Second Chances in New Port Stephen free digital audiobook - Chapter 7

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CHAPTER 7


Nick helped Zoe out of the back seat and onto the hot black pavement of the Checker’s parking lot. Laurie was already there, waving at them from a table underneath a hard plastic umbrella. The smell of thick grease hung in the air. This particular Checker’s on Route 1 had served as their traditional rendezvous point for the last year. It had been Laurie’s idea. “We want Zoe to associate handoffs with good things. Like french fries and milkshakes.”


“Isn’t that the plaza where the old Blockbuster was swallowed up by a sinkhole back in ’98?” Nick had asked. He had associations too.


“We don’t have to tell her that part, okay?”


Nick kept an eye on the remnants of the sinkhole a few hundred yards away. The gash in the earth was filled in with sand and tall grass now, but he still didn’t trust it. If it were up to him, they would meet at the Wendy’s up by the county line, closer to the Thirsty Manatee, but that would be more driving for Laurie. The compromise meant Nick would have to go straight to work from lunch to get ready for dinner service, but who needed little things like showers? He kept a stack of clean polos in the back office; it was fine.


Zoe ran to her mother, the black curtain of her hair swishing as she went. Nick followed more sedately with his hands in his pockets. Even at a distance, he could hear his daughter’s chatter over the traffic at the nearby intersection.


“—and he lives in New York City where the lights never go out but he grew up here with Daddy and he’s really funny. Do you want to hear the joke he taught me? Okay, so! How did… no wait, where was the cow—wait, I said it wrong.” Zoe blew a giant raspberry right as Nick reached the table. “Why did the cow get an award?”


“I don’t know, why?” Laurie smiled gently, her green eyes shining as she watched Zoe’s antics. She tipped her head back and mouthed a hello at Nick.


“She got an award because she was outstanding in her field. Get it? Out! Standing!” Zoe jumped in place for emphasis.


Nick had already heard this joke twice, once when Eli said it in the car on the way to drop him off, and again when Zoe wanted to practice it. Still, he laughed. It was a good joke.


“That’s pretty funny,” Laurie offered, though she only smiled a tiny bit wider. There was a crackle of tension at the corners of her mouth, like it was a strain to keep up the cheery demeanor for Zoe’s benefit. Nick recognized the sign as clear as day—it was one that had heralded their divorce, after all.


It didn’t hurt as much now when he thought about the breakup with Laurie. Over a year’s worth of distance made it feel less like a failure and more like a fact. He held no ill will toward Laurie herself; she’d been right when she’d told him, “I don’t think this is working.” Now, when he looked at her and saw her struggling with something, he felt a tinge of his former love for her, but mostly he felt camaraderie. They were a team, and he took that responsibility very seriously.


“Hey, sweetheart,” he said, tugging playfully at Zoe’s hair, “your mom and I are going to order lunch. Why don’t you stay here and make sure no one steals our table?” The walk-up window was only a couple feet away; he could keep an eye on her and still have a semiprivate conversation with Laurie.


“Can I get a ’nana shake?” Zoe asked, already scrambling up on the plastic seat and glaring at an older couple that dared pass within a yard of the table. She took her responsibilities very seriously too.


“As long as you let me have one sip,” Nick said. They pinkie-swore on it.


Laurie shot him a grateful look and joined him in the line for the order window. They stood quietly for a few minutes, studying the garish menu and listening to the teenagers at the front of the line arguing with the Checker’s employee about the price of fries.


“You doing okay?” Nick finally asked.


“Yeah. Fine.” Laurie dragged both hands through her long brown hair the way she always did when things were not fine. “Mom might join us in a bit.”


Nick pursed his lips. His ex-mother-in-law Kay was not his biggest fan, and the feeling was mutual. His marriage had been challenging enough without Laurie’s mother hovering in the background, making snide comments and judging every single one of their decisions. Nothing Nick did was ever good enough for Grammy Kay, from the shirts that he wore (“Knockoffs, are they?”) to his job at the restaurant (“Waste of a college education, in my book.”). Even Zoe’s name had nearly set off World War III. Kay had found it “too exotic.”


