"Hi, are you finding everything alright?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9M4EHGvU9T
Nandita smiles at me through a mouthful of froyo and sprinkles.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDp8rhtbxn
"You better not be difficult, Andi."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTe1miyeOx
Roman tilts back in his chair and snubs his nose. "Oh no, Miss, that'll be all for now. Be on your way." He flicks a hand at me.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9PIn5dIiF
I fix him with a glare as Nandita laughs her pants off. Gianrico and I have been pulling extra shifts since we started training. Rizzo isn't the best with people, but he is a hard worker and extremely specific about his cleaning. Most of the time, I run his section and mine as far as interacting with people, and he makes sure everything is spotless. Working and putting our weekly paycheck together this week, we have worked 70 hours total in all and mustered about 500 dollars, not telling anyone what we are saving up for. At the end of first week closing, Rizzo and I go to a 24 hr diner right next door to celebrate, and I peer at my check in disbelief once again. 66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnRvlapPHi
"Rizzo, we are never going to make it," I breathe.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF59ELXv02N
For once, I feel like i'm the one freaking out, and Gianrico is the wood pushing the fire behind this dream---what has become our dream. Gianrico slides me onto his lap, squeezes my shoulders, but even his gentle touch isn't enough to calm the anxiety.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBXPChVtOu
"Pull out the notebook." he slides out the notebook labeled: "Tigers" where we have our plans and our budgeting for now...somewhat unprofessional but we have to start somewhere. "Rizzo, you have an 100,000 dollar trustfund we are using for our savings. I have no money other than the 3,000 dollars I have in savings. Baba has not talked to me since I started dating you, and he certainly wouldn't fund this. What are we to do?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8M7gHYgat8
He shrugs and pushes me tea closer to me, as if suggesting I chill out, and I roll my eyes.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYAWwFjLoY
"Hey, dynamic duo, not surprised to find you here."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZLW0n71Pe
I nod at the familiar face of our manager. "Hey, Mickey."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKE5XLtiWpL
"All not well in paradise?" He takes the seat across from us, and Rizzo studies him.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssIvfsMQx2
I touch Rizzo's hand before he can make a rude remark like, "Why are you sitting at our table. This is our alone time." Rizzo is very specific about our uninterrupted quality time, however random it may be.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dVdd8mtYw
"No, just doing some budgeting, really."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9FZ1Jemrk
"Hmmm...is daddy's little princess not getting enough allowance?" He teases, turning to the waitress. "Water please."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOBImT8mrE
"Haha. It's not that, really. I don't have a fortune anymore."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9CPpcQz1W
"What happened?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cbFrq0Zig
"Long story, to be honest."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvSoehTIPy
"Well, I wouldn't believe it by seeing your ride. A Mercedes?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLwa0qmXrx
Suddenly, i tense, and Rizzo gazes at me with his intense and silent stare---always aware of every movement and every change; it's like he sees right through me.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMxvk6VmkT
"Rizzo, we could sell my car," I explain. "Mickey, how much is my car worth."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXtDsJlIze
It had not taken me long to learn that our manager, who drives a classic mustang he must have spent his life savings on, is a car fanatic.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9eFDopWwIP
"Ummm...a 2016 car like that in good condition has gotta be worth thousands, girl."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYotzCaNiDI
The waitress brings a tray of with Mickey's water and our banana split.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZVZQ9BrvG
"Dang, you too hungry or what?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqSlSMEnGG
"We come here every night when we close to get a banana split to share." Rizzo says the first thing he has said since Mickey sat down.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURBSyEPBgH
I take my spoon and dig into the chocolate while Rizzo starts on the strawberry.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQOqueIJnf
"So what are you two saving up for?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLWl8yJ4D8
Rizzo shrugs nonchalantly. "A tiger sanctuary."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9ecm9SP92
Mickey stares blankly. "Wha---like real tigers? For real?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMInRIEZO9y
Rizzo nods, and I raise my eye brows, pursing my lips with certainty.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2RFLcb3u7
"Man...my brother would love that...you got the tigers yet?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJWniN0o8r
"Not yet, we are saving up." I stare at the car my father brought me for my birthday...parked out on the curb and shimmering in the streetlights. Fully paid off. All mine. Emaye will be getting her own car soon, and with my savings, I could buy me a used car.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHd6AngeW9i
Rizzo shakes his head. "Hey, I can't let you sell your car, Mou. It's special to you."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8s38anmpR
Rizzo is so selfless and so in tune with me that sometimes, I think he knows me better than I know myself.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2d2YLBOQIZ
I dip my spoon into the ice cream and dab some on his nose. At first, he is shocked, but then he grins. "It's my choice, and I choose this dream of ours...I choose you."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXymdeSVMz
I narrows his eyes thoughtfully, wiping off his nose. "Really?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt300dTDC1j
"Everytime, Rizzo."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hJBwfuB4U
He pulls me into a kiss. "Everytime."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTE9fX2lWL
"Yuck! You two are as mysterious as...as...I don't even know." Mickey sits back in his seat, sipping his water. "And yet, I envy that kind of love, man."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKhWxTCWWh6
I shovel more ice cream into my mouth. "We are just us, really."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwO9T3mjw6
"So what's your opening date? with a goal like that, you have to have an opening date."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUC4Dpigcc
"Yeah, it has to be important...something special---"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlZjrLr4oK
"Bubu's birthday! That's the day we will have the baby tigers."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFrK0pHemM
"All of them?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGBUMKzyrF
"All of them, and we will announce it at his birthday party and name one of them after him. Remember, you said you wanted to do something special for him, right?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4eM65xmtq
"True, Rizzo, but---that's just a couple weeks away---"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayqFa7Go1D
"We can DO this."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7kEORoJi4
"Yes, we can. We will go to the car dealership tomorrow."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmoodYQxDZ
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