Page 7 of Fight For Us
“Morning, Walt. Need a refill yet?” She stopped beside him and rested a hand on his shoulder.
“Nah, can’t have too much or I’ll get the jitters. Alex doing okay over there?”
“He’s alright. He’d much rather be playing at the beach but your son is making him pancakes, so that makes up for it.” My father spotted me listening and hit me with a smile. That was my cue to get back to work.
“I’ll go sit with him. Tell him stories about my time in the Army. He liked that last time he was here.” I rolled my eyes. Sorry kid. If I could rescue you, I would.
Oliva handled my old man like a champ, though. “Nothing violent this time, Walter. Remember he’s only ten.” My father nodded, shooing her off like she was being ridiculous and took his coffee cup over to Alex’s booth.
“Hey, Tiger,” I called, catching Olivia’s attention before she went to her first table.
“Yeah?”
“Make sure he doesn’t tell him about the time they went to the brothel. That’s a favorite of his.” The look of abject horror on her face had me biting back a laugh.
“You’re kidding right?”
“Wish I was. You can even ask my mom. It was before they got together and his most overused story. He likes to claim all the ladies had to have him. Either way, it can get pretty R-rated, so keep an ear out.”
“Well now I need to hear the story.” She laughed. “Maybe just the PG version though.”
She set off in the direction of their table and I had to forcefully pull myself back to the line. I knocked over Thea’s freshly diced potatoes in my distracted state—my first mess of the day. Thea, being the kind and gracious person she was, held back her expletives and helped me clean up.
“Uh, Thea,” I said. “Tell everyone on the floor to eighty-six the potato hash will you?”
“If it means I don’t have to dice ten pounds of potatoes again, gladly.”
We made it through the rest of breakfast unscathed. A couple more four-tops came through, keeping me busy on the line. As for Olivia, she seemed to get into a groove after her rough start to the day. I was about ready to take a break and get some paperwork done when Kelly stuck her head into the back.
“Boss, you should probably come out here.”
I quirked a brow and huffed. Another disgruntled customer she didn’t want to handle, most likely. Wiping my hands on a towel, I pushed through the back door and past the server’s station. Lilly was standing next to Alex’s booth, chatting with him and my father. My eyes snagged on the two suitcases next to her feet and the overstuffed backpack hanging off her shoulders. I went to them, needing to know what the hell was going on.
“Lilly? What are you doing here sweetheart?”
A hush settled over the place as the couple of diners turned to listen to my conversation. Bunch of busy bodies. Lilly’s gaze met mine, then she turned and pointed toward the entrance where my ex-wife, Savannah, stood tapping on her phone.
“Mom brought me. She said she has to go on a trip and I can’t come. That I gotta stay with you for a while.”
Every muscle in my body pulled taut as I looked between my daughter and my least favorite person. I slid Lilly’s backpack off her shoulders and dropped it down with the rest of her stuff. “Why don’t you sit with Alex and I’ll go talk to your mom?”
Olivia came from the restrooms and I caught her eye. Her gaze bounced between Lilly and me, then to the bags. She hurried over. “Hey Lilly, can I get you a drink sweetie?”
I mouthed thanks to her and took a centering breath. I needed it before communicating with Sav.
Her hair was dyed a golden blonde color, which was new, but she still smelled of apple body spray and Marlboro Lights from a few feet away. Not much has changed there. I made itmy business to avoid the woman as much as I could during drop off and pick up on the weekends. My parents usually stepped in. Being in Sav’s presence only pissed me off and I didn’t need that shit, not when I was finally living without the massive chip on my shoulder since she left me in my time of need.
She looked up from her phone when I’d nearly reached her. Her gaze traveled the length of my body, lingering a second too long on my covered prosthesis. She scrunched up her nose and winced—her pity look. I was all too familiar with it.
“Let’s go outside.” I pointed to the door and waited for her to step out first. Moisture saturated the air like viscous syrup and sweat immediately gathered on the back of my neck. She reached into her purse and pulled out a cigarette and lighter, glancing over her shoulder toward the parking lot. “What are you doing here, Sav?”
“Hello to you, too. I see you’re doing better since I last saw you.” She lit her cigarette and inhaled the noxious fumes. “Lilly tells me you’re working out again. I didn’t think that would be possible—” She looked down at my legs again. “—with your disability.”
“I know you’re not here to make small talk and frankly I don’t want to waste a minute of my time talking to you.” I stood up to my full height and crossed my arms over my chest. “Why are you here? Is everything okay with Lilly?”
She blew a stream of smoke toward my face and smiled. “Our daughter is fine. If you checked your email more than once a year you’d know why I’m here.” I clenched my fists at my side,glaring at her. “Jeff and I are going to Europe for a few months. I got a modeling contract overseas and as much as I’d love to take Lilly with me, I can’t. You know I’ve sacrificed so much to take care of her all these years and no shade to you, but you haven’t been the most hands-on father.”
“Not because I didn’t want to,” I said.
