Ross nodded, lips pressed tightly.
Her huge dark eyes were tragic. "How can he do that, Ross? He knows he can't get back into it. We have a baby now. If he quits the job and goes back-why can't he see how that will ruin everything?"
He took her hand in his and looked deeply into her eyes. "Driving is all he's ever known, Carrie. When a man loves his work like Grant did, and you make him quit, he feels like you've destroyed a piece of him. His self-image is all wrapped up in his work. And when he doesn't have that anymore, he feels he's not the man he used to be."
She shook her head. "But he has to quit it. It's just too dangerous…."
He looked at her earnestly. "And he will. But it may take some time. He might have to dabble in it now and then to remind himself of why he has to quit."
Tears welled in her eyes and her lower lip trembled. He smiled at her.
"You want me to talk to him?" he asked.
She nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Please?"
"Sure."
They talked for a few more minutes, then Carrie kissed him on the cheek and left. She had to pick up her baby and get home. Customers were beginning to trickle in, but Mickey had time to slide in next to Ross and talk for a few minutes.
"How's business?" he asked her.
She shrugged. "We're thinking about expanding. Things are good."
"Great." He grinned at her. "And how's married life treating you?"
She smiled, her green eyes sparkling, but she didn't give him details.
"I finally hired a new girl full time to come in and help me during the busiest hours," she said. "Her name's Amity. She just moved up here from San Diego and she's bright as a new penny. I love her to death."
"Is that her?"
Ross pointed out a young woman coming out into the restaurant from the back. Wearing a pale green uniform just like the one Mickey wore, she had a sweet but vaguely dream-like quality to her pretty face. She wore her dark hair in two plaits that hung down over her shoulders, and the first thing Ross thought was that she might be a Native American of some kind. She certainly managed to grab the spotlight. There was something ethereal about her.
He read her nameplate as she came closer.
"Amity Crane" it said.
"She looks good to me," he told Mickey, then gave her a hug. "I've got to go. Thanks for letting me know what was going on with Carrie and Grant. I'm going to try to talk to him. We'll see if that does any good."