Casey pulled the towel off my head, "Come, if you hurry I'll walk you."
When didn't he walk me, I thought but didn't protest. I quickly got dressed and we were out the door in less then ten minutes. We split up the leftovers from last night's take out for lunch. I took the rice and chicken, while he took the wraps, bean and cheese. I only worked a few blocks away, from the house we were renting. We got there in less then five minutes at a steady pace.
I still had about fifteen before I needed to clock in but I knew he still had several blocks to go. He worked at the vocational school teaching auto repair. It was on the same street I worked, just another five or ten minutes, depending on how fast you were going. Casey claimed he could make it in three if I ever needed him stat. We were never far apart. Even thought I had been 'stable' for a while I knew he worried about me. I didn't like to worry him but I was glad he cared. I cared about him a lot too.
We touched out foreheads together for a second before he gave me a quick kiss
As he walked away he said, "I'll pick you up after work."
"You don't get off until five."
"I get off early today," he said with a grin.
I had a feeling he was up to something but said, "Okay, see you then."
He blew me another kiss as he walked backwards, then turned and took off down the street. I watched him go for a second then unlocked the door. I noticed he turned around making sure I got inside. I gave him a wave then stepped into the store. I shut the door behind me then locked it, before I went to put my lunch in the fridge. It was just me so I had plenty of space.
I hung up my coat, then grabbed my work apron. I put it on and tied it behind my back before checking myself out in the mirror. I always wore turtle necks at work. Though it was faint my scar was still quite noticeable and always made for uncomfortable conversation. It was easier just to cover it up in front of those who didn't know me.
I clocked in then started a pot of coffee. I didn't drink it but we offered it to the customers and delivery drivers. Sometimes we could get more deliveries then customers. I checked to see if we had any message on the stores answering machine then went through my morning checklist. I had it memorized by now, check doors and windows, do a quick sweep of the store and check for anything that's out of place. Make a quick list of anything that needs to be restocked, then go out back and check for any early morning/late night deliveries.
We had a few boxes. I brought them inside, inventoried them real quick then counted the cash for the register. I turned on some nice season music. I wasn't suppose to bring my own tapes but play the ones we sold in the store. Of course if I was tired of it I could listen to the radio too. I attached the bell at the hook over the door, then unlocked the front door, flipped the open sign and checked to see how dark it was. It didn't seem to bad do I left the outside lights off, and wah la, we were open!
I looked around the store again real quick, checked on the coffee then picked up the book I had been reading yesterday and sat down at my stool behind the front counter. We went to the library almost once a week and I picked out this romance between a marine biologist and a banker who was learning to love again. It was just as cheesy as it sounded but decent no the less. It killed my first hour of work and I liked a happy ending.
After I finished I flipped through the pages rereading the parts that I liked then put it in my bag to take home. I walked around the store again, put a few things away then heated up some water. I made a small cup of hot cocoa in my employee mug and switched to the radio. I listen to some DJ's talk about the latest crazy and get customer feedback. Sometimes I wondered what it would be like to call in.
A customer showed up a few minutes later and looked around the store. I asked if they needed anything and they said they were just looking. I nodded then tried to look busy. Our gift store sold all sorts of trinket and souvenirs, for any event. I once estimated we had a thousand different items. It was a lot but everything was clearly labeled and we had specific sections. I had gotten used to the layout and could probably put most things away with eas now. Customers usually knew what they were looking for or found something after walking around for a bit.
They'd buy it and I'd wrap it up and they'd be on their way. I think the wrapping was the hardest thing to get the hang of but my boss Sheri had a lot of good tips and ways to avoid paper cuts. The job wasn't anything to chaotic. It was simple and mostly chill, most of all my boss was very flexible and understanding.
Before we even moved back, we contacted an old resource program that paired people mental health issues, with understanding employers. It was an awesome program. It had found me the job at the bookstore before this. I had liked that job but part of me had kind of wanted to try the normal route. Casey knew I was doing good but he worried we were already doing too much, with packing and unpacking, for the move, moving into together, house hunting and me finally taking my high school equivalency test.
