Route 66 Reunions

by Mildred Colvin

  “My mother and I both fought alcohol for years. I don’t want to be near it. I don’t want my boys thinking it’s okay to sell it. Do you really want the responsibility of selling something that can contribute to a person’s spiritual downfall? I know from experience what drinking can do to a person.”

  Blake didn’t respond. He felt hurt that Tessa questioned his judgment. Between her and his mother, you’d think he didn’t know what he was doing. They both had more religion than a person needed.

  “I’ll keep that name in mind, Seth.” He finished his meal in silence while the others talked about things he scarcely listened to.

  Later, after dropping Tessa and the boys at their house, Blake drove to his store. Inside, he headed for the kitchen. He touched the gleaming stainless steel oven and ran his hand across the work area. He remembered the bare room before the equipment had arrived, when Tessa and the boys helped him paint the walls. He’d used a light blue because he liked a cheerful place to work. He liked his kitchen. Tessa could not object to anything in this room.

  He strode out to the dining room minus the furniture he expected in this week. He walked over to the bar and ran his hand across the smooth surface as he rounded the counter to the inside. He looked at the shelves waiting to be filled with bottles. He could have a good income from the bar alone.

  A mental image of Derek’s innocent young face looking up at him blocked his vision. What if Derek was his son? Did he want his son around hard liquor? Even if he didn’t open the bar until late when all the kids were gone, it would still be there as an example that drinking was all right.

  If he had his way, the boys would become deeply involved in his businesses. Maybe all three would work for him someday. And then there was Tessa. Somehow he couldn’t picture her now with a drink in her hand. In fact, he didn’t want to. He didn’t want her to go back to the way she had been. Maybe he should rethink what he served. He walked into the center of the dining room, where he turned and stared at the bar as a new idea came together in his mind.

  Tomorrow he’d order a sign to put above the door outside and another in lights for the street corner that could be seen in either direction. He could scarcely wait for Tessa to see the name of his new store. Donovan’s Family Pizza and More. Yeah, he liked the sound of that.

  He spent the rest of the afternoon thinking of changes he wanted to make, taking measurements, and scribbling notes. Finally he ran upstairs to change into clean clothes. If he hurried, he should arrive at his mom’s table in time for supper. He figured she’d like the name. But even more, he wanted her input on his new bar and the changes she and Tessa would approve.

  Chapter 14

  A couple of weeks later, Tessa found supper waiting for her when she got home from work on Thursday evening. Since the boys had been back at school, they had missed cooking the evening meal only once when Rob had to study for a test.

  Now he set a plate of spaghetti in front of her and grinned. “Hope you like this, because I’m not cooking tomorrow night.”

  “Oh really?” Tessa hid a grin. “If your new job will interfere with your duties here at home, maybe I should rethink—”

  “Don’t you dare.” Rob scowled at her and then slid into the seat across the corner from her. He leaned forward, his face serious. “You know Blake is crazy about you, don’t you?”

  “What?” Tessa’s eyes widened. She shook her head. “No, we’re just friends. You know that.”

  Seth sat across from his older brother. “Mom, he changed his store just to please you.”

  “Yeah, Mom.” Derek placed a full plate of spaghetti on the table and sat down. “Why don’t you and Blake get married so we can be a family?”

  “That’s why I named his store Donovan’s Family Pizza and More.” Seth pushed his glasses up with one finger.

  “Right,” Rob agreed. “So we can all be the Donovan family. Has a pretty good ring to it, doesn’t it?”

  Tessa looked from one boy to the other as they planned her life. And theirs. She had to admit, marrying Blake would affect their lives more than they knew. How would Rob and Seth feel when they found out Blake was Derek’s real dad? How would Blake react? Would he play favorites? She couldn’t take a chance of that happening. She had to leave well enough alone. She couldn’t marry Blake, and she couldn’t tell him the truth.

  “Just think about it, Mom. That’s all we’re asking right now.” Rob grinned. “Maybe later we’ll start working on Blake.”

