Who: Marc Russo (as Jack Lewton) and Beau Waites (with special guest appearances by Lucinda Waites, Brianna Waites, and Josh Russo). Where: The Doughnut Hole. What: Beau finds an new acquaintance in Jack. Marc discovers something far more profound. When: 2/9/2020, 4:45 PM.
It’s all in a family, that’s no lie Even stays that way after we die Leaves, branches, twigs on a family tree And the forest can be hard to see...
Two months into life back in Austin, almost exactly to the date, and Marc finally had enough spare cash to get him and Leo some doughnuts. Certain parts of the city still made him feel sick to his stomach whenever he went through them -- too many memories to wade through and find closure with, and he wasn't ready to really try yet -- but doughnuts? He could mitigate any discomfort he felt on the way to the shop if it meant he could get doughnuts at the end of the road.
The shop wasn't too busy when he arrived, just a few patrons here and there seated at tables. A couple of kids were chatting at a table of their own against the window, just a few seats down from the one Marc chose for him, his doughnut, and his coffee. A doughnut for Leo was tucked carefully inside a paper bag, ready to bring home.
He studied the one he'd picked out for himself, almost as though he were trying to commit it -- his first doughnut in years -- to memory before he picked it up and took a bite. It was so revelatory, he couldn't help but comment aloud: "Are they always this good?"
“Yes,” Lucinda, Beau’s four year old daughter, promptly answered the man. She and Beau were seated at the table within eyeshot of Bree and Josh’s, next to a man who, in all likelihood, hadn’t actually expected an answer to his question.
He laughed good-naturedly, though, and turned to send a smile in their direction. "Thank you."
“Lucinda Grace, what have I said about talking to strangers?” Beau gently admonished his daughter. The chiding was only slightly undermined by the grin on his face. Lu was the friendliest of his children by far and would talk to anyone, given the chance. It was a trait in his youngest that Beau both loved and worried about the most.
Beau turned to the man and nodded in a resigned but friendly manner.
“She’s right, though,” he said, gesturing to the man’s doughnut as he reached over to pull Lu’s hot chocolate further from the edge of the table. Now that Lucinda had initiated conversation, Beau wasn’t about to be rude, so he continued. “You really can’t beat this place for in terms of doughnuts and coffee. First time here?”
"Yes. Only been in Austin a few months, and finally made my way over here." Marc neglected the part where he'd been here before, and the one where he hadn't been able to afford it until this week. He especially didn't mention how the Texan accent he'd put on ever since he spoke up about the doughnut was entirely put-on. "Seems like that was a mistake on my part, but this first bite of doughnut's been more than worth the wait."
“Well, here’s to rectifying mistakes,” Beau said, lifting his coffee to his new acquaintance. As a fellow newcomer to Austin himself, Beau felt a certain kinship to the man. He knew all too well that it was sometimes difficult being the new guy in town. There was a definite “outsider” vibe that some of the longstanding residents of Austin gave off toward transplants. Considering what the city had been through, Beau could understand a bit of territorial pride. Still, knowing that this guy was in the same boat as himself made Beau want to reach out.
Marc did a quick survey of the man at the adjacent table, scanning him with an out-of-practice policeman's eye and identifying him -- hopefully correctly -- as someone Marc couldn't remember from when he'd used to live in Austin. "Y'all come here a lot?"
“Enough that I’ve noticed a downward shift in my bank account and an upward shift in what belt loop notch I use,” Beau answered with a chuckle, patting his abdomen. “A friend and I meet here for coffee whenever we have the free time, which is to say, not often enough. For the kids, though, we try to come over at least once a week for a fun treat.” Beau looked over to Josh and Bree, who had their backs to him. Their giggles carried over the din of the shop and Beau smiled.
"I'm beginning to realize that's a risk I'm taking, too." Marc had always had a bit of a sweet tooth, and now that he had a ready supply of it, he was hoping he'd be able to exercise a bit of self-control. "That all sounds awful nice, though." A polite response, but also one tinged with a bit of jealousy; considering what he was up to in Austin, he didn't exactly have the luxury of friendship.
“Now that you’ve been successfully initiated into the cult of the Doughnut Hole, do you have your sights set on any other Austin staples to mark off your checklist?” Once Beau’s natural friendliness had been tapped, it was hard to pump the breaks. Like daughter, like father apparently. “We’re relatively new to the city ourselves so while we’re still exploring, we’ve found a few places we like to frequent.”
“We like the burger place,” Lucinda said to the man, giving off the air of someone very in-the-know. Beau shared an amused, wry look with the man at the other table. “We like the burger place,” he echoed dutifully.
