A Voice to Love (Fallen Tuesday Book One) (A Brothers of Rock Novel) by Karolyn James Read Free Book Online Page B

old to
handle a situation like Amy had herself in, not to mention what it implied for
the restaurant. The restaurant was everything to Uncle Tom. Amy couldn’t mess
with that.
    Leaving the office, Amy
took her chef jacket off and hung it up on a hook. She squeezed it and took a
deep breath. It was a dumb ritual, but she liked to pause for a second at the
end of the night and think about all she had done that day. Being caught in the
moment of the restaurant and its thriving life, sometimes it made Amy wonder if
she was accomplishing anything. She was. She was accomplishing plenty. She
walked to the front of the restaurant and behind the bar. She got herself a
glass of ice cold soda and a straw. As she sipped, Amy scanned the empty tables.
So many people had sat at all those tables, ordering food, enjoying a meal,
having a conversation. That was the importance of Amy’s life. She gave people
moments through her meals.
    The ladies at the bar
talked and laughed. They finished their wine and the middle one slid off her
stool and stood. Her hands went right to the bar as her face looked shock.
    “Oh dear,” she said.
“That’s good wine.”
    “Do you have a ride
home?” Amy asked.
    “I was going to drive,”
the woman on the left said.
    Her voice was slurred and
her eyes looked like tops spinning. There was no way any of the women could
drive home.
    “Let me help,” Amy said.
    Under the bar there was a
piece of paper taped down with phone numbers. Uncle Tom’s cell phone was first
in line. It served no purpose having his number there because Uncle Tom spent
every second in the restaurant and the cell phone he actually had was kept in
the office. The rest of the numbers were more emergency numbers, including a
cab service that Uncle Tom knew the owner. Amy placed a quick call and got the
women a cab.
    “It’ll be here in a few
minutes,” Amy told them. “Why don’t you sit and relax? Want another small glass
of wine? On me?”
    The three women all
looked at each other. Their cheeks were flush, as though they were embarrassed
by being a little too drunk. It didn’t matter though. They weren’t causing
trouble. They were having fun and enjoying a night out.
    “Since we’re getting a
cab…,” the middle said as she sat back down.
    Amy smiled and poured a
small glass of wine for each one. She waited for the cab and then helped the
women outside. All three tried to give Amy gratuity but she respectfully
refused. She told them she worked in the kitchen and she wasn’t allowed to take
gratuity. The women giggled as the cab started to drive away. Amy looked around
at the dark street. Everything had closed down or was closing down. The walk to
her apartment wasn’t that long. If she stayed on the main street, in the
lights, it was enjoyable. She usually drove, but sometimes the walk actually
helped Tonight, with her car getting repaired - thanks to Denny , Amy
thought - she had to walk anyway.
    Back in the restaurant
she found Uncle Tom behind the bar, a smile on his face.
    “You should be doing the
same,” he said.
    “What? Getting drunk?”
    “No,” he said. He
frowned. “Taking a cab home. I don’t like you walking.”
    “I always walk.”
    “Not always.”
    “I sometimes walk.”
    “Sometimes,” Uncle Tom
said. “Not tonight. You could take a cab or let me drive you. Take my car, I’ll
sleep here.”
    “You will not sleep
here,” Amy said. “I need the walk. I need to clear my head.”
    “It wouldn’t have
anything to do with those phone messages, would it?”
    “Text messages?” Amy
asked and smiled. “No, it doesn’t.”
    Amy hated lying to Uncle
Tom, but she didn’t let it worry her too much. Uncle Tom could see right
through it.
    “Let me handle this guy,”
Uncle Tom said. “Nobody needs to bother you, Amy.”
    “What are you going to
do? Beat him up?”
    Uncle Tom lifted an old,
but large fist. “One of these and he’ll know better.”
    “It’s fine,” Amy said.
“I’m