Page 17 of Waves of Reckoning (Echoes of Camano Island #1)

Chapter Sixteen

J ust as soon as Paul drove off, guilt washed over Nikki.

She had been a little jealous that Paul had gotten through to Amy when she couldn’t even though Amy was her niece. Her pride wouldn’t allow her to call him and apologize. Besides, she still had to deal with Amy.

“You’re staying after all,” she said as she met her just inside the front door.

“Yeah,” she replied casually.

“What made you change your mind?” Nikki asked curiously as the green snake of envy retreated very slowly.

Amy shrugged. “Curiosity? I wanted to know more about my real family, and Paul was pretty convincing.”

“Oh,” Nikki said, then walked to the kitchen. “Have you eaten yet?”

“Look, I don’t want to be a burden,” Amy said, following her into the kitchen. “I’m used to making my own way. I’ve been working since I was sixteen. I can help out.”

Nikki waved her off and opened the fridge door. “That won’t be necessary. We have everything taken care of.”

“No,” Amy insisted. “I want to help. I can get a job to help with the bills or food or something.”

Nikki’s heart was lifted when she heard her speak like that. She had plans to stay for a while to be responsible, but she was curious about why Amy left Seattle in the first place. But she tabled that thought for a different time.

“As far as I know, the Nestled Inn and the restaurant take care of the mortgage for the properties and the utilities. If you want to get something for yourself, then that’s fine, but this place is as much yours as it’s mine now. You don’t need to earn it.”

“I’m not trying to earn it. I just want to be useful,” Amy replied. “I’ve seen what leeching off others can do.” She got a faraway look in her eyes like she recalled a painful memory.

Nikki sighed and placed the carton of juice on the counter.

“Fine,” she said and finally gave in. She could understand Amy’s need for independence.

It didn’t have anything to do with the money.

The same spirit ran in both Nikki’s and Trish’s veins.

“How about we go see what they can do at the restaurant?”

“Great!” Amy said and rubbed her hands together. “You already know I can wait tables, and I’d really love to shadow any pastry chef who’s around—you know, to hone my skills.”

Nikki smiled. “I’ll see what I can do. I don’t think there’s a pastry chef at Lot 28, though, but I’ll have to check again.”

“Maybe Paul knows someone,” Amy replied with great excitement, and Nikki watched as her eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store.

“Maybe,” Nikki said. “We can ask him, but I can’t make any promises. I’m not sure what’s possible yet.”

“That’s okay. There are other places in town, right?”

“True,” Nikki agreed. “Let’s go see the head chef later and hear what he has to say. I wish you didn’t feel the need to work, though.”

“What else am I going to do while I’m here?” Amy asked and sipped from the glass Nikki passed to her. “I can’t just sit here every day or surf to pass the time.”

Nikki laughed. “You make a good point.”

She loved how easy it was getting for them to have a conversation. She knew that things would be seamless in time, and it would be as if she’d never been away from them. She just wished that Trish would wake up to see it.

Later that morning, the two women ventured over to the Nestled Inn.

“I have to say, this is a really nice spot,” Amy complimented as they walked through the lobby.

“Trish has great taste.” She admired the oversized vases sitting in the corners with green ferns sticking out of them, which greatly contrasted the pastel-colored walls.

The reception desk had tulips and daffodils adorning it, and the burnt-orange, beige, and brown color block carpeting was the perfect finish.

“Hello, you two,” Kaylyn greeted them as they walked by.

“Hi, Kaylyn,” Nikki replied.

Amy smiled and waved, but she didn’t utter a word.

Amy was even more in awe when she walked into the restaurant.

It had the same rustic appeal as the mother restaurant, bearing the intimate low-hanging lights above the dining tables, potted plants sat in blocks next to columns that had the same brick overlay, and the tables were pristine with silver accessories atop off-white linen.

“I would love to work here,” Amy gushed. “The tips must be awesome.”

Nikki laughed. “I bet.”

The restaurant wasn’t open yet, but the head chef, William, was already there prepping things.

He wiped his hands on the towel draped over his shoulder before he extended it to Nikki. “Nice to see you. And who’s this?” he asked as he took Amy’s hand.

“This is Amy, Trish’s daughter,” Nikki said and cleared her throat, mainly because she didn’t know if Amy wanted to be announced as Trish’s daughter just yet.

“Oh,” he beamed, and the dimple in his chin deepened with the twinkle in his gray eyes. “Well then, it’s a great pleasure.”

“Thanks.” Amy blushed and looked across at Nikki.

“What brings the two of you over? Not that I’m complaining, but you’re usually here a little later in the day,” William said, adjusting his head's hat.

Traces of his raven-black hair showed around the sides and back, and his clean-shaven face gave him a boyish look despite being almost forty years old.

“Well, we were wondering if you know of any job vacancies here,” Nikki began. “Amy’s trying to get a job.”

“Oh,” he said and then stroked his chin. “I don’t think we have any openings now. If we were to give you a job here, we’d have to let someone go.”

“No, no, that’s not necessary,” Amy replied right away. “I don’t want to take anyone’s job. I can look elsewhere.”

“Are you sure?” William asked.

“Yes,” Amy replied.

“Well, thanks anyway, Will,” Nikki said.

