15
Travis
The night couldn’t end fast enough for me. Every time I looked up from the bar, I could see Sophie sitting there, watching me, smiling at me. It made it difficult for me to concentrate on anything else, like making sure everyone got their drinks. It had been a long while since I was behind a bar outside of one of our firehouse parties, and the rust showed as people asked me for drinks that I used to know how to make without thinking about it. Thankfully, those moments were few and far between, and it was mostly a beer and wine crowd, so I was able to keep up pretty well.
My biggest worry now was what I was going to say to Sophie. I had asked her to stay so we could talk, and clearly, she and her friend Mary were just trying to string the evening along until I was free to meet with her, but I had no idea what I was going to say. I had appeared pretty confident when I went over to bring them their drinks, and I thought I held everything together pretty well. We both seemed to be in awe of each other, and I saw that at one point as she struggled for words as well. But now, when she would decide to come over, I needed to come up with something.
Sophie and Mary had been sitting there for hours now, having a slow dessert, coffee, more coffee, and then Mary started ordering drinks again. Even though the restaurant was thinning out, the bar still had few stools in use, so I was occupied. It was closing in on eleven, and I didn’t know how much longer Sophie would be willing to wait. Mom usually closed up by midnight at the latest so it might not be too much longer.
A familiar face came in then and sat at the bar. It was Danny Seaver, a friend from high school who I hadn’t seen in many years. He still looked the same as he did back when we were both on the wrestling team. Danny had been better than I was, stronger and faster, and won a couple of state titles along the way. He even got a scholarship to one of those big Midwest powerhouse wrestling schools, but he blew out his knee in one match in his junior year, and that was the end of him. Mom had told me a while back that he had a successful contracting business in town now and everyone local used his services.
“Travis?” Danny said to me as he sat at the bar and took off his ballcap. His brown hair was starting to thin a bit already even though he was my age. He stuck his hand out for me to shake it and I could feel he still had a very strong grip, and his calloused hands were a clear sign he worked hard each day.
“Hey Danny, it’s great to see you,” I said to him as I poured a beer and handed it off to the guy two seats away from him.
“What are you doing here?” he asked quizzically. “I haven’t seen you in Canon for years.”
“Yeah I was back in town to see my Mom and take care of a few things, and she needed some help at the bar tonight, so here I am.”
Danny indicated he wanted a beer, so I poured him a lager into a pint glass and passed it over to him.
“How're things going?” he asked as he sipped his beer. “I heard you were a fireman over in Ridgefield.”
“I was,” I told him. “I got hurt on the job a few months back, and I had to retire.” That was the first indication I had given to anyone that I was going to retire. It was odd to hear myself say it out loud, but I guess I had to get used to it.
“That sucks,” Danny said. “Any ideas of what you are doing next?” He took another long sip of beer.
“Not really,” I said, shaking my head. “I have my pension and disability, so we’ll be okay. I have some time yet. Besides, I have to do some work on my Dad’s house too.”
“Oh that’s right,” Danny told me, looking serious. “I heard about your Dad; I’m sorry about that.”
“Thanks, Danny.” There was a bit of an awkward silence between us as he sipped his beer some more.
“What needs to be done at your Dad’s?” he asked me. “I may be able to help you out.”
“Mom had told me you were a contractor and doing really well,” I said to him.
Danny smiled proudly back at me. “We’re the best in town,” he said as he handed me a pen imprinted with Seaver Contracting Services on it. ‘So what does the house need?”
“Surprisingly not that much,” I said to him. “it looks like it’s mostly exterior stuff. The interior looks practically brand new.”
“Wow, I’m surprised,” Danny said, then felt a bit embarrassed about his comment about my Dad. “Nothing against your Dad, but he never seemed like the DIY guy to me or one that tended to house really well. I know that’s an older house, so I’m surprised it looks so good. I’d be happy to take a look around the place for you if you want, see what it might need.”
“That would be great, Danny, thanks.” I was grateful for the help, particularly since I knew with my bum leg I might not be able to do much myself. “Should I call your office Monday?” I asked as I looked at the pen.
“Nah,” he said to me. “I can meet you over there tomorrow morning if you want. It won’t take long just to check things out. Consider it a favor for an old wrestling buddy,” he told me with a smile.
We spent a few minutes talking about our lives in between me pouring drinks for the few patrons left. Danny was single, divorced a few years ago from a girl he had met in college and brought back to Canon with him. They had two kids that lived with her a couple of states over that he rarely saw. I told him about my exploits with Brenda and how I had Abby now, pointing her out to him proudly as she bussed tables. It was then he noticed me staring over at Sophie.
“Sophie Ingram, huh?” he said as he saw the look I gave her. “Didn’t you two have a thing years ago?”
