Second Chances

Chapter 7

"I believe that everything happens for a reason."

– Marilyn Monroe

 "Waverly?" Hamilton questioned as he straightened up and wiped his hands on his apron. "W-What are you doing here?"

            I put my own hands in my pockets and lifted my shoulders. "I'm the new waitress. Donna hired me yesterday."

            Hamilton raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised. "Oh."

            Oh?

            Well at least he acknowledged me. For the past week I had been his bus buddy but hadn't had even the slightest hint of a conversation with the guy. He only moved closer to the window to make room for me and then looked away. Even now he averted his gaze, his eyes seeming to look everywhere except into mine.

            We just stood there in an awkward silence, not knowing what to say. At least, that was what we did until we heard an obnoxious horn blaring out a fanfare at the end of the alley.

            I blinked and snapped my head to the right where I saw a rather large calzone parked at the entrance. My brother was inside of it and was waving, rather enthusiastically, with a grin on his face as he leaned out of the window. I raised an eyebrow at him and glanced over at Hamilton who was watching my brother with a surprisingly calm expression.

            "WAVERLY!" my brother shouted into a megaphone, causing my name to echo around us.

            I wasn't sure why, but my cheeks flushed red and I frowned. "What?" I yelled back, refusing to look over at Hamilton again.

            "DID YOU KNOW THAT CASHEWS COME FROM A FRUIT?"

            For a moment I was speechless and just looked at my eccentric brother with furrowed eyebrows, squinting at him. "Um no, no I didn’t."

            "CA-CA-CA-CA-CASHEWS, CASHEWS, FR-FR-FR-FRUIT!"

            And with his rather unexpected reply, he honked the fanfare horn again, and then sped off down the road with the tires squealing behind him.

            After a moment, I finally turned to look at Hamilton who was staring back at me. "Do you know what that was about?" I questioned with an eyebrow raised.

            He smiled, something I had never seen before. "No idea."

*                          *                          *

The next time I saw my brother was after work when he picked me up in The Calzone.

            When I climbed into the truck, he said; "My life has been changed indefinitely."

            I glanced over at him as I buckled my seat belt, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. "Does that 'indefinite change' have something to do with what you hollered at me this morning?"

            Terrance grinned and gave me that you-know-me-so-well look as he put the truck into drive and started down the road.

            "Oh it does, little sis, it totally does."

            "Uh-huh. And what is this indefinite change of yours?"

            He leaned over the council and fiddled with the radio for a moment before pressing play. "Listen. You just gotta listen."