Tears In His Eyes
As the manager tapped the glass at the front of the restaurant, a swollen little boy looked up at him with red eyes. Tears were clearly visible in his eyes.
An employee of the manager noticed that the boy was standing outside alone, so he summoned one of his staff members to investigate. Her curiosity drove her to ask the boy why he was waiting outside. He seemed reserved as if he wasn't interested in talking. Why was he waiting?
The Smell
He wiped his brow as he bustled through the kitchen, barking orders to his staff. It was a hectic place to run a kitchen in Coastal Key, Florida. A smell of roasted garlic and simmering marinara accompanied the hustle and bustle of the evening.
His father's restaurant had become a landmark in the community a decade ago after Jack, 40, took over. Jack thrived in the chaos of every evening, despite the whirlwind of activity.
Full of Events
That night was packed with events. Jessie, one of the senior waitresses, shouted, "Table four needs more water!" as she rushed past Jack with a tray full of steaming food.
Almost as soon as Jack nodded, another crisis arose. It was late at night, and the line cooks were arguing over the last batch of fries because the dishwasher had broken down. Jack noticed an unusual sight among the clatter and noise: a small boy sitting on the sidewalk.
It Was Interesting
After peering through the window, the curious manager stopped what he was doing. When people didn't come in to eat, he didn't like them hanging around the bistro.
As Jack pointed at the boy through the window, he asked, "Jessie, have you ever seen him before?" A sigh escaped Jessie's lips as she glanced over. "No, but he's been there for a while. He said he was waiting for his dad." Even the staff weren't sure what was going on.
Feeling Lonely
In spite of Jack's frown, he didn't have time to dwell on it. The dinner rush had occupied his attention, so he was content to wait. The summer holidays meant people were in a festive mood, eating and celebrating with their families at his restaurant.
Over the next week, Jack noticed that the boy sat in the same spot, waiting every day. Having to wait outside his restaurant always made him uncomfortable.
Listening Closely
The waiters were also too busy to care. His response to their questions was to ask them to leave him alone whenever they spoke to him. The staff began to get annoyed with the boy's constant requests for movement.
When Jessie passed Jack a stack of menus, she whispered, "That boy's here again." Jack asked, "Is he still waiting for his father?". Jessie confirmed, "Each day this week." Jack was unaware because the boy was always in the restaurant.
Still Waiting
Jack's head waiter, Maria, approached him with a concerned look on Monday evening as the dinner rush began to ebb.
Taking him aside, she said, "Jack, there's a boy sitting on the sidewalk outside," her voice tinged with worry. "His father is waiting for him," he said. Maria helped Jack grow the business by being the best waitress. When the depressed child stood at the window, she thought it looked bad for business.
Questioning Everything
It was time to tell the delinquent child to go away, the annoyed business owner had enough of him. As he approached the entrance, he started walking. However, something in him prevented him from confronting the boy, despite the fact that he was detrimental to the company.
The boy sat with his knees pulled close to his chest, no more than ten years old. Jack glanced through the window. "Maybe he's waiting for his dad to finish his work," Jack said. "Let's keep an eye on him."
A Busy Evening
There was a lot going on in the night, and the boy vanished somewhere in the middle. He didn't stay away for long, though. The boy was seated in the same place again the next day. It did not take Jack long to notice him this time.
His expressionless face stared at the ground as if he were alone. With the dinner crowd pouring in, Jack couldn't investigate further because his heart was breaking for him. It was unclear what the lonely boy would do next.
Finally Back
There was a boy standing outside every day that week. One of the waiters, however, would always run away as soon as he was about to go outside. The staff began talking by Wednesday. During a lull, one of the waiters asked, "What's the boy's story?" He commented, "It's odd for a child to spend every night out here."
" He says his father is waiting for him," Maria replied. "It's strange, he never comes in, doesn't talk to anyone." They didn't know what the boy was really doing.
