Spanish Bay (8 page)

“The view is magnificent, isn’t it?” Samantha had walked up from behind, a glass of water in her hand. “Of course, it’s nothing like the one we have back home across Central Park, but you Californians wouldn’t appreciate that. I’ll never understand why Sally moved out here. I guess she was always the rebellious one in the family. I get from your accent that you’re not a local either?”

Chris got the feeling Samantha was making conversation rather than being interested in where he was from, but he answered anyway. “No, I’m from Texas. Lubbock, to be precise, ma’am.”

“Oh, don’t be so formal. Call me Samantha.” She put her hand on his shoulder. “Let’s sit and talk for a bit, shall we?”

“Yes, ma’am—I mean, yes, Samantha.”

She laughed. “Am I intimidating you? It’s okay, I don’t bite.”

Chris figured he’d best shut up and listen to what she had to say.

“I understand that Sally recently made you manager of the café?”

“Yes, she did, just a couple of nights ago. She was having trouble standing on her foot, and she was in a lot of pain. She said she needed some time to recover before returning to work, and she asked me to take over. We were going to meet this week to hand over some of the stuff I need.”

“I see. Well, that’s not going to happen right now, for obvious reasons. And I don’t have the slightest idea how to run a café. Can you manage it on your own, as it is?”

“We’ve kept it closed since Sunday. But yes, I know where to order the supplies we need, and we have enough cash reserves to stock the cash register. Do you want me to open it up again?”

“Give me a day to think about that. I’ll need to go through her files and get a clearer idea of the situation. And I need to see if there is a will or something to help guide my decisions.”

Chris was horrified. “A will? But she was doing better last night.”

“Oh, no, don’t worry, Chris. She’s still alive, but if I can find a will, maybe I can see what she wants. Since she’s still unconscious, I can’t ask her. Also, I don’t know what the contracts say. I know she owns the property, but I’m not sure what the zoning plans say on whether it could be developed into something else. This, of course, influences a decision about whether or not to put the place on the market.”

“I see.”

“I know this is difficult for you, Chris, and this is why I think it might be a good idea to open the café again. I don’t want to destroy any value it has. And I know we need revenue if we’re to pay you and our suppliers, at least for now. But I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t encourage you to look for work elsewhere. The sooner we come to a decision about Sally’s Café, the better.”

Chris was devastated. And even though Samantha broke it to him in a kinder way than he had anticipated, she was still more or less telling him to take a hike.

“I hope you understand, Chris, that Sally will never be able to work again. Even if she wakes up and recovers, there will be some damage to her brain. She may be paralyzed, she may not be able to talk, and she may not remember things. We should be grateful that she’s still alive. Just give me a few days to sort through things, before we make any final decisions. And who knows, maybe by then Sally is awake and we can ask her.”

Samantha got up from the couch and walked up to the balcony door, looking out over the bay. Chris got the message. Meeting adjourned. He carried the glass to the kitchen and took his leave.

He was confused by this woman. She seemed pleasant enough, yet she was absolutely determined to close the café. The café was everything Sally had. It was her pride, her life. Why was Samantha so adamant about closing it, or even selling it? It wasn’t for him to question; Samantha was Sally’s sister and she could damn well do what she wanted.

Chris drove down to the café and prepared for opening the next day. He called their suppliers to order fresh baked goods and sandwiches, and he had to restock some of the drinks they sold. He spent a lot of time talking to people about Sally, what a tragedy her stroke was. Everyone was willing to pitch in; Sally had been a focal point in the town for quite some time. It made Chris proud to be working for her, and he decided then and there that if Sally’s Café truly were to close, he would make sure it did so with a bang.

When he re-opened the café the next day, he was busier than ever, and not because of the tourists; so many of the town folk came by, as well as the kids from the high school, whose academic curriculum was winding down with the approaching summer break. Neil helped out as much as he could—before and after school—as did Natalie.

The next day was just as busy, and the one after, and so on, and Chris managed to get by. More often than not, he’d end up at Neil’s house after closing, with Sarah feeding him her delicious cooking and Neil tending to his emotional and physical needs. But nothing could take away his feelings of unease when he still had Damocles’ sword dangling over his head.