  “No, don’t say anything to Blake.” Tessa didn’t figure Blake needed much encouragement. He’d already asked her to marry him and had hinted several times since she turned him down. “I promise, I’ll think about what you’ve said.”

  “So what time will you show up for supper tomorrow night?” Rob asked. “I have to be at work at four. Blake offered to pick me up, but I told him I could ride my bike. That’s all right with you, isn’t it, Mom?”

  “Can we pray before you talk any more?” Derek held his fork in his hand and looked longingly at his plate. “My food’s getting cold.”

  Tessa smiled and reached for her older sons’ hands; when the circle was complete, she said, “Yes, Rob, you can ride your bike, if you’ll give me a quick call when you arrive safe and sound.”

  Then she bowed her head and prayed.

  Opening day. Tessa had scarcely been able to concentrate on her work for worrying about Blake’s store and restaurant. A dozen times she told herself worrying was wrong. Then she caught herself thinking no one would notice the store was open so there’d be no customers.

  At noon a couple of women in the office stopped by her desk on their way out. “Are you coming with us today? We thought we’d try out a new place.”

  “Oh really?” Tessa’s heart picked up speed. “Where are you going?”

  “You know how we like pizza,” Barb said with a laugh. “There’s a new restaurant opening today not far from here. Donovan’s Family Pizza and More.”

  “Sounds like a nice place,” Judy said. “I think I’ll see what kind of movies they have while I’m there. Maybe I’ll pick one out to surprise the kids. Isn’t that a neat idea? They have a video store and an arcade along with the restaurant. Oh, and an old-fashioned ice cream and soda fountain. We definitely don’t want to forget that.”

  “Yeah, it sounds really nice, but I’m going to have to pass today.” Okay, so maybe her coworkers had heard about the grand opening, but she just couldn’t go. Not yet. After all, how would it look if she popped in for lunch and then again for supper with the boys?

  She drove home for a cold sandwich and then headed back to work, using backstreets when she neared Blake’s store. After work, she again avoided the store, but with her two youngest buzzing with excitement, she couldn’t put off the inevitable any longer. She would be so disappointed if she didn’t find Blake’s restaurant bursting at the seams.

  Tessa saw the balloons and streamers long before she reached her destination. Traffic coming and going from Blake’s business slowed her down, and she circled the building twice before she found a place to park. She waited for a red sports car to back out and grabbed the spot before someone else did. Her hands shook as she pulled the key from the ignition.

  “Wow, Mom. I never saw so many cars in such a little parking lot.” Seth stared out the passenger window with wide eyes. He opened the door and stepped out.

  Derek scrambled to join him, and Tessa followed. She locked the doors and slid her keys in her pants pocket. She stared at the vehicles filling the parking spaces, at the people walking to and from their cars, at the lighted building where she could see more people browsing through the videos. All at once, she had the uncontrollable urge to laugh.

  “Hey Mom, what’s funny?” Derek took her hand. “Aren’t we going in?”

  The serious look on his face stopped her laughter. She wiped her eyes and smiled at him, giving his hand a squeeze. “Of course we are. I’m hungry for pizza. Aren’t you?”

  He g
rinned. “Sure am.”

  Seth fell into step with them on her other side. “Mom, are you okay?”

  “You mean because of my little laughing spell?” At his nod, she smiled. “Just happy to see Blake doing such a good business. I’m fine.”

  “Yeah, this is pretty cool.”

  Through the front door, they entered a small foyer with doors leading into the arcade on one side and the video store on the other. Straight ahead was the dining room. A pretty young woman welcomed them and led the way to a table near the center of the room. Waiters and waitresses walked quickly from the tables to the kitchen and back taking orders and delivering steaming pizzas and drinks.

  Tessa sat with her two sons and searched the room for either Rob or Blake. She saw neither and assumed they were busy in the kitchen. Their waiter left with their order as the hostess stopped by their table.

  “Would you be willing to share your table with this couple? They say you know each other, and we’re short of space tonight.”

  Tessa looked up to see Blake’s mother smiling at her. Just the sight of the woman caused her heart to pound.

