Chapter 17
Audrey
The mouth-watering smell of eggs, bacon, seasoned potatoes, and sausage woke me out of my deep slumber.
Last night, I passed out the moment my body hit the mattress. The liquor in my stomach, and the memory of my hand in Max’s, lulled my fuzzy brain right to sleep.
Rolling over, I grabbed my phone and checked my notifications.An “I got home safely” from Gianna, a “good morning” from Carter and a few spam notifications from miscellaneous apps. But the one that made me smile was the bubble with Max’s name atop it.
Max: Just got in. Following the doctor’s orders now.
I hoped he wasn’t lying and actually took some pain medicine like he was supposed to.
I lay my phone back on the nightstand and dragged myself out of bed. Quietly, I crept down the steps and peeked inside the kitchen.
Dad was standing over the stove, stirring potatoes around in a skillet. Papa stood beside him at the counter, slicing up an avocado. A bandana was wrapped around his head, and the small grin I’ve missed was back.
Their deep voices and soft laughter meshed with the simmering of the pot and soft thuds of the knife.
It’s been a minute since I’ve seen them cooking together.
When I was younger, before Dad got sick, it was a daily occurrence.
In the mornings before school. On the weekends when I woke up.
Whenever I came down to visit from college.
It was practically a staple in our household.
Words couldn’t explain how happy I was to see its return.
“Good morning, baby girl!” Dad exclaimed when he saw me hovering in the doorway. “How was your night?”
“Good.” I walked inside and gave them both a kiss on their cheeks. “Can I help with anything?”
“Nah, we got it. You just sit down and relax.”
Nodding, I made a beeline for the refrigerator. I pulled out the jug of orange juice.
“How was Max’s match?” Papa asked, glancing over his shoulder.
“Pretty good,” I replied. I poured my juice into my cup and put the jug back into the fridge. “His opponent gave him a run for his money, but he still came out on top.“
My fathers carried the food over to the table. They set a breakfast bowl topped with melty cheese and a slice of avocado toast on top of each placemat.
“Well, we’re happy you had a great time,” Papa assured me. “We know how much you’ve missed him.”
“Yeah,” I murmured. I waved over the food and changed the subject. “So, what’s with the breakfast of champions? Not that I’m complaining, but it’s been a while since we’ve had a meal like this.”
My fathers exchanged a wary glance.
“We wanted to talk to you,” Papa said.
“About…?” My eyes darted between them. “You’re not getting a divorce, are you?”
Both of them laughed.
“No, honey,” Dad said. He placed his hand over Papa’s and gave it a squeeze. “As much of a pain as I am, Rashad is stuck with me.”
Papa smiled. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“We wanted to talk to you about the restaurant,” Dad said, his smile dimming.
I tilted my head, unsure I was ready for the direction the conversation was about to take.
“As much as I love pretending I can function as well as I did before, I don’t think I can do it much longer.
This new treatment is kicking me down pretty bad.
I know I’m only going to get worse before my body gets better.
But, even then, I can’t guarantee I’ll feel as good as I used to.
And I can’t run a business when I’m running on fumes.
So, I’m thinking of selling the restaurant. ”
“What?” I exclaimed. “No! You don’t need to sell! I can help! I can come by after my shifts and -”
“No,” Dad said, gently but firmly. “You worked hard for your career. You deserve to enjoy it. Now, we don’t have to make a decision today, but I just wanted to start the conversation. Give us all time to think.”
“But, dad, you love that restaurant. I remember when we all first met, you said it was your dream come true.”
“One of them, yes, but…” He reached out his free hand to grab mine.
“Marrying the love of my life, raising a child, having a family: that was my real dream. There was a time in my life, I thought I’d never have such a thing.
Now that I do, I’d rather use all my energy towards cherishing all the time I can with both of you than keeping a business afloat. ”
I frowned. God forbid this disease did take him, it couldn’t take his restaurant too. It wasn’t just a business; it was a piece of him. A mark he’d left on this Earth. A source of pride, hope, and inspiration for others with similar backgrounds and dreams.
The world needed it. Just like it needed him.
Dad squeezed my hand. “Don’t fret. It’s just a thought, alright?”
Nodding, I feigned a smile to hide the tears brimming behind my eyes.
“Alright, enough serious talk.” He let go of both of our hands. “Let’s eat.”
I grabbed my fork and poked at the eggs. As good as the food looked, I’d completely lost my appetite.