That week had been hard. I had to take several tests over different days and times. I been studying for years but it was a lot to memorize and I wasn't a fan of tests. I was glad it was behind me now. I just had to wait for the results which could take up to three to six months, depending on how backed up they were. I hoped I had passed but couldn't be sure. If I didn't, then I would just retake the parts I failed. They didn't make you retake the whole thing, only sections, which as nice.
And I will admit, Casey was right, it was nice not having to worry about a job, with everything going on. Or if my employer would accept my situation. I didn't have a high school degree even though I was in my early twenties and I still had to take medications. I knew some employers might have uneasy questions. Sometimes things could be really hard and I'd forget, they didn't always have to be.
I suppose I could use some easy, given how hard the last few years had been...and knowing what the future held. Getting out of the hospital hadn't exactly been a walk in the park but it had still been easier then, getting with Casey.
After I made my promise to him I finally sat down with my doctors. They had a lot of questions and things weren't easy to 'explain.' They adjusted my medication and came up with a treatment program. Once they saw I was sticking to it, they contacted my parents. They were so happy to see me and that I was talking again.
I still kept them at arms length but knew I owed them an explanation. I had to do everything I could to get out of the institution, to have options and be with Casey for as long as I could be. I didn't know how much time we had left and realized how much time I had already wasted but I couldn't change the past, I could only work towards the future and for the first time since that hallway, I had hope...hope.
I had to talk a lot those first few months, about what I had done and why I shut down for so long after. It took a lot of determination to stay quiet that long. No, it took a lot of fear...lifetimes of it. Even as I worked to get out, I couldn't help but think he was drawing nearer with each, hour, minute and second. Of course, I realized it didn't matter what I was doing. No matter what I did or didn't do, he would always inevitably find me. I might as well live what life I could.
I could tell my doctors were wary of my 'sudden' recovery. I didn't get out in a day, weeks, months or even a year. It took a lot of work, a lot of hard days but eventually I got there. I was over eighteen when I got released. My parents wanted me to live with them again but the hospital thought it was best to transition. It could be a lot to go from the routine of the hospital, to the uncertainty of the outside world.
I moved into a sort of halfway house, between the hospital and real world. I could only come and go at certain times. I had various therapies and mental health checkups throughout the week. I was slowly given, responsibilities and chores, to ease me back into normal life and build up my capability and overall confidence.
The halfway house was in another city and Casey couldn't visit me as often. Though it was more then the distance that kept him way. He'd been asked to pull back by my doctors. I knew my attachment to him was unhealthy but it hurt to see less of him. They didn't know our history...our full history. I kept telling myself when I got better, we'd be together.
It was still hard. Sometimes I wouldn't see him for weeks, even months. I felt like I was dying at first but kept hold of our promise. He'd be here when I got out! We'd do this together! I wasn't alone! Of course that changed the day... I met his girlfriend. For my nineteenth birthday, the halfway house threw me a small party. My parents and some other people I knew came. About an hour into it Casey also showed up with his girlfriend.
It was a surprise. She was so... nice, too nice. She said she had always wanted to meet me and had heard so much about me. I knew I couldn't expect Casey to wait for me forever. However I found out they had been dating for a while now. Maybe even before I'd started my treatment. They lived together and were practically engaged. The way she looked at him and more importantly the way he looked at her made my stomach turn. I caught them sharing small glances and whispers, all the things we used to do.
My heart felt like it was in a vice, slowly being crushed. She kept talking to me like I was a child or a very fragile vase that could break at any moment. Several times she asked if I could do something or was able to do something. She worried about me having candles or their being knives around. I knew she was just being cautious and curious but I felt like she didn't think I was capable of anything. I was Casey's poor little misfortune charity case.
