"Hi, are you finding everything alright?"34Please respect copyright.PENANAcjp6aTJiTc
Nandita smiles at me through a mouthful of froyo and sprinkles.34Please respect copyright.PENANA5NTWiynuqH
"You better not be difficult, Andi."34Please respect copyright.PENANAJOmhLxUBwf
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.34Please respect copyright.PENANAg16YFqUrzz
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. 34Please respect copyright.PENANAELWFpagpsV
"Rizzo, we are never going to make it," I breathe.34Please respect copyright.PENANA8aMomewkVA
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.34Please respect copyright.PENANAwDuTfaPLKp
"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?"34Please respect copyright.PENANAANL59Qzf03
He shrugs and pushes me tea closer to me, as if suggesting I chill out, and I roll my eyes.34Please respect copyright.PENANAKmCyOIzzar
"Hey, dynamic duo, not surprised to find you here."34Please respect copyright.PENANATI2Ro3UruR
I nod at the familiar face of our manager. "Hey, Mickey."34Please respect copyright.PENANAqgIOBe8RhD
"All not well in paradise?" He takes the seat across from us, and Rizzo studies him.34Please respect copyright.PENANA2ulKIy1wm8
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.34Please respect copyright.PENANAgeySOYPIyF
"No, just doing some budgeting, really."34Please respect copyright.PENANAVateArw2Oz
"Hmmm...is daddy's little princess not getting enough allowance?" He teases, turning to the waitress. "Water please."34Please respect copyright.PENANABYsOomdST4
"Haha. It's not that, really. I don't have a fortune anymore."34Please respect copyright.PENANA4TElM6WwlJ
"What happened?"34Please respect copyright.PENANAHtqMbMTRM0
"Long story, to be honest."34Please respect copyright.PENANAFBvWVpyrGJ
"Well, I wouldn't believe it by seeing your ride. A Mercedes?"34Please respect copyright.PENANAI5ZjJNvuTo
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.34Please respect copyright.PENANA9bz6Irs2h4
"Rizzo, we could sell my car," I explain. "Mickey, how much is my car worth."34Please respect copyright.PENANAjPJGTy7s28
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.34Please respect copyright.PENANAr8kiRNhQB2
"Ummm...a 2016 car like that in good condition has gotta be worth thousands, girl."34Please respect copyright.PENANA0m0hNkag9p
The waitress brings a tray of with Mickey's water and our banana split.34Please respect copyright.PENANAEuiOKfJlUt
"Dang, you too hungry or what?"34Please respect copyright.PENANAqhIW65igbV
"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.34Please respect copyright.PENANABBW8ZUflSN
I take my spoon and dig into the chocolate while Rizzo starts on the strawberry.34Please respect copyright.PENANAqHEsN194Av
"So what are you two saving up for?"34Please respect copyright.PENANAtaykbIo4b6
Rizzo shrugs nonchalantly. "A tiger sanctuary."34Please respect copyright.PENANAOBtDkChFoC
Mickey stares blankly. "Wha---like real tigers? For real?"34Please respect copyright.PENANAidzbvucq6t
Rizzo nods, and I raise my eye brows, pursing my lips with certainty.34Please respect copyright.PENANABLZmzqq18D
"Man...my brother would love that...you got the tigers yet?"34Please respect copyright.PENANAHcgy3pG656
"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.34Please respect copyright.PENANAxfk9MIOB0D
Rizzo shakes his head. "Hey, I can't let you sell your car, Mou. It's special to you."34Please respect copyright.PENANAKqe3ta34UD
Rizzo is so selfless and so in tune with me that sometimes, I think he knows me better than I know myself.34Please respect copyright.PENANA1Gq6F6c0Y7
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."34Please respect copyright.PENANAItqw53IJyD
I narrows his eyes thoughtfully, wiping off his nose. "Really?"34Please respect copyright.PENANAd8p1KLXWYj
"Everytime, Rizzo."34Please respect copyright.PENANAdjsG7B9tcx
He pulls me into a kiss. "Everytime."34Please respect copyright.PENANAuv0COkdP2Y
"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."34Please respect copyright.PENANA2BJERLpgzy
I shovel more ice cream into my mouth. "We are just us, really."34Please respect copyright.PENANAawHRMp91cv
"So what's your opening date? with a goal like that, you have to have an opening date."34Please respect copyright.PENANAki51PUZbnh
"Yeah, it has to be important...something special---"34Please respect copyright.PENANAuEKu71BDCq
"Bubu's birthday! That's the day we will have the baby tigers."34Please respect copyright.PENANAJXPCxl0mYe
"All of them?"34Please respect copyright.PENANAP8Q7BFXCHq
"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?"34Please respect copyright.PENANAYl6Oee3Dft
"True, Rizzo, but---that's just a couple weeks away---"34Please respect copyright.PENANAvjZlSDx2Ou
"We can DO this."34Please respect copyright.PENANA95Wvmmh9oy
"Yes, we can. We will go to the car dealership tomorrow."34Please respect copyright.PENANAtKNESZeC6x