“How did you get us in here?” I ask.
“Does it matter?” he shouts over the music as we’re led to a private booth in a back corner.
The sound diminishes slightly as we arrive and I can hear myself think again. The waitress approaches. “Hi, wow. It’s so cool that you’re here. The manager told me the champagne is on the house tonight. Glasses or bottles and how many?”
“That’s really kind of him, but I insist on paying. We’ll take five glasses,” Finn responds.
“Four glasses and a Sprite,” Emerson adds.
“Coming right up,” the waitress announces before spinning away.
Finn notices us staring at him. Even Ernesto seems interested.
“You have to tell us,” Kel shouts.
Finn sighs. “I came here after work with some friends and they thought I was someone else. Someone important.”
I swallow hard, focusing on the friend part. Why do I get so jealous?
“Who do they think you are?” Kel asks.
“They think I’m a celebrity. An actor. I never said I was, never said I wasn’t, but I do pay my own way.”
“That’s fucking awesome, man!” Kel laughs, fist-bumping him.
The waitress brings our drinks and I watch Emerson gently run her fingertips over the edge of her glass. I wonder why she never drinks. Maybe she’s an alcoholic. I feel horrible. I lean over and whisper in her ear. “Does it bother you that we drink?”
She smiles. “God no! I wish I could, but it’s how it has to be.”
Dinner arrives and we eat like kings and queens. I’m not sure how long we sit there laughing and telling stories, but it’s hours. I don’t worry about the expense. I deserve to treat myself just once. After all, I’ll be making more money soon. I can afford this night.
“How come there’s no Mrs. Kel?” Emerson asks during dinner.
“This is a face only a mother could love,” he says with a grin.
“No, really. There was never anyone special?” Emerson asks.
“I didn’t say that.” He pauses and regret fills his eyes. I glance over to Finn and he purses his lips.
Kel covers. “I guess I haven’t found someone who’ll put up with me yet.”
Is he still hung up on Emerson? I don’t get the feeling it’s that way between them. There’s got to be more to the story. I can feel it. I stare at him. He notices and stares back uncomfortably.
“What?” he asks.
“I don’t know. I feel like there’s something you’re not telling us,” I respond.
He winces and glances around at our concerned faces.
“This stays here.” He motions around the table and we nod. “I was engaged. She was the best thing that ever happened to me. Then the road rage incident happened. It wasn’t the first time. I lost my license… and her.”
Emerson puts her hand on his.
“I don’t know what it is about being in a car that makes my temper flare up. I’ve been taking these online classes and I thought I was getting better, but that morning when I lost it… well, she called that morning before work and told me she wanted to come by and pick up the last of her things. She wouldn’t give me a chance to tell her what I’d been doing. I started to question whether or not anything I’d done was even worth it.”
“It is, man,” Finn adds. “You’ve got this.”
Kel nods. “That day when I got mad and Ernesto put his hand on my shoulder, it reminded me to breathe. I need to do this for me, not for her. I need to be my best me before I can ever be good enough for anyone else.”
