A Fresh Start

Cherise and Micah walked into Lido’s restaurant, their eyes adjusting to the sudden darkness. Just like the other day, it was practically empty. They waited at the hostess’s stand again until Lido came out, smiling his nervous smile.

“I’m glad you two of returned,” he breathed. “I was worried you wouldn’t take me.”

“We looked over your paperwork,” Micah said as they were led to his office.

It looked just as tattered and old as the rest of the restaurant. There were two chairs for them at the large desk and they sat. While Micah spoke with Antonio about the different tasks they would need to do, Cherise turned on their and Antonio’s computers.

“We’ll be here Monday and Thursday each week,” Micah finished. “We’ll probably work through your business hours.”

Antonio nodded, adjusting his tie. “That is acceptable.”

“Let’s begin,” Cherise said and Antonio handed them a crate with many folders stuffed in.

“Each folder is arranged by year,” Micah announced, sifting through them. “But the receipts are… questionable.”

Cherise frowned. “Why do you say that?”

He showed her. “The totals are smudged.”

“Because they’re old?” she suggested.

He opened the folder from 2015 and shook his head. “I’m afraid not. They’re smudged here as well.”

Cherise leaned back in her chair. “Why would he want to hide the totals?”

Micah peered out the office door. They had a clear view of the back of the kitchen and the computer for taking orders.

“I’ll be right back,” Cherise said, struck with a sudden thought. “Mr. Lido?”

Antonio came shuffling over. “Please, call me Antonio. What can I do?”

She nodded at the computer. “A lot of your receipts are smudged. May we have access to your recent orders and print new ones?”

Antonio bounced on the balls of his feet. “Perhaps it’s the printer. You cannot make out what the total is?” She shook her head. He sighed heavily and punched in a few numbers. “It only saves a week’s worth of orders.”

“That’s fine,” she said quickly as he pressed the print button. “I’ll get them,” she added when he went to the printer.

His lips pressed together tightly but stepped out of her way. When she returned to the office, she waited until he was at a table with a customer to talk to Micah about what he just did.

“I have a feeling we’re not working with a straight person here,” he said darkly.

Cherise laid out the receipts. None of the totals were smudged.

--

“Are you certain?” Harold asked, frowning.

“Not completely,” Micah answered. “But his actions and the discrepancies in his books suggest that he is lying to us.”

“Why would he have employed our services if he was lying?” Cherise asked and they fell silent.

It was 3:30. Cherise had started feeling anxious and they left early. Antonio Lido looked too relieved to see their backs. They immediately went to Harold’s office, Micah bringing her a cup of cold water.

“Tomorrow we’re going to Neil’s,” Micah said. “It’ll give us a breath of fresh air.”

“What do you want us to do about Lido’s?” Cherise asked, standing to go to her office.

Harold stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Let’s work with him a few more days and find out what we might me working with.”

Even though Cherise didn’t agree with him, she followed his orders and she and Micah went back to their office, pinkies looped.

“Took you long enough,” someone said behind them.

Janine was looking at their hands with tight lipped disapproval.

“Oh, Janine,” Micah sighed dramatically. He grabbed one of her hands. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, my dear. But our love just wasn’t meant to be.”

Cherise snorted into her water.

Janine rolled her eyes. “Mr. Morris, you are a thorn in my side.”

He grinned and clutched his heart. “Oh! Such kind parting words; I shall not forget you, Janine Kilroy.”

He kissed her knuckles and she snatched her hand back, pushing past them. They both laughed as they entered their office. Cherise sat down when Lira started pawing at her. Micah kissed her and she kissed him back just as her body froze up.

--

Cherise groaned. Her head was throbbing and her jaw was sore. She tried to sit up but the world spun drastically.

“Easy,” a voice said.

She frowned, blinking her eyes open. She was looking at a white tiled roof. She could hear beeping to her side and could tell she was under blankets.

“Hey, Cherise,” Micah said, smiling at her. His eyes were red. “How are you feeling?”

“Confused,” she said truthfully. “Am I in the hospital?”

He swallowed thickly. “Yeah, yeah you are sweetheart.”

“Why?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “You had a seizure in the office. It lasted five minutes so we called an ambulance. You had another on the way there. The doctors couldn’t understand why so they drew some blood.” He covered his face and the beeping increased as her heart started racing. “How long did you know you were pregnant?” he asked into his hands.

Cherise felt like the earth fell beneath her. “What?” she croaked.

“You were pregnant,” he whispered, gripping her hand. Tears were streaming down his face. “They said you were maybe three weeks along.”

“Were?” she repeated.

His lower lip began to tremble.

“I’m sorry, my love.”

Cherise’s eyes closed and a sob escaped her throat. Micah held her to him, letting her weep into his chest. Lira jumped on the hospital bed, whining and licking the both of them. The door opened then and Micah sat back down, wiping his face and holding her hand tightly. The doctor looked at her gravely.

“How are you, Miss Allen?” he asked, looking at her chart.

“Was it the seizures?” she whispered but he shook his head.

“I’m afraid not. As far as we can tell, the miscarriage brought on the seizures. Your body reacted to the negative chemical balance the best way it knew how.”

Lira curled up on Cherise’s stomach, resting her head on her thigh.

“You have a good dog there,” he commented, scratching her behind the ears. “She refused to leave you alone. Mr. Morris had to hold her while we hooked you up.”

“What happens next?” Cherise asked.

She couldn’t stop crying.

“We’ll release you when you’re ready,” he answered. “I’ve sent copies of my report to your neurologist and your psychiatrist. Their offices will follow up soon and get both of you into counseling. Losing a child is….”

He trailed off, obviously unsure of what to say.

“Thank you, Doctor,” Micah said hollowly.

“Would you like me to write the release papers?”

“Yes, please,” Cherise whispered, closing her eyes. “I want to go home. Now.”

--

Cherise sat heavily on her couch five hours later. Micah was in the kitchen on the phone with his grandfather.

“Yeah,” he said in a thick voice. He cleared his thought. “I- I don’t know. She hasn’t spoken since we left the hospital. No. I’m okay. I think. I’m confused.” He sobbed. “Jesus. We already have the appointment scheduled at Neil’s though. I’ll ask her before you do that. All right. Love you, too.”

He hung up and sat beside her. She curled in a ball and put her head on his lap.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“For what?”

She screwed her eyes closed and choked down a sob. “For killing your baby.”

He grabbed her face and made her look at him. “Do not ever say that again,” he said angrily. “It was not your fault.” She cried and he kissed her tears. “Please never think it is your fault.”

“I want to go to work,” she said finally.

“I don’t know about that, Cherise,” he sighed, pulling her onto his lap so she could put her head in the crook of his neck. “After what just happened, don’t you think you should take a day or two? I can go on my own.”

She sniffled and smiled weakly at him. “Someone has to keep you away from that Pac-Man machine.”

He smiled sympathetically and made her put her head back in the crook of his head. “Are you going to tell your mother?”

She nodded. “Eventually. Not now. Not tonight.”

He picked her up and carried her to her room, Lira following. The two slipped into bed, holding tightly to each other, as both cried themselves to sleep.