Broken Road (17 page)

“That sounds good.”

“Oh, I brought you some clothes. Figured you wouldn’t want to go back home in that getup.” He said pointing at Riley’s scrubs.
 
Riley took the bag from him and opened it up. Inside were a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, a sweatshirt, some underwear, socks a razor and a pair of boots. Everything seemed brand new but the boots. The boots he recognized. They were his. Riley looked up at Louis. The older man smiled. “Don’t thank me. I didn’t get you nothing but the razor.” Riley was confused.
 

“Then where did these come from?”

“Your fiancée dropped these off awhile back when she came to visit with her dad. I’ve been keeping them for you.” Riley visibly flinched at the word
fiancée.
He closed the bag back up and set it off to the side.
She’s not my fiancée. She’s nothing to me anymore and I’m nothing to her.

“Well, I’m not going to keep you. I’ll be seeing you soon anyhow.”

“You coming by to say goodbye when they dismiss me?”
 

“No need. At least not until I drop you off.”

“Where?”

“Back home.” Louis said and got up.

“Back home? I don’t get it.”
 

“What’s not to get? I’m your ride back home.” Louis gave him a pat on the back and headed for the door.

“What? No!” Riley almost screamed it out. He had different plans, plans that didn’t include going back to Bess.

“No?” Louis turned back around and faced him. “What do you mean
no
? I thought you told Dr. Nadeem you were ready to go home. Do you have another home I don’t know about?”

“N-n-no.” Riley stammered, furious for not being able to tell Louis what he really wanted to do, not without the risk of being stuck in the hospital one more day.

“Ok then, once they get the paperwork ready I’ll come back and we’ll finish up. Why don’t you take a shower and get dressed, maybe shave?” Riley put a hand up to his face and frowned. Louis stared back at him from the doorway and chuckled.“I’m not sure that anyone’s had the balls to tell you lately but, soldier, you look like hell. You don’t want the good people of Bess to see you looking like something the cat dragged in now do you?” With that he exited the room and left Riley staring helplessly after him.

The café was the size of her large master bedroom back home with several sets of small round tables and a few corner booths filled with early risers. Brenda hadn't been able to sleep so she had
 
bundled up, driven into town and waited until Doreen opened up for breakfast at 6.

"Hey there, hon." The older woman greeted her as she tied on her red gingham apron. "It'll be just a few minutes before the coffee's done but I can get started on your order. You want the usual?"

It was such a comfort coming to the café these past few weeks, even if it was under a secret identity and knowing someone knew her well enough to ask if she wanted her
usual.
Even though Doreen sometimes had a hankering for gossip she was a warm caring soul, who took pride in two things: her famous fried chicken and her little community. She took crap from no one but gave out big helpings of love, food and friendship to most everyone she met. This included Brenda who had been a virtual stranger to her just a few weeks ago.

"Where's Carl?" Brenda asked noticing that Doreen's brother-in-law and cook was no where to be seen.
 

"Can you believe that big lug got himself head hunted to another joint in Broken Bow?"

"Head hunted?"

"You know recruited, lured away, BRIBED!" Doreen's face was beginning to match her vibrant red hair.

"To another café?”

“No,mam! To a RESTAURANT!" She emphasized each and every syllable."At least that's what Elaine said when I made the mistake of asking if it was the Bar N Grill out on Highway 2. That Harry Millsap has had his eye on Carl and MY fried chicken recipe ever since he had it catered in for his mother's funeral! But no, it's some fancy place up at Broken Bow where he gets to be a
chef
of some sort? Carl a CHEF?? Can you believe it? After all Elbert and I did for him and my sister?"

"That sounds really tough, Doreen. So what are you going to do?"

"Well, I'm in a bind. I just started opening up the place 4 days a week for all meals. Without Carl I need to go back to cooking myself and find someone to take orders." Doreen sighed calming herself down a little.

"Oh but you didn't come in to hear me rant on about my let-down of a brother-in-law or my ungrateful sister, Renae. It'll work itself out it always does it’ll just take a little longer for people to get their bacon and eggs." She chuckled and took out her ordering pad.

