Destiny.
Life has a way of getting in the way of silly things like that. I know better now. I’m not foolish enough to think I have some great destiny in the world. I’m just an ordinary girl, scraping by as best she can, and I do it on my terms. I live the life I created, the life I built for myself through my own sweat and hard work, and for that, I will always be grateful.
“Morning, Kelly,” a voice called as I walked absently along the sidewalk toward the diner, chewing my healthy breakfast Snickers bar.
I looked up. It was Grace, the one person in my life I knew I could always count on.
“Morning, Grace.”
“Did you remember to pick up the ice from Harry’s?”
“Oh, shoot,” I said, slapping my forehead. I’d been so preoccupied that morning it had totally slipped my mind.
Grace shook her head. “Well, don’t worry about it. I know you’re doing your best with what the Good Lord gave you.”
I grinned at her. She was always teasing me.
“And why are you eating that crap so early in the morning? You know I like to cook you breakfast. Candy bars are going to be the death of you.”
“Yes, ma’am. Sorry, my mind was off wandering.”
“Oh, hush. It wasn’t Elle and Forrester you were thinking about, was it?”
I shrugged. “Do you think something like that will ever happen to me, Grace?”
“What? Some handsome, rich guy with a mansion in California rides into town and sweeps you off your feet?”
“Something like that,” I said, realizing how ridiculous it sounded.
Grace smiled. “You never know, kid. It happened to Elle.”
“It happened to Elle,” I repeated to myself.
She’d called me the day before, telling me how great things were, inviting me up to the vineyard. I sighed.
“You really do have your head in the clouds today,” Grace said. “But now, let’s get your head on serving some people breakfast, since that’s what I’m paying you the big bucks for.”
I love Grace. She’d been like a mother to me since I lost my folks when I was seventeen. She took me in, gave me a roof and three square meals every day. Eventually, she gave me this job waiting tables when I finished high school.
If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have ever made it this far. I owed her everything.
“I will, Grace. What’s the special going to be today?”
“I was thinking eggs. Sound good to you, baby?” she asked with a grin.
“Sounds great,” I said. “Same special as every other day.”
This was our routine and had been for the last six years of my life. We used to make the walk to work together every morning when I lived with her, but that changed when I got with Phil, the sheriff’s son, and we moved into our own apartment. I didn’t see as much of Grace during that period. She was never far away, but living with Phil, I felt as if she was a million miles away.
Phil wasn’t ever one for either of us leaving the house much, except for work, and Grace was never his biggest fan. He wasn’t a bad man by any means, just not much of one. I really did care for him for a time, but I can’t say my heart was broken when he skipped town to be with some other girl. It was more of a surprise to me than anything else, as I didn’t think he had the courage to do something that bold. Grace said it was a coward’s move and that there shouldn’t be any room in my life for cowards. I knew she was right, except when I get lonely and think about what it would be like to have a man, any man, even a man as cowardly as Phil, in my bed at night.
Anyway, I survived that break up. I kept strong and it turned out fine. I settled into a halfway decent little house close to work and my life returned to normal in every other way. The sun kept shining. The mountains looked as beautiful as ever, more beautiful in fact. Phil ended up returning to town a year after he left, but I didn’t succumb to my loneliness and get back with him. I’d realized that he wasn’t the man for me. I deserved better. I didn’t deserve to be dumped for some other girl. I deserved a man who chose me, and only me, and stood by that decision every day of his life.
Phil still gives me some trouble in Harry’s bar from time to time, he tries to hit on me, or does something stupid to get a laugh out of his friends, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. For the most part, I ignore him. When he gets really drunk, he says he wants me back. He’d never do anything about it though. And I guess that’s the reason I don’t go back. If he’s not man enough to step up to the plate and take what he wants, then he’s not man enough to have me.
I was polishing cutlery when the bell over the door chimed for the day’s first customer. Like yesterday and tomorrow, it was Dennis.
“Morning, ladies. How is everyone’s health today?”