The Restaurant

Chapter 15

Later that day

Jimmy

"Hey Bill, how you doing?" I asked, walking into the bar. Coming into the bar from the outside, it was much darker, it took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust.

"Not too bad Jimmy," he said, motioning to the barstool in front of him. I sat there as he washed a beer mug. "Have you talked to Tina since last night about why my parents are coming into town?" he asked.

"No. I was left to wash the dishes as the girls went and dropped her off so she could get ready. I guess they have some news for her, and we were going to meet up here in a bit so they could see you and meet me," I said. I was slightly nervous about meeting them, but I'm usually a hit with parents, so I figured I'd be ok. Plus, I'd already won over her brother, and they knew Animal liked me. I figured I'd be in the clear.

"Hmm..." Bill said, wiping the bar down.

"What?"

"Well...I know what the news is. They want Tina to go with them to open a new branch," he stated, watching me for my reaction.

"Oh? Wow that's fantastic news! We should celebrate!" I said smiling.

"You're missing the point here jimmy. They want HER to be in charge of the restaurant. She'll be moving. But they aren't making her go, they're leaving it up to her," he said, looking me in the eyes.

"Oh..." was all I could form. I sat there for a minute thinking back. Tina...the first person I met going back to school. Her knocking me on the ground and smiling down at me. Her standing at the bulletin board, frowning, trying to find a place to put her ad. Tina opening the door to the restaurant, standing there smiling, us in the kitchen, and her looking up at me. Those beautiful eyes. The moments we shared, laughing, smiling. Our first kiss, it felt like that had happened years ago instead of only a few months ago. Tina, my angel. What was I going to do?

"But that's only if she wants to go. You know she can always decide to stay here," Bill said, trying to cheer me up. "You know she likes you a lot. She'll probably stay."

"Yeah..." I sat there a few minutes longer. My phone vibrated; it was Tina.

Tina: Hey

Me: Hey. What's up?

Tina: Nothing much, at home?

Me: Talking to Bill. Meet me here?

Tina: Yeah.

Half an hour later, she walked through the door. Her outline shimmering as she stepped into the darkened pub and took a seat at the bar next to me.

"How are your parents?" I asked, sipping on my soda.

"They're good. They will be here in a few minutes. I wanted to get here first to talk to you."

"I already know. Bill told me," I said, my hands wrapped around my drink. I started to twirl my straw between my fingers.

"Oh..." she said, looking down at the bar. "Well-"

"Tina, I love you," I blurted out. Shock spread across her face. "I...I love you and I don't want you to go," I told her, letting it sink in for a few seconds.

"I'm sorry Jimmy..." she said, a tear forming in the corner of her eye. "I can't do this," she said standing up. "Things have gotten way too serious way too quickly. I just..." She wiped her eye. "I just think we need to take a break."

Take a break...? Three words, just as impactful as I love you. But the polar opposite. Well, she wants a break and she broke my heart. I sat a few moments longer, staring at her. I didn't hear much from her, save for a few things like spending time with you, and made me so happy but it all was a blur. I just couldn't handle it, I got up and went home. I got home, and sat on the couch. My phone rang, I didn't pick up. I heard the door open and shut, then Christy come sit next to me and try to tell me about how much she liked Tina. Kat looked at my face and shushed Christy. Walked up to me and just hugged me. Immediately, I started crying. Christy came up and hugged my other side, rubbing my head.