Mustard on Top (4 page)

“Which means hanging out at Hot Diggitys and trying to pick up women,” Theo put in.

In a gesture Ben couldn’t interpret, Seth cocked an eyebrow in Theo’s direction.

“You live in Nalley?” Ben asked.

“Most of the time, but I travel a lot. I grew up here.”

“So how are you doing on your bet with my mom?” Theo grinned.

“Your mom WILL BE going skydiving. The woman owes me big-time. The sacrifices I’ve made for her are unthinkable.” Seth mock shuddered.

“Oh brother.” Theo rolled his eyes again.

“Speaking of which,” he began jogging in place, “I better work off some of my excess energy.”

“Right. Whatever,” Theo said.

Seth pointed a finger at Theo. “I’m counting down the days, believe me. Catch you later.”

Ben was glad to see him go.

“What’s this bet between your mom and Seth?”

Theo’s smile dissipated. “I should probably get to work.”

Having been dismissed, Ben floundered back to his go-to topic. “I could pick up a starter for your Corvette.”

“You don’t need to do that.”

Theo turned away, and the fear he’d never see him again seized Ben. “Can we get together soon?”

Theo, already a few steps down the boardwalk, turned. “Uh, yeah I guess.”

“Dinner tonight?” Ben hated sounding desperate.

“I’m working tonight. Maybe tomorrow. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.”

“Tomorrow works. What time?”

Theo’s hands were jammed into his pockets again. “Why don’t you come over about six.”

“To Agatha’s?”

“Oh right. I guess so.”

“I’ll be there.”

“All right.” Theo strolled off in the direction of Hot Diggitys.

As he walked away, Ben’s heart ached. He never should have driven off that night, worked with the Drug Enforcement Administration to testify against Freckles, or entered the US Marshal’s Witness Protection Program. He should have acted like a man and taken care of his son. He felt like a snake in need of shedding his skin.

The money he’d sent had allowed him to justify the arrangement. Money they’d never received. Who knew Helen’s mother, an ex-beauty queen, was capable of thievery.

Helen tried not to think about Theo and Ben’s meeting. The power company had turned off the gas and electricity to her house, and fire department had granted her access. She put off repairs and had spent the morning wrangling with her insurance company. Since she’d already asked employees to cover her shift the day before, she didn’t feel right asking them for more, and planned to work in the afternoon.

After the frustrating morning, Helen strolled down the boardwalk before going to work. She gazed across the vast, blue-black Pacific Ocean crashing on the beach and tried to set her mind free of the details that had it in knots.

She thought of the group of homeless people who lived in the nearby forest. For years she’d delivered hot dogs to them on her way home from work. Compared to many, she had everything.

The oblong, shiny, yellow blob that was Hot Diggitys came into view. Patched and painted a few years earlier, the building’s sheen reflected the sun. Hot Diggitys was a local landmark and that gave her a sense of pride.

Drawing closer, Helen spied Theo and Emma standing at the counter talking. Emma wore a lacy, transparent stretchy black top and black bra. Although pretty, Emma hid her looks beneath thick, dark eyeliner and heavy makeup. Her ebony hair clashed with her auburn freckles, and the scarlet nose stud she wore glittered in the sunlight.

“Hi you two,” Helen said.

“Oh, hi Mom.” Theo straightened his posture.

“Hi.” Emma smiled.

“Is the prep work done?” Helen asked.

“Almost,” Theo said and disappeared into the back.

“How were the lunch sales?”

“It was really busy.” Emma moved to the register and retrieved the logbook where they’d begun to keep hourly reports, another of Agatha’s suggestions. She handed Helen the book splayed open with the day’s receipts on top. “We’re going to need more of those new DerFoodle Franks.”

“We’re out already?” Helen was surprised. She rolled out a specialty hot dog about once a month. They rarely sold well, and she usually had to stop serving them, but that didn’t deter her creative streak.

“The T-shirts are in my office. Put one on,” Helen told Emma. “You can’t wear see-through clothes to work.”

Emma groaned then disappeared.

Helen scanned the reports. Lunch had been busy, maybe even record-setting.

Emma returned wearing the T-shirt and a scowl, and Helen set the log under the register. “Can you hold down the fort for a few minutes? I need to speak with Theo.”