Marc couldn't help but laugh. He could remember when his son was this age all too well, when he'd started talking off him and Rebecca's ears. "I like the burger place too," he agreed. "My brother works there." And so far, they'd both stuck it out at their new jobs for over a month; a big accomplishment indeed in this new world.
"Where'd y'all move from, if you don't mind me asking?"
“I don’t mind,” Beau replied easily. It was a polite, innocuous enough inquiry. Friendly without being too invasive. “We made the move from Chicago back in the fall. Before the airport opened, mind you, so you can imagine making a twelve hour trek over two days with three kids in the car.”
With Gabe opting to hang out at a friends house instead of joining the rest of his family on their little coffee shop excursion, Beau didn’t realize his comment might give the impression Josh was his. Oblivious of the implication, he continued.
“It was a big change but I think it’s worked out well enough. Because of the doughnuts,” he deadpanned, grinning at Lucinda.
“And his brother’s burgers,” she supplied helpfully, patting her dad’s hand as if to remind him.
“Yes, of course your brother’s burgers have also made the move worthwhile,” he said, addressing the man again. Beau made a mental note to keep an eye out for a similar-looking fellow spouting the same Texas drawl the next time they went to Burgatory. Realizing that he’d had a whole conversation with the stranger without introducing himself, Beau shook his head, frazzled by his inadvertent rudeness.
"He just works up front," Marc demurred, but the thought of it still brought a smile to his face. As temporary as life in Austin still felt, it was nice to think of Leo finding his way to some kind of career at the restaurant. "But I'll let him know he's making Austin a lot better for y'all."
Determined to make up for his unintended slight, Beau stuck his hand out across the distance between their two tables. “I’m Beau, by the way.” He didn’t offer either of his children’s or Josh’s names. Beau was all about being sociable but to a reasonable and safe point.
"Jack," Marc said; the fake name didn't cause any hesitation as he reached over to shake the man's hand. "Pleasure to meet y'all." He aimed a broad, eager smile at Beau and his daughter, then looked sideways to give a quick nod in the direction of Beau's other children. Except one of the kids looked more familiar than he'd expected from a stranger, almost like --
Marc shook his head, sure he was just seeing things. He smiled again, though it was a bit more forced this time, and added, "My brother's name is Ray, if y'all end up going out to Burgatory in the near future."
“I have no doubt that we will,” Beau affirmed. “I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for him. And for you now, here. Once you’ve gotten a taste, well.” He held up his hands and shrugged, as if Jack’s patronage was inevitable. Beau caught a glimpse of the time on his watch at the tail end of his gesture. Rebecca would be picking Josh up in a half hour at Beau’s place and he wanted to at least get him and Bree started on some homework before she arrived.
“Hey, you two,” Beau called to the pair. “Why don’t you finish your cocoa, or grab a to-go lid. Your mom is expecting us back,” he said to Josh.
Josh couldn't help but grimace, his nose crinkling as he looked over at the adults and Lucinda. "Already?"
Marc had turned back towards his own table, idly checking his phone as Beau gathered the children, but at the sound of that voice -- and there was no doubting it was the exact same as the kid he'd roughhoused with, read books to, and tucked into bed -- he couldn't help but look up. Their eyes met for a brief moment before he turned away once more, shoving his chair back in a sudden movement that nearly threatened to knock his food off of the tabletop. Beau looked up at the sudden movement; the sound of the chair scraping against the floor sounded loud and shrill in the relatively quiet shop. Jack scrambled to his feet; he almost didn’t look like the same person anymore. Beau observed him, an expression of mild concern passing over his handsome face as he held Lucinda’s coat out to put her little arms through.
"I should get going too." Marc was vaguely aware that it was rude to leave so quickly, but what else were you supposed to do when faced with a ghost? "I, er. It was real nice to meet y'all."
“Same here,” Beau replied slowly. The sentiment was sincere even though he was confused at the man’s abrupt change in demeanor. Beau’s curious gaze shifted from Jack and then to Josh as the boy spoke.
Josh worried at his lip with his teeth, then opened his mouth as though to ask Beau about it. Ultimately, he chose to only say: "When's my mom gonna get me?"
Even though he was vaguely aware that the atmosphere of the coffee shop had changed somehow, Beau was unable to pinpoint exactly what was different. He stood up, ruffled Josh’s hair and put his hand on the boy’s shoulder as Bree bookended her friend on the other side.
“Soon,” he reassured Josh with a warm smile. Beau looked up from the kids to say something to his new acquaintance but by the time he opened his mouth, Jack was gone. He stood and stared at the spot the man had been, perplexed and transfixed for a moment, before Lucinda tugged at his sleeve, jogging him out of his reverie.
“Alright everyone,” Beau said, smiling despite the strangeness of the moment. “Let’s get outta here.”