Twenty-Three
Vivienne
Body sore in the best sort of way, I walk into Annie’s for a cup of coffee. Yes, it’s lunchtime, but after the night I had with Ollie, I’m lucky I got out of bed at all. He must be feeling pretty generous after last night because he let me come here alone. I didn’t realize how much I missed having some time to myself, even if it’s just a ten-minute bike ride to Annie’s to get some much-needed caffeine.
“Mornin’,” Annie greets me from behind the counter. From the looks of her, she’s as hungover as I am.
“Do I even need to ask how you feel?”
She sets two cups of coffee on the counter, rounds the corner, and sinks down on the stool beside me. “Think it’s pretty obvious.”
“How did you manage to open up this morning? You couldn’t even stay awake for the five-minute car ride last night.” She’s here before the sun comes up every day, prepping for the breakfast rush.
“I called Ronnie and had him come in and get things ready. Davis dropped me off a little later. There’s no way I could have made it here on time.”
“He has a key?” I’m shocked that she would trust him with one.
“It’s for emergency use only. This hangover constitutes as an emergency.”
We sip our coffee in comfortable silence, letting the caffeine work its magic. The whole point of last night was to hang out and talk, but our drinks got the best of us and I didn’t get to ask her if things were okay with her ex. As preoccupied as my mind has been with my own problems, I haven’t forgotten about hers.
“I hate to bring this up,” I start, “but we’re already feeling shitty, so now’s a good a time as any.”
“Okay,” she says hesitantly.
“Have you heard any more from Daniel?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t know what my brother did to scare him off, but I haven’t seen him or heard from him since the morning he came in here. I know better than to think he’s gone for good, but I’m enjoying the fact that he’s leaving me alone for now.”
“Good. It’s been on my mind, but with everything else going on…” I trail off. I really don’t want to talk about any of the other bad stuff that’s happening. I want to sit with my friend and drink my coffee and pretend like we’re just two girls nursing a hangover. Pretend that there’s no crazy ex-husbands or psychopaths running loose.
“You know, Thanksgiving is next week. Got any plans?”
Thanksgiving has always been just another day to me. Once I left home, I stopped celebrating. The best thing about it was that the office was empty and I could work by myself for the day without getting interrupted hundreds of times. I’m home now, but I’m not really on speaking terms with my mother, so I doubt I’ll be going over there to share a meal.
“Haven’t even thought about it.”
“Why don’t you and Oliver come to Mom’s? I cook every year. He hasn’t celebrated a holiday with us since he left home, but I have a feeling things might be different this year.”
“But he’s been home for a few years.”
“That doesn’t mean he had any desire to be with us. I’m telling you, Viv, you’re the reason my brother is finally coming back to us. We could barely get him to speak, and now he’s spending time with me and Sammy, checking on Mom more. He’s changing, and we have you to thank for that.”
“I’ll talk to him. See what I can do.”
“I’m glad you’re back, Vivienne,” she says, misty-eyed. “And not just for my brother. I’m happy to have you again.”
“Me too, Annie. I shouldn’t have stayed away so long.”
She looks at the clock. “I’d love to sit with you and cry in our coffee, but I have to get my deposit ready and get to the bank. Let me know about Thanksgiving.”
“I will.”
It didn’t take much to convince Ollie to take me to his mom’s house for Thanksgiving. He actually thinks it’s a good idea. He worries about her and knows he doesn’t spend enough time with her. Packed down with pastry boxes, we head to his sister’s place to share the news with her. My smile is wiped off my face when we walk in. No one in the booths are speaking, and a very nasty conversation can be heard coming from the office.
“I didn’t do anything. I would never take anything from you.”
“I’m sorry, Ronnie, but the two of us are the only ones with access to the register. Why would I take money from my own business?”
“It wasn’t me, Annie. I swear.”
Ollie starts to walk back to the small office as the shouting gets louder. Annie is obviously trying to keep the conversation under wraps, but Ronnie’s voice is echoing throughout the space.
“I can’t let you work here anymore.”
