by CeeCee James
He glanced at her and then at the coffee pot. One eyebrow arched in skepticism. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Why would I care if you got a cup of coffee? Take it.”
Jason went back to his phone and crunched on his toast.
She opened the cupboard, dug around in the back, and gleefully pounced on her old blue Route 66 cup. “It’s still here!”
“Weird, it didn’t grow legs and wander off.” His voiced turned up in a bit-off chuckle.
Glancing at him quickly, she thought, And you didn’t throw it away. She smiled to herself.
“Don’t be thinking about touching my protein powder though.”
“I’m not going to be using your protein crap. Gross. Maybe I’ll make dinner tonight.”
“Mmm, Toasty O’s. My favorite.”
“Better than Twinkies,” she muttered. He’d still hadn’t gotten over his childhood obsession with them, even with this new apparent health kick.
As she poured the coffee she felt a nudge against her leg. Archer panted his smile up to her as his tail wagged in happy swipes. She waggled her fingers down at him and he gave them a lick. Jason was absorbed with his phone. She glanced at the counter quickly, before swiping a piece of bacon. Cramming half of it in her mouth, she held the other piece out. Archer took it carefully, crunching as he ate it.
Jason raised his head at the sound. “Is that my dog?”
“Ermmm.” Miranda was noncommittal. She brushed her hands off on her skirt and reached for the coffee cup.
He glanced around the island counter. Archer licked his lips and stood panting for more from Miranda. She tried to gently nudge him away with her slipper.
Jason gave a long blink. Miranda took a big gulp of the coffee, nearly spitting it out as it scalded her mouth, before hurrying to get her shoes on.
“See you tonight for some Toasty O’s,” she shouted, and ran out the door juggling the mug, her keys and her purse.
* * *
That night, Miranda pulled into the driveway, bone weary. She turned the key off and stared up at the house. The lights shone through all the downstairs windows and fell in warm splashes on the dark lawn. The house had never had looked more welcoming. Inside was the promise of a hot bath. She exhaled a deep sigh and rested her head against the back of the seat.
Every muscle was tight in her neck. The first day back on the job had gone okay, and she hadn’t made any horrible blunders, but the receptionist position was more demanding then she expected. The gal who tried to train her on the billing system rolled her eyes more than once at her. Miranda rubbed her neck, trying to release the tension. I better bring her some Starbucks tomorrow to make up for it.
Then, after her work shift ended, she’d hurried to the hospital to spend a couple of hours with Cassie, this time reading from A Wrinkle In Time. Her mouth felt dry now as she reached for the Jeep door handle. The doctors had filled her in on Cassie’s latest MRI results. Miranda hadn’t understood everything, but the end result was that Cassie was improving. But how long it would take, still nobody knew.
She reached for the visor and pulled it down, retrieving a travel pamphlet she’d tucked up there. A colorful beach scene splashed across the front, it’s title screaming in cursive letters, “Escape to paradise.”
Miranda studied it for a second, before tucking it back. That’s one promise I’m going to keep to myself. I’m going going to travel all over the world one day. Cassie, you need to get better so you can come too.
Her muscles screamed as she slowly climbed out of the Jeep. Feeling like her body was wading through water, she plodded toward the house. Right this very minute she couldn’t wait for a bath, a bowl of cereal and to fall into bed. And she was tired enough to consider skipping the cereal.
The scent of pepperoni greeted her when she opened the front door. Her stomach rumbled loudly in response, and she clenched her hand over her belly.
Jason was loading the dishwasher, the sleeves of his blue flannel shirt pushed up his tan arms. He smirked as she came in. “Hey there, stranger. I decided to make dinner tonight. Out of pity. Those Toasty O’s you eat are just pressed sawdust. Go ahead and have a slice.”
She inspected the pizza hungrily, deciding not to read too much into the stranger comment. Half a pie still sat there on the cardboard in triangles of grease. “Hi yourself. And thank you. I’m actually starving.” She grabbed a slice and took a huge bite before ripping off a paper towel.
“How was work?” he called out.
Miranda chewed quickly. “Awesome.” She hid her mouth with her hand as she talked around the pizza.
