Sharon doesn’t know her ass from her elbow. She put cabbage in a ham salad sandwich a few shifts back, and forgot to debone the salmon. Mrs Hartley nearly choked on it, threatened to call Law4You and make a claim for a new set of dentures.
“Fine,” I said. “See you later.”
“Tomorrow,” she said. “I’ll be awhile.”
“But I put in an order already, we just need…” I called after her but she was already gone. “Napkins,” I finished, to myself.
I plastered on a smile and made the best of it. I’d always make the best of it, for Lorraine’s sake if nothing else.
Lorraine was much more than a boss to me. She was a friend, too.
She’d taken me under her wing after Pops passed away, listened to my crap as things fell apart for me, and listened some more when things fell apart for me and Darren soon afterwards. She’d been so supportive; so strong when I was weak. So sure when I was so indecisive. She’d helped me make the best of things, taught me to keep a practical head on my shoulders.
To make the right choices, for me and the girls.
Choices like Brian.
Alright, so sometimes even Lorraine gets shit wrong, but that isn’t the point.
I’d been keeping the Darren icebreaker right under her radar, which felt kind of shitty, but I cared about what she thought, and she wouldn’t think much of it.
Lorraine’s never had any time for Darren.
I felt like a shit friend for keeping things from her, at least I could hold the bloody cafe together while she nipped out for essentials.
But we didn’t need any essentials.
Still, it was the least I could do.
Tonya arrived before Sharon, fresh from her lunch shift at the fish and chip shop.
“I stink,” she said, then looked around at the tables still waiting to be cleared. “Where’s Lorraine?”
“Cash and carry,” I said. “I’m expecting Sharon.”
“Sharon doesn’t know her ass from her elbow,” Tonya said. Great minds. She stepped behind the counter and grabbed a Velvet Bean apron. “Needs must,” she said. “Let me sort those bloody tables.”
I can’t say I felt easy about pulling onto Lorraine Marchant’s driveway, but Petey was oblivious, grinning away in the passenger seat like a dippy spaniel.
If only he knew.
I didn’t need to knock on the front door, she was already in the doorway by the time we were at the front step. I cast a glance around the street, checking for neighbours.
As if they wouldn’t have seen the fucking truck already. Luckily Allensmore seemed to be far enough out to stay off the village radar.
“Well well,” she said. “Look what the cat dragged in. I was wondering when you’d darken my doorstep.”
“Been busy,” I said.
“So I heard.” She raised an eyebrow. “Mandy Taylor and Debbie Gibson?” she scoffed. “I thought you’d have more class than to entertain those cheap skanky bitches.”
Her condescending tone got my hackles up. “Business is business, Lorraine, as you well fucking know.”
She let out a snide laugh. “So you have done Debbie Gibson. I thought that was a mindless rumour.”
Petey flashed me a look of confusion, I willed the fool to keep his mouth shut. Lorraine is the last one I want knowing my fucking business.
I shoved the lad forward. “Present for you,” I said to Lorraine. “Enjoy.”
I’d stepped away from the door before she tutted at me. “No no no,” she said. “You know the rules, Mr Trent, you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.”
She’d scratched my back plenty of fucking times, crazy bitch.
I gestured to her flashy red Mini Cooper. “Next service is on me, I’ll throw you in a new set of tyres, too.”
She laughed. “Oh come on, Darren. We’re a bit past all that, don’t you think?”
Petey was still staring at me, still trying to wrap his head round what the fuck was going on.
“What do you want?” I said.
“You know what I want,” she replied. “You’ve been avoiding me, why?”
I shrugged. “Haven’t been avoiding you, Lorraine, just had shit to do.”
“Shit like chasing after Jodie by any chance?” She smiled a sly smile as my mood dropped. “Oh dear. You didn’t think I knew? Poor you, so naive.”
“What goes on with Jodie and me is none of your business,” I said. “You’d do well to remember that.” I lit up a cigarette.
“That’s not how she sees it,” Lorraine said. “You really shouldn’t try so hard with her, you know, it’s embarrassing.”
I felt my cheeks fucking burning. “Like I’m running around after her like some fucking idiot. Fuck off, Lorraine.”
She shrugged. “She’s better off without you, and she knows it. Who do you think this hot new image of hers is for?” She laughed. “You can’t honestly think she doesn’t have irons in the fire. She’s a beautiful woman with a good head on her shoulders, two beautiful girls… Christ, Darren, she’s long over you. Let it go, have some dignity.”