Dare to Dream

52

(52)

“Take it,” Frank said.

“It is the least we can do after all you have done for us. This restaurant is what it is today, because of you.”

Gina looked at the $20,000 check in her hand.

She was speechless.

Louise spoke to her.

“Just in case things don't go as they should. At least you will have something to fall back on until you are back on your feet.”

Gina’s mind was filled with thoughts. Dylan, the baby she was now carrying, the prospect of losing her job.

Tears began filling her eyes.

“Thank you.”

She broke down sobbing.

Louise knelt in front of her and held her tight.

“We love you, Gina. We have told you that many times. And we both want you to know if there is anything we can ever do for you, all you have to do is ask.”

Gina rested her head on Louise’s shoulders. The sobbing did not allow words to be spoken.

Frank passed Gina some Kleenex.

“If you need more, you just come to us. We owe you so much, Gina.”

Several minutes of silence passed, broken only by Gina’s fading sobbing.

Finally she gained her composure.

“Do you want me to tell the others?”

Frank shook his head.

“We will do that. We just wanted to make sure you were okay with everything.”

Gina nodded.

“I am. Thank you both.”

Gina wiped her eyes again and stood up.

She put on as brave a face as she could.

“Now call Holly and accept that offer before it goes away.”

Louise stood by her side and stroked her face.

“Are you sure, hun?”

Gina nodded.

“Of course.”

She hugged Louise.

“I am so happy for both of you.”

Frank smiled.

“Thank you Gina.”

Gina smiled and turned.

She had to leave before she broke down crying again.

“Gina?” Louise called behind her.

Gina turned, forcing a smile.

“Why don't you go on home. We will look after things here.”

Gina nodded.

“Thank you,” she said quietly.

She quickly left the office and grabbed he jacket from a hook outside the office door.

She then walked through the kitchen and out the back door of the restaurant.

She could not face anyone at the moment and she simply wanted to be alone.

She walked quickly down a well beaten path that connected to the park on the other side of the stream that ran at the edge of the restaurant property.

As she crossed the small bridge that went across the stream, she looked at the back lot.

She remembered the plans that her and the Barkers had made to utilize the land in some way, but that had never happened.

She looked at the few picnic benches that sat on the manicured lawn.

“Well it was a dream,” she said aloud as she crossed the bridge into the park.

She looked at the check in her hand and quickly stuffed it into her purse.

Like so many other things that had happened to her in the last few days, this was another one that held some doubt as to what to do.

As she started walking through the park, she began feeling better. Her mind cleared a little and she started to focus on the beauty around her and not the shit that was going on in her life.

By the time she had walked through the park, she had made some decisions.

She would keep the check. If the worse case scenario took place, at least she would have something to fall back on.

She would talk to Dylan and tell him that she was pregnant.

“If is asks whose baby it is, I will kill him,” Gina said aloud, smiling.

But most important, in Gina’s mind, she decided that no matter what, she was keeping the baby.