"So your usual?" She took out her pen and started to write as Brenda was thinking. She was so tired of being cooped up at the farmhouse with its drafty doors and creaky floors. Unable to do all the work she needed to do herself and not able to find someone with all of the skills or time necessary or willing to work within her small budget she knew she needed to keep her mind occupied by doing something else. It was a crazy idea especially since she hadn’t waited tables since college at the local Applebee’s but she didn’t figure waiting tables for Doreen would be that hard. It was also a good way to keep her mind off the soldier and her request that Jon find him for her. Two weeks had passed without a call from Jon and she knew it was only natural given how she had left things between them, her escape from the turmoil back home and the fact that she was asking to speak to the man who failed to save Shane that may have played a part in his hesitation to help her. But she couldn’t just sit around waiting anymore.

"Doreen?"

"Yes, hon?"

"I was thinking that maybe I could help you out."

Doreen looked up looking a bit surprised. Brenda went on.

"I'm no Carl so I definitely wouldn't want to be the cook but I waited tables back in college." Doreen slapped the ordering pad on the table and was untying her apron.

"What are you doing?" Brenda was afraid she’d offended the woman.

"Honey, you had me at ’Doreen’. The stout redhead laughed and gave her a friendly pat on the back. Brenda returned the smile and grabbed the apron and the pad.

"You’re a blessing from Jesus, Renae. No doubt about it. The Lord giveth me you and he taketh away Carl. Good riddance I say too. Now you go take orders from the old timers in the booth back there and I'll cook you up a plate and have your coffee for you in the kitchen." Doreen scurried to the back as Brenda tied on the apron and approached the elderly gentlemen in the booth. They both wanted the breakfast special-the Denver omelet which was written up on the chalkboard up front. The front door chimes sounded indicating that someone new had entered the café so Brenda went to grab a menu from behind the counter where she'd seen Doreen put them and headed for the booth in the opposite corner. She placed the menu in front of the two men who sat down.She took the pen out of her pocket and got ready to write.
 

"Morning." She greeted them hoping she sounded more cheerful and energetic than she felt. "Coffee's almost done if you'd like a cup and the breakfast special is Denver omelet."

" That’ll be fine.” The first man responded with a smile. “What about you?” She asked the second man but he didn’t answer.
 
He had his head down but didn’t seem to be looking at the menu.

“Can I get you something?” She repeated.

“Riley. The lady’s asking what you want to eat.” The man with the mustache said loud enough for everyone in the diner to hear him. The second man finally looked up.

“Just coffee, please.” He responded. Brenda felt her knees give way as the menu, pad and pen fell to the floor. She managed to steady herself by holding on to the table even as her heart pounded in her chest at an alarming speed.

"Are you okay?" He asked taking her hand and pulling her to a sitting position next to him in the booth. Brenda found she couldn’t answer the simple question. There staring back at her was the face of the man,who besides Shane’s face,haunted both her waking and sleeping hours. Here she'd been wasting away waiting for Jon to call her with the news that he'd found the soldier and now by some
coincidence
, or
miracle
he was sitting right in front of her? How could this be? She could hardly believe it, at last she’d come face to face with Army Specialist Riley Favreau, the man who had let her husband die.

The waitress was staring at him. They were
all
staring at him. Riley could feel it. This is precisely what he didn’t want. The eyes full of pity. The whispers. The shame.

“Are you all right,miss?” Louis was asking the waitress, who hadn’t said a word. She just kept staring at Riley until he finally looked away.

“I’m sorry.” She stuttered and pulled herself back up. She took the menus, her ordering pad and made a b-line for the kitchen.

“That was strange.” Louis chuckled.

“Not for me.” Riley said under his breath.

“What was that?”

“I said not for me.”

“Why would you say that?” Louis put his hat on the seat next to him.

“No reason.”
 

“There’s a reason, Riley. Just say what you need to say.”

“Everyone here knows what happened. What I did.”

“Well, I suppose that’s true. Not much you can do about that though, is there?”

