What They Left Behind

After three years of working two full time jobs, Ben had enough money to open his own restaurant. It was on Sutter Street and it was a new start for him. The doctors had told him recently that he was ninety-nine percent recovered. The only remnants of the accident were a few faint scars on his body and the fact he still couldn’t remember what happened.

  He named his new restaurant Michele’s and added a few of Valben’s favorites to the menu, along with some new recipes. His reputation preceded him. Many of his old customers came to the opening, along with his family.

  Everyone seemed to be having a pretty good time, except for Gennie. At the end of the night, Ben noticed she had a worried look on her face. He had just finished serving the last piece of chocolate cake his new pastry chef made from scratch when Gennie approached him.

  “Can I talk to you alone?” she asked.

  “Sure,” Ben said. “We can go in my office.”

  They walked into his office and Ben closed the door.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “Well, I’m graduating from Berkeley in May.”

  “Yeah, I knew that.”

  “And I’m looking for a job.”

  “Yes, and?”

  Gennie sighed and rubbed her eyes. “Ben, I don’t know how to say this. You see, I’m looking for jobs down in Los Angeles.”

  Ben knew this was coming. Rory wanted to be an actor, so naturally they would have to live near Hollywood. Right now, Rory was living in L.A., while Gennie and Michele were still at her in-law’s house in Berkeley.

  “I miss Rory so much. It’s so hard not being able to see him more than once a month.”

  “I understand,” Ben said.

  “You do?”

  “Sure!” He gave her a hug and kissed her on the forehead. “You guys should be together.”

  “But I don’t want to leave you.”

  “I’m a big boy now. Nothing bad will happen.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah. Do you think I’m going to fall apart here if you leave?”

  “But with the accident and all that…”

  “That’s in the past. I’ll be fine. Now go find yourself a decent job, so you can support that movie star husband of yours.”

  Gennie laughed. “I was worried all night about this for nothing. I’ll call and visit as much as I can.”

  He patted his sister reassuringly on the back. “Stop worrying and go have some fun. That’s what this party’s for.”

  Chapter 47: December 15, 1974 Los Angeles