Page 20 of Last Call (Open Tab #5)

Carol had been Marge's closest friend after the loss of her son. Fallon remembered the celebration Pete threw for Marge when she had her first ultrasound. She had suffered a miscarriage the previous year and was expecting to welcome a little boy named Matthew. Unexpected devastation struck when a routine doctor’s appointment revealed that Matthew’s heart had stopped.

Marge went into the hospital for induced labor and laid her baby to rest a few days later.

The experience left her in deep depression.

Her husband, Billy, moved out six months later, and Carol moved in.

Carol had lived through that heartbreak, supporting Marge and gently helping her regain her footing.

Now, Carol braced for the possibility that history might repeat itself.

On top of that, Charlie’s shop was on the verge of closure.

Carol wouldn’t say it out loud, but Fallon understood how deeply ingrained her fear was—not just of loss, but of instability.

Carol came from a background where money ran out before the month ended, where dreams were sacrificed for survival.

She was proud and determined to avoid the financial insecurity she’d endured growing up.

Fallon could easily bail Charlie out of whatever financial hole he had fallen into.

She couldn’t buy peace of mind, not for Carol.

She couldn’t fix Carol’s fertility struggles or the grief she was trying to keep at bay.

She would listen, and maybe that was Carol’s point.

Maybe showing up, sitting close, and staying quiet was enough.

Fallon took a breath and walked toward the back booth where Evan sat, his hands clasped tightly on the table. “Here goes nothing.”

Carol placed a plate of nachos and two sodas on the table for Fallon and Evan.

“Thanks,” Fallon said

Carol gave a playful wink and returned to the bar.

“Dave!” Owen giggled.

Dave ran toward the jukebox with Owen on his back. Riley noticed the smile on Becky’s face as she watched and gently covered her hand. As Becky’s due date approached, Riley recognized both her excitement and apprehension.

“He loves Owen,” Becky commented.

Riley glanced back at Dave as he helped Owen choose a few songs. “He’ll be a terrific dad,” Riley offered.

“He worries about it—being a good father,” Becky said. “He talks about it all the time.”

“That’s a good thing,” Riley whispered.

“Seems like Fallon is making some headway with Evan,” Billie offered.

“The nachos will help,” Carol replied. “I don’t know how that kid isn’t five hundred pounds.

Every time Pete brings him here, he devours a whole plate by himself,” she added, slapping Charlie’s hand away as he reached over the bar for a new bottle of mustard.

“Use your knife,” she admonished, gesturing to the bottle in front of him.

“Evan takes after his father,” Ida said. “I swear, most of this town thought I was starving my kids. I thought Jim would have to get a second job just to keep Dean fed. Fallon’s the same—eats everything without gaining a pound. They don’t get that from me.”

“What do they get from you?” Charlie asked innocently.

“Their mouths,” Carol quipped.

Ida shrugged and took a sip of her margarita.

“See? She doesn’t even deny it,” Carol said.

Andi’s gaze moved to the door as Dora Bath entered.

Ida sighed. “Excuse me,” she said, standing up.

Andi watched as Ida led Dora to a booth at the back of the pub.

“What’s that about?” Charlie asked.

“It’s after nine,” Billie noted. “Isn’t it past bedtime for the Biddy Brigade?”

Everyone laughed except Andi.

“Andi?” Billie whispered.

Andi turned to her with a smile.

“Okay, I’m clearly missing something,” Billie said.

“Only one thing?” Carol teased.

“Right now, I seem to be missing a beer,” Billie said, pointing to her empty glass.

“Was that a statement or a request?” Carol bantered back.

Billie wrinkled her nose.

Carol rolled her eyes and took Billie’s glass to refill it.

“Don’t I get a cold glass?” Billie asked.

“Why? Are you feeling warm ?” Carol asked, glancing at Andi. “I thought you’d be over that by now.”

Andi chuckled.

“Why are you laughing?” Billie asked. “You’re the one always taking off your clothes in bed because you’re too hot!”

Carol raised an eyebrow at Andi.

Dave walked up behind Becky. “Too much information,” he said.

Riley’s booming laughter set everyone off into fits of giggles.

The sound of laughter made Fallon grin.

“How can they be laughing?” Evan asked.

“They’re just letting off some steam,” Fallon said.

“And drinking.”

“Like I said—letting off steam. They’re all worried.”

“It doesn’t sound that way.”

“I suppose it doesn’t,” Fallon admitted. “They are. They also know there’s nothing they can do right now. Nothing except wait.”

Evan stared at the nachos.

“Not hungry?” Fallon asked.

Evan shook his head.

“Evan?”

“It’s not fair.”

“Do you mean it isn’t fair that Marge is in surgery?” Fallon asked.