Casey was still Casey, he treated me like he normally did. I tried to act normal...mature about the whole thing. It wasn't like we were always together, all the time in each life…Sometimes we were in relationships before we met or just friends at first or would be on a break and date other people. Still...still he was the love of my life, my other half, my soulmate and to see him with someone else at my birthday party
It was a lot to take in and handle. I kept a smile plastered on my face and tried to act like I was having a good time but...he was with someone else. He loved someone else...that wasn't me. I knew he didn't know. I knew he didn't see me, not truly, not yet. I had always hoped one day he would when I got better and that we would be together for as long as we could be.
Casey could tell something was wrong and took me off to the side as things were wrapping up. We walked around outside then sat down on a swinging bench that was on the halfway house's front porch. He asked me what was wrong and at first I denied it but started crying. He asked me again and like an idiot I told him everything.
I told him I loved him and that we were always meant to be together, I knew who he was from the moment I saw him. We were soulmates and had lived countless lifetimes together. I told him I didn't care how long it took. I wanted us to be together again. I knew I fucked things up with how we met. I knew our ages were a concerned but we had lived so many lives, that age shouldn't matter.
Yeah...that went about as good as you'd expect. Oh the way he looked at me! It shattered everything. When I told him about my dreams, past lives, why I had slit my throat and that someone who was beyond evil was after me. He hadn't judged. He had been supportive. Yet when I told him I loved him, that we were soulmates and I wanted us to be together. It was like I had jumped over the moon ad was dancing on the sun.
He pulled back, way back. He stood up and wouldn't look at me. He didn't want to upset me but made it clear that something like that would never happen. He didn't feel that way about me. He cared about me very, very much and I would always be a dear friend to him but there was no, he and I. Thing could never be like that. He couldn't say it enough times.
I said I understood and I did. I realized I fucked up twice. I had tried to rush things but I though I was losing him. I told him he didn't have to keep his promise and he got angry, telling me he would always keep it and he expected me to keep mine. I told him I would. I promised I wouldn't hurt myself even if we couldn't be together. He just looked at me pained.
His girlfriend came out and could tell something had happened between us. She asked if everything was okay. He'd said it was fine and it was time for them to go. I went back inside as they gathered their things and went out to the parking lot. I watched him through the window, knowing I wouldn't see him again for a very long time, if ever. I wanted to remember his face, his voice and laugh. I would miss him.
I whispered to myself, "Good luck, I love you, I wish you the best, Goodbye."
He couldn't have possibly heard me but I swear his head snapped up before he got in his car and we locked eyes. After a second he looked away, got in his car and drove off. I ran to my room and cried my eyes out for the rest of the night. I was a mess for several days off and on after that but I pushed on and forced myself to keep going, with or without him.
I told myself it was better this way. He might not get hurt as much if he didn't remember who I was and we weren't in a relationship. Maybe, just maybe one of us could be happy and have a chance at a real life. I was already doomed. He had seen me that day in the hall but he didn't know who Casey was yet, at least I hoped he didn't.
He didn't come back for a very, very long time and he wasn't alone. His girlfriend was with him and I noticed she stuck closer to him, looking around uncomfortably. He had probably told her. I was upstairs and they hadn't seen me. When a nurse told me I had visitors I told her I didn't want to see anyone today. She let him know and they left. The nurse said he'd left a puzzle for me and would come back another time. I asked her to remove him from my visitors list and gave the puzzle to the halfway houses collection.
The next time he came alone, I wasn't there. I was out with the work study program. They let us work for a day at various places to get used to working. When I got back, I found he had left me a letter. I didn't read it but I didn't throw it away. I just tucked it somewhere and tried to forget about it. I know he hadn't done anything wrong that it was all me but I just couldn't be around him and not feel the way I did, so it was better to just cut things clean.
