It took a while to find a suitable empty space for the restaurant, but they found a three thousand square foot storefront in an office building on Market Street. An adjoining two thousand square foot space was empty too and Val bought that up. The bigger space was supposed to be the restaurant, but plumbing and new gas lines had to be put in, so Val decided to concentrate on renovating the smaller space because it would be easier. Ben didn’t have any plans to go to college so after graduation he spent his days assembling shelves that were supposed to line the walls. He wished Gennie could be here with him. He wasn’t very handy at all, unlike her. He just hoped none of the books would come crashing down on people.
He left his job at the hospital in the last week of July, the day before Valbooks opened. They hadn’t hired a person to work at the bookstore yet, so he took over duties. He would be the first to admit that it was probably the noisiest bookstore in the world, with the restaurant next door under construction. They didn’t have many customers that first month, but a young lady came in and inquired about a job opening. Ben hired her as the future bookstore employee. It was good to have a second person in the store, because he was getting lonely and also he had to tell the workers where to place all the kitchen equipment. He couldn’t wait until it was set up so he could try it out.
Valben was officially opened for business on August 28th. Ben couldn’t believe how packed it was that first day. From what he saw when he peeked out of the kitchen, every table was filled at lunchtime, then a slight lull until five and after that a two hour wait for the rest of the night. Obviously, those billboards and large ads in the newspapers worked. Ben put in a twelve-hour day, spending most of it running around like a maniac. Luckily, the staff they hired was great. All of them were very experienced and knew how to deal with the hectic pace. When the restaurant closed at twelve, Val served all of them wine and caviar.
“Here’s to hoping there’ll be more days like these,” Val said, at the head of six tables pushed together to make a long one. She raised her glass. They clinked their glasses together and said cheers.
When Ben finally arrived home in the wee hours of the morning, he was completely exhausted. He barely had enough energy to brush his teeth before going straight to bed. He didn’t realize that all his days from now on would be like that.
A week later, he decided he wanted to get an apartment closer to Union Square and live on his own. Malcolm and Colleen were really sad and reluctant to see him move out, but they gave him their blessings. Within a few days, he found a two bedroom, one bathroom apartment above a convenience store on Howard Street, about a ten-minute walk to the restaurant. He and Val went shopping for furniture. Val had an eye for interior decorating and he let her have a say in all his choices. He was only going to buy a sofa and a bed for now, but Val offered to pay for everything.
“I’ll pay you back, I promise,” Ben said to her, as they drank wine and snacked on crackers in her large contemporary apartment in a building just behind where the restaurant was.
“You don’t have to,” she said. “Consider it a bonus.”
“Let me give you some money back at least,” Ben said.
“I don’t need it.”
“It would make me feel better.”
“Oh, all right,” Val said. “You can pay me in installments, if you want.”
“Sounds good,” Ben replied.
“Either that, or I have another idea.”
“Okay, what is it?”
Val smiled slightly. “Are you…seeing anyone?”
Ben felt like there were a thousand butterflies in his stomach. Was she going to ask him out?
“No…I’m not,” he replied. “Are you?”
Val shook her head.
They both sat there on her sofa, staring at each other. Ben thought she would say something else, but she didn’t.
“Do you want to be my girlfriend or something?” he asked, feeling extremely uncomfortable.
She paused then chuckled. “Well…it’s something similar to that. I have a proposition for you.”
“What is it?”
“Would you like to get married?”
Ben nearly choked on the cracker he was eating.
“Uh…well…I don’t know if I’m ready for that yet.”
“I thought it would look better for us. When I was interviewed for the article in The Examiner, I found it really awkward to explain my relationship to you. I finally said that you were a friend.”
“That’s why you want to get married?”
“Well, no…I also think that you’re very handsome and I’m curious about some things.”
Ben took a big swig of wine.
“Like what?”
Val didn’t answer but simply giggled.
“Oh that,” Ben replied. “So you want to sleep with me.”
“Um…yes.”
“But we have to get married first?”
Val nodded.
“You know how old I am, don’t you?”
“Yes, but I told everyone that you’re twenty-eight to avoid people making a fuss. Do you mind being ten years older?”
“Uh, no, not at all.”
“I see you didn’t answer my question. Do you want to get married?”
“I…I don’t know.”
“I’ll give you a ten percent raise if you do.”
Despite feeling it was wrong, Ben gave her an answer. “Okay.”
Val gave him a hug. “That’s wonderful. Let’s go to city hall and get it done.”
“Now?”
“Well, you said you wanted to get married, didn’t you?”
Ben really didn’t want to do it right at that moment, but he also didn’t want to upset Val. He stood up and offered her his hand.
“We’ll take my car,” he replied.
Chapter 33
What They Left Behind Page 32