***

Ten days after the stroke, Sally woke up again. She had been lucky. The stroke had damaged the right half of her brain, leaving her partially paralyzed in the left side of her body, and it restricted the movements of her left arm and leg, but her right arm was fine. She was able to speak, although with the paralysis in the left side of her face, it was difficult to understand what she was saying. She drifted in and out of consciousness, slept an awful lot, and the doctor had to remind Samantha to be patient and not rush things.

It was a further two weeks before Sally was coherent enough for Samantha to ask her about the future.

“Hey, sis. You’ve given us quite a scare…”

Sally gave her a half smile, making her face look all warped, with one corner of her mouth pointing up and the other hanging down.

“Listen, I’ve done some research. We have this wonderful clinic back east. They specialize in stroke rehabilitation. I think it would be best if you came back with me, so you’re close to family. I can’t stay here forever, and you don’t have anyone out here…”

Samantha was careful not to push her sister too hard. Sally had always been stubborn and rebellious. Ten years her junior, she had never really understood what it meant to be an Ashbury, and the responsibility to the family history and the fortune that went with it. Sally was a hippy, and had left the east coast to study on the west coast. Unbeknown to her parents, she’d used her trust money to buy a building in Carmel and opened a café. She never went to university, never graduated.

When her parents found out, they cut all ties to her, and when they died, the family fortune was passed on to Samantha, who, of course, didn’t need it, as she had married rich herself. Secretly, Samantha had stayed in touch with her sister; they weren’t close and they rarely saw each other, but they still talked regularly, and Sally realized that Samantha was right. She was in no condition to live on her own, and while she had plenty of friends in Carmel, she didn’t want to be a burden on any of them. She also understood that Samantha wouldn’t be a frequent visitor in New York, but at least she’d see her more often than she would if she stayed out here in Carmel.

Inside Sally’s head, there was something else worrying her though, and she tried to put in words.

“Kh-ah-fé.”

Every word was painful, but Samantha understood. “You mean the café? Well, it’s open, and Chris is doing a great job. But I guess if you’re coming to New York with me, we’ll have to sell it?”

Sally shook her head, slowly.

“No? So what do you want to do with it?”

“Kh-rees…”

“What about Chris?” Samantha wasn’t catching on.

“Rh-uhn!”

“You mean run? You want Chris to run it? As manager, or do you have something else in mind?”

Sally was frustrated. It was so difficult for her to express her thoughts. She looked pleadingly at her sister, but Samantha was none the wiser. She tried again. “Gh-ehv!”

“You want to give it to him? But, Sally, that makes no sense. Why would you want to give it to him? He’s only worked for you a couple of months.”

Sally had fallen asleep again. It was clearly exhausting for her to think and talk.

The next morning, Samantha called Chris at work. “Good morning, Chris. How are things down at the café?”

“Good, we’re very busy. The whole town is rallying around Sally. We’re busier than ever.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Listen, Chris, Sally would like to see you. We need to talk about the café. Can you come by the hospital this afternoon, say three o’clock?”

“Sure, I’ll be there. Neil should be out of school by then. He’ll look after things.”

“HONEY, HURRY UP or we’re going to be late…”

Sarah was a nervous wreck. Her oldest son was about to graduate from high school, and she didn’t know how to deal with the emotions. When Neil had been diagnosed with Kugelberg-Welander four years earlier, there were moments when she’d despaired and almost given up on life. Neil kept her going, always Neil. Fighting and struggling, with a life force unlike anything she’d seen before. Neil was the one who made sure the family survived the ordeal. And now, her baby was all grown up and ready to graduate, change the tassel and toss the hat. Fond memories of her own graduation mingled with the plans for the day.

At ten a.m., the official ceremony at the school would begin. The students would be called up by the principal, one by one, to receive their diplomas. There would be speeches and song, followed by tears of joy at family reunions. They had planned to take Neil and Phil to lunch before Neil would undoubtedly be off to celebrate his graduation with friends and classmates.