When I finally transitioned from the halfway house. I wanted a fresh start. I picked some city far away. Some place where no one knew me. My family was upset. They didn't understand why I was always pulling away. I didn't like hurting them but knew if I didn't 'he' would. I told them I'd keep in touch and joked they might even hear from me more often, with all the calls and letters. For a while they would bu once I was settled in and they wouldn't be concerned with me withdrawing, I'd pull back. I'd call less often and only send cards on holidays.
Once I barely had any contact with them I planned to cut off contact. I'd probably move even farther away and leave the country if I could. I'd find some place remote and live a quiet...isolated life. I didn't even want to give an inkling that I might care for anyone or anything.
It wasn't much of a plan just...damage control… I felt a little sad realizing I was back to that. It had been so long, part of me hoped he just wouldn't come for me, but I knew he would. He was probably waiting for when I wasn't in the hospital. When it could just be him and me. I had nightmares about him finding me and chasing me all the time.
I knew I couldn't fight this but decided I'd take self-defense classes and set traps, none the less. When he came, I wasn't going to lie down and take it. Not after everything I'd done and put other through. I wanted him to feel my pain even if I couldn't take him out.
I booked a train and only took what I could carry. Before it left Casey showed up at the train station. I hadn't wanted anyone to go with me, just in case this was it. I was surprise to see him. I don't know who told him, probably my parents. He said I didn't have to go so far away. I apologized for earlier. He'd already given me so much of his time and I didn't mean to upset him. He said it was okay and he wasn't mad. He wanted us to keep in touch. He gave me his address. I didn't think I'd contact him.
It was a long train ride. I had no idea what lie before me. I went through my things again and found I'd packed the letter he'd once left. I hadn't had the heart to throw it away but I wasn't sure if I was ready to read it yet. For hours I just held it then decided to open it, for closure. He wrote he was sorry for reacting the way he did. He didn't know what to think about all the stuff I had said but wanted me to know I would always mean a lot to him. He hoped we could remain good friends and if I ever needed him, if I should ever call, he'd always be there. He'd always keep his promise.
I held the letter to my chest and cried again. As the train neared my stop, I folded it up and put it back in my bag. I later put it on the mantle of my fireplace. I would pass by it off and on and think of him. The first few weeks, months, were busy. I managed to send a post card to everyone. I didn't know what to say to Casey. There was so much I wanted to. He was so kind, I just thanked him again for everything.
He sent me back a letter, it was short just about the car his class had restored. He showed various pictures of it before and after. I felt like it was a good place to end off. I tried to just focused on the here and now. I took my self defense classes and got myself a bike to ride around the city. I worked at a book store and got myself a bunch of plants. I loved taking care of them and watching them grow.
I mostly stuck to myself. My favorite thing to do was get a book and walk around in the park near the riverfront. I'd get a pretzel at the cart on the corner and just eat it and look out at the water and sky. I wondered about Casey and other that were cursed like us, if they were living their lives or they knew like me and were only counting down the days.
One day Casey walked into my bookstore and casually asked me if I had any good books on puzzles. I said I could find a few. I thought he was just passing through, at least that is what he told me. He had something or other he needed to check into. He was delivering the car his class had restored and I was on the way so he thought he might as well pop by. We had some coffee, after I got work, and caught up. After he walked me to my place and we said goodnight. It must have been weird seeing me out and about after being in institutions for so long.
A few days passed and he popped by my place. He said he was on his way back from dropping of the car and found this puzzle of a bookstore. He couldn't pass it up. I thought it was cute. I cooked him something easy, grilled cheese sandwiches, that and scrambled eggs were about all I'd mastered so far in this life. I was sure it would come back to me one day. He joked I was going to starve or get very sick of cheese sandwiches and eggs.
We started to put the puzzle together and I asked him where he was off to next and he admitted he had no clue. He sort of just packed everything he owned in that car and drove it out. He said he was considering a fresh start and asked how mine was going. I told him it was going good and it was getting late. I wished him a good night and he said maybe he'd see me around.
