Page 77 of Shadows Within
I jump as he walks around and into the living room.
“What are you looking at?” His grey eyebrows meet.
“Oh, I um, thought I saw something.”
He moves to the kitchen sink and washes his hands, just like he does every day after working in the shop.
“Ready when you are.” I grab my purse and rain jacket off the kitchen chair and head toward the side door. We always take Dad’s truck when we go anywhere together. The pride in him won’t let me drive. I don’t even remember Mom being allowed to drive when she was around.
I open the passenger door and step up. As soon as I’m in the cab, the smell of leather and grease welcome me. It’s Dad’s distinct smell—I love it.
He backs out of the driveway, and we make our way to the other side of town, by the riverbank.
The red neonMilkshakessign flashes beside the Burger Bar entrance. Dad locks the truck’s doors before he shuts it. There’s no remote locks or power windows. He’s restored it multiple times. Always working on a different part of it and refuses to buy anything new. “Why would I do that when I can fix this one,” he’d say.
The door dings as we walk in—matching the rings that escape from the kitchen. Julia rushes over to grab the ready plates.
“Sit anywhere!” She yells from the kitchen.
Dad motions for me to go first. I pick a booth near the back. It’s a typical steady evening. Even on slow days, most tables are full. They are easily the busiest spot in town.
Julia brings menus and water to our table. “What can I get you guys?” She asks, hiding gum in the back of her mouth.
“Oh, I think we know what we want without needing these.” Dad chuckles. “Right Scar?”
He asks me like I’m thirteen again. She smiles at him—it’s genuine, everything about her always is.
“Yeah, I’ll have the Country Burger, no mushrooms, with fries and a Diet Coke please.”
“Of course, and for you?” She looks at Dad.
“The Big Country with mushrooms, fries and a Diet Coke too, please.” He grabs our menus and hands them back to her.
“So, have you made any decisions about next year?” I know he’s not trying to pry. He just wants what’s best for me, but I don’t have the answers.
“Not really, to be honest, I’m just trying to get through this semester.”
He looks down at his water then back up at me. “It’s taken a lot out of you. I can tell. Is there anything I can do to help?”
I smile up at him. “Thanks Dad. Nothing you can do. How are things with you. How’s the shop?”
“Well, it’s the same that it’s been the last twenty-six years that I’ve owned it. It has its slow times, but customers always come back for good work. Especially with these damn new cars, I swear I fix them more than I fix the old ones.”
There’s a sense of pride in his tone. He’s the hardest worker I know. He takes everything on himself and has never wanted to employ anyone else in the shop. This one time, I remember he was working late on a client’s car, and she had to pick up her daughter from dance. So, his client and I got in his truck withhim and picked her daughter up from her dance lessons. That’s just the kind of guy he is.
It’s not long before Julia returns with our drinks.
“How’s Sophia?” He asks as he takes a sip of his Diet Coke.
“She’s doing okay. You know her, always has something on the go.”
“Yeah, she always takes on too much. She tries to impress her damn parents.” He sighs.
“She misses you. She said she’s going to come over for dinner soon. Maybe we can convince her to stay and watch a movie, like old times?”
“I’m sure it wouldn’t take much convincing. She’s always welcome. I worry about you girls. You both have a lot of big decisions you have to make over the next year. Is she going to continue in law school?”
“That’s the million-dollar question. I’m not sure. I think she will end up sticking with it. I know she started down that path to impress her dad, but I think she is enjoying it now.”