***

“I’m coming, Mom…” Neil felt the stress of the day weighing heavily on him. He knew his parents had been looking forward to this day with mixed emotions. Already legally an adult, it was the fact that he was still in high school that gave them some sort of hold over him. But after today, he’d be free—free to live his life as he saw fit. Then again, with parents like Joe and Sarah, he already lived that life pretty much. The difference wasn’t going to be tangible, but it was important to him just the same.

Donning his high school graduation gown, the silly hat and the tassel in the gray and red colors of his high school, he noticed Chris, sitting on the edge of the bed and admiring him.

“Man, I can’t wait for this day to be over. Is Natalie covering for you at the café this morning?”

Chris nodded. “Yeah. With graduation, it’s going to be a slow day, so I’m sure she’ll be fine. I’m more worried about my meeting with Sally later.”

“What do you think she wants?”

“I have no clue. But now that she’s awake again, I presume she’s told Samantha what she wants to do with the café. From what I hear, she can’t walk and is half-paralyzed. She won’t return to work, not in the near future.”

“So sad. What do you think she’s going to do?”

“Samantha mentioned selling it, but I’m not sure it’s what Sally wants to do. She’s a successful businesswoman, much more savvy than I am. I don’t know, but we’ll find out today, won’t we?”

“Do you want me to go with you to the meeting?”

Chris shook his head. “No. I don’t think that would be a good idea. I doubt Sally will screw me over. And even if she does, I’ll be fine. Somehow…”

Neil wheeled over to Chris and put both his hands on Chris’s knees. “Hey, just remember that I’m here for you, okay? Whatever, whenever. This may not be the right time, but I learned a long time ago, when I was in the hospital with my legs, that it is more important to be honest, so here is me, being honest…” Neil took a deep breath. “I’m falling in love with you, Chris. My heart beats faster when I see you, my stomach is all butterflies when you touch me, not to mention what you do to my nether regions…”

He laughed, then paused to consider the next words.

“I am a better person because of you. You make me want to be the best man I can be. So whatever the future has in store for us—my college education, you and the café—I would like nothing more than for us to tackle it together. I want to be at your side from now on and as long as you’ll have me. If you’ll have me that is…”

There was a slight trepidation in his voice as he said those final words, a tinge of doubt about whether Chris really felt the same way.

A small tear appeared in the corner of Chris’s left eye. He put his hands on Neil’s and looked him straight in the eyes. “You know, when I first saw you, lying there, on the street, after those bullies had attacked you, I knew you were something extraordinary. I fell for you that very second I picked you up and sat you back in your chair. I’m so happy we’ve found each other. I have no idea what the future holds, or how we’re going to tackle it, but yes, I would very much like to be a part of it.” There was big grin on Chris’s face. “But first, let’s make sure you don’t miss your own graduation,
boyfriend
!” He said that last word with extra emphasis, and Neil moved forward to kiss him.

“So, do you still need me to go down to the café after lunch?”

“I’d appreciate it. I have a hunch that traffic will pick up after lunch, and Natalie could use the extra help. I’ll come by to relieve you as soon as I can. Are you sure you don’t want to go hang out with your friends?”

“Nah, not really. You know I don’t have many friends in school, and all they’ll do is get drunk anyway. That doesn’t really appeal to me. Besides, I’m in a chair, and they’ll probably be celebrating down by the beach. You know, bonfires, beer, making out… I’d rather be making out with you, right there.”

“You’ve got it, mister. Now let’s go. Your mom is probably close to freaking out by now.”

***

Graduation itself was what it had been every year for kids around the nation, but it was a good feeling for Neil to be able to roll up to Principal Lopez and get his diploma.
Finally, I’m an adult, for real.
The rest was boring, and both Salutatorian and Valedictorian gave dull speeches. But it was appropriate for the occasion—dreams of the future, talk of responsibility, thanks to faculty, parents and the community…the usual blah, blah.

Neil had heard it all before. He was more excited about having lunch with his family, although he loved looking into the crowd gathered in front of the class. Chris’s eyes never left Neil, and he could feel the love radiating from him.