Liquid Lucidity (A Novella)

Chapter Fifteen

"Well I have to say, David, this meal is just delicious," her mom told him from across the table before she wiped her mouth on the gray linen napkin. "I think you might be in the wrong business."

David smiled warmly at her mom. "I've been thinkin' the same thing."

"Owning a bar and owning a restaurant are two very different things," her dad chimed in, remaining ever the critic. "The startup costs can be astronomical. Add that to the building itself, insurance costs, employees... You'd be surprised on how fast it can add up. Unless you have a spare half million or more laying around, you'd need a bank loan-"

"Three," David said a bit randomly before taking a bite of his chicken wellington.

"Pardon?"

"I have a spare three million."

"Sweetheart," her mom began, placing her hand on Hannah's arm. "Are you dating a millionaire?"

All Hannah could think to do was shrug. Money was never a big deal for her. It was a nice thing to have and certainly made life easier to live, but she never looked down on people who didn't have much to spare and didn't put anyone on a pedestal who did have it. It was one of those things that had importance, but also wasn't that important when compared to other traits. "I guess so," she muttered before taking another bite of her dinner.

When she heard David's quiet chuckle, Hannah looked and saw him just shaking his head as he looked down at his plate. 

"If you are a millionaire, David, I can't help but wonder why you own a bar on the wrong side of the tracks, so to speak."

While Hannah didn't care much about financial means, her dad did, which was why she wondered why her dad was still pushing him. 

"Maybe be—cause that's the kind of g-guy he is," Hannah spoke. 

Her dad jerked his fork into the air and pointed it at her from across the table. "A guy from the wrong side of the track."

He was unbelievable, and not in a good way. He may have been a great husband and father, but his judgement of others was his downfall. 

Everyone had a story and none of them were any different. But while Hannah tried to look at every warm body and see a person with a past, present and future, her dad took things at face value. When he saw a homeless person, all he saw was a bum. He didn't think about what led them there or the hardships they were facing or their personal demons. 

"A g-guy who does—n't let mon—ey def—ine him," Hannah corrected. 

"Need I remind you, sweetheart," her mom intervened as she stabbed a piece of broccoli with her fork and brought it toward her mouth. "That we are guests in his house and if anyone spoke to you this way in your house, you'd be kicking them out right about now."

David wiped his mouth with his napkin and dropped it on his plate. "Would you rather I be a stockbroker who's puts his job before everything else and has an apartment no one knows about where he can take his affairs to?" He didn't wait for her dad's reply. "Yes, I own a bar and yes, it's in a shitty ass neighborhood. But people aren't what they do for a living."

"I realize that, Mr. Givens, but Hannah isn't cut out for that kind of life. She doesn't belong working on the other side of the tracks. That isn't who she is. She comes from a good family."

David pushed his plate to the side. "I'm not gonna lie, my clientele can be a rough and rowdy group. There's fights I gotta break up and folks I gotta keep in line. Have you ever been in a fight, Jim?"

"Of course not!" Her dad said with a swift shake of his head. "A little rough housing in college, but that was all in good fun."

A forced smile appeared on David's face. "I've been in more than my fair share, so if you insinuate that my family aren't good people again, you'll find yourself in one and you'll lose."