Page 21 of Owen's Heart

RANIA

Monday morning, I walk through the café. The town’s early birds are out in full force for their usual breakfast meals and coffee. Aunt Mildred is still in rehab, and I’m doing my best not to think about Owen.

I still can’t believe he hooked up with Chantel only a week after breaking up with me. There is no way he could have truly loved me if he went on to sleep with her after her and Jasmine’s shenanigans broke us up.

I push those thoughts aside and balance the serving tray in my hand as I walk to a corner table in the café.

“Good morning, Mr. Finney. You having your usual today?” I greet the graying gentleman as I set down a cup of coffee in front of him with two creams and four sugars.

He beams up at me with a toothy grin. “Yep, ya know me—grits and bacon, as always.”

“Coming right up.”

Mr. Finney opens a pack of sugar and pours it into his cup. “Ya know, Mildred outta keep you ‘round here, Rania. Ya just as good at this as she is.”

I shush him. “Don’t say that too loud. Some of her cronies might go back and tell her that I’m stealing the affection of her regulars,” I tease.

“Oh, no. Say it loud and clear. She is the best server in here right now. Mildred did good to call her back home,” a familiar voice chimes in from behind me.

I turn to see none other than Owen’s brother, Anson, standing there looking like a slightly older, taller version of Owen.

“Mr. Finney, your food will be out shortly,” I assure him, then turn and walk toward the kitchen. “Hi, Anson,” I say in passing.

“Whoa. Is that all the greeting your big brother gets after all this time?” He pushes my shoulder softly. “Look at you! You’ve grown up to be a lady.”

It’s no doubt about it; the Clemonte brothers all have the same charming personalities and heartwarming smiles.

“Thanks. You have also grown up to be a man,” I tease, pushing his shoulder in retort.

“Once you put Old Man Finney’s order in, can I talk to you for a second?” he asks.

“Sure. Give me a second.” I continue toward the kitchen, wondering what Anson has to say to me.

Anson is sitting at a table, talking to Sandra when I come back out with Mr. Finney’s food.

“Alright, here you go. Grits and bacon and I had them add a few pieces of bacon for you. Do you need anything else?” I ask Mr. Finney.

“Nope, I think ya got it all and then some. Thank ya, young lady,” he says, diving into his plate as I walk away.

Anson is alone now, so I head over to his table and stand beside it.

“You wanted to talk to me?” I ask.

“Sit down, please.”

“Look, if this is about Owen—”

“Just have a seat, and let’s talk for a minute.”

Sighing, I slide into the booth. “Okay, I’m sitting. What’s up?”

Anson rests in his seat. “Let me tell you a story about a young man who was so hurt when he couldn’t find his girl that he sabotaged his own world…”

Anson begins a long story, explaining Owen’s thought process and how hurt he was when I ghosted him. He says Owen slept with Chantel in an attempt to numb the pain.

“He talked to me right after he did it, and he was messed up in the head, drunk crying and talking about how much he missed you. He only used her that week they were on vacation to try to get over you. But he never got over you. Even now, there is no girl that he has ever dated who doesn’t know about you.”

“He tells them about me? Why?” I ask, remembering the disdain in Melissa’s voice when she mentioned Owen talking to her about me.

---