“I need this job. Nobody else will hire me. I promise it wasn’t me.”
“Okay, bud, time to go.” Ollie’s booming voice is enough to get Ronnie to stop talking. He has him by the arm and is pulling him through the small hallway and out the door.
“You’re gonna regret this, Annie.”
“Get the fuck outta here, Ronnie.” He pushes him through the doors, where he stumbles and falls onto the pavement. “Call Taylor,” he barks. He follows Ronnie out to make sure he leaves.
“I can’t believe this,” Annie mumbles from her spot in the doorway in the office. “He was stealing from me. After everything I did for him, he was actually taking money from me.”
She’s more hurt than mad. Annie and her soft heart. Her brother, on the other hand, looks like he’s about to spit fire. “I told you not to let that no good son of a bitch work here.”
“I’m sorry,” she cries, heading back into her office and slamming the door.
The café remains quiet, the scene playing out before them more appealing than the food on their plates. No doubt that the story of Ronnie’s crime will be spread all over this town within the hour.
“Eat your food or get the fuck out. Show’s over,” Ollie spits.
“Oliver Bishop, don’t talk to my customers that way.” Annie comes out of the office with her cell in hand. “I’m sorry everyone. Please, enjoy your meals while they’re still hot.”
Reluctantly, everyone starts to eat again. The low buzz of talking fills the café and Annie goes on like it’s business as usual, except for the fact that she’s ignoring her brother. When Taylor arrives, Ollie watches the place for her so that he can get her statement. It’s killing him not to be outside with them, but Annie isn’t happy with him right now, so he concedes. I join the two of them outside so I can be there for my friend.
Taylor gets her story and pushes her to press charges, which she refuses to do. She feels bad enough that now he’s out of a job; she doesn’t want him serving jail time. All she wants is the money back. We both decide it’s best not to share the decision with Oliver.
“You okay?” Ollie asks when she comes back in.
She nods. “I can’t believe he would do that to me.”
“Not gonna say I told you so, but hirin’ him was a bad idea.”
“Don’t need you to say it. I learned the hard way.”
“Sorry, sis.” He pulls her in for a sideways hug and kisses the top of her head.
“Me, too.” I take her hand and squeeze it. Based on what Ollie has told me, I know Annie isn’t in the best financial place right now. Ronnie didn’t take much, but it’s still a hit. “I’ll help you out here whenever you need it. Davis can handle things with the business if you need me here.”
“Vivienne Westbrook, bussing tables and washing dishes?”
“Only for you, Annie.”
“You can start tomorrow. Be here at six.”
“Unlimited free coffee?”
“Of course.”
Ollie grunts. “The only reason I’m agreein’ to this is because Taylor’s boys are always hangin’ out. There are more cops here than at the station. They’ll keep an eye on you.”
Annie laughs. “Nobody’ll want to nab her, not with her dishpan hands and greasy hair.”
“I’m starting to regret my decision,” I mutter.
“See you at six,” Annie sings as she heads into the kitchen.
“Bring an apron home,” Bishop whispers in my ear.
“Whatever.”
_____
I don’t have much experience with family dinners, but this is quite awkward. Ollie tried to warn me, but I thought he was just being Ollie. I used to have dinner over here all the time, back when Mr. Bishop was still alive, when Sammy was full of life and not just faking it, and Mrs. Bishop’s main lot in life was keeping everyone in her family happy.
This family is just a shell of who they once were. Sammy tries to hide it, making jokes and laughing, but being in a wheelchair has screwed him up. I see the pain behind his eyes. And Mrs. Bishop, she’s barely recognizable. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her, but if she’s not sitting in silence, she’s on the verge of tears over the fact that her husband is gone.
Annie does her best to try to make everything seem normal, but this family is broken. We eat the delicious food she prepared in silence, everyone watching the clock and counting down the minutes until we can put an end to this.
“Did I tell you I’m on the planning committee for the Winter Carnival?” Annie asks.