“Yes, we did,” I mumbled, trying to focus on the conversation again. I leaned closer to Danny. “Say, Danny, do you know if she has been seeing anyone?”
“Sophie?” he said and laughed lightly. “I know plenty of guys who have knocked on that door, but she never answers. To be honest, it’s surprising to see her out around town. She pretty much keeps to herself. Why? You thinking of trying to start up with her again?”
“I was thinking about it,” I said to him confidently. I looked over at Sophie again and saw her smile again.
“Well, she seems interested in you,” Danny said with a laugh.
Just then, Mom came over behind the bar.
“Last call folks,” she said loudly, much to the disappointment of the few people left at the bar. Most of them headed out right away as Mom walked down to Danny and me.
“Hi, Danny,” Mom said to him.
“Nice to see you, Maggie,” Danny told her. “It’s hard to believe you were able to drag him back to town,” Danny said to her.
“It was easier to get him to do his homework when you two were younger,” she told him with a smirk as she elbowed me.
I looked up from the bar and saw Sophie walking over towards us. I stood up straight as she came over and stood next to Danny and me.
“Travis,” she said to me nicely. “I think I need to go. Mary’s had a bit too much, and I’ll have to drive her home in her car and then walk home from there. Is there any time for a quick chat?” she looked at me hopefully.
“I’m… I’m not sure if I have to clean up around the bar,” I said as I tried to think fast to give myself to go over what I wanted to say to her.
“I can take care of the bar,” Mom said to me as she smiled at me.
I was out of excuses. Danny then stepped up and interjected.
“I’d be happy to give Mary a ride home,” he said to Sophie and me.
“Oh that’s sweet of you Danny,” Sophie said. “I don’t want to trouble you.”
“No trouble at all; I’m glad to do it. Mary lives over on Kelsey Place, right?” he asked as he got up from his stool.
“That’s right,” Sophie said to him. “How did you know?”
“Well, it’s a long story,” he said, looking down and feeling a bit embarrassed. “Let’s just say we went out once or twice and leave it at that. I’ll go corral Mary and get her home. You two have a nice talk. I’ll see you tomorrow morning around nine, Travis?”
Danny broke me from my trance of staring at Sophie. “Yeah, nine is perfect. Thanks for your help, Danny.” I said as I looked over at him.
“My pleasure,” he said. “You two have a good night now.”
We both watched as Danny went over to Mary and helped her out of her chair, putting one of his big arms around her small waist so he could guide her out the front door.
I looked around the restaurant and saw the place had cleared out. Some of the wait staff and bus staff were clearing the tables, including Abby.
“Well I guess I’m walking home from here,” Sophie said to me with a light laugh.
I nervously placed a bar towel on the bar. Mom nudged my elbow and pointed at Sophie with her chin.
“I can walk you home,” I said to Sophie.
“That… that would be nice,” she told me as she pulled her purse over her shoulder.
“You two go on,” Mom said to us from behind the bar. “I’ll get Abby home with me when we are done here, Travis. Take your time.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I said as I walked from around the bar and stood next to Sophie.
“Shall we?” I pointed towards the door. As we were walking out together, I passed by Abby clearing a table and patted her on the head. She looked up at me and smiled.
“See you later Dad,” she said to me, her voice sounding a little tired.
I held the front door open for Sophie to walk out ahead of me. Even though it was August, the air had gotten noticeably cooler than what it was this afternoon. The streets were very quiet, with all the local stores long closed and most people home and in bed hours ago. Sophie and I walked along in silence for a few steps.
“Your daughter seems very sweet,” Sophie said to me, trying to start a conversation.
“Oh, you met Abby?” I asked her. She just nodded as we walked along. “Yes, she’s a great kid. A little challenging at times lately, but overall she’s great.”
‘Well, girls that age tend to be something of a challenge,” Sophie replied. “Trust me, I see dozens of them a day. There are lots of highs and lows.”
“Wonderful,” I said to Sophie. She just laughed at me.
“It seems like you’re doing a great job so far, you should be proud of yourself,” she told me as we reached the corner of the street.
“Thanks,’ I said to her humbly. It was just then I realized I had no idea where we were walking to.
“Where is your place?” I asked.
“Oh, I’m just over here on Hodges,” she said to me. “I bought the old Gilbert place when Mr. Gilbert finally moved out.”
“I remember Mr. Gilbert,” I said to her fondly. “He owned the hardware store, right?”
“He did,” Sophie said with a nod, looking down. “I figured if I was buying a house I was going to get it from someone I knew took good care of it before me so I wouldn’t have to do much.”
