Riverbend Reunion(59)

“We could put breakfast on the menu for those early morning hours,” Risa said. “I’m makin’ waffles to order this morning. Lily has had cinnamon with brown sugar sprinkled on the top. Daisy had chocolate chip with powdered sugar. And Haley is having chocolate chip with peanut butter and marshmallow crème smeared over them.”

Wade chuckled. “I’m surprised she didn’t want dill pickles on top of that.”

“That actually sounds pretty good. I just might order that for my second one,” Haley told him without cracking a smile.

“With a boiled egg on top?” Wade teased.

“No, with strawberries and crushed potato chips,” Haley shot back at him.

Wade threw up a hand in defeat. “You win.”

“I was serious,” Haley said. “Risa, could you get strawberries next time you go to the store?”

“Of course,” Risa answered. “What can I make for you, Jessica?”

Wade crossed the room, poured two mugs full of coffee, and handed one off to Jessica.

“Thank you,” she said with a nod. “I’ll have a Daisy waffle this morning, and Risa, please know how much we all appreciate you doing this.”

“And I appreciate having a job and a place to live that’s not filled with stress,” Risa said as she poured batter into the waffle iron.

Oscar and Mary Nell came into the kitchen and set their umbrellas in the corner. Mary Nell pulled her shoulder-length hair up into a messy bun and secured it with a pencil. “I love the smell of fresh rain, and Lord knows we need it to settle the dust on the road and the parking lot, but it plays havoc with my hair.”

“You’re not getting a bit of sympathy from me,” Oscar said with a deep chuckle. “I almost hate seeing the day we open the bar. I’m getting spoiled to us all having breakfast together and talking about our day.”

Wade glanced around at his newfound family and sent up a little silent prayer of thanks. Then he realized that he had just thanked God for something for the first time since Danny was killed, and a tiny measure of peace filled his heart. He wasn’t replacing his brother with all these people, but in their own way, they were each helping him to get past the anger he’d been harboring.

That’s a good thing. Danny’s voice was clear in his head. Anger robs you of happiness and joy.

Risa handed Jessica a plate with her waffles on it and turned to Wade. “What would you like?”

“Cinnamon, please, with powdered sugar on the top,” Wade said.

His life had changed so much since that night he’d come out to the old church to get away from town. The parking lot had been his getaway place ever since Danny had died. It was far enough from town to escape the noise of traffic, and he could sit on the tailgate of his truck and look at the stars. Sometimes, a summer night breeze brought the pungent smell of the river up to him, and a few times, he could have sworn he heard a fish flopping in the water. That had to be his imagination, he thought, since the river was so far away. But the very idea of a big catfish stirring things up brought back memories of times when he and Danny had gone fishing at the dock after dark.

“Earth to Wade!” Oscar nudged him.

He left the past with a jerk and returned to the present, wondering what he’d missed. “Sorry, was someone talking to me?”

“Yep,” Lily answered. “We were talking about making a decision on the name of the bar so that you or Jessica can call Mr. Yandell this morning.”

“We’ve all cast our vote for Danny’s Place,” Daisy said. “So no matter what you decide, majority will win anyway. Oscar still maintains that it will be called the Old Church.”

“Thank you all for this.” Wade’s voice cracked. “It means a lot to me. Danny always wanted for us to own a bar. He wanted one on the beach, but he would be honored to know that”—he stammered, then regained a measure of composure—“that he’s being remembered this way.”

“Then it’s all settled. The formal name is going to be on the papers as Danny’s Place, but we all know what everyone is going to call it,” Oscar said. “Risa, I want one of those blueberry waffles. Can I do anything to help you?”

Risa handed the next waffles out of the grill to Wade and nodded. “Thanks for the offer, and yes, you can put on another pot of coffee.”

“I’ll do it,” Mary Nell said. “You don’t want Daddy to make coffee. He makes it so strong it will melt the enamel off your teeth. And soon as you get Dad’s waffle done, you are going to sit down and let me make one for you while I decide what I want.”

“I won’t argue with you.” Risa handed Oscar his waffle and took her place at the table. “I’ll have a plain one with maple syrup. I say we make tiki drinks after work today to celebrate the formal naming of our bar.”

“With umbrellas and fancy glasses?” Lily asked.

“I’ll pick them up when I go to the store later,” Wade offered. “And the liquor to make them.”

“For us, too?” Daisy asked.

“Virgin drinks for you two,” Risa answered.

Wade sat down beside Jessica and took time to look around the whole table at each of his friends. Apart from Oscar, they had all come back home with baggage, but with each other’s help, they were unpacking it—one piece at a time.