The next day I caught him out by the mailboxes and found out he'd moved into my building. He wanted to make plans to hang out. We went to a movie and then got pizza after. I liked it a lot but it was hard. I tried to be polite but at some point I needed to be honest with him. I told him that we couldn't keep hanging out like this because I would always be in love with him and it wasn't fair to either of us.
He said he understood but hoped I wouldn't mind seeing him around since we now lived in the same building. I said I wouldn't I might even wave sometimes. We'd pass each other off and on. Sometimes we'd stop and chat. One afternoon I asked about his relationship. I noticed I hadn't seen his girlfriend around. He said it hadn't worked out, she was looking to start the next phase or her life. She wanted to get married and have a family, all valid things but he wasn't sure he was ready for that.
I pointed out he was almost thirty. He admitted he wasn't sure why but he just knew one day it wasn't going to work out. It was always better to leave a situation you knew wasn't going to work then stay in one you knew was wrong. I wished him luck in finding what he wanted and he thanked me. He asked if I was seeing anyone and I just shook my head.
We chatted more the next day when the mail came. He asked if I was sick of cheese sandwiches and eggs yet. I admitted I was. He came over one weekend, with food and a cook book, and we got cracking. He taught me five simple recipes I could make. He actually taught me how to use the oven.
I understood how to turn it on. I just kept making a mess. Things would get everywhere and I'd either over cook them or under cook them. He gave me the strangest look and asked me to show him. I found out preheating was a big thing. Normally I just took whatever I was cooking and stuck it right in the oven, on the rack. He ran a hand over his mouth and said he saw my problem.
He pointed out food was suppose to go on trays that sat on the rack. I pointed out I had seen food being put on the grill all the time. I'd seen corn, meat patties and even chicken. He pointed out a barbecue grill and an oven had different types of heat. The grill was open flame while the oven heated thing up over time. He said I was lucky I hadn't burned the place down. He still teased me to no end about it.
I thought I was hopeless but he didn't give up on me. We kept practicing. In turn I taught him to ride a bike. I thought everyone knew how but that had been lost on him, somewhere along the way. I wasn't sure if he was just messing with me or trying to give me something I could teach him but we spend an afternoon going over it. He even got himself a bike. He thought it was okay but he preferred to drive.
Slowly we became friends again and would hang out once or twice a week. One weekend he was over watching some sport on my small TV and I was making pizza's from scratch. I managed to not burn them and we celebrated jumping up and down. He might have had a little too much to drink because he lifted me up into the air and hugged me...without thinking I kissed him.
It just felt so natural and right. He didn't pull away right away when he did I could see the fear quickly followed by confusion. I wanted to know what he was thinking but didn't push it. I knew he was struggling with this...with who he was now and things he didn't yet understand.
I told him it was okay. It was just a kiss. This time I'd wait until he decide what he wanted to do. Things got awkward for the rest of the night, then he went home and I thought it was going to be a while before anything happened again but he knocked on the door less then a minute later. I thought he forgot something. I opened it and he didn't talk, he just kissed me and what a kiss it was. He grabbed the back of my head and pulled me in like we had done it a thousand times. It was our first kiss like this and we could both feel how powerful it was.
It exploded into several dozen kisses and before we knew it we were making out. He took me to bed but pulled back. He was worried he might be my first. I told him he wasn't and we kept going. I thought I could hide it but I forgot how messy it could get. He was no happy and we ruined my sheets.
The next morning we got new ones and I could tell he was regretting the night before. I didn't say a word I just waited. Eventually he told me he was worried about me, about us. He thought I was just too young and had been through so much. He told me he wasn't thinking when we hooked up...that it shouldn't have happened.
I was crushed but accepted his feelings. He helped me change things out but didn't leave my place right away. He just sat on my couch with his head in his hands. He said it was hard...being around me. There was so much history. He had no idea how much. He told me he really liked me and that he'd just forget himself. It wasn't right. This wasn't a good idea. We shouldn't do this. He admitted he still wanted to be in my life and missed me like crazy when I wasn't around but I was just too young.
