LOCATION: Still at Shay-D-Mart
TIME: near end of shift 

Kim leaving sucked a lot of energy out of the Shay-D-Mart. The only sound was the dead-humming of the refrigeration units.

Looking for something to do, I finished ringing up their purchases.

I realized that Kim and her gang hadn’t made any purchases. Too much excitement about going to Ember Honey, perhaps. I promised myself I’d keep a close eye on them next time they came back.

I quickly bagged the items, and Smoulder took the plastic bag from me.

I kind of hoped they were going to drop this whole tour guide thing. But the idea of a second job and some cash in my hand was really starting to take hold and appeal to me. I just didn’t know how to bring it up.

Smoulder saved the situation by saying, “I don’t want to meet here. I want to meet someplace comfortable in case I have to wait. The brownie place. Let’s meet there. You can show us your proposal then.”

“Max’s Patisserie?” It was a struggle to keep my voice light. I know someone like Kim would scoff and just call it the cost of doing business. But what if I can’t afford to do business?

He read the dismay on my face but continued as if he hadn’t. “Since I suggested the place, the check is on us.”

I looked at Charming for his take on the idea. His smile was pleasant, but too bland to read anything. 

So, I took the next step. “I can be there at four, but I need to leave by five, so I have time to get ready for work.”

Limiting time seemed like a good idea. Not sure what I’d do if I needed to leave earlier, though.

“Agreed.” He stuck his hand out to shake and seal the deal.

I stared at his hand. It felt somehow like a bigger deal than it should be. People shake on deals all the time. It took me a beat to reach out and accept his handshake. 

I don’t know what I expected, but the jolt of electricity was not it. 

My hand froze mid shake. 

I didn’t dare look up at Smoulder’s face. I didn’t want to know what he saw or didn’t see. I did sneak a peek at Charming through my bangs, and the slight furrowing of his brows was the first disagreeable look on his face. 

I released Smoulder’s hand and grabbed a random object on the counter. Luckily it was a Squirrelman key fob. 

I managed to look up and give a nod.

They both nodded back and left.

The sun was now full up and they didn’t seem fazed by the daylight. I snorted to myself at the thought that it might have.

Starla came in for work just as Smoulder and Charming exited the door. She held the door open for them. The minute she closed the door, she gave me a look of shock, like she’d just seen her favorite celebrity. She fanned herself then mock fainted, using the door handle for support. She played at stumbling towards the counter, leaned heavily upon it and rolled over to look up at me.

“Why don’t guys who look like that ever show up on my shift?” Her voice expressed the unjustness of the world.

I grinned. I loved working with Starla (unless we were doing inventory). You always knew where you stood with her. I’m not even sure if she’s capable of hiding her emotions. And she’s such an optimist even though she’s raising her son on her own.

“This excitement could have been yours if you covered Kim’s shift last night.” I said with an insincere, world-weary sigh.

We both knew she wouldn’t have been able to fill in last night. She didn’t have family in town. I liked—for her—that Barry respected her childcare situation. He even let her bring her boy, Rowan, to work sometimes when school was out.

A sour look crossed her face at the mention of Kim’s name. “Again? Called in sick, did she? How does that girl keep a job?”

I shrugged. This was another thing we both knew but never bothered talking about. Barry’s blind favoritism.

“You just missed her by an hour,” I said with a smirk. “With her post-full-moon party clique.”

Her jaw dropped appropriately. “Bitch calls in sick, then has the audacity to come in here?” She shook her head. “The audacity,” she muttered again. 

Dislike of Kim is really the reason we bonded. Starla intimidated me at first. The woman is stunning. Looks like she should be in movies or sitting in VIP sections. Always done up, even for early morning shifts. And I’m just… me.

When Starla started working here, Kim made sure to be the new girl’s best friend—showing her around Rivershade, talking about pop culture, party and coffee invites. All that ended abruptly when Kim found out that Starla was a single mother and wanted to live a quiet life.

“I’m playing tour guide for them so I can bring them by if you want,” I said, as if this happened every day.

Starla’s eyes widened. “You?”

Well, that certainly deflated whatever ego-boost I had going.

I pressed my lips together and tilted my head to the side, waiting. She tended to walk over my feelings. Never intentionally. But it still stung. She quickly interpreted the non-plussed look on my face because she rushed to apologize.

“Oh!” sprang from lying face up on the counter to standing straight up. “It just surprised me. I know you’re not big on strangers.”

Then she looked at me. “They are strangers, aren’t they?”

Now that was an odd question.

I shook my head. “Never seen them before. You?”

Starla stared out the door they had exited as if she could see through it. I peeked out the window, but as expected, they were gone.

