The choice that's going to destroy me.
3
CALLIE
Nothing.
I stare at the word on my phone screen while standing at the fryer. The oil pops and hisses. I should be paying attention. I'm not.
Nothing.
I wanted a different answer. I wanted him to say something reckless. Something honest. Something that would make this easier or harder but at least real.
Instead, I got nothing.
I pocket the phone and pull the donuts from the oil. They're darker than they should be, not ruined, but close. I set them on the rack and start another batch.
The morning passes slowly. Customers come and go. I smile and make change and box up orders. My hands know what to do even when my brain is somewhere else.
Luke shows up at nine with coffee from the gas station.
"You know I make better coffee than that," I tell him.
"Yeah, but yours costs money." He grins and leans against the counter. "How's business?"
"Fine."
"You seem distracted."
"I'm not."
He gives me that look, the one that says he doesn't believe me but won't push. Yet.
"I need to talk to you about Memorial Day," he says instead.
"What about it?"
"The VFW order. How many dozen can you do?"
I pull up the calendar on my phone. Memorial Day is two weeks out. "Depends on what they want."
"Assorted. Whatever sells best."
"Twenty dozen. Maybe twenty-five if I start the day before."
Luke whistles. "That's a lot of donuts."
"That's a lot of veterans."
"Fair point." He takes a sip of his terrible coffee. "Ethan said he'd help deliver them. That cool with you?"
My stomach does something complicated. "Why would Ethan help deliver them?"
"Because I asked him to. I've got the parade that morning, and can't be in two places at once."
"I can deliver them myself."
"In your Honda? You'll need to make three trips."
