THE FISHERMAN'S PIER
The vegetables tumble through the
air, falling helplessly until their descent is broken by the warm metal.
They hit the pan with an explosive crack and bursts of oil jump up to announce
that the symphony of snaps and crackles has commenced.
"Nothing like a nice sizzling pan,
is there?" comes the voice from over
Matt's shoulder.
"Guess not," Matt says, turning to
look at Bill
and then looking back down at the pan as he sifts its contents.
"Even though I think about 7,000 people have ordered this since I started
my shift. I feel like I stir-fried my brain."
"Perhaps I forgot to mention when
I offered you this job that the restaurant business can make you insane,"
Bill says as he comes around to stand beside Matt at the stove. "There
are certainly days that could take no better turn than to let me go home
and relax."
"I could really use some of that
... but I think going home tonight's gonna be kinda weird."
"Why?"
"I had
Victoria with me the last
couple nights. Sarah
came and picked her up this morning. So it's gonna
seem really quiet tonight."
A quiet moment of thought delivers
a grin to Bill's face. "She's an amazing little girl, isn't she? She loves
to cuddle so much, more than any of my kids ever did. She could just melt
in your arms."
"Yeah, she is really something. A
real sweet kid." Bill's delight at thinking of his granddaughter sees to
be infectious, for it is now manifesting itself on Matt's ruggedly handsome
face. "I got a question for you, Bill."
"Go right ahead."
"Does this thing -- being a dad,
I mean -- does it ever start to feel normal? Like it's something you're
supposed
to be doing?" Matt asks, casting his gaze back down at the very lively
pan.
"I think so," Bill answers with a
chuckle. "When your kids are older, when you get to know them as real people
-- then it does. Maybe it's just time, who knows? But there are still times
when I wonder how I've managed to fool the world into thinking I
could be a father for 30-plus years."
A grin busts out on Matt's face.
"Good to hear."
He turns his attention back to the
meal he is cooking, perhaps a bit too intently. Bill can see the change
building in him and stands back to watch, knowing that Matt will speak
when he is ready.
"Look, Bill, there's something I've
been meaning to say for a long time," Matt says quietly. "I--I'm really
sorry about this whole thing, how I put Sarah and your whole family in
this situation--"
Bill holds up a hand to cut him off.
"Don't. I appreciate it, I do, but it's not necessary."
Matt shoots him a puzzled look.
"I was angry about it too, at first,"
Bill explains. "But I know that things ... happen. Especially where Sarah
is concerned. Especially where Sarah is concerned."
"Thanks," Matt says, finally risking
a glance up at his boss. "I didn't wanna have that hanging between us,
if we're working together and with Victoria and everything."
"I know you didn't push her into
anything, Matt. She's--honestly, she's kind of an instigator. And she's
impulsive. It was the same type of thing when she married
Brent. She did
the wildest thing that she could think of because it was most likely to
get a reaction from everyone."
"At least you know your daughter
well. Funny thing is, there are times I think that's why I--why
we get along so well. When we were back in New York, the way she got me
out of that whole mess ... it was incredible."
Bill nods knowingly. "It just so
happens that her plans don't always accomplish such positive ends. Nor
are her goals always so noble."
"Exactly." Matt moves the pan's contents
around as the sizzling continues. "And I think we finally got to the point
where she had to face that and change something, and she couldn't do it,
or she wouldn't do it. So besides Victoria, I don't think there's any chance
we can ever have much of a future."
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