‘Maybe next time?’ I offered. And maybe next time I wouldn’t have the memory of Gabe’s kiss hovering over me.
‘Yeah, definitely.’ He kissed me one final time, and I left. The text from Gabe was still on the screen. The one demon that Brad couldn’t exorcise seemed to latch on and dig in its heels. Because I didn’t delete it.
I called Ava as I cut across the lawn, hoping Gabe wouldn’t see me. But also hoping he would.
When I saw Gabe the week after his party, the first thing I said to him was sorry I didn’t say bye when I left and that I didn’t remember much after getting in Morgan’s car. He smiled a crooked, teeth-hiding smile and nodded, telling me he was glad I had come and that I’d had fun.
In the two weeks since his party we had managed to avoid working the same shifts most days. Including Veterans Day.
Al and Willa were the last people in my section for the night. Most of the residents had come in right at four p.m., some in their old military uniforms if they still fit, some in VFW hats and shirts. Thank God it was Thursday, because Veterans Day on the weekends was like New Year’s Eve for most of these old vets – 90 percent of whom were male.
Yes, even though the residents are all retired, they still have weekday vibes and weekend vibes. The weekdays are for running errands, volunteering and doctors’ appointments, while the weekends are for golfing, lunches with the ladies/fellas, seeing family, or church.
Usually on weekend Veterans Days, they sat in the common areas drinking whiskey or beer and swapping war stories. By the time the brunch shift rolled around at noon, at least a third of them would be drunk. By the time we left, the second third would be drunk – despite us not serving alcohol in the dining rooms – and the final third drank so much normally that they either didn’t get drunk anymore or they just always were.
On a weeknight, they drink, but they all arrive at once when the dining room doors open. And most aren’t hungry because they’ve gotten their free veterans’ meal from Applebee’s at lunchtime.
‘What the hell’s with you, kid?’ Al finally said after I refilled his coffee for the second time. He pointed at the other two cups he hadn’t drunk and had just moved over to an empty place setting.
‘Sorry, Al, but why did you go and dirty the other two mugs?’
‘To test if you were paying attention. Which you aren’t.’
‘Of course I’m not,’ I said. ‘I never pay attention to you.’
‘That’s bullshit. I’m captivating.’
I laughed – he had me there. I turned to Ms Vaughn. ‘And you encourage this behavior?’
She shrugged. ‘I was curious where your mind was at, too.’Sheactually drank her coffee.
‘Spill, kid. You freaking out about school? Guys?’ He frowned. ‘Gals? You need money?’ He reached into his jacket and whipped out a red envelope, holding it where no one else in the dining room could see.
I pushed it away. ‘Stop it. No. I’m fine.’
‘Just take it.’
‘Al, I’m not even a veteran.’
He pushed past my hand and dropped the card in my apron. ‘I just watched you serve with a forced smile as Ted Hinman told Korean War stories with his full racism on display. You’re an honorary vet.’
‘Well, I can’t very well scold the old bastard, can I?’ In the past, staff had threatened lawsuits a number of times for being reprimanded when they spoke out against racist residents. Now we were told to smile, pretend we didn’t hear it, and let a manager know immediately so they could talk to the resident with their well-practiced sensitivity training on how to ‘defuse and educate’.
Surprisingly, a few residents had learned and changed. But Natalie had already politely asked Ted Hinman not to say the things he said multiple times, so now I only told her if I passed her while it was happening.
I thanked Al for the card and took two of the coffee cups off the table. ‘Can I ask you for advice on something, Al?’
Al’s college know-how was probably about forty years out of date, so I didn’t need to bother him with my anxiety around that. I had also decided not to go the early acceptance route. For one thing, I was still waiting on Natalie’s hoops. Earlier that night, one of the residents asked me for a milkshake, which of course wasn’t on the menu. Iknewit had to be Natalie’s test. So I went back, scooped the ice cream of the day into a bowl, mushed it with a fork until it was soft enough to mix with milk, and poured it into a glass – and then very carefully hid it from all the other residents in my section so they wouldn’t ask for one, too, when I dropped it off. Still, Natalie didn’t fess up.
Meanwhile, Ava had submitted all her early decision stuff for Johns Hopkins and didn’t have to worry about anything school related ever again. Lucky. Though she still seemed nervous. I had no clue why, but whenever I brought up celebration plans for when she got her acceptance, she would go quiet. The only way Ava wasn’t getting in was if there was some clerical error.
Al held his hands out. ‘I didn’t survive this long tonotpass on my wisdom. Why the hell do you think I talk to you so much?’
‘That’s you passingwisdom?’
Ms Vaughn snorted. He pointed a stern finger and said, ‘Cut the wise shit and ask what you’re gonna ask before I change my mind.’
‘All right, don’t stroke out on me, old man. Did you ever … crush, I guess? On someone who was already seeing someone else.’
