Falter (10 page)

I half-heartedly shook his hand, “Thanks.” For nothing.

Gavyn saw me sulking through the automated double doors and stood to greet me. The others did the same as I made my way through the lobby.
 

“Oh my gosh. Hon, are you alright?” Layla hurried toward me in a fuss.
 

She held me at arm’s length and looked over me. Her eyes were worried as she smoothed back the tousled hair from my face. When she caught a glimpse of the singed skin on my forehead, her expression hardened and her eyes narrowed. Did Layla perceive the mark in the same manner as the doctor?
 

Something about her demeanor shifted during that brief moment, and then her sweet southern smile reappeared.

“I’m fine, just scratched myself. The brain is okay though.” I tapped my temple with my index finger and forced a smile to ease their minds. Hopefully, they couldn’t tell the difference between a scratch and a burn.

George exhaled a deep breath of relief. “What did he say it was?”

“Stress, like you said.” An I-told-you-so grin replaced his fear for my insanity.

Gavyn moved to stand beside me, quiet and supportive. His closeness quickly unraveled my nervous knots. I gazed up at his wary face and smiled. He hesitated then returned the smile, but the lack of genuine happiness and the crease in his brow did nothing to convince me that all was well.
 

He slid his warm fingers between mine. “We’re ready to go then?”
 

George caught our gesture and pretended not to notice as he passed Gavyn and me, heading for the door. Layla, however, fisted the hem of her jacket and rushed after George as if she was bothered by Gavyn’s action.

“Definitely.” My feet couldn’t get me out of there fast enough.

Gavyn grazed my face with his other hand and pulled the hair off my forehead. “How did that really happen?” he whispered, observing the mark intently.
 

I patted his hand away. “Long story. It’s not important.” It wasn’t long, just a bit wacko. And at this point, I didn’t care to burden this man with any more of my issues. We left it at that, and I pulled him into motion, following the others through the E.R. exit doors.

CHAPTER SIX

Beware of the Changing Tides

By the time we returned to the café, it was dark and almost closing time. Only a few diners lingered quietly at their tables. One cook remained in the kitchen, and the older woman with grey hair waited on the last of the customers. Some of the chairs were already stacked on the tables and the condiments were refilled.
 

Slow, heavy music filled the café. Blues. An appropriate ambiance for how I felt. I was more discouraged now than before our trip to the hospital. I couldn’t accept stress as a real reason for all that happened. It irritated me that I had to dump so much on the others and still didn’t find the answers I needed.
 

George and Layla dispersed silently to check on their stations and finish up for the night. Gavyn stopped to talk with one of the patrons. I walked behind the bar and grabbed a rag, wet it, then returned to the dining area to begin cleaning the recently cleared tables. I was thankful for the busy work. It helped me ignore the matters at hand, as well as the growing snowball of questions building momentum in my mind.
 

“What do you think your doin’?” A hand gripped my elbow, abruptly ending my movement.

“My job?” I looked at Gavyn, surprised and unsure of why he stopped me.

“Uh, don’t you think you’ve had enough on your plate today?”

“Look, it’s helping me relax,” I huffed. “I need to work on paying you back anyway.”
 

“I really think you should take it easy for the rest of the night.” He glared at me as if he could will me to surrender the rag.

“Let me do this, please,” I pleaded. His grip on my arm was firm, but I could feel it wavering at my refusal to give up.

“Okay, but then you go take a bath or something—and rest.”

“Whatever you say,” I responded, only slightly toning down my sarcasm.

He gave me a
do it or die
sneer, then smiled and marched towards the bar.

Images of the ghostly phantom from earlier flickered into my mind. The harder I tried to forget it, the more it prevailed in haunting me. I suddenly felt the child in me want to call out for my mother, the way that children often do when they are afraid. George was nice to have, but nothing could compare to a mother’s touch during hard times.
 

Even though my memories of my mother were limited to a few precious moments shared as a toddler, I still understood how much she could’ve helped me throughout my life. Every day, I missed the way her long dark curls coiled around my tiny finger as she held me. I would breathe in her scent, nestling my face perfectly against her warm neck. Hints of honeysuckle and clover always hushed my fears. Knowing she was there to sit beside me if I needed her was enough to console me during any crisis.

Enough, Nevaeh. You are a grown woman. You can’t go crying to mommy now
.
 

I shook my head to brush the feelings of self-pity aside. I would figure something out and deal with this like any other adult.

I finished tidying the tables as the last customer paid for his meal and said his goodbyes to the staff. I watched the silver-haired gentleman enclose Gavyn’s hand between both of his. The gesture spoke of friendship, trust, and appreciation.
 

Gavyn smiled at the man and pulled him into his side, cuddling him under one arm. They slowly walked to the door.

“See you for dinner tomorrow, Tom?”
 

The old man confirmed with a nod.
 

Gavyn winked a goodnight to him before Tom stepped out of the door. Gavyn stood at the door, peering out the window until Tom was out of sight, then hurried to the kitchen.

