At Wick's End - Tim Myers [34]
Heather grinned and waved to an older woman standing behind the counter with an easy smile and flaming red hair. She had on an apron that said, “Kiss your Momma” and was sporting a pair of green bibbed overalls underneath it.
“What can I get you, love?” she said to Heather as the crowd parted for her when she walked toward us.
“April, I’d like you to meet Harrison. Black. He was Belle’s great-nephew.”
April patted my shoulder. “She was a good woman, Harrison. You have my deepest sympathy.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
Heather grinned, then said, “Harrison doesn’t believe your name is real.”
April laughed. “Oh, it’s real enough. Mother wanted to name me March and make April my middle name, but Dad put his foot down. Can you imagine? I would have been March April May. That’s more of a burden than any kid should have.”
“So what is your middle name?” I asked.
“It’s Garnet, after my grandmother. And Dad thought he was doing me a favor. There was no way I was going to go by that, so I went through school as the Calendar Girl. Now I kind of like it. It sets me apart from the rest of the herd.”
There was a call for April from the counter, and she said, “Gotta go. Nice meeting you, Harrison. Come back when we have more time to chat.”
As she left us, I asked, “Did Belle come here a lot?” There was so much I didn’t know about my great-aunt, and talking to her friends was the only way I had left to get to know the woman she had been, not just my great-aunt.
“Oh, Belle was a huge fan of pizza. We used to eat here together just about every Saturday night.” Heather paused, then added, “I wasn’t going to say anything, but this is kind of in her honor. I needed something, some way to mourn, you know? Don’t get me wrong, I knew Belle’s wishes as well as anyone else did. The woman absolutely detested funerals. But still, I never got to say good-bye.”
“I know just what you mean. I’ve got a candle she made. From what Eve said it was the last one she ever poured, and I’ve been burning it an hour a night in her memory.”
Heather touched my hand. “That’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”
April joined us again at the booth, carrying a monstrous pizza in one hand and a tray holding three beers.
Heather protested, “Hey, I ordered a small pizza.”
April nodded and said with a grin, “I need to take a break and get off my feet for a while, so I thought I’d join you.” The pizzeria owner looked uncertain for a moment, then added, “Unless this is a date. My goodness, I’ve put my foot in it again, haven’t I?”
Heather and I spoke simultaneously. “This isn’t a date.”
We stared at each other, then laughed at the same time.
April said, “Okay, I get it, no need to shout. So would you two like some company?”
I scooted over to make room for her. “That would be great.”
After we ate, I offered to pay. April looked at my money as if it were tainted with sludge. “Save it, Harrison. I just hope I get the chance to earn that and more.”
“I’ll definitely be back,” I said, patting my stomach. I’d eaten entirely too much pizza, but the combination of good beer, better pizza and excellent conversation made me as hungry as a wolf in winter.
“That’s all I need to hear,” she said as she gathered up what was left of our meal. “See you’all later,” April said as she whisked the empty platter and mugs away.
Heather asked me if I was ready to go, and I agreed. It had been a big day, even without the robbery. As we walked out of the restaurant, Elvis was having a “Blue Christmas.”
Back at River’s Edge, Heather stopped the car and said, “Thanks Harrison. That was great fun.”
“I should be the one thanking you,” I said. “I really needed this tonight.”
As she started to get out too, I said, “Hey, you don’t have to walk me to my door.”
Heather said with a smile, “Don’t you wish. I want to go by my storage locker and get my gym bag. I’m going for a run in the morning and I usually leave my stuff here, but it’s in desperate need of washing. I’ve been absolutely glowing lately.”
“Glowing?