“Frank’s a card,” he said. “You’ll like working for him.”
I didn’t know what he meant by Frank being a card. Cards were something you use when you played a game with clubs and aces. But I didn’t say that. I had my wizard face on.
“That’s good,” I said.
“The pallets are all in the back. New stuff gets delivered every day. You’ll have a section. Phil was in dry goods. I reckon they’ll put you there too, since you’re kind of small to be lugging heavy stock.”
I looked down at myself. I was certainly small compared to him.
“You want somewhere to put that bag?” he asked. “It looks heavy.”
I adjusted the duffel bag on my shoulder. I didn’t wantto let it out of my sight. It was the only thing I possessed, my life and my memories.
“It’s okay,” I said. “I’m fine.”
“Maybe you’re stronger than I thought.” He grinned, and my heart flipped.
I pressed my hand to my chest. I’d only felt that funny flutter when Rolf kisses Liesl after singing “Sixteen Going on Seventeen.” I didn’t know real people could make it happen.
We walked along with his cart. He led me through the store, pointing out the aisles that had cereal, pasta, and other things I knew well.
“I’ve been coming to this store all my life,” I said. Then I realized, no, I hadn’t. But I couldn’t change it now.
“Cool,” he said. “Then you will know where most everything is already.”
“I do.”
“Well, let’s head to the back for a minute. I can leave my cart here. I’ll show you around. When did you say you were starting?”
“Monday.” I didn’t mention that I wanted to start sooner. I knew this boy couldn’t tell me it was okay. It had to be Frank. The manager made the decisions.
“And you’re here on a Saturday,” he said. “You’re going to show all of us up.”
I had no idea what that meant. But he said it with a smile, so I smiled back.
“Frank is going to love you,” he said. “He’s better than my old boss, Penny.”
“What happened to her?”
“She moved to a different store.”
“There’s more than one Shelfmart?”
He laughed. “You kidding me?”
I laughed too, but my head was spinning. There was more than one store, and people could move to others and keep their jobs. If I moved to another Shelfmart, Mom wouldn’t know where I was. Working here was so risky. She’d come here first when she realized I was gone.
“Do you sometimes work at one of the other stores?” I asked.
“No, generally we pick one and stay there.”
“How do I pick a different one?”
“It wouldn’t be too hard to move if you wanted. That’s what Phil did. He moved to San Antonio. Penny would take you at hers, I bet, if you can put up with her.”
I had put up with Mother. How bad could this woman be?
“How do I talk to Penny?”