 
I strolled over to the door and twisted the lock before flipping the small “Closed” sign around to signal the end of our business day. It swung back and forth in the window bringing my attention to the dozens of fingerprints smudging the glass. Spinning too quickly to grab the cleaner from the hostess’s podium, I bounced off Gavyn’s chest. The man had a knack for sneaking up on me. I glanced up at his face with wide eyes, relinquishing my usual unease with personal contact, and happily accepted the warmth of his body so close to mine.

He laughed and rubbed his chest, playfully feigning pain. “You should really watch where you’re going.”
 

“Excuse me. I thought you were in a different room.” I bowed my head, embarrassed.

With a gentle finger under my chin, he tilted my head upward. “I was just kidding, Nevaeh. I told you to rest. Will I have to draw your bath myself?” His expression showed his joking manner, but there was a glint of hope in his eyes that begged me to say yes to the invitation.

“I’ll manage just fine, thanks. I was on my way right now.” I walked past him and felt the heat of his gaze on my body as I disappeared into the dark hallway.

I soaked in the tub until my fingers were pruned. After getting out and performing my nightly ritual, I padded across the hall to the lounge and set up the blankets for my bed. George’s couch was empty, so I spread out his comforter as well. I felt guilty going to bed while he was still working, so I set out to check on George and make sure he didn’t need help.

Gavyn and Layla’s voices crept down the hall from the café area. I ignored their whispered conversation and rounded the corner into the kitchen. I passed the cold stoves and glistening countertops, then followed the back hall to where George was. When I stepped into the washroom, he was slumped over the side of the sink.
 

“George? Are you ok?”

He straightened quickly, startled by my voice. “I’m fine, girl.” A weak smile tugged at his lips, then he continued washing the dish in his hand. “Did ya need something?”

I wandered to his side, assessing the pile of plates he had left to clean. “I was just checking on you. Will you be much longer?” I reached down and picked up a dish from the rinse sink. George offered me a towel, and I accepted. I wiped the cloth over the smooth porcelain until the water was gone, then set it on a stack of dried dishes beside me.

“No, I think I’m about done here. I’m really tired anyway.” His voice was drained and heavier than usual. I studied his sluggish movements and weary disposition. There was something else, something different in his behavior, that I couldn’t quite figure out. He had changed since this afternoon.
 

I nodded, draping the towel over his shoulder, then rubbed my hand across his back. “Okay, I’ll make our beds while you finish.” He leaned into the kiss I placed on his cheek. Before leaving the washroom, I scanned over him once more. He settled back into his slouch. I frowned, noticing that his breathing had deepened as if he was struggling to get enough air.

On the way back to the lounge, a slow panic started to rise in my chest, and I feared the worst for George. Thinking back on the last day or two, I realized there was an obvious change in his appearance. He looked tired. Strained. His skin was pale, and his eyes were a little more sunken and darker than normal. Consumed by my own problems, I hadn’t paid much attention to the old man. Guilt tightened around my heart while I attempted to rein in my fear for George’s health.

As I walked down the dark back hall, past the walk-in freezer and the pantry, I heard Gavyn’s voice coming from the kitchen. Layla’s soft giggle caught me off guard when it chimed through the air after Gavyn’s muffled words. Not wanting to interrupt, I froze and started rethinking my route to the lounge.

“Oh, Gavyn. I don’t understand why you keep fighting me?” Her voice was different. She didn’t sound like her typical sweet self—she sounded playful and dangerous.

“Layla, I don’t understand why you refuse to accept that we can’t be together. You know how I feel about dating employees. I value our friendship and would hate for something like this to ruin it.”
 

I peeked around the corner and saw Layla sitting on the counter with her long, beautiful legs crossed under a short skirt. Gavyn stood next to her, his strong hands working hard to fix a broken door hinge on an overhead cabinet.
 

She leaned toward him, her slender hand rising to touch his face. I knew it wasn’t right to watch them, but curiosity was getting the best of me. I needed to see his reaction to her for some strange reason.
 

She gently urged his face to look at hers. Her manner was different, very aggressive and seductive. Even I could feel her intent, and I was ten feet away. He stopped what he was doing and stared at her with slight aggravation in his eyes.
 

She grinned. “Let go for a minute. See what you are missing.” She leaned in further and slid her hand to the back of his head, guiding his lips to hers.
 

Gavyn tensed and pulled away from her grasp just before their lips touched. He slowly tugged her hand from his head, placing it back in her lap. “I told you that this isn’t right. If you can’t accept it, I’ll be forced to change our working arrangements.” He was polite, but stern.

Layla blew out in frustration and uncrossed her legs, her body rigid with anger. “I don’t care what you do. I’m not gonna stop trying.” There was fire in her eyes now. She liked the challenge. “You know we belong together.” Layla hopped off the counter and sauntered to the door. She stopped and turned, resting her fists on her perfectly proportioned hips. “If you’re so hell-bent on not dating employees, what are you doing with Nevaeh?”