Johnny Gets His Wings

Chapter 26

We found a booth at the restaurant that was right next to the window. Dad squeezed in next to Mary Jane, and I sat across from the both of them. The woman was wearing her perpetual scowl, but I didn't care. Like I told you before, she was no longer my mother. She was just some crazy aunt that we took out on the town from time to time.

One of the elderly waitresses came toward us. "Can I start you folks off with something to drink?"

Dad said, "I think we'd all like a cup of coffee. It will brighten our mood. Am I right?"

Mary Jane never said a word. She remained completely unresponsive, which wasn't a huge surprise. She frequently gave us both the silent treatment. But her mouth was such a sewer that her preferred method of punishment was often a huge relief.

The waitress said, "OK. Three cups of coffee coming right up." Then she walked away.

Mary Jane said, "I actually wanted tea."

Nick shot her a big smile. "Well, you should have spoken up while you had a chance."

"Neither of you assholes gives a shit about me."

I said, "Do you want me to change the order?"

But Nick wagged his long finger in my face. "Nope. We don't play those games anymore, son. If she doesn't like it, she can sip on water."

Nick tolerated his wife, but he didn't love her. Far from it. And it was hard to blame him. She had put us through complete hell over the years. For instance, she had drained our bank account on several occasions before running away to her mother's house. And Dad had been forced to call Grandpa for money in order to make it to the next paycheck.

Consequently, Mary Jane was on restrictions. She no longer had access to the finances and was given an allowance of fifty dollars a month. With that said, he never pestered her about finding employment. On the contrary. He liked having a housekeeper who worked for cheap.

A few months earlier, I had approached him to talk about the weird family situation.

I had said, "Why don't you just divorce her? It would be the kind thing to do rather than cheating on her all the time."

"Kind? Where would she go?"

"She could stay with her mom and find a job."

He had laughed out loud. "A job? Are you fucking kidding me. Son, the woman's a nut, and nobody can stand being around her because she has all the charm of a black hole. Without us, she'd blow her brains out within a week."

"Then could you at least stop dipping your wick into the ladies of the town?"

"My business is my business. So never mind about my wick. Worry about your own."

It was all very frustrating.

Anyway, the waitress returned with three cups of coffee on a serving tray, and she placed them in front of us with a happy look on her old, tired face.

Mary Jane took a sip and immediately scrunched up her nose. "This is the worst fucking coffee that I ever tasted in my entire life."

But the waitress kept her cool and patted her soothingly on the hand. "Would you prefer tea, hon?"

"Please."

"You got it. Coming right up."

Her patience was something to be admired. I decided to give her a twenty-five percent tip right there and then.