Page 27 of Bully's Second Chance
“Everything okay?” the chef asked.
I peered over at him. “I’m actually going to take my breakfast with Mr. Levy this morning. Is that all right?”
He smiled as he sliced beautiful hunks of ham off the bone. “Of course, ma’am. I’ll send both of your breakfasts up to his room.”
I held up my biscuit. “You mean, this isn’t my breakfast?”
He chuckled. “You’re so silly, you know that?”
I didn’t find myself to be very silly, but apparently, he thought so.
Nevertheless, I headed straight up to Mr. Levy’s room. And after bickering with the nurse about it, I took a seat at his side and sipped my coffee.
“I work for your son now, you know. I’m his secretary, if you can believe that.”
Mr. Levy didn’t move, or speak, or even open his eyes. But, somehow, I knew he was listening.
“I’ve actually built a nice life for myself, despite my family. I don’t talk to them anymore, as I’m sure you know. You always knew everything that was going on in our little neighborhood, which is why I always giggled whenever you made Jax come over and apologize for something you found out about.”
I tore off a small bite of my biscuit and plopped it into my mouth. “I still talk to Mom, though. Sometimes, at least. You know, when she’s sober. I don’t talk to my father at all, though. He ruined that relationship a long time ago, and I have no want or dream to rekindle anything with him. And my brother? Ugh, don’t get me started on him. He’s quickly going down Dad’s path of ‘raging alcoholic’ himself. It breaks my heart, honestly.”
I ate a little more of my breakfast before I continued.
“You’d be very proud of your son, you know. He’s really doing a fantastic job with the business. He’s on the up and up, and I’m pretty sure he’s about to secure his biggest international deal by the end of this week. I swear you’d light up with pride if you saw him now.”
I started wondering if the immobile man could even hear me. I wondered if I was simply talking to a body slowly going brain-dead.
But then, my cell phone rang.
“Oh, it’s my brother,” I murmured as I picked up the phone.
I didn’t feel in the mood to ignore him when I was in the room with a dying man who probably wanted nothing except a bit more time with his family.
“Hey there. What’s up?”
His words were already slurring, and it was only eight-thirty in the morning. “Hi-sis. I wasn’t-sure-you’d-pick-up.”
I rolled my eyes. “You need anything?”
He chuckled before he heaved a bit. “Uh, I-dunno-where-I-am. Can-uh…”
I sighed and closed my eyes. “Call a cab. You have to call a cab.”
“I-don-wanna.”
My eyes opened. “Well, then I can’t help you. I’m about to clock in for work.”
“Oh-come-on. You-can’t-write-me-off-like-Dad.”
I sniffled. “Look, I have to draw lines. I know you know that.”
“Please.”
I heard the tears in his eyes, and it almost broke me. But I stayed strong. “Call. A cab.”
“Lily-please.”
“Call a cab!”
