“It’s not my dream, Uncle Lenny. Look how excited you are about winning that bid! And you should be! It’s wonderful for you and you are so happy. I want to feel that same way, I want to feel something that gives me that same high. I don’t know what that is but I know that sticking around here will only keep me from pursuing that goal.” Kate ranted and the words poured out of her like water from a hose suddenly let go and shooting in every direction. She stood up and grabbed her coat and purse.
“I have to go, Uncle Lenny. I need to find out what I want to do. The last few weeks, it’s just become really clear to me that I’m lost. I think I want to go back to school. Maybe I will get the social work degree that I once dreamed of. I think I just have to try, I have to get out there and be scared and not have a safety net. I need to try, Uncle Lenny.” Kate stifled a slight sob and realized that she needed to calm down, she was starting to lose control of her emotions and this was not the time or the place.
“Hey, hey, Katey. Katey, it’s okay. Listen, I understand. I was your age once too. Starting a business was always my dream . Now I am living that dream. It’s not yours though and you need to go after yours just like I went after mine. There is nothing wrong with that. I’m not upset, it’s okay.” He tried to diffuse the situation with his comforting words and a soft pat on her shoulder.
“You are not upset? But you have done so much for me, given me this job and paid for school. I don’t want to be that jerk who just takes and doesn’t give but I also don’t want to waste one more minute of my life not pursuing a dream.” Kate whimpered slightly, trying not to turn to tears.
“Kate, listen, let’s go have lunch and then you can go home for the rest of the day. Okay? If you still want to quit in the morning, then email me a letter of resignation and that’s that. No harm, no foul. But let’s not think about that right now because it’s getting you all worked up. Let’s go have lunch and let’s talk about whatever it is that is really going on. Does that sound good to you?” Lenny asked her. She nodded gently.
“Alright, come on. Let’s go to that burger place you love over on Connecticut Avenue, okay? You are always raving about that place. Oh and you know how I love a good chocolate milk shake.” He grinned and patted his large, Santa Claus-like belly. Kate chuckled and followed him out of the cubicle and out of the office.
~~~~
“I’m going to have the Fry Down Burger, sir, with the onion rings and this ale here.” Lenny pointed to the items on the menu that he loved to get at this fancy burger restaurant that gave their burgers unique names.
“And I will have the Reef & Beef Burger with sweet potato fries and ice water, no lemon please.” Kate folded up her menu and handed it to the waiter. He scribbled down everything they said and then nodded and left. Lenny folded his arms onto the table and looked at Kate.
“Alright, little Katey, I’ve known you since you were just a picture on a screen in your momma’s belly. I practically raised you and Annie the last half of your life after your Daddy passed. I know you and I know there is something going on. I haven’t pushed because I figured you would come and tell me about it on your own eventually. But, damn it, now it’s affecting a lot more than just your mood. Tell me what’s going on. I can handle it, Katey.” Lenny said to her firmly but with a kindness in his voice.
She looked up at him and sighed, she knew that he was right and that she owed him the truth about everything. He had always been there for her, was like a father to him, and she felt comforted every time he called her his little Katey. She leaned against the table and folded her arms onto it as well.
“I lied to you, Uncle Lenny. I wasn’t in a car crash last month. You know when I missed work for two weeks? Annie told you I had a car accident but that’s not true.” She looked up at him, biting the inside of her cheek nervously and wondering how he was going to react. He didn’t say anything and just waited for her to continue the story.
“The truth is someone attacked me. Remember when I went away for the weekend with Derrick? Well later on when I was home after Derrick had already left, a stranger with a ski mask barged into my apartment and attacked me.” She paused and looked up at him.
“Son of a bitch. Do they know who this asshole is?” Lenny cussed angrily, immediately upset upon hearing the news. She had never heard Lenny curse before and was a bit surprised but then also comforted to see him angry. She wished Derrick had reacted that way. Lenny’s first instinct was defending her and it just added to the many reasons why she adored him.