“Maybe you can ask Paul,” William suggested. “His restaurant is busier.”

“That’s what I was thinking,” Nikki replied even though she wasn’t looking forward to seeing Paul again that day. She had been rude earlier, and the feeling wasn’t sitting pretty with her. “Thanks again.”

“Anytime,” William said, returning to his duties.

“Is the other restaurant like this one?” Amy asked once they were in the car.

“Pretty much,” Nikki replied. “This one is miniature-sized compared to Paul’s. They have the same decor and settings.”

“Nice.” Amy smiled as she stared out the window.

Nikki wasn’t sure what was going on in Amy’s mind or when she might decide to leave, so she wanted to take the opportunity to introduce her to Trish.

“Hey, so I was thinking,” she began tentatively as her heart thumped. “I was planning to visit Trish again later today. How about you come with me so you can meet her.”

Amy didn’t respond for a couple of seconds. “Didn’t you say she’s in a coma?”

“Yeah, but the doctors said that she might still be able to hear what’s going on around her. I know she’d be happy to hear your voice if that’s true.”

“That would be kind of weird for me,” Amy replied softly. “Maybe another time.”

The disappointment hit Nikki hard, but she couldn’t disclose how much. She understood what Amy said, but she had really hoped she would agree to that.

“Is that going to be a problem?” Amy turned to her and asked matter-of-factly. “Like, is that a condition to my staying at the house?”

“No,” Nikki replied emphatically. “I know that’s not something either of us can rush, so I’ll let you go at your own pace, but I’m not going to force you to go or chase you out if you don’t. Like I said, the house and inn are yours too. Legally, no one can chase you out of either of them.”

She was almost sure she saw a sigh of relief escape Amy before she turned her face once more to the window and avoided Nikki’s eyes.

That was just as well. Nikki didn’t want her to see the first signs of tears that she had to quickly blink away.

Paul greeted them as soon as they entered the restaurant, and he looked at them both, from one to the other, like he was expecting bad news. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing serious.” Nikki laughed nervously. “Amy wants a job. There’s none at the other restaurant, so we were wondering if…”

“Absolutely,” Paul said with relief. “You scared me for a minute.”

“Really? You have an opening?” Amy asked excitedly.

“I do. This is a very busy time of year, and I was considering hiring another server, so today is your lucky day,” he beamed.

“Thank you,” Amy gushed.

“No problem,” he told her.

“What do I do? Is there like an interview or something?”

“We just had it.” Paul laughed. “I already know you know how to wait tables. Here, let me introduce you to the ma?tre d. He’ll show you around.”

“Okay,” Amy replied as Paul took her over to the gentleman who led her off.

It was Nikki’s turn to feel trepidation as Paul returned. “Look, Paul, about earlier. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I was just a little overwhelmed…”

“And jealous?” he added.

She smiled weakly. “And jealous. I wanted to be the one to get through to her, but I guess it makes more sense that you did. You have a daughter, so you can relate.”

“Nikki, there’s no need to feel like that. You know I’m just helping.”

“I know, which is why I feel stupid, so I apologize for it,” she said and twiddled with her fingers. “In some way, I also felt like I was the reason she wanted to leave.”

“You can’t blame yourself for that. As you can see, she is her own person, and she still needs to process all of this.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Again.” Nikki smiled. “What would I do without you?”

“You’d do just fine. You’re a tough cookie.”

Nikki laughed as Amy joined them again.

“You have a really nice place,” she told Paul. “I’m looking forward to working here.”

“Looking forward to having you.” Paul smiled and patted her shoulder. “Welcome on board. I’ll email your onboarding documents. Fill them out at your earliest convenience, and then we’re good to go.”

“I will,” Amy replied.

“Now, if you’ll both excuse me, I have to return to the kitchen.”

“No problem. We’ll talk later,” Nikki said, and they walked out.

Amy was like a kid when they were in the car and headed back to the Nestled Inn. She couldn’t stop talking about the place as she compared it to all the other diners she’d worked in.

“I’ve never worked in a place this classy before,” she said nervously.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be alright,” Nikki assured her.

As soon as she dropped Amy off at the house, she drove to the hospital. Like every other visit, she hoped for good news but was equally let down when she was told there was no change. Like all the other times before, she pulled up the chair next to Trish’s bed and took her hand.

“So Amy’s staying here after all,” she said as tears formed in her eyes.

“I was scared for a moment that I’d chase her off, and you’d never get to meet her.

But Paul has been a godsend. He convinced her to stay, and I can’t wait for you to meet her.

She’s so beautiful and full of life. She reminds me so much of you when you were her age,” Nikki said as she laid her head against Trish’s hip.

“You need to wake up,” she told her sister. “A lot of people are depending on you, and I think you’d do a better job than me at this mothering thing. It’s hard to mother a twenty-one-year-old.” She laughed softly. “I need help, so wake up and help me.”

She shifted her head to look at Trish, but nothing was different.

The same annoying beeping reminded her that her sister was still alive and was also a constant reminder that she was still in a deep coma.

She hoped she could hear her but knew how painful it might be for her to be hearing all that was going on but not able to communicate any.

She probably felt trapped in her own body.

And just the thought brought fresh tears to Nikki’s eyes.