Page 23 of The Hometown Dilemma
I imagined what it could be like after we got these licenses. Having a packed bar every night we showed games, how the life would come back to the place. We weren’t quite down and out yet, and I didn’t want to get us close to that point.
This had to work.
Hefting out a huge sigh, I started scribbling the details in the tiny boxes. Not wanting to mess things up, I’d printed out the form so I could do a rough one and then copy the correct information into it at a later time. Mom would be proud of me.
As if I’d conjured her up from my imagination, she waltzed through the door, carrying a paper bag from the deli down the road. My lips tightened. Why was she giving them business when she could eat here for free?
She set the bag down on the bar and fixed me with a stare. “BLT with plain chips. Your favorite.” I opened my mouth to argue, but she wagged her finger. “Uh, uh, don’t even think about it. I know you’re pulling a double shift today and won’t eat otherwise.”
“Thanks for reminding me of my staffing issues, Mom.” Despite myself, a smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. She knew me too well.
“Well, that’s another thing you’ll have to sort out.” Mom dipped into her bag and pulled out a brown envelope. “Because I’m hoping this will bring in a lot more customers.”
Mom slid the envelope across the bar to me. I frowned.
“What is it?” I asked, picking it up like it was going to explode.
“Open it and see.” Her expression didn’t give me any clues as to what I should find inside.
Ripping open one end, I pulled out some documents, identical to the ones I was painstakingly filling in. But these ones were complete and there was also a confirmation letter saying that Dempsey’s was ready to start showing sports channels.
The envelope and documents dropped out of my hand and floated harmlessly to the bar top to join the incomplete ones.
I fixed Mom with a look. “When did you do this?”
She gave me a rueful smile. “I knew your dad would come around, but I didn’t want to waste any time. You needed this to happen quickly, so when I saw him wavering on the decision, I went ahead and sorted it out. As co-owner, I have all the authority they need. It was a simple case of filling everything in and submitting it. You can start whenever you’re ready.”
“Why didn’t you tell me when I saw you and Dad the other day?”
“Because I didn’t want your father to know I’d gone behind his back.” Mom sighed. “You know what he’s like, Wade, he won’t be interested in how it got done, only that it did get done.”
Without thinking, I vaulted over the bar, almost knocking the stand of bar snacks onto the floor, and I gathered Mom up in a hug.
“I can’t thank you enough for doing that.”
“You deserve it, Wade. With everything that’s gone on with your father’s health and the struggles here, you need something to go your way.” My mother hugged me back tightly. “Why can’t this be it?”
I hoped with all my heart it would be.
“And thanks for lunch,” I said, releasing her. “Although don’t tell Sonny. He’ll kill me for not eating his chowder.”
“Well, how about I get a couple of portions to go? You know how your dad loves it.”
“You got it. Gimme me a minute.”
I headed back to the tiny kitchen where Sonny waited for the next orders to come in. He was a good guy and had stuck with Dempsey’s for a long time. I didn’t want to see him leave, but if things didn’t start picking up soon, I might lose him to one of our competitors.
“Hey, can you sort out a couple of takeout chowders for my mom?” I asked.
He pushed himself away from the counter and went to the cupboard to get the cartons. “Of course. It’s on the house, anything for Violet and Lloyd.”
Mom would absolutely pay for her lunch, so I nodded to appease my chef.
“It looks like we have the license to show the sports channels.” I folded my arms across my chest while I waited. “Can you come up with a menu for game nights?”
Sonny raised his eyebrows and jerked his chin. “Sounds good. Maybe we could do sliders, fries, nachos, that sort of thing. Keep it simple. Who wants fancy food when they’re necking beer and shouting at a TV screen?” He let out a laugh. “At least, that’s what they do in the sports bar at the other end of town.”
I clapped a hand to my chest in mock horror. “How do you know that? Have you been fraternizing with the enemy?”
