Page 6 of Tangled Emotions
4 years later
Mom and Dad left yesterday for a second honeymoon. Big E’s in charge of the diner and Gene had plans to meet some friends in Vegas.
Evie is in my care, leaving me tending to her sixteen-year-old ass and my four-year-old son. While working.
“Mattie, can you take a bottle of mustard to table five?”
“Can do, Ebee.” He ran behind the counter, grabbed the bottle and darted over to the table.
“He’s not your slave, Evelyn.” I sighed, knowing it was a losing battle.
“I know that.” She shrugged. “But he likes to help, and I was working at his age, so fairs, fair.”
“Enoch?”
My brother shook his head. “She’s right.”
“I help, Mama.” Matthew hopped up on a stool at the counter. “I good.”
“You are very good.” I smiled. “You can help.”
He smiled big and went back to his coloring book until someone called for him.
Matthew was the best thing to ever happen to me. As an infant, he almost never cried. He loved to learn. And he potty trained himself.
One day he decided he wanted ninja turtle underwear, and that was that.
My parents owned a fourplex, and we lived across the hall from Big E. It was nice having our own space.
“Hey Edie?” Evelyn leaned over the counter. “Do you mind if I have a couple friends over after work?”
“No.” I continued wrapping silverware in napkins. “We’re closed tomorrow so we all get a break, so that works out well.”
“Awesome!” She went to check on her tables and I went to get a plate of fries to nibble.
“Can I has some?” Matthew gave me a goofy grin.
“Of course.” I pushed the plate closer to him.
My sister came back over and snatched a fry as she traded coffee pots and made another round.
These were the moments that made me feel amazing. My son was happy, my sister was doing her job and not being her sarcastic self, and Big E stayed in the kitchen.
We made a good team. Hell, who was I kidding? My entire family made an excellent team. Mom and Dad took a chance on an old diner, and they turned it around, making it one of the best places to eat.
Even through growing a family, the level of excellence never waned. And in turn we all loved working here.
Our day flew by and I couldn’t wait to get home, shower, and kick back. Big E made plans to take Matthew to the movies and have a boy’s night out, which gave me time to myself.
Not having to rush, I kicked my shoes off at the door and made my way to the shower. Something on the wall caught myattention and after I set the water I turned back to see what it was.
Matthew drew me a flower with anI love momnote.
“I’m raising a good man.” Tears filled my eyes. My brothers and dad were ideal examples of how a man should act and they were rubbing off on him.
Greg bailed that day at the pub and never looked back. In four years, he’d never seen his son, and I was good with that. Not that I would keep him away if he chose to come around.
But I sure as fuck wasn’t going out of my way to make that happen.