“I don’t think so, but they seem familiar somehow.” She shrugged it off. “Maybe they just look like fuckbois. Now, anything I need to know for today?”

I shook my head and gave her an end-of -shift run down. It didn’t take long, and I didn’t stay to chat.

I don’t really hang out with Starla outside of work. I help with watching Rowan, once in a while. She calls him Moth—always flitting around. I can see why Starla’s tired all the time. Let’s just say his natural curiosity usually ends with him telling the principal, “I didn’t think it would end that way.” If he survives childhood, the kid’s going to grow up to be a billionaire.

It felt good to get in my car, like it was the first chance I’ve had in a while to be in my own space. Felt like I could breathe again.

I love this beat up Subaru. It was the first thing I bought on my own. Well, Dad had connections — he convinced someone it was better to sell to me for a thousand than to pay to get rid of it. It’s more rust colored than navy. It’s not my dream car, but the inside was in decent condition and didn’t smell funky. Once I replaced the muffler, it’s never let me down.

My apartment is technically my own space, too. It’s quirky and charming if you’re into hiking clothes drying out and journals everywhere. It’s affordable, near some trails, has a good tree view and it’s not in Fiona’s fiefdom.

But it’s a rental. It’s not mine. 

On my way home, I pass the infamous Shady Heights. Every time I drive by, I thank my dad and my lucky stars that I don’t live there. It’s like Rivershade’s version of that creepy, haunted hotel in downtown LA.

Sharing horror stories or tragedies at The Heights is like a rite of passage in junior high school. When I was looking for my own place, I thought about moving there despite the stories. It’s ridiculously cheap. The amount of money I could have saved almost overcame the fear factor.

I never saw the apartment.

Never got past the lobby.

From the second I walked in, it felt dark and heavy. Like people were watching me. I lasted maybe ten seconds before I bolted.

Fiona and Dad freaked when they found out I’d even considered renting there. Dad even offered to pay my rent. She reminded him that if I was to be independent, I needed to pay my own way. I wouldn’t have minded the leg up.

He paid the deposit on this place. And I’m grateful. Except that Fiona seems to think that gives her the right to walk in whenever. Not sure how she manages, since she doesn’t have a key.

And as if thinking about my step-monster conjured her into this moment, my smartphone started playing the latest selection from my collection of ominous stepmom-energy ringtones.

I gave the accept call command and braced myself.

“Bohdana, I need you to pick up Edward and Agatha after school today.” Fiona’s voice wasn’t mean, but it also had that bored tone that assumed I was just going to do it. She’s been asking me to do this more often since they no longer needed car seats. 

Today? Really? On a day I actually had plans? What was with people lately? First Barry, now Fiona.

When I didn’t answer right away, she sighed as if the world added another burden and said, “Please.”

It was perfunctory, like ticking off a list of social interactions rather than sincerely saying it.

“Everything, ok?” I asked.

“Of course,” she snapped. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

I don’t mention that it’s not like Fiona to call me last minute to do something. It’s not like Fiona to do anything last minute.

Aggie and Eddie are fun in small doses. Now that I’ve moved out, I don’t mind watching them. It helped that they’re no longer able to go through my belongings. But Fiona doesn’t exactly foster a relationship between her perfect twins and her stepdaughter.

I tapped the steering wheel, trying to figure out the timing. “I can pick them up and bring them to you right away.” I could feel shoulders tense and my nose crinkle as I made the suggestion. I knew she wouldn’t like it, but I had hope. “I have to be at Max’s at four.”

Fiona went silent. I could almost hear the gears of her brain grinding over the connection. How is it that poor Bohdie can go to Max’s? She can’t. So, who’s she meeting?

I waited for her inevitable conclusion.

“A date?” she purred, pleased but surprised. It was as annoying as Starla’s surprise.

I evidently needed to get out more. With people. In public. In front of witnesses.

I wasn’t sure how to answer Fiona’s question. Lying and agreeing that it’s a date seems like the easiest path. But lying to Fiona always ended up with me in a worse situation. She seemed to know when I lied and made me pay for it. But I didn’t want to tell her about the tour-guide gig either.

I didn’t need another person surprised. Or doubting me. Or making me doubt myself.

The promise of Max’s salted caramel brownie was the only thing that kept me from bailing on the whole idea. Who was I to charge someone for this? I felt like I’m going to get called out for being a fake. Even if I’m not as fake as Kim.

I decided to be as truthful as I could. “I’m not sure what it is.”

Fiona’s response made me instantly regret saying anything. “Pick the kids up after school and take them to Max’s. I’ll meet you there.”

Fiona’s phone call…
Suspicious timing…
or is FiFi just pulling Bohdie’s leash?

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