“Isn’t she going to deal with enough?” she’d said when Laurie was eight months pregnant. “Being mixed origin, I mean.” Like Zoe was a bag of coffee beans.


Nick would never actually punch an old woman, but that day? Oh, that day, he’d come really close.


So no, eating Checker’s with his ex-wife’s mother was not on Nick’s list of preferred activities, but the woman was family, so Nick had to grit his teeth and get through it. “Should I get her a burger?” he asked, striving to be more pleasant than Kay herself would ever be to him.


“If you do, she’ll say she wanted the chicken. If you get the chicken, she’ll say she wanted a burger. If you don’t get her anything, she’ll complain that we didn’t think of her. There’s no winning here, so don’t bother wasting six bucks. Let her order her own lunch.”


Nick tried to hide his surprise, but he knew his eyebrows were probably rising over the tops of his sunglasses. “That’s pretty pragmatic.” It was more diplomatic than asking her why she was suddenly standing up for herself in some small way instead of bowing to Kay’s domineering personality. Laurie from five years ago would have texted her mother asking for her order and would have waited for a reply that never came.


“Therapy,” Laurie singsonged. She whipped out her own sunglasses from her purse and settled them on her button nose. “It’s a trip. You should try it.”


It was delivered like a joke, but Nick didn’t laugh. They’d tried couples counseling before the divorce, but Nick hadn’t gotten much out of it. Their counselor had been about a billion years old and had some old-fashioned views on how a marriage was supposed to work. His only redeeming quality was he


took their insurance. Recently, though, Laurie had found a better therapist for herself.


“So the new doctor is working out?” Even if he personally didn’t put much stock in therapy, he wanted to at least try to be supportive.


“It’s exhausting, I guess, hashing out all this stuff, but yeah. I think it’s good.” They finally made it to the front of the line, and Laurie began rattling off her order along with Zoe’s and Nick’s. While they waited for the food, she turned back to him and said, “But enough about me. Who’s this new best friend Zoe can’t stop talking about? Eli, I think she said?” She glanced back to check on her.


“Yeah. We went to high school together. He’s in town for Christmas.” Normally he would be honest and up-front with her about the whole story, but that would mean explaining that Eli was transgender. That seemed rude without his express permission.


Laurie examined him impassively from behind her Ray-Bans. “I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned him. Have you two stayed in touch since high school or…?”


Nick looked over to where Zoe was still sitting at the table, humming to herself. “No, we ran into each other the other day. Pure coincidence.”


“Huh.” Laurie gazed thoughtfully into the middle distance, in the direction of the Applebee’s parking lot. “Well, I’m relieved you’ve found someone to hang out with. Surprised, but relieved.”


Nick eyed her, not taking his gaze away even as the Checker’s employee handed him their tray of food through the window. “What’s that supposed to mean?”


“It means exactly that,” Laurie said. She took the molded paper tray of drinks. “The closest friendship you have these days is with your dad. And don’t say the restaurant’s appliance repair guy counts; just because you see him twice a month doesn’t mean you’re friends.”


Nick couldn’t even argue with her, but he did roll his eyes at the old chestnut. Ever since Wu Tian-yi (or Ah Gong as Zoe called him) had retired a few years back, Nick had felt responsible for his dad’s well-being. Nick’s only other friendships were ones from college, and time plus distance had made it difficult to keep up with the old group from the U of M Asian Society. Ken was out in


San Francisco now; Wilma was doing high-powered government work; the Li twins were globe-trotting. Nick’s own life wasn’t half as exciting, and he wasn’t sure if he had anything left in common with them. They had a group chat to keep each other updated on major life events, but he hadn’t checked it in ages.


“Sorry to make you worry about my lack of a social schedule,” was his only rejoinder.


“I’m being serious,” Laurie said as they made their way back to the table, where Zoe was bouncing with excitement for her incoming milkshake. “You need to take stock of your priorities.”