“I heard Pete tell Mom she won’t survive if something goes wrong this time.”

“He didn’t mean that Marge would die,” Fallon said. “Marge is his baby sister. He worries about her,” she explained, grabbing a nacho.

“How can you eat?” Evan asked.

Fallon shrugged, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. “Marge has been through a lot,” she said. “She also has a lot of support. I wish I could guarantee you that everything will work out the way we hope. I can’t. No one can. But I trust Billie’s opinion, and Billie is optimistic.”

“Yeah, but no one has called,” Evan pointed out.

“Billie said it might take a bit for Marge to come out of surgery. She has connections at the hospital, Evan. And Billie understands all the medical mumbo jumbo the rest of us don’t.

I don’t think anyone will call until they can give us a full update.

Would you like to tell me what else is bothering you?

I have a feeling it’s more than just Marge and the baby. ”

“Something always goes wrong just when everything is going right,” Evan said.

Fallon sighed. “Are we talking about Liv?”

Evan shrugged.

“Evan?”

“It’s just—things were good. You know? Living with Grandma. Being at your house with Emily and Summer, hanging out with Pete. Aunt Liv died, and it’s like everyone disappeared.”

“Except Pete,” Fallon surmised.

Evan shrugged.

“Pete’s a good guy.”

Evan nodded.

“I’m glad you have him. I’m sorry if I haven’t been around as much,” Fallon said.

“It’s cool.”

Fallon held back a chuckle. “I don’t think it’s cool .”

“Nah. It is. I know you’re busy. Owen is little. He needs you.”

Evan adored Owen as much as Owen looked up to him. His observation held no frustration or disappointment. Whatever was on Evan’s mind, he didn’t feel neglected by Fallon.

“Mom was upset tonight. I could tell,” Evan said.

“She’s gotten close to Marge,” Fallon offered. “And I know she’s close with Pete.”

Evan’s eyes lifted to Fallon’s hesitantly.

“Evan?”

“It’s like they’re together, but they’re not,” he said. “Kind of like it was with Dad.”

“Pete isn’t like your dad,” Fallon said. “He doesn’t…”

“Bail?”

Fallon sighed.

“Sorry,” Evan said.

“You don’t need to be sorry.”

“I guess I just feel bad.”

“About what?” Fallon asked.

“I wish Pete and Mom would be together.”

“Why would you feel bad about that?”

“Would it make you mad?” Evan wondered.

The question left Fallon stunned.

“Would it?” he asked again.

“No. I just want you all to be happy. That’s all,” Fallon said.

“But you always make fun of Pete.”

“Pete is one of my best friends, Evan. I guess that’s true. But believe me, Pete and Dale have spent many hours making fun of me .”

“Pete says you were the smartest person he knew until he met Riley. But then, she married you, so he had to think about it some more.”

Fallon’s howl of laughter caught the attention of everyone.

“Sorry,” Fallon said, clearing her throat. “Riley is much smarter than me,” she agreed. “Even if she did marry me.”

Evan offered the first hint of a smile. “I think Mom is afraid to tell me about Pete.”

“Do you mean that she likes him?”

Evan nodded. “Pete won’t tell me he likes her, either. He does. I can tell. I think Mom worries about me.”

“It’s okay,” Fallon said. “I can’t tell you that will work out the way you hope, either. I can tell you that Pete will always be there for you and your mom.”

“How do you know?”

“I know,” Fallon said.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure. I can’t promise I’ll have an answer. Go ahead.”

“Was my dad always—was he…”

“Selfish?” Fallon asked.

“I guess.”

Fallon sometimes lost sight of how much Evan had grown.

He had just turned fourteen and would start high school in the fall.

He wasn’t sitting alone as a ploy for attention; he was trying to process his fears and emotions.

Fourteen was a tough age. You were caught between wanting to appear like an adult and still feeling like a kid.

It was also the time when kids began to understand adult motivations more clearly.

Sometimes, those realizations left you feeling unfulfilled.

There was no point in lying to Evan. He would see right through it. And Fallon didn’t want to lie.

“I never thought about it much,” Fallon replied.

“Not until recently. I think your dad has always been a little selfish. He loves you. He loves me and Grandma. But yeah. He tends to think about himself before he considers anyone else. I think it’s because everyone has always told him how great he is.

He was a straight-A student, a varsity athlete in his sophomore year, and he always had girls chasing him.

” Fallon chuckled. “He was a lot to live up to for me.”

“He called me on Monday,” Evan said.

“Is that a good thing?”

“I guess. He gets quiet when I tell him about stuff.”

“Stuff?”

“Me and Pete have been working on something for Mom.”

Fallon nodded.

“You can’t say anything if I tell you,” Evan said.

“Not a word.”