Taryn walked over to one of the tables next to the huge warehouse windows. "I hope you enjoyed your drinks and wings. Here's your check."
Two of her day-shift employees called in sick, so she stepped in to wait tables. Since it was a weekday, it hadn't been particularly busy, especially during the dead period from two to three-thirty, which meant she was still able to get some of her other work done. She'd stay an extra hour or so after the evening crew showed up, but that was no big deal these days. Work was better than sitting alone at her house thinking about what could have been.
After the couple paid their bill and left, Taryn got a cleansing cloth and wiped down the wooden table. When she was done, she glanced out the window, which had a view of the parking lot. A familiar car pulled up next to employee entrance and idled there. She watched as Mina got out on the passenger side, blew a kiss to the driver, and walked towards the door.
This wouldn't have been particularly interesting, except for the fact that the car belonged to Jules.
When Mina arrived on the bar floor a few minutes later, Taryn gave her a wave but attempted a quick exit since she suddenly felt very weird about whatever was going on with her ex.
"Hold on a sec, boss!" her manager called out. "I wanted to talk to you about the schedule."
Taryn sighed to herself and approached Mina. "Does someone need to make a change?"
"Me, actually. I don't need a change, but I wanted to request a weekend off. I'm going on a little getaway to the mountains at the end of the month."
"That sounds fun. Just text me the dates and I'll make sure you're covered."
"I'm not really the outdoors type, but the person I'm going with loves it."
She hoped that her co-worker couldn't see how she was internally cringing. Mina had mentioned a few times that she was seeing someone, but now that she knew it was Jules, Taryn didn't want any more information.
"I'm going to my office. We were short-staffed today, but no one has called out for tonight. It's been pretty dead, too."
"Were you serving?" Mina nodded towards Taryn's apron.
"Yep. Nothing like getting back to my roots. When you cash out my account, divide my tips among today's day crew. I'll put the cash I got in the jar."
"Everything okay? You seem kind of off."
Taryn forced a smile. "Just tired. I'm not used to being on my feet so much."
Once she got to her office, she closed the door and plopped down behind her desk as she tried to navigate her feelings. Was she upset with Mina for dating Jules? Was she jealous? Was it wrong for her ex to get involved with someone close to her? Did her other employees know? Why hadn't Mina told her?
She opened up her laptop and started on the work she needed to get done, but a text from Patricia popped up on her phone interrupting her.
Do you have plans tonight?
There was no way her mom was making a lyric reference, but it still caused a lump to form in Taryn's throat.
Working until six.
Her mom sent another message.
Dinner?
She sent a thumbs up, and Tricia texted that she'd bring over the food around seven.
Taryn and her mom got together a couple times a week. Usually they had dinner, though sometimes they met for lunch if it was her day off. Occasionally they went to the movies or to some event downtown. This was the extent of her social life, and she was very thankful that she had Mama around to help keep her spirits up.
The accounting was done quicker than she anticipated, so she stood up and stretched before getting her purse and jean jacket. Normally she'd go upstairs for a final check on the restaurant, but instead she texted Mina that she was heading out.
When she got home, she put Hendrix's leash on and took him for a walk. It was a pretty spring day and many of the yards in her neighborhood had daffodils and tulips blooming in colorful bunches.
"I should plant some bulbs," she said to her dog. "Maybe gardening can become my new hobby."
She was a little worried about her yard now that she had to tend to it alone. Jules used to do all the mowing, edging, and weeding. Before she got involved with him, she hired one of the teens down the street. She would either need to do it herself or find someone else.
After the walk, she went upstairs and changed into comfy clothes, smiling at her bedroom as she entered it. The month before, she'd given the room a makeover. The walls were now painted a soft dusty pink, and the carpet had been replaced with dark hardwood flooring. She'd even purchased a new bed, because she wanted one that she'd never shared with Shawn or Julian, and painted the furniture she didn't want to get rid of a dark charcoal color. The gray and pink bedding tied the room together nicely. Even Hendrix had a new elevated dog bed that matched the decor.
Tricia arrived at seven on the dot with a cardboard box in her arms. "I made chili in the crockpot and it was easier to just bring the whole thing over. I drove very carefully so nothing sloshed."
"Sounds delicious."
"I've also got tortilla chips, sour cream, and shredded cheese. Let me plug this in so it can get back to the right temp."
While the chili warmed up, they went in the living room and sat down.
"How's your week been?" Patricia asked.
"The usual. I found something out today that has me kind of flummoxed."
Tricia assumed this was about Shawn, though they rarely talked about him these days. Taryn told her all about their brief fling a few weeks after it ended. She'd been understanding, though she did point out that it was wrong to get involved while he was still married. It was hard to see her so hurt and frustrating to know that even though they loved each other, her daughter and Shawn were not going to reunite. His dedication to his family was admirable, so she couldn't fault him for it.
"Were you on social media again?" Patricia asked, knowing Taryn sometimes saw what he was up to that way.
"No, and I know what you're thinking. I have managed to avoid any news about him for almost six weeks."
"Very good. So why is there a bee in your bonnet?"
Taryn smiled at her mom's antiquated choice of words. "I happened to be looking out the window at Ford's right as Mina arrived at work. She was dropped off by the man she's been seeing."
"Oh? Why is that an issue."
"It was Jules."
Tricia's eyes opened wide with surprise. "No way!"
"I'm upset that she hasn't told me."
"But do you blame her? You're her boss and she's dating your ex-fiancé. It's a sticky situation. Plus, you two are friends, which makes it harder."
Taryn nodded. "It's the fact that we're friends that bothers me."
"Are you mad at her?"
"No. It just feels like a betrayal because she's being sneaky."
Patricia clucked her tongue. "Does it?"
Scowling, Taryn said, "I know I can't judge anyone, since I've obviously done much worse. And it's not like I want Jules back; I know that breaking up was for the best, and on some level I'm happy that he moved on with someone so wonderful."
"But it still stings."
"Exactly."
Tricia stood up. "Well, sweetie, my advice is to focus on feeling happy for both of them. You don't want to dwell on the negativity or you might end up very bitter. No good will come from that." She then went into the kitchen to check on the chili.
A bit later, as they ate at the kitchen table, Taryn asked a question. "Have you seen or talked to Karen lately?"
"We had lunch last week."
"Did I come up?"
Tricia gave her daughter a weak smile. "Only in passing. She asked how you were as we said goodbye."
Shawn's family had been understandably upset by the short affair they'd had after Christmas, and Taryn hadn't seen them since then. Aaliyah called or texted occasionally, but Karen and Manny hadn't contacted her at all. She didn't blame them. It was nearly impossible to stay close to her while supporting Shawn and Yasmin's marriage. If she hadn't been there on Christmas Eve, things would be very different right now. Plus, having them in her life made it harder to let go, so some space was undoubtedly for the best. That didn't stop her from missing them, though.
"Want to watch a movie?" Taryn asked with fake cheerfulness. "I'm off tomorrow so we can stay up late. You can sleep over, if you want."
"Normally I would, but I'm meeting with my realtor early in the morning."
Patricia was selling Earl's house. His children had given their blessing, and the proceeds of the sale would be split evenly between her and them. It was too big for just one person, but more importantly, it held too many memories. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do, but was considering a small condo in the heart of the city.
Taryn laughed. "I'm guessing your realtor is Karen and that's why you had lunch?"
"Bingo!"
"If I happen to come up again, can you tell her I said hello and that I hope they are well?"
"Since you're off tomorrow, you should come to the meeting. I've never sold a house and you have, so I could use your perspective," Tricia suggested.
Shaking her head, Taryn replied, "I think it's best for everyone that I don't."