“Yeah? That’s good.”
Miranda chuckled at a memory of the forty-year-old male dental patient who’d decided to flirt with to her. “Nothing like getting hit on by men whose mouths are so numb you can’t understand them.”
“Hey, that’s one way to play the game. Make the girl feel sorry for you and want to nurse you back to health.”
Miranda smiled and rolled her eyes.
He brought his pizza to the couch. Archer lay in his spot, his eyebrow bumps bouncing as he glanced up. Jason stopped cold and stared at him. With a soft wag, Archer jumped off the couch and slunk to the back door for Miranda to let him out.
Jason sat and put his feet up. After a few seconds he shifted and readjusted again. “It doesn’t feel right.”
“Err,” She flashed him a nervous grin. “Yesterday, while you were gone, I flipped the cushions and vacuumed it out. I thought I’d help out by cleaning.”
Jason narrowed his eyes and didn’t look pleased. “I get you’re back, and we’re cool. But leave my crap alone.”
She froze by the door. Why did I mess with it? “Sorry—”
Jason gave a heavy exhale through his nose. He turned on the TV before taking a big bite of his pizza.
Miranda twisted a piece of her hair and pulled it behind her ear. Slowly, she walked over and sat next to him. “So, Family Matters again?”
“No, I’m revisiting junior high years. We’re watching Saved by the Bell.”
“Ahhh, good ol’ Bayside.” She took a relieved breath and relaxed into the cushions.
“Crap,” he muttered, looking down. He scooped the pizza sauce off of his white shirt and licked it off his finger. Then, setting the plate on the coffee table, he pulled both the flannel and the t-shirt off and headed to the laundry room.
Miranda’s blue eyes widened at his broad, defined shoulders. Maybe Twinkies do a body good after all.
“So, did you meet anyone at the clinic that you used to know?” he asked on his way back with a clean t-shirt. He slid it over his head and smoothed his hair.
Miranda swallowed hard. Get a grip, girl. “Err, no. I did however, meet the most amazing woman who’s committed to taking me under her wing.”
“Yeah?”
“Her name is Claudia, and she runs the dental office like a super-star. Pretty much everyone jumps when she says anything.” Miranda shook her head. “And by ‘say’ I mean she has the sweetest back talk you ever heard. She could insult a lawyer and they’d thank her for the compliment.” Miranda pulled off a piece of the crust. “I also learned I’ll never get used to the sound of the drill.”
Jason stopped chewing. “Wow, you just made me sadder for you.”
“Good. Will you make dinner tomorrow night, too?”
“More pizza?”
Just then Archer reappeared at the back door, tongue wagging. He gave the door a scratch with his saucer-size paw to be let in. Jason opened the door, and the dog bounded in, covered in bracken and leaves. He jumped on the couch, planting muddy footprints on Miranda’s lap. A pungent odor surrounded him and filled the air.
She screamed, holding her nose at the smell.
“Holy cow, Archer! What’d you get into?”
They both stared at him, repulsed.
“I made dinner.” Jason said. “You get to bathe him.”
Miranda backed a step away with her hands up. “Oh no, b
uddy. Like you keep telling me, he’s your dog!”
13
~Homeless~
Jason was right—the train tracks had intersected with a road. The highway stretched out long before the three kids. Cassie and Miranda trudged ahead, following the white line. Jason lagged behind. The sun was straight overhead, beating down on the asphalt and the backs of their necks. None of them spoke. Instead, they saved their energy for the next step forward. And the next.
Miranda’s stomach twisted inside of her, infuriated with the empty ache it had endured for so long. She scrunched her face in pain, and bent over. Slowly, she blew out. When the pain eased, she stumbled forward again.
Several cars flew by. The passing gusts of wind pulled on their clothing and hair.
Around the bend was their first sign of civilization: a driveway, complete with a manicured lawn. A man with a cowboy hat straddled a riding lawnmower, mowing it in clean strips.
Miranda felt the vibration of the mower into her chest. The smell of fresh-cut grass gave her a sense of security, false though it might be.
More driveways branched off the road like ribs on a skeleton. They were back in a new town.
