32: Chapter 32 The Store Managers' Stories (Part 11): Tommy's Decision

Tommy's chemotherapy was finished.

The final round was harder to endure than any of the previous ones.

But he had made it through.

On the day of his discharge, Joe pushed a wheelchair to pick him up.

The doctor said, "You can try to walk slowly, but don't rush."

Tommy nodded, his eyes bright.

On the way back to the store, he kept looking out the window.

Joe asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Tommy said, "I'm thinking about the people at the store."

Joe smiled, "They miss you, too."

When Tommy returned to the Orange County Store, a row of people stood at the entrance.

Lisa, Mike, Sofia, Lao Zhang, Lao Zhangs son.

And Lin Feng.

Lin Feng was squatting at the entrance, chewing on a straw.

When he saw him arrive, he stood up.

"You're back?"

Tommy nodded.

Lin Feng walked over and looked down at him.

"You've lost weight."

Tommy smiled, "It's the chemotherapy."

Lin Feng was silent for a second.

Then he reached out and pulled Tommy up from the wheelchair.

"Stand for a moment."

Tommy froze.

He held onto Lin Feng's hand and slowly stood up.

His legs were shaking.

But he managed to stand.

The row of people at the entrance suddenly started clapping.

Tommy turned to look at them, his eyes reddening.

But he was smiling.

That night, the store closed early to hold a small welcome party for Tommy.

Lisa fried a huge pile of chicken.

Sofia was carrying plates at lightning speed.

Mike had concocted a new sauce, saying it was specially developed for Tommy.

Lao Zhang mopped the floor until it was shiny enough to see one's reflection.

Lao Zhangs son wiped the windows three times.

Tommy sat in the corner, watching them bustle about, smiling like a fool.

Lin Feng squatted beside him, chewing on a straw.

"Happy?"

Tommy nodded.

Lin Feng said, "That's good."

Tommy was silent for a second, then suddenly spoke up,

"Brother, I want to tell you something."

Lin Feng turned to look at him.

Tommy said earnestly,

"I want to be a real store manager."

Lin Feng was stunned.

Tommy continued, "I used to be an honorary store manager, and Lisa did everything. Now I want to do it myself."

Lin Feng stared at him for three seconds.

Then he asked, "Do you know what a real store manager has to do?"

Tommy nodded, "I know. You have to wake up early, sleep late, manage people, do the accounts, get scolded, and take the blame."

Lin Feng raised an eyebrow, "And you still want to do it?"

Tommy smiled, "Yes."

Lin Feng asked, "Why?"

Tommy thought for a moment and said earnestly,

"Because I want to try and see what it feels like to be needed by others."

Lin Feng was silent.

Tommy continued, "Before, I needed others. Now, I want others to need me."

He looked at the group in the store,

"Lisa needs someone to help share the burden, Mike needs someone to praise him, Sofia needs someone to teach her English, and Lao Zhang needs someone to talk to."

He turned to look at Lin Feng,

"I want to be that person."

Lin Feng stared at him for a long time.

Then he smiled.

"Tommy, you know what—"

Tommy waited.

Lin Feng said, "You're stronger than me."

Tommy was stunned.

Lin Feng stood up, brushed off his pants, and shouted at Lisa,

"Lisa! Come here for a second!"

Lisa walked over, looking confused.

Lin Feng pointed at Tommy, "Starting tomorrow, he is the assistant store manager. You train him."

Lisa was stunned.

Tommy was also stunned.

Lin Feng said, "He wants to be a real store manager. You teach him."

Lisa looked at Tommy and stared for three seconds.

Then she smiled, "Fine. But there is one condition."

Tommy asked, "What condition?"

Lisa said, "Open the door with me at six o'clock every morning."

Tommy nodded, "Okay."

Lisa continued, "Close the door with me at ten o'clock every night."

Tommy nodded again, "Okay."

Lisa continued, "For the sixteen hours in between, you do whatever I tell you to do."

Tommy nodded again, "Okay."

Lisa stared at him for three seconds.

Then she smiled, "Alright, then start tomorrow."

The next morning at 5:50 AM, Tommy appeared at the store entrance in his wheelchair.

When Lisa arrived, he was already there.

Lisa raised an eyebrow, "So early?"

Tommy said, "You said it, open at six."

Lisa smiled.

She opened the door, and Tommy followed her in.

On the first day, Tommy learned how to operate the deep fryer.

On the second day, he learned how to take inventory.

On the third day, he learned how to do the accounts.

On the fourth day, he learned how to talk to customers.

On the fifth day, he learned how to discipline employees—although he didn't actually do it, he just stood by and watched Lisa do it.

A week later, Tommy had lost three pounds and gotten two shades darker, but his eyes were brighter than before.

Sofia asked him, "Tommy, aren't you tired?"

Tommy thought for a moment and said, "Tired. But happy."

Sofia asked, "Why are you happy?"

Tommy pointed at the store,

"Because all of this is mine."

A month later, Tommy could stand up on his own.

Not standing by holding onto things, but truly standing up on his own.

That day, he was doing accounts behind the cash register. As he was calculating, he suddenly stood up and walked to the entrance.

Everyone in the store looked at him.

Tommy stood at the entrance and looked back at them.

"I stood up."

Silence.

Then Sofia was the first to start clapping.

Then came Mike, Lao Zhang, Lao Zhangs son, the customers, and Lisa.

Lisa stood behind the counter, her eyes red, but she was smiling.

Tommy looked at them and smiled, too.

It was the kind of smile a fifteen-year-old boy (should) have.

On the weekend, Lin Feng came again.

He squatted at the entrance, looking inside.

Tommy was at the register, standing.

Lisa was doing accounts nearby, smiling.

Mike was frying chicken, the corners of his mouth turned up.

Sofia was carrying plates, smiling.

Lao Zhang was mopping the floor, the corners of his mouth turned up.

Lao Zhangs son was wiping the windows, also smiling.

Everything was quite good.

Lin Feng watched for a while, then stood up, ready to leave.

Tommy ran out and called him back.

"Brother!"

Lin Feng turned around.

Tommy stood in front of him and said earnestly,

"Thank you."

Lin Feng raised an eyebrow, "Thank you for what?"

Tommy said, "Thank you for pulling me up that day."

Lin Feng paused for a moment.

Tommy continued, "If you hadn't pulled me up that once, I might never have dared to stand up for the rest of my life."

Lin Feng was silent for three seconds.

Then he smiled.

"Tommy, you know what—"

Tommy waited.

Lin Feng said, "It wasn't me pulling you. It was you who wanted to stand."

He paused,

"I was just the person who gave you a hand when you wanted to stand."

Tommy stared at him, his eyes red.

Lin Feng patted his shoulder and walked toward the car.

After two steps, he turned back,

"By the way, you stand steadier than I thought. Next time I come, treat me to some fried chicken."

Tommy watched the car disappear around the corner.

Then he turned back and continued to work the register.

Standing.

Smiling.

[Chapter 32 End]