“Touché.”
I suggested gently, “I’m guessing you being with me as a friend will teach you what you need to know for the woman who comes next.”
Richard seemed to take my words to heart, mulling them over. “So you’re mypracticefriend.”
“Yes.”
He smirked. “I think you’ve got a lesson to learn, too.”
“What would that be?”
“To have hope. Faith. Believe again.”
“What, exactly, am I believing and hoping for?”
“Good days ahead,” he said.
A bell of truth rang within me, stopping me mid-chew.Good days ahead. “Hmph.”
He winked at me and his face broke into a grin. “It’ll come to you later.”
In that moment, I felt something shift between us. We had a new understanding, a deeper connection. We were two souls navigating the uncertainties of life, learning to be friends with each other in ways we never imagined before. Felt real good.
Chapter 15
“Grandma, what’s for dinner?” Elijah asked, tugging on my sleeve, his eyes wide with curiosity. You’d think they didn’t feed them two snacks and lunch at the day camp, the way he claimed starvation when I picked him up.
“Let’s go out tonight,” I suggested, forcing a smile. “Let’s go to the Mexican restaurant in town where Gabriella works. Maybe we can surprise her.”
“Yay!” Elijah clapped his hands.
At the restaurant, we were shown to a small table near the window. I scanned the room, searching for Gabriella among the bustling waitstaff, but she was nowhere to be seen. Instead, my eyes locked with Lorenzo’s as he cashed out a customer. His gaze bored into me with unspoken hostility, making my blood run cold. I glared right back at him, determined not to let him intimidate me. Meanwhile, Elijah was engrossed in the word-find puzzle the waiter had given him, oblivious to the tension in the air.
“Can I get extra guacamole, Grandma?” Elijah asked without looking up, his pencil scratching against the paper.
“Of course, sweetheart,” I replied, patting his hand gently.My mind, however, was racing with questions and concerns about Gabriella. What was going on? Why hadn’t she come home or responded to my messages? And why did Lorenzo look at me like that?
Let’s just focus on having a good time, I told myself, trying to shake off the unease. As I glanced around the restaurant once more, I silently prayed that Gabriella was safe and sound, and that she and I would have a long conversation about it tonight.
“Here are your drinks,” Chandra, our young waitress, said with a forced smile as she placed the glasses of water on the table. Her gaze darted away nervously, and I noticed her squirrelly twitch.
“Thank you,” I replied, taking a sip to moisten my parched throat. “I was going to ask about the chicken burrito…”
Chandra hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I can’t serve you.”
I blinked in confusion, feeling a surge of indignation rise within me. “Excuse me? What do you mean you can’t serve us?”
“Please,” Chandra whispered, glancing around anxiously. “Gabriella says you should leave.”
“Leave?” I repeated, incredulous.
Elijah looked up from his kids’ menu. “But we just got here. Is Gabriella okay?”
“Gabriella’s fine,” Chandra assured us, her voice barely audible. “She just doesn’t want any more trouble. She’ll explain everything later. At home.”
As much as I wanted to protest, to demand answers right then and there, I knew that causing a scene wouldn’t be in anyone’s best interest—especially not with Elijah present. So, swallowing my frustration, I nodded reluctantly.
“All right.” I sighed, reaching for Elijah’s hand. “Let’s go, sweetheart. We’ll get dinner somewhere else.”
