Espresso In The Morning

“Because I know you,” she said. “I know how you always feel responsible for other people, even at your own expense.”

He stared at her. “What does that mean?”

“When you were young, when your father was still with us, and you know how he liked his liquor—”

“That’s all over and done with. Do we need to rehash it?” He picked up his roller and smashed it in the paint. He hated thinking about his father, how he’d hurt his mother and Lucas hadn’t been able to stop him.

“The man was an idiot, a cruel idiot, but an idiot—”

“Can we please not talk about him? What does he have to do with this, anyway?” Lucas asked.

“Let me finish. You were seven when he left, so young and so angry.”

“Madre—”

“Lucas, listen to me. He’d come home stinking drunk and he’d get mad about a toy you’d left out or a mess you’d made, or something he made up in his head and he’d always yell at you while he struck me and then you took care of me afterward, bringing me the first-aid kit and ice. He made you feel like it was your fault. But it wasn’t.”

Lucas’s throat tightened. He gripped the roller. His father had been a real bastard. It had been a relief when he’d left. “He never deserved you. I don’t know why you married him.”

“I got you out of the deal, didn’t I?”

He nodded, but didn’t reply. She thought he felt responsible, but he just felt angry. Even at seven he’d known his father’s actions were wrong. How could any of them be Lucas’s fault?

“I just want you to think about why you’re befriending this woman, Lucas, that’s all. It can’t just be about her. It has to be about you, as well. You have to get something from the relationship.”

He swiped at the wall. “I know that. Like I said, I’m just getting to know her. And she did help me today. I locked my keys in my car and she gave me a coat hanger.”

“Well, good,” she said, “but you know what I mean.”

“Yes, I know what you mean.”

They worked in silence for a while. His mother meant well, but she was wrong. Lucas wasn’t trying to save everyone because of some messed-up complex he had over having a sadistic drunk for a father.

He just wanted to do the right thing.

“You’re a good man, Lucas,” his mother said.

He shook his head. It was impossible to ever be annoyed with her. “I try to be.”

“Well, you wouldn’t be my hijo if you weren’t. I’d disown you,” she said.

“Yeah?”

“In a heartbeat.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” he said, smiling. “I’m your one and only. Besides, you love me.”

“Yes, that is true and you are very lovable, once you get past your whole I-have-to-save-the-world thing.”

“I have to save the world?” He regarded her, eyebrows raised.

“Yes, even though it isn’t your place, because you aren’t responsible.”

He groaned.

“Just pointing it out, so you don’t forget.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t think I’ll forget that one.”

“You might, once you get distracted,” she said.

He climbed down and moved the ladder again before responding. “And how am I going to get distracted?”

She took a deep breath then let it out slowly. “I think a young troubled niño and his distressed madre will prove a very difficult distraction.”

“Is that so?” he asked. “And I don’t know that the kid is troubled. He’s tired for sure, but troubled, I don’t know.”

“Either way, you won’t be able to resist. You’re already getting sucked in. I can tell.”

Lucas shook his head. He hadn’t even mentioned the secret espresso-machine deal. Was his mother right? Would he get sucked deeper into a relationship with Grey and Claire than he meant to? Lucas only wanted to help.

And that did not mean he was trying to save anyone.

“So what else is new?” she asked.

“I made Ramsey a night manager. He’s been there for almost a year now and he makes a decent barista, especially for someone who didn’t know a latte from a cappuccino when he started. But besides that, he’s great with the other employees and I trust him completely with the books.”

“Won’t he be headed to college at some point?”

“I hope so.” He didn’t offer any further explanation. She’d ask, of course.

“So why give him a promotion if he’s leaving?” she asked.

“It will look better on his résumé and it frees me to do more long-term planning,” he said, which was true, but he was thinking about spending some time catching up on the latest treatments for PTSD.

“And...?” she asked.

“And what?”

“And why else did you promote him? Really?”

He lowered the roller and turned to her. “Because he’s the right guy for the job, okay? He has a future he’s planning for and I think he has potential.”

“I see.” Satisfaction laced her tone. “Kind of like you when you were younger?”

“Yes, only I wasn’t fortunate enough to have someone there to pull me out of it.”

“Someone to save you, you mean?” She winked at him when he frowned at her. “Like I said, you’re a good man, Lucas.”