  Blake’s father said, “If you feel uncomfortable, we understand. Blake has talked about you and the boys so much, we feel like we know you.”

  “Oh no, that’s fine.” Tessa’s smile included both of the older Donovans. She motioned toward the empty chairs. “There’s plenty of room.”

  She watched the couple settle between the boys and felt pressure on the back of her chair. She turned to see Blake’s smiling face. “Hey, thanks for sharing a table. We’ve been busy all day.”

  “This busy?” Seth looked with wide eyes around the room.

  Blake laughed. “No, there was a break between the lunch and supper crowds. I’ve got Rob helping out in the kitchen. He’s a natural cook, you know.”

  She nodded. Actually, she hadn’t known until recently. Not until Blake showed him how much fun cooking could be.

  “I can’t let him cook yet, but he’s a whiz with the dishwasher. He should be ready for a break. I’ll send him out to join you. Enjoy your meal.”

  He no sooner left than the same waiter returned to take the Donovans’ order. After that no one spoke for a full minute, and Tessa grew uncomfortable. She listened to the buzz of conversations all over the large room and watched the activity as people of all ages went in and out of the arcade and the video room.

  Finally she spoke. “I never expected so many people to show up here tonight.”

  “I know.” Mrs. Donovan gave a little laugh. “I must confess I worried that Blake would be disappointed. I don’t think he is.”

  “No, I should think not.”

  Mr. Donovan shook his head. “He’s got a knack for this sort of thing. He knows how to draw them in.”

  Rob sat in the one remaining chair and grinned at the older man. “It doesn’t hurt that he’s got gimmicks going.”

  “Gimmicks?” Tessa frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “I bet you didn’t read the ad in the paper.” Rob looked smug. “The waiter will explain when he brings your pizza.”

  As if on cue, the young man who had taken their orders appeared at the table and placed a large bowl of salad in the center. He set six small bowls and napkin-wrapped flatware to the side. “Your pizza will be ready soon.” He pulled a stack of coupons from his apron pocket and counted out six before laying them beside the bowls. “Fill these out, turn them in to the cashier when you pay, and she’ll tell you if you’ve won. The odds are good for at least one of you to win something. Maybe even a free meal tonight. For anything else, you’ll get coupons to use tonight or on your next visit.”

  He walked away, and Mr. Donovan picked up the top coupon. “There must be some method of selection. These each have a number.”

  He pulled a pen from his shirt pocket and began filling his out. Derek, sitting next to him, watched a moment before asking, “You’re Blake’s dad, aren’t you?”

  The older man turned a warm smile on the little boy. “I sure am.”

  “Then he should give you free pizza anytime you want it.”

  The Donovans both laughed. “That’s true, he should. Only I might want so much, I’d run him out of business.”

  Derek grinned. “Yeah, me, too.”

  The pizza came then for Tessa and the boys. The older couple had heaping plates of spaghetti, and before long a contented silence surrounded the table as everyone ate. Tessa inhaled the warm blended scent of pepperoni, hamburger, Canadian bacon, tomatoes, onions, and a dozen other ingredients that filled the room and enticed her appetite.

  When they had eaten more than enough salad and pizza and emptied their glasses of soft drinks, Rob headed back to the kitchen. Derek and Seth whispered for a bit before Derek looked up. “Mom, Seth says it’s gonna cost to go in the arcade. Is that true?”

  Tessa nodded. “It will cost to play, yes.”

  “A lot?” Her youngest son ran his fingers through his hair and frowned. “I guess we don’t have to.”

  Tessa’s heart began a familiar, heavy beat when she noticed Blake’s mother watching Derek. She reached for her purse. “I don’t think it will cost too much. I’ve been saving quarters for tonight.”

  Derek’s eyes brightened as she dropped a stack of quarters into his outstretched hand. Seth grinned when he took the remaining coins. Both boys scrambled from the table. “Thanks, Mom,” they called over their shoulders before melting into the crowd.

  Mr. Donovan stood. “Reckon I’ll see what that arcade is all about.”