“Sure.”

A year earlier, Helen had debated on hiring the Goth-styled girl, but the choice had been sound. Emma, a self-proclaimed artist, was responsible. Even so, Helen had mixed feelings about Theo being in relationship with her.

In the prep room at the back of the building, Helen found Theo chopping onions. Plastic-covered, stainless steel bins full of tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, and other toppings lined the prep counter.

She touched Theo’s arm. “Walk with me for a few minutes?”

“Uh oh.”

“It’s nothing bad.”

Theo’s shoulders drooped as he trudged out the rear door. Once they were on the boardwalk, Helen asked, “How was your meeting with Ben?”

Theo shrugged. “Okay I guess. Weird.”

Helen gave him a quick side hug. “Oh, sweetie.”

“I’m fine, Mom.”

“I love you, sweetheart.”

Theo glanced around. “I love you too, now stop.” He frowned. “I told Ben I’d have dinner with him tomorrow night. I figured that was okay since Hot Diggitys will be closed.”

Helen’s stomach twisted. “You don’t seem happy.”

“He… I don’t know… he really wanted to, and I felt bad. I forgot we’re staying at Agatha’s house when I invited him. He’ll probably want to go out anyway.”

“Don’t worry about how he feels Theo. You are not obligated to see him again.”

Theo puckered his lips and shrugged.

“I’ll be happy to come along, or we can order a pizza. Whatever you want, honey.”

“I guess I’d rather have you there, but not if going is too weird for you,” Theo said.

The distress on his young face put Helen’s stomach in knots. “I don’t mind at all.”

Theo straightened his shoulders, but the worry lines creasing his forehead remained. “You sure?”

“Of course not.”

He nodded. “You think Agatha will be home?”

“Here’s some good news,” Helen said. “We are officially allowed to go back inside our house again. We can meet there and avoid Agatha all together.”

“We can sleep there now?”

“No, but we can begin doing fix-up work. I’ll start getting bids tomorrow.”

“I’m ready to be back home,” Theo said.

“Me too. I don’t like relying on Agatha’s charity. Guess what else.”

“What?”

“When I was filling out all the insurance paperwork today, I decided I’m going to take an algebra class in the fall,” Helen announced.

Theo’s face screwed up. “How’d you make that leap in logic?”

“I had to calculate room sizes and—” Helen bristled. “Anyway, I thought algebra would be a good class to take.”

“We barely passed algebra in high school,” Theo said.

“What are you talking about ‘barely passed?’“ Helen had relearned algebra in order to help him, hence the ‘we’ in Theo’s statement. “You got a B. So will you take it with me or what?” She punched him lightly on the arm.

Theo pursed his lips. “I’m not good at that stuff.”

“You are too. We’ll have fun.” She beamed at him.

“You’ve got a strange idea of fun.” Theo scrutinized her face in a way that had Helen wanting to pinch the bridge of her nose.

“What?” Helen demanded.

“You’re changing a lot lately,” Theo said.

“Changing, how?”

“You’re going to college and trying to get me to take classes with you.”

“I’ve always tried to get you to go to college.”

“True.” Theo’s gaze dropped to his shoes.

Helen
knew
Theo’s aspirations. He wanted to own a vintage car shop. She’d even found a couple of trade schools specializing in vintage cars and had urged him to go, but he held back. “I just want the best for you.”

“I know.” Theo sighed. “Next thing I know you’ll be dating Seth.”

Helen choked. “Please Theo, don’t go off the deep end.”

“He knows you want him.”

Helen rolled her eyes. Theo was using the topic to get back into his comfort zone. “Come on. Let’s get back to work.”

****

A storm front had moved in overnight, bringing unseasonably low temperatures, high winds, and heavy cloud cover.

Helen, with Theo and Agatha’s help, spent the day cleaning and getting estimates for repairs. Aside from the kitchen and dining room, the rest of the house had power.

When dinner time rolled around, the house, sans the kitchen, was livable. Helen was worn-out and dirty, but they’d made huge progress, and Helen decided to stay home rather than going back to Agatha’s.

She sat on the couch, hoping for a few minutes rest before Ben arrived. Her light pink sweatpants and navy-blue T-shirt were smeared black with soot while white, fire-extinguisher foam stuck to them both. Along for good measure, were soap and water stains.

