Page 13 of Please, Stay

She assumed his position, watching each sheet of paper feed into the machine to ensure it didn’t jam. There was pride in helping her father run the paper from writing the articles all the way down to printing. Her dad had ignored or waved off her suggestion of buying an automated press. Or even outsourcing the printing. She’d researched several ways to minimize their costs. The only employees that ran the print were over seventy and could be reassigned to easier jobs.

She loved this paper. It didn’t matter if she was thirteen when her dad included the article she’d written about the Statem Blue Hawks football game or thirty-one and about the latest action movie. That was the great part of working for a family-run newspaper. Her articles always made it in. Soon, though, she’d work for herself.

She’d decide which articles made it and which didn’t. And finally, she’d make a few necessary changes to modernize the processes.

She looked up at a rush of cool air. Mr. Jeff returned, exactly thirty minutes later, sipping a drink through a straw from the to-go cup from the Daylight Diner.

“You didn’t happen to take my father with you to lunch, did you?”

Mr. Jeff treated her to a crooked smile, one tooth missing on the upper left side. “Nope. Sure didn’t, lil’ Jules.” He rubbed his stomach. “Ole’ man Hugh isn’t good for the digestion.”

Juliana smiled and vacated the seat. “I couldn’t agree with you more, Mr. Jeff.”

Mr. Jeff scratched the top of his head. “I don’t see how you have survived with him all these years.”

“Perseverance and antacids.”

He cackled. “Most of the folks in this town have tried their best to be nice to him because of you.”

She rested her hand on his shoulder. “I know he can be grouchy, but my dad is still in there. He’s simply forgotten how happy he could be. Like we were before my mom died.”

Mr. Jeff slowly shook his head. “Just ‘cause a chicken’s got wings, Jules, don’t mean it can fly. I’ve known him longer than you’ve been alive. I doubt your daddy will ever make it off the ground.”

“We’ll see.” She patted his shoulder one last time and then left him to finish watching the paper run through the machine. Maybe her dad had gotten over the Grayson incident in the past few hours she’d secluded herself in the basement. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d exchanged shots in public, but she didn’t want anyone, mainly Ms. Iris, to get caught in the crossfire. Ms. Iris would inevitably jump in. It was her diner, and she ran it tight and family-war free.

She caught sight of her dad standing on the front steps, already waiting on her. The church bell chimed noon in the background. Hopefully, that wasn’t signaling round one of their next fight.

She eased down the steps, her ‘happy’ smile plastered on her face. He took a long drag on his noontime cigarette. “I told Jeff I didn’t appreciate him making us late for lunch.”

Her happy smile turned into a sneer when she locked her jaw down tight. “Daddy, it’s just now noon. Mr. Jeff didn’t make us late.”

“On timeislate.”

Holding out her hand, she narrowed her eyes at his cigarette. “Give it over.”

He took one last, long drag before passing it to her. She immediately snuffed it out and put it in the trash can. “That doctor doesn’t know anything. Cigarettes aren’t going to kill me.”

“The stress might if you don’t calm down.”

She might as well fight with a steel wall as he walked ahead of her without another word. She’d end up worn out and beat up before the wall even had the first dent. Hell, she’d put herself in this position. Her mom would want her to fight for him. To fight for Eliza and Carrie. They could be a family again. Somehow.

5

The Daylight Diner bustled with many of the same customers she’d seen this morning at the coffee shop. Happy to turn from the target of her dad’s sharp looks to giving a few of her own, Juliana crossed the short distance to Becky to let her know what she thought about her little stunt with Grayson.

It’d worked out, but still…Becky should know better than to put her in that situation.

“Hey, Jules, can you grab me a refill?” Nash held his sweet tea glass in front of her as she passed and shook it, the ice clinking against the sides. His girlfriend, Lexi, rolled her eyes. “What? I’m thirsty.”

“That’s the fourth glass of tea you’ve had since we sat down.” She waved a tomato from her small salad at him. “Water would be healthier.”

Juliana smiled and took his glass. “If you’re not going to get your own tea, then I agree with Lexi. Water it is.”

“Cameron tried to kill me with a five-mile run this morning before I even saw you at the coffee shop. Ever since he started dating Addie, he’s been on this stupid kick to try and get as fast as she is.”

Lexi winked at Juliana. “Trying to keep up with the girls is hard.”

“I don’t know.” Nash dragged his last fry through the pile of ketchup on his plate. “I’ve kept up with you and the house renovations on top of running the new store.”

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