He Never Told Me What He Did for a Living

One month later

I had a total of fifteen minutes of free time during the day. From the time I got up, I went to school, ran to the bus stop after my last class ended at noon, where I had a five minute wait for the fifteen minute bus ride to Newark, where Imonelli’s was located. I had exactly 30 minutes to get dressed for my shift and work on any homework I had. Most days, my homework ended up brushed to the side and forgotten, as Imonelli’s was always busy and I often ended up starting my shift early. I occasionally left at the end of my shift, although I worked overtime as much as I could.

I was getting fewer past due envelopes and it felt good, although I had no time for myself or schoolwork. Working so much overtime to get ahead on bills had made me fall behind on my schoolwork, although my teachers were sympathetic to what was happening to me, they cut me very little slack. Someone had suggested selling Gran’s house, and I’d told them on no uncertain terms that that wasn’t going to happen.

Hanging out with Angel took a backseat to my job. I saw her at school and in class, but there was never time to really catch up. She’d assured me that she understood and that she missed me and wished she could do something to help take some of my stress away. I promised to cut back on my hours as soon as I got caught up, but I didn’t really see that happening any time soon. The thing about bills is that they roll around every month religiously.

Gerard, well, I hadn’t spoken to him since Gran’s funeral, and it hurt. I’d known I’d have to let him go eventually, but I hadn’t expected him to disappear like this, so soon after I’d lost Gran. Then again, he’d never promised me he’d hang around.

***

Someone tapped me on the shoulder as I listened to my iPod on one of my many bus rides to Newark, and I pulled an earbud out and turned to look at the older lady hanging just over the top of my seat. “Your cellular telephone is ringing, young lady,” she said uncertainly, as if she wasn’t sure exactly what to call the phone.

I smiled in response, telling her thank you as I dug around in my messenger back for the little device. I pulled my other earbud out, then flipped the phone open and answered. “Hello?”

“Josie? Oh good, I caught you before work,” Angel’s voice greeted me.

“Yeah, I’m headed there on the bus now,” I said. “What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing, I just wanted to catch up with you,” she said, sounding a bit unsure of herself.

“Are you sure that’s all?” I questioned knowingly.

“It’s just…have you talked to Gerard lately?”

I was quiet for a moment. “No, he hasn’t been in touch and I’ve been really busy with work so…”

“Oh.” That ‘Oh’ said a million things to me.

I frowned as the bus pulled up to my stop. “Listen, Angel, I’d really like to know what this is all about, but the bus just pulled up at my stop and I really can’t talk right now.”

Angel sighed, then finally spoke again. “Okay, Josie, just…be careful out there, okay?”

I grinned. “Yes, mother,” I teased her.

Through the phone, I could almost hear her smile. “Shut up,” she said with a laugh. “Call me later.”

“I will,” I promised. “Bye, Angel.”

Hanging up the phone, I shoved it back down into my messenger bag and walked around the front of Imonelli’s to the employee entrance in the back.

Jessica greeted me at the door with an anxious expression on her face. “Josie! I’m so glad to see you! Get changed asap and get up front to help Amelia out,” she said.

Walking fast, I made my way to the women’s locker room, where I quickly changed into my pressed uniform. Jessica updated me while I fought with my tie. “It’s extremely busy out there tonight,” she began.

“But it’s Tuesday,” I said.

“Yes, yes it is. But there’s a famous band in one of the private rooms tonight and word seems to have gotten out,” she said. “So, Amelia is running like crazy up front and begged for help, so I told her I’d send you in to help out immediately.”

“No problem,” I said, thoroughly flustered with the tie. I looked at Jessica. “Help?” I asked.

Jessica didn’t answer, only straightened the tie out and tightened it properly before giving me a nod to get to the front.

Amelia looked relieved to see me and greeted me with an exhausted hug. “Welcome to the land of crazy,” she said, gesturing to the line that was winding out of the foyer and onto the sidewalk. The dining area was already full, as was the bar.

I looked at Amelia with a awe. “Wow, where in the world are we going to put these people?” I asked.
“I’ve started a waiting list,” she said, showing me a notebook with guests’ names and the number of people in their group next to it.

I nodded. “Good thinking. So how long is the wait, exactly?”

Amelia opened her mouth to answer, but a woman with dark hair and red lipstick pushed through the crowd. “Hi, I’m here to join Gerard Way and company in the private room?” she said.

Frozen, I stood there staring at the crowd, a loud ringing echoing in my ears.

Amelia took over, shuffling through the pages in the wait list notebook. “May I have your name and a form of identification please?”

The woman dug into the pocket of her black skinny jeans and produced a driver’s license. “I’m Lindsey Ballato,” she said.

Amelia checked the name against the list of names for the private room and nodded. “Follow me, please,” she said, and the woman was gone.

Finally, my breath returned to me in a painful rush.

Gerard Way is in the private room.

Gerard Way.

Gerard.

“Excuse me, miss. How much longer is the wait?”

Blinking, I turned to the lady in line. “Are you just arriving?” I asked politely.

“I’ve been waiting for half an hour already. My name is right there at the top of the list,” she said, pointing.

“Yes ma’am, let me see if we have any tables available,” I said, then stepped into the dining room.

Surveying the room, I saw a busboy leaving a newly cleaned table.

I returned to the podium and pulled two menus and sets of silverware from the cabinet. “You’re in luck,” I told the lady. “A table just opened up. If you’ll follow me…” I said, leading them to the empty table.

As the couple took their seat, the door of the private room swung open as Amelia departed the private room. I placed the menus and silverware for the couple, told them a server would be with them soon, then quickly returned to the front, trying to forget what I’d seen.

Gerard Way was in there, and he’d had his arms wrapped around Lindsey Ballato and his lips pressed to hers.