Watch Him
Jack overheard the conversation and decided to watch the boy more closely. He knew his staff were getting tired of chasing him away. He stared at him from the inside. Jack saw that a few other patrons also noticed the boy. Nobody wanted to see a crying child while they ate their dinner.
That evening, as the last few customers trickled out, Jack saw the boy get up and walk away, blending into the darkness. Where was he going?
Waiting For His Father
The next day, Jack's head waiter, Jessie, approached him with a worried look on his face. "Jack, there's a kid sitting on the sidewalk outside. He's been there for a while now."
Jack glanced out the window, spotting the young boy sitting alone. "Did you ask him if he's okay?" Jack asked. "Yeah," Jessie nodded. "He said he's waiting for his father. I didn’t think much of it at first, but he's been here all afternoon."
Just Check On Him
Jack furrowed his brow. "Alright, let's keep an eye on him. If he's still there in an hour, we'll figure something out." They continued with their food orders as normal. Sure enough, the boy was still there when the restaurant closed for the day.
Jack watched him from the window, a strange sense of familiarity tugging at his memory. The boy eventually stood up and walked away as dusk settled in. But there was no other person in sight.
Who Is He
The mysterious boy had all the talk with the restaurant staff. They were intrigued by him and wanted to help him. The next day, the boy was back. This time, Jack decided to approach him.
"Hey there," he said gently. "Are you alright? What's your name?" The boy looked up at him with wide, solemn eyes. "I'm Andrew. I'm waiting for my father." He continued twiddling his thumbs as though he had something better to do.
Being Nice
Jack nodded. "Alright, Andrew. Do you want something to eat while you wait? It's on the house." The boy was clearly hungry. Andrew shook his head politely. "No, thank you." He looked down at his hands again, it seemed like he was lost in his own world.
Jack sighed and returned inside, telling his staff to keep an eye on the boy. Day after day, Andrew returned to the sidewalk, always with the same story.
Making Friends
After a few more days, the staff almost expected to see the little boy waiting outside. By Friday, the staff had grown quite fond of Andrew. Waitress Maria would bring him slices of bread and butter, while cook Sam sneaked out cookies for him. "He reminds me of my little brother," Maria said one evening.
He started opening up to the waitresses more, he told them that he stayed nearby. His father worked in the building. But they didn’t know who he was and Jack wanted to find out.
What’s The Deal
Thursday evening, Jack stepped outside to find the boy sitting in his usual spot. "Hey there, kid," Jack said gently. "Are you alright?" The boy looked up with wide, innocent eyes. "I'm waiting for my father," he said softly. Jack's heart ached for the child. "Do you know when he'll be here?" he asked.
The boy shook his head. "He told me to wait." Jack returned inside, feeling uneasy. Something about the boy's situation gnawed at him, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
The Law
Friday came, and so did the boy. This time, a police officer noticed him and stopped to investigate. Jack watched through the window as the officer spoke to the boy, who repeated his story. "I'm waiting for my father." The officer radioed his department to report the boy.
Jack decided to intervene. He stepped outside and joined the conversation. "Is everything alright here, officer?" He didn’t want the boy to get into any trouble.
Are You Safe
The policeman looked at Jack, then back at the boy. "This young man says he's waiting for his father. Do you know him?"
Jack shook his head. "He's been sitting here every evening this week." The officer knelt down to the boy's level. "What's your name, son?" "Andrew," the boy replied. Jack tried to fill the officer in on what he knew. They realized that it was a sensitive case. But what could they do to help?
It Doesn’t Add Up
The officer believed Jack's story. "Andrew, do you know your father's phone number?" the officer asked gently. Andrew shook his head again. "He just told me to wait." The little boy didn’t speak much and seemed to be troubled about something.
The officer sighed and looked at Jack. "We'll keep an eye on him. But if you see anything unusual, give us a call." But they didn’t know how bad things were going to get.
