The restaurant soon grew lively as Richard, Mindy, and little Harry, who was staying with them, arrived one after another to wait for dinner.
Frank walked into the restaurant. He glanced at the bullet holes in the wall and shook his head helplessly, then went over to the bar counter and said to Alvin, "When the kids are here, don't just start shooting...
Your aim is more dangerous than your gun..."
Alvin, already in a foul mood, glared at Frank and said irritably, "Your son's about to hit his rebellious phase. What do you think I should do?"
Frank looked at his hapless son and hesitated for a moment before joking, "Just don't kill him. He's my only son..."
Alvin looked at Frank, who seemed to be in a surprisingly good mood, and asked, baffled, "What's gotten into you? Did Shirley give you a treat?"
Frank took the coffee Alita handed him, glanced at her server's uniform, and said, "You're not suited to wear that..."
Then Frank turned to Alvin and said, "Shirley's with Fox and Pepper...
But last night, one of the kids who graduated last year called me...
His mom moved to the town where he's going to college and found a job there..."
Alvin saw the rare smile on the old Executioner's face and said with a laugh, "That really is something to be happy about!
Leaving here is a good start!
But why did he call you just to thank you?
Buddy, the look on your face is starting to annoy me. Shouldn't he have called his principal first?"
Frank raised his coffee cup and took a sip, smiling as he said, "The kid's mom was an addict. I helped her kick the habit..."
Alvin was stunned. Then, disbelieving, he said, "As far as I know,