A Deadly Summer Day by K.T. Rose

Author:K.T. Rose [Rose, K.T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Today’s Special

The chiming bell pulled my attention from Billy’s Paper Route arcade game to the front of the parlor. I nodded at Tony as he strolled in, his round belly leading the way.

“What’s going on, Tony?” I let go of the joystick, allowing Billy to crash his bike into an oncoming mail truck, which ended the game. The abrupt zapping sound reminded me of my alarm clock, making me cringe and twitch a little.

I rounded the counter for the second time that day. I went to the freezer next to the kitchen door and pulled it open. It excelled a gust of frosty air. Cartons of gelato lined the racks from the floor to just above my head.

Tony approached the counter. A glint of worry dragged his dark eyes. “Hey Jackie,” he said. “How’s it going?”

“Living the dream,” I said. I pulled vanilla gelato from the top rack and topped off the carton under the glass display just behind me. The sweet sugary smell of fresh ice cream never got old.

“Good. Good. You in school yet?” Tony walked around the booths and tables slowly, looking around as if he wanted to buy the place.

“Nah.” I stored the vanilla carton and pulled a chocolate one. “I mean, I will be, but not until winter. I have a hefty balance to cover.” I sighed. My tongue felt lazy when it came to explaining why I was still there. I was the one who talked it up and even bragged about my acceptance to MIT. I boasted about how I was going to be something greater, something different from anyone here. I wouldn’t be stuck in the city, taking up odd jobs and living out of one-bedroom apartments and renewing my bus pass. Instead, I’d have a high-end car and a four-bedroom house where my future wife and I would raise our two kids. The last bedroom would be my study where I’d play games and fuck around on the internet. Yup. I’d break the tie, elevating my family. Not here, scooping up ice cream and cleaning toilets. But taking the longer way around had its perks. A debt free one. Ma promised it.

“No loans, huh?” He pressed his stubby hands on the counter and stretched his short neck out. He peered around me from the side of the arcade games to the kitchen door.

“Nope! Not one. You know how Ma is. Luckily, Uncle Pauly gave me an opportunity to work here.”

“Yeah?” He cracked a half smile. “And how’s that?”

I lifted the scooper. “You’re looking at it. This along with my paper route and bussing tables at Dotty’s, that is.”

“Uhn. I never knew an ice cream parlor could cover a six-figure bill.”

I scoffed. “Apparently Uncle Pauly’s can.” Honestly, I was just as confused about how Uncle Pauly was going to give me over three hundred a week, if my math was right. It wasn’t like the parlor got much foot traffic with fall rolling in, which was odd because the parlor was the only place to get ice cream in the winter.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.