Page 115 of Hunt for the Roses
Then I hear a clinging sound.
I turn and see my dad holding a microphone in the back right corner of the restaurant where the guitarist is set up to play music.
“Good evening, everyone. First, I’d like to thank you all, from the very bottom of my heart, for coming tonight. When you become a chef, the big dream is to own a restaurant one day. Tonight, I’m living out my dream. But my dream couldn’t have been possible without the ever-loving support of my family. My beautiful wife, Helen, my overbearing but loveable son, Ronnie, and my gorgeous daughter, Aria.” There are small chuckles from his description of Ronnie, which is an accurate description, nonetheless. “We’ve worked tirelessly this past year to open a restaurant to the public that wouldn’t just offer delicious cuisine, but great ambience as well. I truly hope we can make the town of Crestside proud. It’s my honor to officially invite you to the grand opening of Bistro Eighty-Six.”
I’m smiling wide as guests applaud my dad, and all my turbulent emotions are shoveled to the side for now. My dad places the microphone on the stand, and the guitarist announces that the buffet is now open, and people start to make a line to get their food. I walk right over to my dad and congratulate him, and Ronnie and Cheryl do the same.
After we all get our food and sit at the head table as a family, we all dig in, and I’m sitting next to my mom when she starts the conversation. “Getting ready to go back to school?”
“Ugh, don’t remind me,” I say before taking a bite of the skirt steak I have on my fork.
Ronnie narrows his eyes. “You literally get two months off.”
I swallow my steak and narrow my eyes back at him. “Well if it was so easy and everyone wanted two months off, everyone would be a teacher, wouldn’t they?”
Cheryl chimes in as she points to me with shrimp scampi on her fork. “That’s right!”
I give Ronnie a victorious expression that someone agrees with me.
My mom then diverts her attention to Ronnie. “How are the renovations at the house coming along?”
He takes a sip of his beer then responds. “Our contractor just needs to refinish the tub in the bathroom and put the countertops in. Another week to go, maximum.”
My mom’s eyes light up. “That’s great. And maybe there will be a baby in the refinished tub soon?”
Cheryl and Ronnie look at each other with smiles, and then my mom and I look at each other with furrowed brows. When we look back at Ronnie and Cheryl again, I’m the first to speak. “You’re pregnant?!”
Cheryl nods her head eagerly.
“Oh, my god!” my mom yells as she gets up to hug the both of them, and I follow suit.
We find out Cheryl is six weeks along, and I give Cheryl a big hug before I turn to Ronnie. We look at each other with tight-lipped smiles before putting our arms around each other, and he pulls me in for the biggest bear hug.
“I’m so happy for you,” I say as the side of my face rests on his shoulder.
“I want you to be happy too,” he says.
I nod with a smile as I pull away. “I will be. A lot of great things in my future between Dad’s restaurant and having a niece or nephew.”
Ronnie smiles, and we pull completely away so that the four of us can converse back at the table. An hour passes at the table as we talk about the baby room, baby names, gender reveals, and baby showers. We have some really great laughs, and I step outside of myself for a quick second to look in on this scene.
Two weeks ago, our world was chaotic.
Now, our world seems settled.
Maybe everything can be okay in the end if Dane and I decide to be together.
Ronnie and Cheryl head out right after dessert, and I am left at the table with my mom. My elbow is on the table as I prop my chin in my hand, and I look around at all the people immersed in conversations and laughter as I listen to the instrumental versions of classic songs played by the hired guitarist.
My mom’s voice cuts into my thoughts from my side. “What are you thinking about?”
I swallow a nervous gulp as I decide what I should say. Should I make something up, or go with the truth? “Him,” I respond as I look straight ahead.
My mom pauses before speaking. “Who?”
I furrow my brows at my mom’s question as I keep looking forward. She knows who I’m talking about, so why is she acting like she doesn’t? Why does she need clarification?
And then it dawns on me.