“I have priorities,” Nick protested.


“Making time for yourself should be one of them,” Laurie said. Spoken like a true recipient of therapy, Nick supposed. “Maybe if you cut back your hours at the restaurant, you would have more time for your own life and Zoe.”


Nick resisted the urge to groan. It was an old argument between them, predating the divorce. Yes, he worked long hours, but he really didn’t have a choice, financially. Especially now that he relied on his single income. “I’m doing my best, all right? I even have some time off scheduled soon.”


“Yeah, only because I got on your case about it,” Laurie said. “I swear to god, Nick, I’m like an inch away from nominating you for Queer Eye.”


Nick was saved from responding to that by the pristine white SUV that pulled into the lot at that exact moment. It slotted itself directly atop the dividing line of two parking spots. Eric Clapton blared from the stereo. Kay had arrived.


Her tiny figure descended from the driver’s seat, clad in head-to-toe Christmas clothing: a thick sweater with real metal jingle bells sewn along the tips of appliqued tree branches. Her leggings had reindeer printed all over them. Even her socks had little snowflakes. Nick would have found this overblown display of holiday cheer charming on literally anyone else, but seeing Kay decked out like that rubbed him the wrong way. How could someone so miserly with their affections be so devoted to the season of giving?


“Hello, all,” Kay said as she whipped off her sunglasses. “You didn’t order for me, did you? You really shouldn’t put yourself out like that.” She was clearly


expecting an answer in the affirmative, already gearing up for a gleeful refusal of the item that had been bought with her in mind.


“Oh, we didn’t get you anything, Mom,” Laurie said as she doled out the food on the table. “I wasn’t sure what you’d be in the mood for. Want to grab something for yourself?”


Kay clearly needed a moment to absorb this development, blinking in the sun. “No, that’s all right,” she said, readjusting her purse strap. “I probably shouldn’t indulge in fast food, anyway.” She turned to Zoe, who was happily munching on her fries. “It makes you very fat, you know.”


“Mom,” Laurie said in that tired way she had. She’d been combating her mother’s fatphobia without much success for years, Nick knew. At this point, he didn’t hold out much hope for her to change.


“All bodies are good bodies,” Zoe chirped. At least someone was absorbing Laurie’s lessons. Nick snuck his promised sip of her milkshake, giving her a wink.


“How are you, Kay?” he said as he handed the cup back, hoping to steer the conversation in another direction. One that wouldn’t give his daughter body image issues for life.


She heaved a sigh and dropped to the bench next to Zoe. “Aches and pains. Pains and aches. I’m really getting too old.” She turned to Zoe and said, “And what did you and your father do today, sweet pea?” She snuck a couple of Zoe’s fries out of their wrapper. No one pointed out the hypocrisy.


Zoe swallowed her mouthful of milkshake. She’d been scolded about talking with her mouth full by Kay last week. “We went kayaking with Eli. We saw manatees. They were really cute!”


Kay didn’t seem impressed with their manatee sighting. Instead, she asked Laurie, “Who is Eli?”


Laurie set her jaw in a way that Nick knew meant I wasn’t even there, Mom before saying in an even tone, “An old friend of Nick’s who’s back in town for the holidays.”


“He makes people laugh as a job, and he said my shoes were cool, and he sat in the middle so I could be lookout, and he got to pick his name because he’s


transgender,” Zoe said, digging her fries through the creamy surface of her milkshake like Nick had taught her. “Then we ate fruit snacks.”


A couple things happened in swift succession. Laurie’s eyes went wide, visible even behind her Ray-Bans. Kay’s mouth fell open to emit a sound like a slowly deflating tire. A few yards away, in a completely unrelated incident, a kid dropped a bag of french fries all over the pavement and started to wail. Loudly. Nick felt like joining in, but for Zoe’s sake kept it together.


“Okay.” He put his burger down on its wrapper. “So, Zoe, I should have explained this earlier, but it’s not nice to tell people that someone’s transgender without their permission. It’s really personal. I only told you when we were kayaking because Eli said I could. Okay?”


