An Endless Summer(45)

“Doooooooon’t,” I whined.

“Move it!”

“Ugh, all right!” I snapped. “Who’s here?” I stretched.

“Come and see.” He smiled and left, leaving the door wide open.

Jerk!

I didn’t want to jump to his beck and call – I didn’t want to start a pattern of being his little soldier taking orders – so I took my time having a shower and getting ready for the day. I figured it was most likely Sean who had dropped in like he seemed to have developed a habit of doing lately. Most likely he was here to taunt me.

When I rounded the corner into the bar, I froze. My heart stopped for a moment and I’m sure a look of astonishment aligned my face. Was this a dream?

“Melba?”

Sure enough, there she sat, her portly frame perched on a stool at the bar, her legs barely able to rest on the rail at the bottom of the bar stool. She clasped her hands in her lap, her posture super straight, as always. She gave me a thin-lipped smile, as if she wasn’t entirely happy to see me.

“What are you doing here?” I approached her cautiously as if any quicker and I might spook her.

“I heard about ya father.” The icy facade had still not thawed. She said ‘ya father’ with the same level of disdain as last time. But this time her eyes weren’t as harsh as she looked at me. She must have stopped in to see if I was all right (which was a huge concession considering she had vowed never to step back into this place). I was touched. Knowing Melba and her vows, just being here must have been huge for her.

“Yeah, Mum called before; he went home this morning. He is doing okay. He just has to take it easy.”

Melba scoffed in reply.

I perched on the stool next to her, giving Chris an uncertain look.

“Thanks for stopping by, Melbs, I really appreciate it.”

Melba’s leg jiggled up and down with nervous energy; there was something obviously eating away at her as she became more agitated.

“I’ve been thinking,” she bit out.

“Oh?”

“Well, I’ve heard things. And it’s just absolutely ridiculous having a pub with no food; it’s just not right.”

It took all of my strength to keep a blank face, to not show so much as a smirk, and I definitely avoided Chris’s eyes. I wanted to believe I knew where this conversation was headed, but I was afraid to hope, to believe in the possibility. And just as I tried to convince myself otherwise, Melba confirmed my hopeful thoughts.

“If we’re going to open for lunch and dinner, we’re going to have to pull the kitchen apart and scrub it within an inch of its life.”

I couldn’t fight it now, my lips tilted upward. “We?”

Melba’s brows fell forward. “Don’t be smug, Miss Amy Henderson, it doesn’t become you.”

I hopped off my stool, throwing my arms around her in a big bear hug. “Oh, Melba, I’m not smug, I’m grateful … I’m so grateful!”

Melba fidgeted under my embrace; she never did do warm and fuzzy well and had always tended to avoid such things like ‘emotions’.

“Yes, well.” She straightened on her stool. “There is one stipulation.”

“Name it.” I nodded, a little bit of fear fraying the edge of my mind.

Melba gave me a long, cool stare. “I don’t want your father to know I’m here.”

My shoulders slumped in relief and I couldn’t help but get the giggles.

“I mean it, Amy, or I won’t do it … As far as your father is concerned I have nothing to do with the place.”

I shook my head, more laughter pouring out from me.

“What’s so funny?” Melba crossed her chubby arms.

“Melba, as far as keeping secrets from Dad goes, get in line.”





Chapter Twenty-Two



After letting the whole Onslow saga pour out to Melba for what felt like the millionth time, I finally had a chance to get excited about what was unravelling.

Sure, I had to spend the morning listening to Melba moan and scoff with every drawer, door and food container that had expired before I was born.

I lifted myself to sit on the hotel kitchen’s island bench and cast Chris a grim look as he leaned through the doorway.

“What an absolute disgrace; I have a good mind to ring your father and give him what for,” Melba said, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the grime she was scrubbing loose.

“Uh-uh, Melbs,” said Chris. “You’re not here, remember?”

“And don’t you forget it.” Melba stabbed her finger in the air at us, before disappearing into the cool room. A muffled gasp of horror sounded from inside. I looked at Chris, cringing at the thought of what Melba had discovered now.