“You always were smart, Sophie,” I said to her fondly as we walked. I kicked a loose stone on the sidewalk.
“Not always,” she said quietly.
We made a left onto Collins Drive and started walking down towards the end of the street where Dad’s, now my, house was. We stayed quiet for a bit until we got close to the house. Sophie looked up at the house and then over at me.
“So what’s happening with your Dad’s place?” she asked me as we got close to the fence around the front yard.
“Well, he left it to me,” I told her casually. “I’m not really sure what to do with it just yet. Danny’s going to come have a look at it tomorrow for me to see what it might need.”
“It’s yours huh?” Sophie seemed to brighten a bit as we walked further. “Does that mean that you’ll be sticking around for a while?” There seemed to be a hint of hope in her voice.
“I don’t know yet,” I said to her as we crossed the street over to Hodges. “Maybe.”
A few short steps later we were standing in front of her house.
“This is me,” she said as she pointed to the front porch. “Thanks for walking me home Travis. It was wonderful to see you tonight.” She turned as if she was going to walk away and up the porch.
It’s now, or never, I said to myself.
“Sophie,” I called to her. She turned around and came down the two steps she had climbed as I walked closer to her.
“Would you like to get together tomorrow night? You know, to catch up? I’d be happy to take you to dinner,” I said to her.
“The only place worth eating dinner around here is either your Mom’s place or the pizza place, and I’ve been to your Mom’s two nights in a row. Besides, it gets awful noisy in there on Saturday nights.”
I felt like she was rejecting me, and was disappointed in her answer.
“How about you come over here tomorrow night?” she said to me, looking up at me with a smile. “I can fix us some dinner, and we can talk some more.”
“That sounds perfect,” I said to her, feeling relieved.
“Okay,” Sophie said, feeling perky again. “Let’s say around six?”
“I’ll be here,” I said to her as she walked back up the porch.
“Good night Travis,” I watched Sophie open the screen door and then her front door as she went inside. I stood outside her house for a minute, staring at it, feeling exhilarated. I saw Sophie peek out from behind the curtain in her living to look at me, and then she quickly drew the curtains closed again.
I turned and started walking back, realizing my car was back at the Homestead so I would need to go back and get it. The walk back to the restaurant seemed to take no time at all as my thoughts were occupied with how well things turned out today. Before I knew it, I was in the parking lot getting to my car as Mom and Abby were locking up the front door and coming out.
“Your back already?” Mom said to me, acting worried that I wasn’t gone long enough.
“I just walked her home Mom,” I said as I unlocked my car. I could see in Abby’s face that she was tired from working hard.
“How did your night go, kiddo?” I said to Abby as I gave her hug.
“Great,” she said to me through her yawn. “It was hard work, but I made fifty dollars in tips,” she said to me, impressed by what she got.
“That reminds me,” Mom said as she handed me an envelope. “Here’s your share of the bar tips from today.”
“You don’t have to give me anything Mom,” I said, trying to reject the envelope.
“Take it; you earned it,” she replied, pushing the envelope back to me. “You did great work tonight,” she said to me.
“If you don’t want it, I’ll take it,” Abby said to me, looking up at me with sleepy eyes.
“Nevermind,” I said to Abby, stuffing the envelope in my pocket.
“So how did it go with Sophie?” Mom asked as she leaned against the hood of my car.
“Fine,” I said to her.
“Fine? That’s it? That’s all you have to say?”
I smiled at my mother wryly. “We’re having dinner tomorrow night at her place.”
Abby looked up at me, suddenly appearing awake. “You have a date?”
“Yeah, I guess I do,” I said as I rubbed her head.
“Good job, Dad,” Abby said as she hugged me again.
“Thanks, Abby.” I hugged her back and shooed her to get into the car.
“What I am supposed to do for a bartender tomorrow?” Mom asked me.
“Are you serious?” I said to her, worried that she needed help tomorrow.
“I’m messing with you, Travis,” she told me, pushing me to get into the car. “Boy, you need to work on your sense of humor before your date tomorrow. I can work the bar tomorrow, no problem.”
I got into the front seat of the car and turned the engine on. “Do you want a ride back to the house?” I asked Mom.
“No, I always walk, you know that,” she said with a smile. “I love to enjoy the peace of the town this time of night. Makes me realize why I love living here. I’ll be home in a few minutes.”
I pulled out of the parking lot and turned to head back towards Mom’s house. Abby was already practically asleep by the time I made the turn. I passed Mom walking down the sidewalk, by the dry cleaner just down the street, and waved to her. She casually waved back as I drove on.
“Today was a good day,” Abby mumbled to me as she turned towards me, eyes closed.
“Yes, it was,” I answered her as I stroked her hair with my right hand.