AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She had been waiting for it, but this was Thomas, not Oskar. Tove could take her time chewing her fluffy waffle while staring at the sunlight that reflected off a wine bar’s awning. A group of children preceded by their parents skipped down the sidewalk, one holding a large red balloon that Tove recognized from Trudy’s. “Could be worse,” she said. “Could be a lot better.”
“That’s rough. Good to see you out and about again though. You’re like my barometer for how things are going in the family. Things might be exploding behind the scenes, but if Tove is walking through downtown? I guess everything will be fine.”
Tove slowly turned her head toward him. “I’m tired of being the family barometer.”
“Don’t forget you’re our fixer, too.”
“I’m the patsy and the punching bag. No need to mince words.”
Thomas propped his elbows against the counter. “You don’t have to be any of those things. You’re ten years older than me but I feel like I’ve done more with my life than you. Guess that’s fine if you have little to no ambitions, but with that girlfriend around, you were… I dunno. Like a new person. I was happy for you. If I get to screw up a bunch and have a cute wife who makes me happy, why can’t you be more in control of your life and have the same thing? ‘Course, I never saw you with someone so much younger but… eh, doesn’t matter. You guys were cute together.”
“All because you ‘tapped’ her with your car.”
“I still maintain that was a genuine accident. Didn’t see her until it was too late.”
“But was it an accident on her end?”
Thomas snorted. “You asking if she was standing in the road hoping for a Fredriksson to smack her with his bumper? Yeah, right. Not how it works at all. They usually go straight to the bars where we all hang out and start flirting. Or they get their friends to introduce them. You know what they’re up to with the word ‘go.’”
“Is that how it was with Polly?”
“I mean, she thinks I’m good lookin’, but bet your ass she was initially interested in me for what money I’ve got. It’s not an ideal way to start a relationship, but guys like me know that’s what’s up when we meet hot girls like that. They have a lifestyle that they want. We provide that in exchange for their company. I mean, getting to marriage, though… you have to really want it. Don’t you think Kayla wanted it?”
Tove grimaced. “I don’t want to think about it.”
“Fair enough.”
Maybe the bacon was getting to Tove, but she couldn’t take another bite of her brunch. “Oskar went after her when he heard we broke up. Trudy – the lady with the gift shop, you know – said she saw Kayla smack him for getting fresh. I can’t believe it.”
“Yeah, well…” Thomas perked up to see his to-go order. “Oskar’s a piece of shit.”
Tove collapsed her chin into her hand. “He’s up there with most of our family.”
“You give people enough money for enough generations…” Thomas thanked the waitress for bringing the bag. A Styrofoam box was soon propped up next to Tove’s plate. “All reason goes out the window. Ask me how I know.”
“You’ve turned yourself around pretty well. Can’t say the same for a lot of our immediate relatives.”
“You’re right. That’s why when Polly wanted to get back together, I didn’t think twice about it. I needed someone from outside of this family to keep me grounded. I don’t want to think about how things might have gone had the divorce continued.”
“You know that Aunt Kiersten probably bribed her to come back, right? It sure was convenient once Kayla arrived.”
Thomas snorted. “Unlike you, Tove, I was never under any disillusion that she was partly in it for the money. Also unlike you, I’ve never really cared. I’d tell you it’s because I’m a man, but that’s not what you want to hear. Just… temper your expectations with life.” Thomas peeked into the to-go box to confirm that everything was there. “People make mistakes. They get into things for the wrong reasons but stay with them for the right reasons. I don’t know if Polly and I will be forever, but I’ll try to make it work. We’re having a kid now. I’m gonna be a dad!” He tied a bow with the plastic bag handles. “Never gets old saying that.”
“As long as you’re happy, right?”
“Yeah, and I don’t care if you or anyone else thinks I’m a stupid fool. This beats what I was doing with my life before her by amile.See ya, Tove.”
She sat alone with her thoughts for the remainder of her brunch. All around her, the chattering of patrons, the clanging of dishes, and the soft rock music playing on the satellite radio created a cacophony of distractions. Yet nothing penetrated her mind like the waves of people passing by her on the street, from families going about their business to couples holding hands. Everyone was in their own world, and Tove was not privy to anything but this sweet, singular glimpse into their mundane lives.
She wondered what people thought of her being out in public with someone like Kayla. Someone younger than her. Someone more outgoing and vivacious.
Someone she had loved, despite the critics.
With half of her bags packed, Kayla gazed across the spare bedroom where she had been sleeping for over half a year.Seems like yesterday I entered this room for the first time.Her friends had been nothing but gracious since her arrival. Even Huey, who barely knew her, had turned into a great TV-watching buddy, and he hadn’t hesitated to share with her his love for cooking or teaching her how to play golf or up her bowling score.
Now? It was time to leave.
She would temporarily move in with her brother and his family now that they were getting a bigger place. A new job was in order. May she’d date… maybe she’d keep to herself while contemplating going to community college.I can’t be a waitress or a hostess forever. Not if I want to take care of myself.A recent checkup at the doctor had flagged a few “concerning” things in her blood panel, but subsequent tests cleared up any doubt her GP had. Yet it was a sad reminder that anything could happen at any age.