From behind her, Miranda could hear a truck speeding up the road. Gravel spit where the tires had slipped on to the shoulder. She pushed Cassie into the ditch and dove over the top of her. The red truck honked as it hurtled past. Some man in his early twenties flung his arm out the window and flipped them off.
Cassie’s eyes were as round as eggs as Miranda helped her up. “They almost ran us over.”
Jason’s face was white with fury. He cussed up a storm.
Miranda put her arms around Cassie’s shoulders and steered her away from him. “People are jerks. We have to be careful.”
Cassie resisted Miranda’s leading and craned her head to look back at Jason. “Wow! Are those all bad words?”
Miranda raised her eyebrows and gave a tight-lipped grin.
“It’s like he’s speaking his own special language,” Cassie said.
“He’s special, all right. Come on, let’s keep going.”
They passed into the edge of a town, too small for a welcome sign. The place appeared deserted. Spray paint tagged the sides of buildings with boarded-up windows. A few cars lined the sides of the street, but the silence was spooky. No barking dogs, no people arguing from upstairs apartments, no kids laughing or babies crying. Miranda shivered and crossed her arms to rub the goosebumps away.
Up ahead, a spinning sign marked the entrance to the parking lot of a small grocery store. As it turned, Miranda read, “Penny Wiggle.”
“I’m going in there to get us something to eat,” Jason said. His hair was spiky from sweat. Raking his fingers through it, he tried to smooth the dark hair back. “Man, I’m hot.”
Miranda nodded. She knew what he meant about getting food. Neither of them had money.
They cut through the parking lot. Jason led Cassie and Miranda around to the back of the building where there was a green dumpster in an enclosure.
“You both wait here a minute,” Jason told them. “Look in the bin for any food that’s edible.”
“What?” Miranda’s eyebrows flew up. “I don’t think so. I’m coming with you.”
He shook his head no, his hands waving to keep her quiet.
“Oh, you better believe I’m coming in there with you.” Miranda had her hands on her hips. “Hauling out food for the three of us is more than you can do.”
Jason looked up at the sky and sighed. “Fine. But follow me. Do what I tell you to do.”
“Yeah, because shoplifting is such a hard job.” Miranda grumbled.
“Shoplifting?” Cassie asked. Her face was pale as she looked up at her sister.
“How else do you suppose we’re going to get food?” Miranda untied her shirt from around her waist and buttoned it back up.
“Get water too,” Cassie whispered. Her wet hair clung to her head even though her face was pale.
“You got it.” Miranda passed Poppy down to her. “Stay,” she hissed at the dog. "And you stay too," Miranda admonished Cassie. "I don't want to come back and find you've disappeared, got it?"
Her sister nodded.
“And if anyone approaches—anyone—you scream. I'll come running. Understand?”
"What if it's a baby?"
Smart-aleck. “Scream,” Miranda answered.
“Come on, let’s go.” Jason shifted back and forth on his feet, full of energy. He raised his eyebrows at her impatiently, before heading around the side of the building.
Miranda gathered her sweaty hair off her face and twisted into a messy bun. She yanked a rubber band from around her wrist and stretched it around her hair.
Then, with a deep breath, she followed after him.
The bell jingled as Miranda pushed the door open. The cashier watched an old TV balanced precariously on a shelf, and didn’t bother to glance up as she entered. He was barely a man himself, his face still spotted with acne. Miranda walked to the back, where Jason already was.
He’d opened a box of granola bars and was sliding them inside his socks, his pockets already filled. Miranda quickly followed his lead, checking around the ceiling corners for a camera.
Tires squealed in the parking lot. Miranda froze for a millisecond before jumping up, freaked out for Cassie. Jason grabbed the back of her shirt and yanked her down.
The door jangled open. Miranda watched through the crack in the shelf as the gang of young men from the same red truck that almost ran them over came in. Their voices were loud and cocky, obviously wanting to be heard.
One of the men called over to the cashier. “Hey, Acne Cream. You look bored. You bored?”
“No-oo—”
“Aww, poor Pizza-Face is bored.”
