Mabe's Burden Read Online Free

don’t know how you do it,
but these things are just straight from Heaven’s own
gates.”
    She grinned, placing two cups of coffee
on the table. “I know. Ma’s recipe passed down through the ages. I
have to bake them at least once a month.”
    He wolfed down his roll then reached
for a napkin, wiping his sticky fingers. “Whoa there,” Mabe
cautioned, her eyes wide. “You act like you haven’t eaten in a
month.”
    Gavin laughed. “It’s been a least two
hours, but I won’t tell if you won’t.” He reached for
another.
    “ Be careful or you’ll lose
your girlish figure.”
    He patted the paunch at his waist. “Too
late, I’m afraid.”
    “ So, what have you got in
that leather satchel of yours?” She stood to refill their coffee
mugs while Gavin made quick work of the second cinnamon
roll.
    Licking his fingers, he commented, “I
have to be honest, darlin’. I’m afraid it’s not very good
news.”
    She set the mugs on the table and
rejoined her longtime family friend. “I’m not surprised. I’m sure
Da let the life insurance lapse or something equally
irresponsible.”
    Gavin removed a legal pad along with a
large manila envelope from the briefcase, placing them on the
table. He caught her gaze. “I’m afraid its worse.” He dumped some
documents out of the envelope, spreading them out before
her.
    “ What’s that?”
    “ This is a record of your
father’s gambling debts—”
    “ What? ” Her hand flew to her heart. “Oh, no. Oh, God…please tell me
he didn’t gamble away Shenanigans.” Tears pricked her eyes, but she
struggled to remain brave. She would not let her father, even in
death, defeat her.
    Gavin glanced away, cleared his throat.
“Mabe, he was my best friend and I loved him like a brother. I
tried multiple times to pull him away from that thug of a bookie,
but you know Shane. It was always, ‘This one’s going to be the
winner, Gavin, my boy’, he’d say. I tried to explain to him he’d
soon reach a point of no return and lose the pub altogether. I
thought I was finally starting to get through to him when this
happened. I’m just devastated by all this.”
    Her eyes narrowed. “How long have you
known about this debt? And why didn’t you come to me when you first
learned about it?”
    Again, he avoided her gaze. “Shane made
me swear not to say anything. He told me he had a plan to take care
of it. Like a fool I believed him.”
    “ How much?” she
demanded.
    “ It’s quite a bit, I’m
afraid. Close to two hundred thousand.”
    Mabe dropped her coffee mug on the
table, tipping it over. Hot liquid spilled in her lap.
“Shit!”
    She jumped up, dashing to
the sink for a towel. She swiped at her jeans and then wiped down
the table. More tears threatened to escape, but she fought them
back. What an idiot I was to believe Da
had stopped his gambling. He’s cost me Shenanigans. Son of a
bitch.
    She plopped into the chair, guilt
immediately washing over her for thinking ill of the dead. She
sighed and put her head down on the table. “What am I going to do?
I don’t have that kind of money, anywhere. I can’t lose the pub.
It’s the only thing I know how to do. It’s our heritage…Meg,
Mara’s, mine. How could Da have been so stupid?”
    Gavin sighed. “I know, darlin’. I’m so
sorry to have to tell you about this. There is some good news
though.”
    She looked up, expectantly. “There’s
life insurance?” At the shake of Gavin’s head her hopes
fell.
    “ There’s a man who came to
me the other day. His name is Aaron Shaw. He’s a commercial real
estate broker out of Atlanta. He wants to expand his businesses
here in Monticello and inquired about buying Shenanigans. It might
be your way out. The bar’s worth at least five times what your da
owed those thugs. Aaron’s offer might be just what you need to help
you out.”
    “ Sell Shenanigans? Gavin,
are you nuts?” She paced the kitchen. “I’m sure he’s just another
shark trying to get