Page 26 of Sea La Vie
“Stop it,” I mouth, then more politely add, “Huck, what’s the special today?”
“Fried shrimp,” he says. “You two wanna share a basket? Maybe a chocolate milkshake?”
My dad joins us at the bar in a matter of seconds, the fastest I've seen him move since his heart attack. He scans Tate from top to bottom, then me, his eyebrows cocked in skepticism. Clearly, showing up to our family breakfastandthe diner for lunch are enough to make everyone assume we are dating. I’m sure by this time tomorrow, Lucille will have phoned the whole town, announcing my soon-to-be shotgun wedding, because I’m already three months along. I roll my eyes at their gawking and try my best to pretend like I don’t know what they’re up to.
I swivel around to face Sid, who is still staring right along with Dave. I’ll put a stop to this right here and now. “Hey Sid, do you have an estimate on Tate’s car yet? He’s ready to get out of this place.”
“Part’s still not here! Should be a few more days at least.” I glance over at Tate who nods. I search his face for any clue that he could be miserable here and find a slight frown forming along his lips.
“Put a rush on it,” I tell him. Then to Huck, “I’ll take a chicken sandwich.”
“Too late.” Huck sets down a steaming fried shrimp platter between the two of us and a cheeseburger with a milkshake for Sam, right as Eden walks through the door. She joins us at the bar and gives Sam a big squeeze.
“Please tell me you have two of these,” she says and pops a shrimp from our basket into her mouth with a groan.
“Good luck,” I mutter. She jumps onto the stool next to me, and Huck walks into the back to make her a plate.
“How was the trip?” I ask.
She finishes chewing then shrugs a shoulder. “You know. Same old, same old.”
“Did you at least take advantage of being there? Stop at a boutique? Anything?”
“Not really. We picked up the order from the supply house and that’s about it.”
“We? Who did you go with?” I ask.
Before she can answer, the bell above the door jingles and Henry walks in. He beelines for Sam and sneaks up behind him, tickling him in the ribs. Sam, caught off guard, giggles in delight.
Huck sets a plate of shrimp in front of Eden and turns to Henry. “I wondered when you were going to show up,” Huck says. “I made you your regular cheeseburger and fries but finally threw it out a few hours ago.”
Eden slides her plate over to Tate before Henry can answer and says, “You can have the rest of this. I need to unload everything I picked up today.” Then she walks quickly out the door after kissing Sam on the head. Typical Eden, never able to be around Henry for more than three seconds.
Henry’s arm wrestling Sam and Sam’s giggles are so loud, I almost miss Tate’s coughs. I swivel around and find him, bug-eyed, with his hands clasped around his neck.
“Help,” he croaks.
“Are you choking?!” I ask. “Huck! He’s choking! Do something!”
Huck jumps across the counter and wraps his arms under Tate’s from behind. He starts pumping his fists under Tate’s sternum but Tate continues to cough and sputter, waving his hands wildly in the air.
“You’re going too fast!” Sid says and pushes Huck out of the way.
“Go to the beat of Stayin’ Alive!” Dave suggests from his booth in the corner.
“I thought that was CPR,” Huck says. “Actually I’m almost positive it is. I saw it on an episode of The Office once.”
Dave frowns. “I guess I haven’t seen that one. I’ll help just as soon as I take a trip to the men’s room. Too many root beer floats, if you know what I mean.” He scurries off toward the restroom, and Lucille’s off beat version of the song quickly fills the diner anyway, all while Tate still continues to cough and hack.
“My throat!” He manages to squeak.
“Your coat? Where’d you put it?” I ask, spinning around the room in search of it. “Is there an EpiPen in the pocket?”
Dad grabs one off the rack by the door and throws it in my direction…one that looks an awful lot like faux cheetah fur.
“I don’t think this is it, Dad,” I say, eyeing it suspiciously.
“That’s where that went!” Lucille cries and tugs it from my hands. “I’ve been missing this since last winter! I knew he was a thief.” She narrows her eyes at Tate who continues to clasp at his throat, eyes bulging from his head.
