Chapter 21
Amber
After I spent Friday night at Henry’s home, Henry and I took the train into the city. Henry was meeting with the contractor for estimates on new kitchen appliances.
We arrived at our destination and got off the train. It was ten in the morning, which was early for a second shifter like me. I figured I’d get some more quality time with Henry on the way home then take a nap.
We walked toward the pub. Henry said, “Charles suggested we could still offer takeout if we used the few things that work. We can use the one stove and store cold items in the fridge in the bar.”
“That’s a great idea!”
Henry stepped ahead of me to move around people. It wasn’t always convenient to walk side by side in the city. It made conversations sporadic. I caught up with him. “I thought I saw the bucket with people’s business cards still on top of the bar the other day. We could email or call them to let them know when the takeout would be available.”
“Maybe. In a few days, you can.”
Henry opened the pub door. We went inside. I looked around. Henry probably wasn’t ready to think that far ahead yet. There was still a lot of work to be done before we’d be ready to cook food.
I found the bucket. The cards sticking out were gray from the fire. “You have your hands full. I could see which business cards are still readable to get their email addresses for you.”
Henry smiled. “I know you’re trying to be helpful. Let me figure out what food can still be prepared. I’ll let you know later.”
“Of course.” I smiled back at him. “I’ll just take some of these.” I found some that weren’t blackened by the ashes of the fire and put them in my pocket.
∞ ∞ ∞
I took a chance that Daisy was available and called her to meet for lunch. She said to meet her at the boutique. I needed to find out if she had any hopes of disconnecting with her employer for her sister’s sanity and her overall well-being. Plus, I wanted to see her.
We ate at the deli near her job. Since I had moved to the big city, I had adapted and became more of a go-with-the-flow type of person, like Daisy. To arrange to see friends and survive day to day, that was the only way to be. Yet, I wasn’t on the extreme side like Daisy. I had a better chance of seeing her if I invited her last minute, rather than planning it.
I savored the hot pastrami sandwich on rye. It hit the spot. Ever since I had eaten there a while ago, I had wanted to come back and get it again. “God, I love this meat!”
Daisy laughed. “I can tell.”
She crunched her pickle as I ate coleslaw. I loved the way it tasted different from any other coleslaw.
“I was wondering about what you know about…” I let my voice trail off. Damn! It was coming out wrong. I didn’t want to ask her point blank about her employer having mob connections.
She saw my perplexed look. “I think I know what you’re going to ask.”
Do you? I hoped so. I’d rather not finish that sentence.
“Is it about my boss? About her family being part of the crime world?”
Thank God, she said it. “Yeah, I didn’t know if you knew, and Darlene is concerned about it. I am too.”
“Well, don’t be. It’s just a job. Someday I’ll get another one. For now, it’s good experience.” She casually continued eating.
Her lack of concern was disturbing. She and Mercedes did pal around. She had told me about her connection with Mercedes during one of our phone conversations. They had both gone to FIT and both graduated the same time. Then Daisy went to work for Mercedes’s mother at the boutique.
“And the parties!” Her eyes got big. “You should see the ones they throw. The women cook, or they have it catered. It’s amazing. You should go with me sometime.”
She clearly had no intention of finding a way to not work for them, at least not soon. “Maybe,” I lied. I had no intention of doing that, either.
I got a box for the part of the meal I couldn’t finish. We left and went our separate ways.
Daisy seemed to be letting her free spirit connect her with all the wrong people, and she didn’t care that it did. She wasn’t going to change. Darlene needed to accept that. I’d tell Darlene about our lunch. I wasn’t looking forward to explaining to her that Daisy leaving her employer was a lost cause. If Daisy left that job, it would be because she wanted to, not because Darlene was concerned. Darlene wouldn’t like hearing that.
Eager to get that conversation over with, I went to a drug store on the way home and called Darlene’s cell. It was quieter than talking on the sidewalks in the city.
“Hey, it’s Amber. Can you talk for just a few?”
“Yeah, what’s going on?” she asked, mumbling as if she were eating.
“I spoke with Daisy about her employer,” I said, grabbing a basket to pick up a few items.
I heard a rustling, as though she put her food down on something. “Did you get through to her?”
“I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but she thinks of it as just a job,” I explained as I walked down the aisle. “A job with great perks like parties. She said she may leave it someday, but for now, it’s giving her experience.”
“I don’t know what to do anymore!”
I sighed, putting some toilet paper into the basket. “I think you’d be better off just letting it go.”
She gasped. “She’s my sister. How can I?”
“I don’t know, but for your sanity, you should,” I advised.
She was silent. I had upset her.
“Maybe one day soon, she’ll get another job offer.” I tried to give her a silver lining to the dark cloud hanging above her head.
“I have to go,” she blurted out.
I stopped walking. “I’m sorry, Darlene. Really, I am.”
She hung up. It wasn’t a pleasant ending to the conversation, but I had been honest with her. I hoped she would let it go. I hoped she could.
I came home. Fiona’s purse was on the kitchen table, and I heard soft music playing. I walked past her bedroom. The door was almost closed. I’d check on her later.
Fiona stayed in her room. She never came out. I stayed up late, hoping to see her and talk about our spat and get the uncomfortable conversation out of the way, but I never did.
I couldn’t keep my eyes open while watching television. Fading in and out of the show, I’d wake up to a new one starting without seeing the ending to the previous one. I gave in to the need for sleep and went to my bedroom.
I slept until I heard Fiona talking. She spoke barely loud enough to wake me. I heard her blow her nose repeatedly in between sobs. She replied as if she was speaking to someone. I figured she was talking on the phone. The more she spoke, the more emotional she became. Oh God, Cam. Was she talking to him and receiving bad news? I bolted out of bed.