Out of the Ordinary

Chapter 44

I was more anxious than I had any right to be, and my busy shift at work didn't seem to be doing anything for my nerves.

Today was the day.

Harry's audition.

He'd left for England two nights ago, after getting me settled back into the rhythm of school and work, and having somewhat accepted the new normal of my life. Though I'd put on a good front for him, afraid that he might decide it wasn't worth it to go to the audition if he knew that I was still pretty unbalanced, I still wasn't sure that I could ever fully accept my new normal. Life without my dad.

But what choice did I have? What choice did any of us have in the matter? He was gone. And that was it. I didn't think I would ever be okay with it, but I had to keep going, and all I could do was take it one day at a time.

I checked my phone quickly, wanting to see if there was any word from Harry, wondering if he would find out on the spot whether or not the role was his, and if he did find out, what would happen if he didn't get the part. Or more importantly, what would happen if he did.

"Anything?" Shantal sidled up beside me, glancing over my shoulder at my phone.

I sighed. "Not yet."

"Damn," Shantal said. "At this rate, your shift's going to be over before you hear from him."

I smiled a little bit. "So?"

"So," Shantal said, pausing to plug in her orders at the computer. "So, I want to hear what happened!" She looked at me then. "You've got to text me when you hear from him."

I was laughing now. "Will do."

"How's it been?" she asked after several moments, moments I spent watching the clock just above the kitchen doors. Only fifteen minutes left before I could leave, so why did it seem like the seconds were ticking by even more slowly? "You know, since he left, and after your dad and everything."

Shantal had been at the funeral. Everyone from work came to the funeral, much to my surprise. Even Mick, who had clearly been uncomfortable about hugging me, but had suffered through it anyway.

I could've lied, but with Shantal, there was no reason to. Not only would she have called me on it—she always seemed to sense when I was holding back—but I knew she would understand. And despite her sort of rough and tumble front, she was sensitive and caring, and always told me exactly what I needed to hear.

"Um," I laughed. Or tried to, and leaned against the wall beside me, my back to the patrons because I could already feel the burn of tears behind my eyes. "Not so great."

"Shit," Shantal said, tucking her notepad into her apron and fully facing me. "Of course you're not." She put a hand on my arm, which only made the tears burn hotter. "I'm sorry I said anything, babe."

"No." I smiled, blinking quickly to get rid of the tears, and catching the one that fell. "It's fine, I just... it's just weird, you know?"

Now she had both hands on my arms, rubbing them up and down quickly as she stared at me, too much sympathy in her eyes. It wasn't doing anything to calm me down.

"Of course it is!" she exclaimed, causing Tommy to glance at us before passing through the doors to the kitchen, a platter stacked high with dirty dishes over his head. She met his stare with wide eyes. "What? Keep moving! Nothing to see here!"

Tommy only glanced quickly at me once more before leaning back against the door and disappearing through it.

But Shantal's protective instinct made me smile, and so did the way she rambled on once he was gone. "I mean, really, can't we get a single moment without someone eavesdropping?"