Zoe, thank everything good and pure, kept on eating her fries, oblivious to the sudden tension. “Okay,” she said.


“That’s what you’re concerned about? Personal privacy?” Kay rounded on Laurie. “Did you know about this?”


“Nick doesn’t need my permission to see a friend, Mom,” Laurie said. Her voice shook, but she got the words out. “They just went kayaking.”


“And you call yourself a mother!” Kay screeched. Laurie dropped her gaze back to her chicken sandwich. Nick could practically see her curling into herself like she always did when her mom was on a tear. “A real mother would be a hell of a lot more vigilant, I can tell you that.”


“Whoa.” Nick held up both hands. He’d witnessed Grammy Kay berate Laurie many times, but even for her, this was extreme. “You don’t get to talk to her like that, Katherine.” He tried to keep the snap out of his voice, but he wasn’t totally successful. Zoe looked up from her fries, chewing slowly, her gaze bouncing between all the adults at the table. Her brow crumpled in what might have been concern or even fear. Nick’s heart broke.


Kay turned on him with her nose in the air. “It’s none of your business how I talk to my own child.”


Nick very much disagreed, but before he could say so, Laurie stood and said, “That’s it. I’m taking Zoe home now. We’re still doing the mall Santa thing on Wednesday, right, Nick?”


Nick stared up at her, then remembered the family photo shoot she had arranged with all of them, Kay and his dad included. Laurie had been weirdly insistent on them all being there together. “Yeah. I’ll see you there.” He hoped her therapist gave her a gold star during her next session; she was really selfadvocating today.


“Great.” She shrugged her purse strap over her shoulder and looked down at Kay, whose mouth was hanging open. Her gaze skipped right over her to Zoe, whom she gave a big smile. “C’mon, kiddo. Say goodbye. You can finish your shake in the car.”


“But I just got here!” Kay said.


“And we’re just leaving,” Laurie replied. “We’ll see you at the mall in a couple days, Mom. Hopefully you’ll have calmed down by then.”


Zoe flung herself at Nick, her little arms going around his neck. “Bye.”


Nick squeezed her tight, then let go. “Love you, sweetheart.” He’d talk to her on the phone tonight before bed, their special wind-down ritual. Maybe then he’d have a chance to explain how none of Kay’s outbursts were her fault.


“Give me a hug goodbye, too, Zoe.” Kay opened her arms imperiously. She looked like some dictator presiding over the Checker’s table.


Zoe looked at her, then zoomed toward Laurie’s car at a fast clip.


Laurie cleared her throat. “I’ve told Zoe she doesn’t have to hug anyone she doesn’t want to. It’s important that she learns that.”


Kay sputtered. “W-well, I’ve never heard of anything so ridiculous. I’m her grandmother, not some stranger.” She whirled on Nick. “Did you let her hug that transgender?” Apparently, she thought the word was a noun, which was bizarre.


Nick stood as well, slipping on his sunglasses and following Laurie’s lead. If Kay wanted to act foolish, she was going to be foolishly alone. “Let me get this trash out of your way, Laur.” He hefted their lunch trays, congratulating himself on not staring down Kay as he did so. Being an adult—and not a petty one—was really difficult sometimes.


Nick wasn’t worried about Eli having a negative impact on Zoe, but he was worried about his ex-mother-in-law. It didn’t seem fair that no one questioned


her presence in her granddaughter’s life. Just because someone was family, did they need to be given so much leeway?


“Mooooooom.” The sound of Zoe trying the car door handle over and over rang out across the cement. “Let me iiiiiiin.”


Laurie swept past Kay. “Coming, sweetie.”


“I won’t be ignored!” Kay called after her. Laurie didn’t even turn around, so Kay scowled in Nick’s direction instead. “I won’t.”


There was nothing Nick could say that would be more satisfying than simply walking away and leaving that sad woman alone in the Checker’s parking lot. So that was exactly what he did.