Theo poked his head in the room. “Mind if I take a shower?”

“Can you be quick?” Their house only had one bathroom, and Helen needed a shower too.

“No prob.”

Theo disappeared as Helen heard a creak from a gust of wind. The rat-a-tat-tat melody of rainfall played on her roof. The familiar sound was louder than normal as rain pummeled the tarp.

Intent on enjoying the few stolen minutes of relaxation, Helen closed her eyes and rested her head on the back of the couch.

She awoke to pounding on the front door. Momentarily disoriented, she was about to get up when Theo passed through the room, flipped on the overhead light, and opened the door.

“Hi,” Theo said. “Come on in.”

“Hello Theo.” Smiling, Ben stepped inside. In one hand he held a plain, breadbox-sized, cardboard box. He stepped toward Theo appearing as though he wanted to hug him, but Theo moved out of reach.

The vision of them side-by-side made Helen’s heart ache. Although Theo was close to Ben’s height, Ben was broader and more muscular. They both had the same dark, wavy hair, and the same square jaw.

“This is for you.” Ben offered Theo the box. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“What is it?” Theo asked.

“An original starter for the Corvette.”

“Original?” Theo stressed the word.

“Indeed.” Ben grinned and offered the box again.

Helen knew original parts were nearly impossible to get. To her surprise, Theo looked toward her as if asking for guidance. “Accept your gift and say thank you,” Helen prompted.

“Thank you.” Theo held the package in the crook of his arm like a prized possession. Helen half expected him to disappear into the garage.

“So my Mom’s going to have dinner with us.” Theo gestured toward her.

“Okay.” For the first time since he’d arrived, Ben seemed to notice her. “Hi, Helen.”

Helen brush dust off her shirt. “Hi.” Aware of the grungy film coating her skin, and of the wayward hair that had escaped her ponytail, she stood. “I need to shower before we eat.” She was annoyed with Theo for not waking her until she glanced at the clock. Ben was twenty minutes early.

“Mom said we’d order pizza since we don’t have a kitchen right now.”

“I was amazed when Agatha said you were here. You must have been working all day. You should have called me, I’d have helped,” Ben said.

“We were fine,” Helen said hastily. Did he think they needed his help?

“If you’d like to go out, I’d love to treat you both,” Ben added.

Helen didn’t know why his offer chaffed. “That’s not necessary.”

“At bare minimum, I’m buying the pizza.”

Before debating more, Helen wanted to clean up. “Let’s discuss this—”

The phone rang, cutting her off. She’d temporarily moved it from the kitchen to the living room. Caller ID confirmed her insurance agent was on the line. Turning her back on Theo and Ben, and Helen picked up. “So what’s the verdict?”

“Not good. We’ve got a new underwriter who’s anxious to prove himself,” Frank, her agent, said.

Helen tensed. She had an idea of the repair costs, and had hoped to renovate and cover the difference herself. “Meaning?”

“Twenty-five hundred.”

She’d heard wrong. “Come again?”

“He’s willing to pay two thousand, five hundred,” Frank said.

She’d been expecting closer to $25,000. “Two thousand, five hundred?”

“I knew you’d be frustrated.”

“Frustrated doesn’t begin to describe what I’m feeling Frank.”

“Listen, I’m appealing his ruling, but I have to tell you up front, I can’t guarantee anything. This guy went through the contract with a fine-toothed comb. He’s willing to pay for the portion of the roof above the kitchen, but not the rest of the house. Also, he says the appliances were twenty years old and is allotting twenty-five- to- fifty dollars for each.”

“That’s not how insurance is supposed to work. You know that Frank.”

She heard Frank sigh. “I’m sorry Helen. I don’t know if this helps, but I’ve already started the appeal.”

Frank’s commitment to fight for her did little to calm Helen’s nerves. She’d have to take out a mortgage to fix the house. “What about the electrical and the cabinets and the walls?” Helen challenged.

“He’s got them in here, but remember, you had a $2,000 deductible. Again he’s citing age, saying the cabinets were sixty years old and basically worthless.”

Helen clenched her jaw to keep from condemning her agent. He wasn’t at fault. “What’s this underwriter’s name? I want to talk to him.”