Way to Go by Tom Ryan Read Free Book Online Page B

with me ? I thought as her headlights disappeared into the night.

EIGHT
    The next morning, after I got out of the shower and came back to my room, Alma was sitting on my bed.
    â€œWhat’s up?” I asked her.
    â€œDo you think that I could get a job at the restaurant? As a waitress?” she asked me.
    â€œMaybe in a few years, Al,” I said, drying off my hair. “You’re kind of young. Trust me, having a job isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
    â€œYeah, but I’ve been thinking about running away to Hollywood in a couple of years to become an actress,” she said. “It’d be good to have some skills, like waiting tables. I’ll probably need to make ends meet for a few weeks, until I’m discovered. God knows I don’t want to end up like Peg Entwhistle.”
    â€œWho’s Peg Entwhistle?”
    â€œOh, just a tragic ingenue from the thirties,” she said. “She couldn’t catch a break, so she climbed up to the Hollywood sign and—ack!” She crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue, holding an imaginary noose above her neck.
    â€œYoinks,” I said.
    â€œYoinks indeed, but what did she expect? Who the hell is going to hire someone called Peg Entwhistle? She might as well have called herself Velma Turnipgarden. I’m going to stick with my original stage name.”
    â€œOh yes,” I said, “Betsy Worthington. Well, in a couple of years, I’ll put in a good word with Denise. In the meantime, enjoy the free ride while you can, Betsy.”
    â€œCan you guys come down here?” Mom called from downstairs.
    â€œI have some news,” she said when we were sitting down. “Your dad’s going to be home at the end of the month.”
    â€œWhat?” said Alma. “That’s awesome!”
    â€œI don’t understand,” I said. “I thought his contract lasted till Christmas.”
    â€œWell, that’s the thing,” she said. “His company is laying off a bunch of people, so it’s not really good news.”
    Great, I thought, another opportunity for him to lecture me about the importance of education. Same old story, blah, blah, blah.
    â€œHe gets to come home for the rest of the summer though!” said Alma. “ That’s good news!”
    â€œYes, that will be nice, for sure,” my mom said, reaching over to run her fingers through Alma’s hair.
    â€œMom!” Alma said. “‘Take your stinkin’ paws off me, you damn dirty ape!’”
    â€œHe’s very impressed that you’re working so hard at the restaurant, Dan,” Mom said, turning to me.
    â€œOh yeah? Cool.” It actually was cool. For once in my life, I could prove I was thinking about my future. So far, I’d only had one payday, but I’d put most of it in the bank, and I planned to keep saving. By the time Dad came home, I’d have a few hundred bucks. I was sure he’d have lots of ideas about how I should spend it.
    WHEN I ARRIVED at the restaurant for my shift later that day, Denise was giving a tour of the place to a couple of people. One of them was a university student named Ken who I recognized as a DCHS grad from a couple of years earlier. He was taller than me and well built, with an earring and bleached tips. Denise introduced him to everyone, and he barely glanced at me and JP other than to give us a quick nod. I noticed that he was a lot friendlier to Lisa, cracking cheesy jokes and reaching out to touch her on the arm a couple of times.
    The other server turned out to be Maisie Thomas.
    â€œHey, Maisie! I didn’t know you were going to be working here,” I said.
    â€œYeah, it’s awesome, hey? I’m super excited!” She giggled. “It’s going to be a super fun summer!”
    Behind Maisie’s back, Lisa caught my eye and raised her eyebrows, smirking. I really liked Maisie and figured she’d be great