The Tales of a Future Hockey Wife

Chapter 51: Karel Parker

~Eleanor~

We didn't extend our stay at Ben's old house. He came back inside about two hours after he left to have a talk with his dad. He was all sweaty, his shirt was sticking to his body and his hair was damp. Turns out he left the garage only twenty minutes after he had walked in. He was so angry that he went running to try and get it all out of his system. He showered and we left. We had agreed to stay at Olive and Alexander's place to not give the impression that we preferred a family over the other, but the truth is that neither of us wanted to go back to our old houses. Neither of us slept well. Ben refused to tell me what his father said that made him so angry, so I spend most of the night making up all the worst scenarios in my head.

To take our mind off of things, Olive said that we would all go out for dinner tonight. She made a reservation at one of our favorite restaurants in South Victoria. Olive and I used to come here to celebrate our birthdays almost every year until we discovered an amazing Mexican restaurant just down the street from our high school. It was cheapest and we could go for lunch on the schooldays we didn't feel like eating our sandwich. Unfortunately, not everyone had the same opinion about that place as us, causing it to close down during my first year in Windsor.

I instantly felt some serious nostalgia when we walked in the restaurant. Everything looks almost exactly the same. From the red leather booths to the black and white pictures of what we always assumed to be the first owners on the walls. It even smells the same. The second you walk in; the scent of tomato sauce envelops you like a warm cloud of familiarity. The only massive change is the bar they added where used to be a row of tables in the back of the restaurant. Modern meets tradition.

"I wonder if they still bring you a free piece of chocolate cake for your birthday," Olive intervenes as we sit down at our table.

"More importantly, do they still sing that awful song as they bring it? What was it again?" I ask, a huge smile making its way on my face.

"We hear it's someone's birthday, and we're gonna sing it.  At Paulie's Italian Place, it's gonna be the best. You won't regret it. Yeah Yeah Yeah!!" Olive and I sing after exchanging a look. We irrupt in a fit of uncontrollable laughter as Alexander looks away as if he was ashamed to be seen in public with us, but the fond look he gives Olive when he faces her again shows how much he actually cares for her. When I turn to see Ben, his eyes are focused on his phone. He didn't even look up when we started signing. The ping in my chest doesn't go away as I turn towards the waitress who just greeted us.

"Karel?" I say even though her name tag confirms her identity. The four of us went to high school with Karel Parker. She dropped out at the same time Ben did, only it was for very different reasons. Ben was making a selfish decision in order to maybe one day achieve his dream and Karel was sacrificing her education to take care of her baby. Thinking back, I know I judged Karel's decision, but now I wonder if I wouldn't have done the same. In a way, I am doing the same. Only, I am four years older, and I'll have my bachelor's degree in a few months. I try to convince myself that I am in a better situation than she was, but I know I would have kept it even if our situation was way worse. Karel eyes every part of me that she can see, her eyebrows raising when she sees the small bump in my stomach.

"What can I bring you guys to drink?" She uses her customer service voice. Her tone is too peppy to be sincere, and her smile too wide. Ben and Alexander order a beer, Olive a glass of white wine while I stay on water. I think I see Karel roll her eyes, but the movement was so subtle that I can't say for sure. She leaves the table without adding anything.

We catch up about what happened in our respective lives and absently start checking the menu as we wait for our drinks. As usual, it ends up being Olive and I on one side talking about school and what's going on at the salon and Ben and Alexander on the other talking about hockey. It didn't use to bother me, but, tonight, it does. I wanted a night where we could all be together, participate in the same conversation, and talk about the menu as one united group of friends. I wanted the other customers in the restaurant to think we were fun people who have dinner together and laugh for the entire night. Maybe it was too much to wish for so close to Christmas. Maybe Santa is too busy and only grants small last-minute wishes like reducing the price of gas or having a white Christmas. Changing a five-year habit was way too much only two days away from his big delivery day. Try again next year, El. Maybe I'll write my letter in September just to be sure he'll have time to grant me my wish.

Some other girl ended bringing us our drinks. I want to believe that Karel was too busy to do it herself and that it wasn't her way to avoid coming to our table. She doesn't really have a choice to come back to take our orders a while later. She keeps her fake voice that I hate. As far as I can remember, neither of us did anything to Karel Parker. I can't even say that I knew the girl. I know the guy she was seeing when she got pregnant, Samuel, played hockey with Ben, but that's the only connection I can think of.

A few minutes after she took away our empty plates, I spot her behind the bar, filling glasses with ice. I excuse myself saying I need to use the bathroom. I walk towards the bar and take a seat right in front of where she's working. I cough lightly to get her attention, but she doesn't look up, so I say her name.

"You changed your mind? You want some wine too or did your boyfriend send you to get him another beer?" She finally dropped the too-happy voice she was using, and I am glad. I want her to be honest with me.

"No, I wanted to talk to you," I keep my voice soft.

"What? You think that between teen mothers we can help each other out?" She retorts with a small laugh.

"I want to hear your story. I want to know how it went for you."

"I am working right now."

"I am here until January sixth. I am sure you have a free moment before then," I answer, knowing that my chances are low," Please Karel," I add after seeing her shaking her head.

"Fine. Coffee tomorrow at one. The place near the high school. I have to pick up Noah at three, that ok for you?" I nod, smiling. I assume that Noah is her son. How old is he now? Three? Four? I try to picture myself with a four-year-old kid and I have to stop myself unless I want to get sick. I head back to our table and dodge Olive's questions as to what took me so long. I am half-nervous and half-excited to hear Karel's story. I know she'll be honest and that's what stresses me out, but what if her honesty comforts me in my decision? That's what makes me excited.

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