  “You go ahead.” Mrs. Donovan shooed him off. She stood as he left, and their waiter began clearing the table. She gave Tessa a little smile. “Would you like to see what my son has done with his bar?”

  Tessa nodded. “Of course.”

  They crossed the dining room without a word spoken. Tessa knew Blake’s mother had something on her mind, and she sensed it had to do with Derek. Her heart still hadn’t settled down since he finger-combed his hair. Her hands felt clammy, and her stomach rolled as if rejecting all the delicious pizza she’d eaten.

  She stood at the back of a long line and read the menu above the bar that offered a selection of soft drinks and ice cream. Blake’s mother stopped beside her and said, “I haven’t had a banana split in years.”

  Tessa laughed and patted her stomach. “Me either. I’m not sure I need one now though, after all the pizza I ate.”

  The older woman nodded. “I know what you mean. Maybe a small cone would be best. Just to neutralize the spicy taste.”

  When their turn finally came, Mrs. Donovan got a vanilla cone, while Tessa took a twist cone that she knew Blake had provided just for her. Love for him welled in her heart as she followed Janice to one of the small tables and chairs sitting to the side. She let the blended flavors melt in her mouth.

  “Your youngest son reminds me of Blake when he was that age,” Mrs. Donovan said. “He was born not long after Blake joined the navy, wasn’t he?”

  Tessa swallowed and held the other woman’s gaze without flinching by sheer force of will. “Almost a year.”

  “Ah.” The woman nodded. “Eight months if I remember right?”

  Tessa’s throat closed, so she nodded.

  “I see.” Mrs. Donovan spoke in a soft voice. “Does Blake know?”

  This time Tessa shook her head, and she looked away, not wanting to see reproach in the other woman’s eyes.

  “Well, that’s between the two of you.” Mrs. Donovan took a small bite of her cone and swallowed before she said, “My guess is he suspects. How could he not? I would love to see my grandson from time to time. Is that all right?”

  Tessa met her gaze and saw an eager light, but no condemnation. She nodded. “I don’t mind you seeing him, but I need time to tell Blake and Derek, as well as the other boys.”

  “That’s fine. I have no intention of telling anyone except Derek’s grandfather. The rest is up to you.” A sweet smile crossed her face. “Blake’s
been going to church with you, hasn’t he?”

  “Yes, he’s gone twice now.”

  “I thought so. He’s been asking me questions. I believe God will soon answer our prayers for him.” A shadow stole her smile. “Please continue to pray for Blake’s dad. God healed him, and he knows it. He promised to attend services with me this Sunday, so please pray he will be receptive to the Word.”

  “I will.” If Tessa gave in to the relief she felt at the moment, she would either crumple onto the floor or laugh out loud, and neither was appropriate. So she simply said, “Thank you for being so understanding.”

  Blake’s mom smiled. “A year ago, I wouldn’t have been. I want us to be friends. We’ve had enough hard feelings between us for too many years. It’s my fault I never knew my grandson. I saw you from a distance over the years and watched you change. I saw the hospital announcement in the newspaper when Derek was born, and I wondered then. But I refused to have anything to do with you. That was my loss.”

  Tessa didn’t know what to say. She reached for the older woman and felt the fingers of a friend enclose her hand where before she’d expected an enemy. The handclasp was brief but cleansing, and Tessa wasn’t surprised when, with one more gentle squeeze, Janice Donovan said, “You know, I have room in my heart for two more grandsons.”

  At ten o’clock, Blake locked the door against his departing employees. His opening had been better than he’d expected. After turning off all the lights except one in the dining room, he sat at one of the tables and looked around, but he couldn’t sit still. He had to see Tessa. He pulled his cell phone out and found her name, then headed for his SUV. Ten minutes later, they were still talking when he stopped in front of her house.

  He left his car behind hers in the driveway and headed for the porch swing. The front door opened and Tessa came out, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. He watched her eyes light when she saw him.

  “I thought about putting on a jacket but decided we could share this. It should be warm enough.” She handed him the blanket. “In fact, I have a couple of mugs of hot chocolate just inside the door. I’ll get those while you settle.”