, it never takes me long to get comfortable but tonight I’m restless. Trotter’s texts continue to plague me, his comments about finding happiness cycling through my mind over and over again.
It’s not as if I’m unhappy. I have a daughter who isn’t completely terrifying, which is a bonus since most teenagers are. I love our new home and having Dorothy in our lives. My relationship with Trotter is better than it’s ever been and because he’s Brooklyn’s father, that’s something I’m incredibly grateful for.
Like everyone, I have bad days along with the good days but even my bad days aren’t enough to bring me down. I’m finally living a life I chose for myself rather than blindly following my parents’ plans for me and for me, that equals happiness.
* * *
“Patty melt and fries,” I say to the customer, placing the plate in front of her. “And cobb salad for you.”
“Looks great. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Is there anything else I can get for either of you?”
“I think we’re good.”
I smile in their direction and move to the next table, take their order, and bring it to the kitchen before checking on a few other customers. The lunch rush is surprisingly busy for such a small town. However, considering there are only a handful of options I guess it shouldn’t be such a surprise.
What I am surprised about, though, is how much I love working in the diner. I love serving the customers and seeing them happy, baking pies, and chatting with everyone in town. At the end of the day when my body is tired, it feels good to know that it’s because I’ve worked hard and helped people. And best of all, the smile I’m wearing is genuine. It feels good to smile.
I’m carrying a tray of drinks to one of my tables when that smile I’m wearing drops when I see who just walked into the diner.
I wasn’t expecting this today.
I needed more time.
Though, I’m not sure I’d have ever been ready.
ChapterFive
Hadley
My mother’s eyes narrow on me and her lips curl up in a snide smirk when she sees me. In her mind, I have no doubt, she thinks she won because I’m waitressing. Something that she sees far beneath her. While Mom’s eyes are locked on me, my father is analyzing the diner with a critical eye. When his gaze lands on me, he offers a faint smile and single nod.
Dad has always been more laid back and while he shares my mother’s thoughts on marriage, he’s more open-minded and understanding. When I told them Trotter and I were getting a divorce and I was moving away with Brooklyn, it wasn’t him who threw a fit. It was my mom. He never spoke up, but a part of me always felt like he had a twinge of pride in me finally making a life for myself. Maybe I’m just being hopeful, though.
Funny how that desire to make your parents proud never goes away no matter how old you get.
I regain my composure and bring the drinks to the table, let them know I’ll be back shortly to take their order, and rush to the kitchen where I know Brooklyn is.
She’s filling a drink order for one of her tables and turns to me with a smile that, like mine earlier, was genuine until she sees the look on my face.
“What’s wrong?”
“Grandma and Grandpa are here.”
Her eyes dart toward the diner and my heart breaks when I see the unease and fear in her face.
“What?”
I nod. “I know. I’m not sure why, but I would like you to stay back here. I don’t know what they want and I don’t want you in the fray if they’re here to cause problems.”