“Oh, I almost forgot about that.” Every year, the local schools get together and plan a huge Winter Carnival. Our town shuts down, as do all the neighboring ones, and the whole weekend is dedicated to the fair. There are games, rides, auctions, and a dance to close it all down Sunday night. God, I don’t know how I could have forgotten it. Some of my best childhood memories are from the carnival.
“It’ll be here before we know it. I could use some help. I’m in charge of the auction.”
“I’d love to help,” I answer sincerely. “How about I donate a weekend trip to New York. My company owns a corporate apartment for when clients come to town. We can use that.”
“Perfect.”
I look at Ollie, who’s got his hand under the table, rubbing it along the top of my thigh. “Are you gonna take me to the carnival, Ollie?”
“Are you gonna kiss me at the top of the Ferris wheel again?” he shoots back. His eyes soften and I know we’re both thinking about the last time we were both here for the carnival. It was a perfect night, and I want nothing more than to have another night like that with him.
“Your dad used to take me to the carnival every year. It was our favorite weekend. Work stopped on the farm and we didn’t have anything to worry about.” Mrs. Bishop’s eyes are glazed over and Ollie’s hand tightens on my knee. She might recall this softer side of her husband, but Ollie never got to experience this side of his father. He was never good enough for his dad, never could live up to the expectations his father had for him. His teenage years were full of fights and threats of being disowned. The final straw was my accident, which Ollie led everyone to believe was his fault. His father was just as much to blame for our separation as my mother.
“Gotta go, Ma.” His jaw is clenched as he gets up from the table and kisses the top of his mother’s head.
“Thank you, Mrs. Bishop. Everything was wonderful.”
She nods but stays silent, lost in memories of her late husband.
“I’ll walk y’all out,” Annie says. We start to go down the steps, but Annie follows us. She’s wringing her hands together and looks upset. I know her well enough to know that an awkward family meal did not get her this upset. Something else is wrong.
“I need to talk to you,” she tells her brother.
“Shoot.”
“I have a weird feeling.” We both wait for her to say more but she stays silent.
“Need more than that, Annie,” Ollie presses.
She takes a few deep breaths and continues to wring her hands. “I don’t know how to explain it. It’s almost like I’m being watched.”
“Son of a bitch.” Ollie reaches for his cell phone in his pocket and is talking to Taylor immediately. “I need you to find out where my sister’s ex-husband is. Find Ronnie, too.”
He stays silent for a while, nodding his head every few seconds. They hang up and he blows out a long stream of air. “Ronnie’s gone. Moved a few hours away. Taylor was keepin’ tabs on him since you wouldn’t press charges. His uncle took him in and has him workin’ at his shop. He’ll check out Daniel in the mornin’. So will I.”
“I don’t think this has anything to do with them.”
“Call me crazy, but who the fuck else would be watchin’ you?”
“I know both of them. Have for years. This doesn’t feel like either one of them.”
“Fuck!” Ollie yells. He rubs the back of his neck and starts pacing. Neither of us have to ask what he’s thinking. “I want you movin’ to Viv’s place.”
“What? Why?”
“Annie, for once in your goddamn life, please don’t argue with me. I have a top of the line alarm system in there and Davis knows how to use a gun. Me and Viv can stay at my place.” She doesn’t look convinced. “Please, I need you to do this for me.”
“Oliver, I told you, it’s just a feeling. I’m probably just sleep deprived because I’m so busy. You know I have an active imagination.”
“Annie.”
She huffs. “Is there any point in trying to convince you this is all unnecessary?”
“Nope.”
“Fine. I’ll get some stuff and start staying tomorrow.”
“Wrong answer. I’m takin’ you there now and you’ll start stayin’ tonight.”
“Bully.”
He takes her hands. “I’m only doin’ this because I love you.”
She pulls her hands from his and throws them around his neck. “I love you, too, Oliver,” she cries. He rubs her back and lets her get all her tears out. I know Annie. She’s not crying over the situation; she’s crying because she hasn’t heard those three words from her brother since they were kids.
Once again, she mouths “Thanks” over her shoulder as she walks away.