"Hi, are you finding everything alright?"67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGmIsSc5Xx
Nandita smiles at me through a mouthful of froyo and sprinkles.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqImNmUWsb
"You better not be difficult, Andi."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jgmjQZsjh
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.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuK75bE5mVe
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. 67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PGH5AboVV
"Rizzo, we are never going to make it," I breathe.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJ6dvC3dCt
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.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcngBliow2
"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?"67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkeBWsX47i
He shrugs and pushes me tea closer to me, as if suggesting I chill out, and I roll my eyes.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1SdFqkVqm
"Hey, dynamic duo, not surprised to find you here."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDMn4hiyQV
I nod at the familiar face of our manager. "Hey, Mickey."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIoUG32X9y
"All not well in paradise?" He takes the seat across from us, and Rizzo studies him.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2O5wtKi7m
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.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJm1hUvqju
"No, just doing some budgeting, really."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuiRfjQc4xP
"Hmmm...is daddy's little princess not getting enough allowance?" He teases, turning to the waitress. "Water please."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrwFvWgc6W
"Haha. It's not that, really. I don't have a fortune anymore."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2afVErZiHt
"What happened?"67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1ROVeiAs8
"Long story, to be honest."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2iId71hBSu
"Well, I wouldn't believe it by seeing your ride. A Mercedes?"67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbnFoUHRTZ
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.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzFBuRTqFK
"Rizzo, we could sell my car," I explain. "Mickey, how much is my car worth."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5A2nFS6F2V
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.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEpRfXWvL4
"Ummm...a 2016 car like that in good condition has gotta be worth thousands, girl."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFbJDqI2ET
The waitress brings a tray of with Mickey's water and our banana split.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYHnuTriHY
"Dang, you too hungry or what?"67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPPzfrFmKC
"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.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ma5Kw6Sie
I take my spoon and dig into the chocolate while Rizzo starts on the strawberry.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOnKgzNVx7
"So what are you two saving up for?"67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9iOB03PBS
Rizzo shrugs nonchalantly. "A tiger sanctuary."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcCqFHJBUx
Mickey stares blankly. "Wha---like real tigers? For real?"67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOHfOvyQLd
Rizzo nods, and I raise my eye brows, pursing my lips with certainty.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLi2VNgqR6
"Man...my brother would love that...you got the tigers yet?"67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWf52u42PW
"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.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbU5Qi3SVFg
Rizzo shakes his head. "Hey, I can't let you sell your car, Mou. It's special to you."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJpdji6hfi
Rizzo is so selfless and so in tune with me that sometimes, I think he knows me better than I know myself.67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNrLa4ih4J
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."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9igPGWPIZV
I narrows his eyes thoughtfully, wiping off his nose. "Really?"67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvidSuHRXU
"Everytime, Rizzo."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCDvbztmFu
He pulls me into a kiss. "Everytime."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJi1yxVZ7fe
"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."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZCNRReO6u
I shovel more ice cream into my mouth. "We are just us, really."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAVCD7BtAlz
"So what's your opening date? with a goal like that, you have to have an opening date."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhaU7Cb8pS
"Yeah, it has to be important...something special---"67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡztTnzQuGZB
"Bubu's birthday! That's the day we will have the baby tigers."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEi9zPtvML
"All of them?"67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtaDNKauDP
"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?"67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNVGL1VBMc
"True, Rizzo, but---that's just a couple weeks away---"67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYEhIOvPot
"We can DO this."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4P013zIo7J
"Yes, we can. We will go to the car dealership tomorrow."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4J7wDKDGW