Helping Him Out
Jack nodded, watching as the officer drove away. He felt a deepening sense of responsibility for the boy. "Andrew, would you like something to eat?" he offered. For the first time that week, Andrew's eyes lit up. "Yes, please." He got up and rubbed his hungry belly.
Jack brought him inside, seating him at a table near the kitchen. "Maria, can you get Andrew something to eat?" he asked. He felt like Andrew had ended up on his doorstep for a reason.
His Details
Maria nodded and quickly prepared a plate of spaghetti. As Andrew ate, Jack sat with him, trying to learn more about his situation. "Where do you live, Andrew?" Andrew looked up, a strand of spaghetti hanging from his mouth. "I don't know." He pointed down the road.
Jack's concern grew. "Do you go to school?" Andrew nodded. "Sometimes." Jack watched the boy stuff the pasta into his mouth as though he hadn’t eaten in days.
Where Did He Go
Jack was about to ask more when the kitchen's phone rang. He excused himself and answered it, dealing with a supplier issue. By the time he returned, Andrew was gone. He told his staff to be on the lookout for the lonely boy, and they were under strict instructions to take care of him if they saw him.
The weekend was hectic, with the restaurant filled to capacity. Jack barely had a moment to think about Andrew until Sunday night. As he locked up, he wondered where the boy had gone.
Something Serious
Monday arrived, and Jack found himself scanning the sidewalk for Andrew. To his relief, the boy was back, sitting in his usual spot.
"Andrew, you can't keep waiting out here," Jack said as he approached him. "But my father told me to wait," Andrew insisted. Jack sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and concern. "Let's go inside. We'll figure this out together." He had to find Andrew’s father and ask him what was going on.
Looking For Him
As the week progressed, Andrew became a regular fixture at the restaurant. Jack and the police officer tried to gain his trust. Jack's staff grew fond of him, and he became somewhat of a mascot. But Jack couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.
Andrew pointed toward the restaurant. “My mom said he’s inside.” But not once did they ever see his father. They started to question whether the boy’s father actually existed at all.
Drawn To Him
Jack felt a strange sense of familiarity as he looked at the boy. Those blue eyes, the shape of his face—it was like looking at a younger version of himself.
Jessie, who had followed Jack outside, nudged him. “Hey, Jack, doesn’t he look a bit like you?” Jack shook his head, trying to dismiss the thought. “That’s impossible.” The officer stood up and turned to Jack. “We can’t leave him out here. Do you mind if we come in and talk?
Blast From The Past
Jack nodded, holding the door open for them. As they walked inside, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew this boy from somewhere.
He sat Andrew down at a table and brought him a glass of water. “Andrew, can you tell us more about your mom and dad?” Jack asked, his voice gentle. Andrew took a sip of water, his eyes wide and trusting. “My mom’s name is Lucy. She said my dad works here. She told me to wait for him.”
Could It Be
Jack’s heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t heard that name in years. Suddenly he was transported to a time ten years ago.
Lucy was his girlfriend from a few years back, a relationship that ended abruptly when she moved away. “Lucy?” Jack whispered, more to himself than anyone else. Jessie’s eyes widened. “Jack, you don’t think…?” But they weren’t sure if they were right.
He Talks
Jack shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. “Andrew, do you know your mom’s last name?” He placed a slice of cheesy pizza in front of the boy. Andrew nodded. “Henderson.” The little boy continued to happily eat the pizza slice in front of him.
Jack felt a lump form in his throat. “Officer, can we take Andrew home? I need to see something.” But Jack was not ready for what he was about to uncover.
Andrew Says
The officer agreed, and Jack, Jessie, and Andrew piled into Jack’s car. Andrew pointed out where he stayed. They drove in tense silence, the gravity of the situation settling over them. “My mommy is sick,” Andrew said softly. Jack tried to calm him down as they approached his house.
When they pulled up to a modest house on the outskirts of town, Jack’s heart was pounding. He had no idea what to expect next.