Page 9 of Horn in My Side
After he’d dressed in the clothes he’d been wearing earlier, Mal followed Jasmine to the diner next door.As they walked over, Mal couldn’t help but wonder what it was she wanted to talk about.Would she try to stop him from selling the petshop?He couldn’t imagine what else she could possibly want from him.
He sympathized with her, he really did.It was tough losing a job, but she was young and—yesterday’s situation aside—was probably smart and could easily land on her feet.Besides, why would she want to be stuck in this town, working for just above minimum wage in a pet shop that barely broke even?
The garish neon sign above the classic chrome diner building proclaimed it as “Pamola’s Diner”, just in case the cartoon illustration of the smiling winged beast with a moose’s head, a man’s torso, and an eagle’s legs was obvious enough.Mal couldn’t help but smirk as the pamola was hardly the jovial creature that sign portrayed it to be.They were mean and vicious, and often took prisoners back to their nests to toy with them before devouring them or feeding them to their young.
When they reached the door, he opened it and gestured for her to go inside, then followed her to the nearest empty red vinyl booth.
“Do you know what you want?”the server, a pinched-faced lamia, asked as she slithered toward them, her long, scaly tail swishing behind her.
Jasmine immediately spoke up.“One special plate with home fries, toast, and eggs over easy, plus a side of pancakes.”She glanced sheepishly at Mal.“I like breakfast for dinner.”
He put down the menu he hadn’t had a chance to read.“Same, but double everything.”
“Coffee?”
They both shook their heads.
“Be with ya in a jiffy,” she called as she slunk away.
“So,” Mal began, “what was it that you wanted to talk about?”
Jasmine placed her hands at the edge of the Formica table and drummed her fingers.“Again, I’m so sorry about Vrig.”
“Thank you,” he said automatically, because what was hesupposed to say?He hardly knew his uncle, and it wasn’t that he didn’t care, but this situation was just so awkward.
“He really was a great boss, and everyone around here thought he was a nice guy.He’d been here over twenty years.Did you know that?He was a pillar of the community.Joined the Volunteer Fire Department.Participated in all kinds of activities, especially at the elementary school.He always contributed to fundraisers, plus he would bring the pets to the assemblies.The kids loved it.His death is a big loss to Dewberry Falls.”
“Uh-huh.”He wondered if she would get to the point before their dinner arrived.
“I know you must have a lot of things going on right now, with his estate and his house and all ...”
Ah yes, that was another headache he had to deal with, and he hadn’t even seen the house yet.
“And they say you shouldn’t make rash decisions while you’re under emotional stress ...”
You’re the one giving me stress with all this beating around the bush, he wanted to say, but held his tongue, lest she turned those wounded brown eyes on him again.
“But if you don’t think it’s too soon—a-and I completely understand if you do and you need more time, but I was wondering if ...if you had thought about what you were going to do with Fantastic Tails?”
Finally.“I have.And, Jasmine ...”He prepared himself mentally for what he wanted—needed—to say to her.Folding his hands together on the table, he focused his gaze on his intertwined fingers, afraid to look at her.“I have no choice but to close it down.Like I said, I can offer you a generous severance, which should help keep you afloat while you search for another job.”Carefully, he lifted his head to meet her gaze, realizing he at least owed her that.“I’m sorry.”
“That’s why I wanted to talk to you, face to face.”She inhaled deeply.“I want to buy the shop from you.”
Nowthathe didn’t expect.“You do?”
“Uh-huh,” she said with a determined nod, her fingers continuing their steady rhythm on top of the table.
“Great,” he said, relieved that he didn’t have to worry about her losing her source of income.Why, if she could afford to buy the shop, then she probably wasn’t hurting for cash in the first place.“That would really help me out.”
“But ...”
He snorted.Of course there was a but.“Yes?”
“Er ...”Her fingers drummed faster.“I can’t quite afford it.Yet,” she added quickly.“I just need some time to get the paperwork for a loan together and, uh, save up more money.”
“How long?”
“About ...six or seven months?”
