Caved
Gone
Tyler flips her phone around in her hand, debating whether to phone him or not. She purses her lips in ponder and decides against it. She slips her phone into her back pocket and gets into her car.
“Good morning Sue,” Tyler says while putting on her apron.
“Good morning, sweetie,” Sue says and pours a cup of coffee. She hands it to Tyler who takes it gratefully. “You were up all night, I see.” Sue says with a disapproving tone.
Tyler nods and takes a sip of the coffee. The doorbell rings and Tyler turns to greet the customer when she sees him again. He nods in her direction and takes a seat at the same booth as the day before. Tyler stares a moment before being interrupted.
“Well I don’t think he’s here for me.” Sue says with a nudge. Tyler rolls her eyes and grabs a menu.
“I can’t accept this.” Tyler says and pulls the money out of her pocket and sets it on the table in front of Ethan.
“You provided me with excellent service yesterday. I wanted to show you my gratitude.” Ethan says, his eyes staring into Tyler’s.
“That’s not a tip for good service, that’s like a week worth of pay” She says and glares down at him. Ethan is amused and doesn’t bother to hide it. A smile creeps across his face. Irritated, Tyler sets the menu on the table next to the cash and walks away.
Tyler starts stuffing napkins into their holders when she feels her phone buzzing in her pocket.
“Hello?” She answers.
“Hi Tyler,” Dr. Cantor says on the other line.
“Is everything okay?”
“I’m afraid not. Your grandmother suffered from cardiac arrest, and though we did everything we could, she didn’t make it.” After a brief moment of silence he says, “I’m sorry for your loss, Tyler. Anne will begin the funeral arrangements as you discussed.”
“Thank you, Dr. Cantor.” She says and hangs up. Tyler glances toward Ethan who is staring at her intensely. “I’m sorry, Sue, I really have to go.”
Sue places her hand on Tyler’s cheek. “You go ahead, honey.” She says with a comforting gaze.
Tyler takes off her apron and grabs her purse from the back before heading towards her car. She had been waiting for this day, preparing, but that couldn’t stop the tears from falling.
“Tyler, wait.” Ethan calls from the door. She turns around and walks to her. She doesn’t need to tell him what’s wrong; he can tell from her teary eyes.
Tyler tries unlocking her car door when Ethan grabs her arm. “Let me take you.” Tyler lets the tears fall and nods. Ethan’s grip drops from her arm to her hand as he leads her to his car.
“Good morning Sue,” Tyler says while putting on her apron.
“Good morning, sweetie,” Sue says and pours a cup of coffee. She hands it to Tyler who takes it gratefully. “You were up all night, I see.” Sue says with a disapproving tone.
Tyler nods and takes a sip of the coffee. The doorbell rings and Tyler turns to greet the customer when she sees him again. He nods in her direction and takes a seat at the same booth as the day before. Tyler stares a moment before being interrupted.
“Well I don’t think he’s here for me.” Sue says with a nudge. Tyler rolls her eyes and grabs a menu.
“I can’t accept this.” Tyler says and pulls the money out of her pocket and sets it on the table in front of Ethan.
“You provided me with excellent service yesterday. I wanted to show you my gratitude.” Ethan says, his eyes staring into Tyler’s.
“That’s not a tip for good service, that’s like a week worth of pay” She says and glares down at him. Ethan is amused and doesn’t bother to hide it. A smile creeps across his face. Irritated, Tyler sets the menu on the table next to the cash and walks away.
Tyler starts stuffing napkins into their holders when she feels her phone buzzing in her pocket.
“Hello?” She answers.
“Hi Tyler,” Dr. Cantor says on the other line.
“Is everything okay?”
“I’m afraid not. Your grandmother suffered from cardiac arrest, and though we did everything we could, she didn’t make it.” After a brief moment of silence he says, “I’m sorry for your loss, Tyler. Anne will begin the funeral arrangements as you discussed.”
“Thank you, Dr. Cantor.” She says and hangs up. Tyler glances toward Ethan who is staring at her intensely. “I’m sorry, Sue, I really have to go.”
Sue places her hand on Tyler’s cheek. “You go ahead, honey.” She says with a comforting gaze.
Tyler takes off her apron and grabs her purse from the back before heading towards her car. She had been waiting for this day, preparing, but that couldn’t stop the tears from falling.
“Tyler, wait.” Ethan calls from the door. She turns around and walks to her. She doesn’t need to tell him what’s wrong; he can tell from her teary eyes.
Tyler tries unlocking her car door when Ethan grabs her arm. “Let me take you.” Tyler lets the tears fall and nods. Ethan’s grip drops from her arm to her hand as he leads her to his car.