“Yes it is,” I replied, going back inside and taking my coat off, shaking snow on the floor.
“You need to come home,” he all but demanded, sounding a little panicked. What in the world was wrong with him?
“Flynn, I’m working at JAC’s. You know that,” I told him calmly.
“Close the store and come home. The roads are bad,” he stated firmly.
“Flynn, I can’t do that. I have to keep the store open until closing,” I explained. I resumed my place behind the counter and perched up on the stool. Several of the security cameras were covered with ice, and I couldn’t see anything on the monitor.
“I don’t like you not being here when the roads are bad. It makes me nervous,” Flynn said, and I couldn’t help but smile. I wasn’t used to having someone worry about me.
“I’ll be okay, Flynn. And if I think it’s too bad to get home, I’ll stay here,” I tried to reassure him.
“You’ll stay in the store? That sounds awful.” Flynn sounded aghast.
I snorted. “Yeah, well Jeb has a couch in the store room. It’s warm in here. There’s food. I think I’ll survive.”
“You shouldn’t sleep on a couch in a storeroom. You should be home with me,” he protested.
“I wish I was. I’d much rather be there with you than here,” I remarked, looking up when the bell chimed over the door, wondering who would be crazy enough to be out in this weather.
“Will you call me and tell me if you’re coming home or not? I feel worried with you there. I don’t like it.” Flynn’s voice was tight.
“Of course I will. I’ll call in a few hours,” I told him. There was a moment of silence and then the click of the phone as Flynn hung up. No goodbyes. Just silence.
Flynn wasn’t the best at closure in any form.
The customer, all bundled up in a thick over coat, with the hood up around their head, held a crying child in their arms as they struggled with a basket.
I came out from behind the counter and headed toward them. “Do you need some help?” I asked, reaching for the basket as it fell from the woman’s grasp.
She pushed back her hood and looked up and my smile froze on my face. “Thanks, Ellie,” Dania said, looking flustered. Her daughter, Lyla wailed in her arms.
I took the basket and stood awkwardly beside my former friend. I hadn’t seen Dania since our run in at IGA. And our parting of ways hadn’t been particularly amicable.
Dania bounced the unhappy child on her hip, seeming frazzled and exhausted. “You’re working here again?” she asked, sounding surprised.
“Yeah,” I said shortly. The silence lengthened between us as Dania tried to shush Lyla and I wished the floor would open up and swallow me whole.
I cleared my throat, feeling the need to say something. “Why in the world are you out in this shit?” I asked and then grimaced. “I mean, snow. Sorry. Forgot there were kid ears present.”
Dania laughed. “She hears worse from me on a daily basis.”
I gave her a strained smile that instantly fell from my lips and died there.
Dania hefted Lyla up and patted her on the back, the little girl finally quieting. “I live just around the corner. I wanted to pop in and get a few things before heading home,” she said.
“Oh, well that makes sense,” I said. I looked out at the falling snow instead of looking at the girl who I had been closest to for a good portion of my life, remembering all the times she had come to visit me here while I was working.
Sometimes it was to keep me company. Sometimes it was take gum and candy bars without paying for them.
There were so many times I had been annoyed with Dania. Times that I had felt something close to hatred rather than friendship.
But lately, I found myself also remembering the times she had been an actual friend. Like how she had protected me from our foster dad. Or the times she’d visit me at juvie.
Before I had left Wellston, I had been sick and disgusted by her actions. I had loathed how selfish and self-involved she had become; particularly in regards to her unborn child and the way she had treated Flynn.
I had wanted nothing more than to separate myself from her for good.
