I chuckle at him while watching Danica bend over to wipe up a table. God, she's got curves for days. I think she and I could get along just fine.
"Don't you worry about me. Take care of that pregnant wife of yours. I'll call again with another update soon." I hang up before he can even respond as I wink at the waitress friend Danica has. She keeps smiling at me and watching me.
Yes, I think if I play my cards right, this will go smoothly. Now, to convince her of that.
4
DANICA
The clock above the register reads 10:20 when I finally finish wiping down the last table. My feet ache and my back is sore from bending over booths all night. I untie my apron and fold it before tucking it into my bag with the tips I counted earlier. It's not much, but it's a living I can be proud of.
Mina's at the counter sorting silverware into bins for the morning shift. Her auburn hair has completely fallen out of its bun and hangs around her face in tired waves. She looks up when I approach and gives me a sympathetic smile.
"You walking home?" she asks.
"Yeah." I pull my coat from the hook by the door. She knows I'm uncomfortable, though, because after making a point to hand my number to Vadim right in front of Petr, the man left and didn’t return. And the last look he gave me wasn’t pleasant. I don't like to be the sort of woman to think ill of others, but he scares me sometimes.
She glances toward the kitchen where the cook's cleaning his station. "You should wait and catch a ride with Zoran."
I shake my head and button my coat up to my throat. "I'm too tired to wait that long. You know it takes him at least an hour to clean the grill. I want my bed."
"It's dark out." Mina sets down the silverware and crosses her arms. "And that creep was acting weird after you gave your number to the other guy."
The memory of Petr's hand on my wrist makes my skin crawl. "He's always weird." I adjust my bag on my shoulder. "I'll be fine," I tell her, but now I'm thoroughly weirded out. If Mina's concerned, maybe I'm right to be worried. I just don't want to wait so late when I'm so tired.
"Danica." Mina walks around the counter and stands in front of me. "Just wait for Zoran."
"I do this five times a week." I reach for the door handle. "Nothing's going to happen," I tell her, though I'm not entirely convinced myself. But I'm a big girl and I have my phone. I could dial 1-1-2 if I feel threatened.
Mina doesn't look convinced but she doesn't argue. She just pulls me into a quick hug and tells me, "Text me when you're home."
"Yes, Mother," I say with a smile, then I push through the door into the humid night air.
The street is empty except for a stray cat that darts between parked cars. The diner's neon sign flickers behind me, and I start walking toward home with my purse dangling from my shoulder and my bag hanging from my hand.
The route takes fifteen minutes on a good night when my feet don't hurt and I'm not exhausted. Tonight, it feels longerbecause every step sends a dull pain up my calves. I should've worn better shoes, but my only other pair has a broken heel and I don't have money to replace them right now.
I pass the closed bakery and the laundromat with its lights still on inside. A woman is folding clothes by herself and she doesn't look up when I walk by. The pharmacy on the corner's dark and the security gate's pulled down over the entrance. Past that is a residential area where most homes are dark at this hour.
Three blocks from the diner, I get the feeling someone's behind me. I glance over my shoulder but the street is empty, though it's quite dark out, and I can't be certain some of those dark shadows aren't people hiding from me. I keep walking, but the feeling doesn't go away. It curls up in my gut and makes itself at home, gnawing at my awareness. I've let my own fears of Petr following me home get to me.
My heart starts beating faster and I pick up my pace slightly, but I try to laugh at myself for being so scared. Mina's words didn't help either, making me more anxious than necessary. I do this five times a week and not once have I had an issue.
But the sound of my footsteps echoing off the buildings on either side of the street starts to get to me. I listen for other footsteps but I hear nothing except my own breathing and the distant hum of traffic from the main road. I'm being foolish. No one is following me and my palms are getting sweaty for no reason.
I turn the corner onto my street and risk another look behind me. I still don't see anything but the feeling is stronger. Goosebumps rise on my arms and the back of my neck. My hands are shaking when I pull them from my pockets, but I force myself to keep walking at a steady pace instead of breaking intoa run. The last thing I want is to make a scene and look foolish, but I can't shake the feeling.
Petr's face flashes through my mind. The way he looked at me when I walked past his booth after giving Vadim my number. There was so much anger in his eyes, and his mouth was so tight. He's been pushy before, but tonight felt different.
I'm two blocks from home when I swear I hear footsteps behind me, like someone's trying to be quiet but they're failing. My breathing is ragged and sweat runs down my back. I want to run, but running might trigger whoever's following me to chase, so against my urge, I force myself to walk.
I fumble in my bag for my phone and pull it out with trembling fingers. The screen's too bright when I unlock it and I squint against the glare. Mina's number's right there, but what would I say if I called her? That I think someone is following me but I can't see them? And if I call emergency, they'll laugh at me if they show up and I'm imagining things. I have no proof.
God, this feels like torture.
But I swear the footsteps are getting closer. I can hear them clearly now and they're definitely matching my pace. When I slow down, they slow down. When I speed up, they speed up. My throat tightens and I clutch my phone so hard my knuckles ache.
One block from home and I'm practically jogging now. My purse bounces against my hip and my shoulder hurts from the strap digging in. The footsteps behind me speed up too, and I hear breathing that isn't my own.