Jason held his fingers across his lips, warning Miranda to be quiet. Slowly, he slid a water bottle down the front of his shirt. He grabbed another, motioning for her to do the same.
The crash of a display of soda bottles being knocked over shook them both. Miranda froze, staring at Jason. She could barely breathe. Jason scuttled over to her, his lips forming a silent Shhhh.
Then, came a violent slam on the counter and the sound of shattered glass. From the front they heard a drawl, “Why don’t you open up that cash register.”
Jason pinned his hand over Miranda’s mouth to stifle her gasp.
“Y-yes sir, just a minute.” The cashier punched keys in his till to open it.
“Yes, yes, just a minute,” one of the men echoed.
“Hey, Devon, take a whack at this.”
Jason peeked around the corner. They’d lined wine bottles across the counter. The man called Devon sauntered up to them, took aim, and smashed them with a bat. Red liquid dripped down the counters and sprayed on the wall. Green shards of glass littered the floor. Devon turned and tapped the bat lightly on the register, inches from the cashier’s head.
Jason’s eyes darted between the action up front and Miranda. She shook uncontrollably.
“Look at me.” Jason grabbed her hands.
She beat him off in panic.
“Miranda!” he hissed.
Her eyes were wild and unseeing. She sprang to her feet.
Jason leaped up and grabbed her, hauling her back behind the shelf of canned goods. He held her close and whispered into her ear. “I’m not going to let them hurt you. We’re going to get out of here. You hear me?”
Hurry. Hurry. Hurry. Her pulse pounded in her ears. She nodded weakly.
More glass broke up front, and the cashier said, “H-here, take it.”
“Slowly.” Jason got low and began to crawl. “Don’t let them see you.” Down on her hands and knees Miranda followed after Jason. The exit sign beamed green against the back wall. It led to a dark hallway where the bathrooms were. Still on her hands and knees Miranda peeked around the aisle corner. The men had their backs to her, and the young clerk’s face sagged in misery as he bagged the money.
<
br /> One, two, three, Miranda crawled the length of the hallway. Just before the exit door there was a side room, filled with stock. Jason was in there, shoveling cans into his backpack. A loud shriek from the front froze her blood. More laughter. Jason waved at her to follow him. Miranda couldn’t swallow. Her heart took up the space.
When Jason’s hand hit the push bar of the back door the alarm sounded. They both stared at the blinking red light and then at each other. Jason shoved the door open.
“Run!”
“Back here!” one of the men yelled behind them.
Miranda ran around to the dumpster, her feet sliding in the gravel. Jason was gone, having already fled up the alleyway.
Cassie looked startled at Miranda’s appearance and jumped to her feet. “Shhhhh.” Miranda frantically waved her down. She crouched over the top of her sister. “Shhhhh. You have to be so quiet right now, baby girl,” Miranda whispered in Cassie’s ear. She wrapped her arms tightly around her sister. The men had reached the back door.
“Where’d they go?”
“I’ll kill them when I find them.”
Miranda sank lower, her legs feeling like Jell-O. She motioned to Cassie to make sure Poppy didn’t bark. Her sister grabbed Poppy’s muzzle and murmured in her ear.
Their footsteps crunched on the gravel, coming closer.
“Maybe they’re behind here. Hiding like rats in the trash.”
A crash of glass breaking came from the front of the store.
“What the hell?”
“He’s beating on my truck!”
“Mother—”
The footsteps took off for the front of the store. A sob escaped Miranda, and she tried to stifle it with the heel of her hand. The truck roared to life and someone screamed out, “We’re coming for you, Boy!”
“C-come on, Cassie,” Miranda stood shaking. “We’ve got to go.”
“What about Jason?” Cassie asked.
“He’ll get away, somehow.” Miranda struggled to control the hitching in her voice, “He’s drawn them off. We need to go.”
She helped Cassie up. Holding her hand, the other clutched around her mid-section to secure the food and water, they crept along the alley behind the buildings. After a minute they turned the corner and cut through a tiny backstreet that ran behind a row of houses. Jason! Where are you? Miranda darted a look around. Her core shook with fear. I’m brave. I’m brave. I’m brave.