“I didn’t have to come back here.”

“That wasn’t an option.”

“I don’t know that I can live here anymore, Louis. I thought I could. But I’m not sure.” Louis was quiet for a bit before he leaned in a little.

“Are these the same people who’ve known you almost all of your life?” Riley nodded. “Are they the same people who saw you off when you deployed?”

“Yes.”

“Same folks who waited hours on a tarmac at an airport to welcome you home a hero?” Riley nodded again.
 
“They sound like pretty good people to me. They’re just scared and that doesn’t make them bad, Riley, it makes them human.”

“Just the same. I don’t belong here anymore.”
 

The waitress returned with two cups and a pot of coffee. Her hand was trembling as she poured the first cup and then the second one. Riley avoided making eye contact with her or anyone else in the room.

“Your order will be up in just a few minutes.” She told Louis and quickly left again.

“Do you know her?” Louis asked taking a sip from the steaming cup. Riley looked over toward the front where the pretty brunette was vigorously wiping down the counter, something he’d never even seen Doreen do with such enthusiasm.

“No. I’ve never seen her before.”

“I thought everyone knew everyone in a small town.” Louis teased.

“We do. That’s why I know she’s not from around here. Maybe she’s from Broken Bow.”

“Is that far from here?”
 

“About 17 miles or so.”

“Is it bigger or smaller than Bess?”

“Bigger.”

“Hmm. Interesting.” Louis took another sip. Soon the waitress was coming back to their table with Louis’ order.
 

“Can I get you anything else?” She asked him. He took a bite of the omelette and smiled.
 

“Nothing for me, thanks. Riley, are you sure I can’t talk you into getting one of these delicious omelets?” Riley shook his head. “You sure are missing out.” Louis said devouring his breakfast. The waitress quickly glanced at Riley and then retreated back into the kitchen.
 

“She does keep staring at you. Maybe she thinks you’re handsome or something.” Louis said in between bites. Riley could feel his face flush. The last thing he needed was to be teased the first day back in Bess after everything that had happened.
 

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to give you a hard time. I was just trying to lighten the mood a little.”

“I know.” Riley said taking a sip of his own coffee.
 

“After breakfast I thought we could go over to your house and get you settled in. After that, we need to talk about your plan for staying on track while you’re here.”

“Not the plan again.” Riley rolled his eyes.

“That was deal you made with Dr. Nadeem. I vouched for you. So you’re going to have to do your best to go along with it.”

“I suppose.”
 

“Before I leave I think we should pay our respects to your grandfather.”

“I’d like that.” He said and Louis gave him a fatherly nod of approval.

Riley felt a lump rise in his throat and his chest constrict. He knew it was coming. The visit to the cemetery. Of course he would need to go, to see it for himself and to say goodbye to the man who had been the only father he’d ever known.

Brenda kept herself busy wiping down the counter over and over and over. She didn’t know what else to do. She couldn’t believe she was looking at Riley Favreau. How was it possible?

“You’re going to wipe the shine right off my counter top, honey.” Doreen was standing right next to her wearing an apron and holding a spatula.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I want to help as much as I can.”

“I can see that.” Doreen chuckled then looked across the room. “Oh my lord! Is that who I think it is? Riley?” The two men turned in their general direction.

“Riley?Riley, is that you? I’m so happy to see you!” Doreen walked toward him with outstretched arms. He didn’t move and instead let Doreen engulf him in a huge hug. She was crying.

“Oh, honey! We didn’t really know what happened to you or where you were. I’m so happy you’re home!”
 

“Riley, why don’t you introduce me to your friend.” The second man said as Brenda watched Doreen hang on to Riley for dear life. She was shocked. Riley Favreau called Bess
home?
Did he know that he and Shane shared this place in common? The cable news networks only mentioned where both men were based not where they were from and since her family called Tennessee home that’s where Shane had been buried. Brenda could
never
have imagined that she would find the soldier here. Did they know each other? Were their families friends? Did they play together as children? She had so many questions she wanted answered.