I joked we could try again next year but he didn't find it funny. I pointed out he was twenty. He told me to talk to him in a decade. We argued about it...we still argued about it sometimes. Ultimately we decided to give it a go. I told him it was better to know if this world or not. I told him if it didn't we'd jut be friends but at last I wouldn't be pining after him forever and he wouldn't always wonder. Of course I knew we couldn't just be friend. He was older then me...but I knew more then him. I hoped it evened things out but sometimes I worried I might have the advantage. He felt the same way only he thought he had the advantage that I was still so young and knew so little.
We took things slow. He wanted to do proper dating and set proper boundaries but over time we became like any other couple. When the lease on my apartment was up we talked about moving in and decided to move back to the city. He got a job offer from an old friend of his, to start teaching at this new vocational school, for teens who had dropped out of high school. We contacted the program and told them what area we were looking for. They found me the job at the gift shop and a few days later we found a house to rent nearby.
My family was so happy to have me back they came over a lot in the beginning. I'll admit it made things weird. At first they wanted to know why we were living together. They thought we were roommates. Casey didn't' want to tell them, he thought we were still gonna break things off soon. When I told them they were surprised but then my mother admitted she was relieved knowing Casey would take good care of me. Yeah it was still awkward. Still it was nice to see them, my nightmares eased up, the impending doom lessened. I took my test and that was the last six years.
I let out a heavy sigh thinking they had passed in the blink of an eye. I hoped we'd have another six years. Maybe even more but I knew I couldn't be certain. I wandered around the store and wondered again if I had passed my test. If I didn't I'd just keep retaking it but if I actually did pass then I'd need to decide what to do next. Should I just take it easy for a while or keep going while things were still fresh in my head.
Maybe I'd go to college but what did I want to study? What did I want to do? We'd discussed it a little, I talked about becoming a teacher like him or a chef, and he joked I might as well be an astronaut. Since I hated school work and teachers needed to do a lot of that and I could only cook twelve dishes and a chef needed to have a few hundred under their belt. I'd snapped back that is why being a chef would be good because then I could cook a few hundred and twelve dishes. I smiled thinking about how he just shook his head and nearly nicked himself shaving. In the end he told me to do something I was really interested in. I wasn't sure if we could afford it but he told me not to worry about money. You couldn't put a price on a good education.
Maybe I'd try to be a marine biologist! I laughed allowed at the thought. I know I should seriously think about it but I honestly didn't know what I wanted to do. For so long, I'd just been living with the dread of tomorrow, of the day he'd come and take it all away. I didn't want to put my roots down, didn't want to connect or build anything that would just be washed away by his wrath. Yet I knew now that wasn't anyway to live, and I if I was going to live, I might as well bask in the sun, even if there were dark clouds on the horizon. I wanted to enjoy the summit for as long as I could before the inevitable fall.
I hummed to myself dancing about the store as I made sure everything was stocked. Maybe I'd just keep doing this or something similar. I loved keeping track of all the little items, sorting them by color and type. I loved organizing and we had a whole section on puzzles. Whenever we got a new one in, I'd put it on my list to get when I got paid. I was so good at them now, when I sat down I could do one in a day, even less depending on the size. Casey helped sometimes but for the most part he just watch sports, while I puzzled. I wonder if they had a degree in jigsaw puzzles. Perhaps I could design them. How did you get that job?
The doorbell rang and some older ladies came in, looking for a get well card for their friend. They also got some fake flowers. I wrapped them all up and put a nice bow on it. A teacher came in a few minutes later, looking for a gift, for another teacher, something school themed. I helped her find a nice selection and she chose a wooden apple that was also a clock.
It was oddly shaped but I figured out how to wrap it. Sheri, my boss had shown me a lot of good tips on how to wrap anything. I loved wrapping the gifts knowing someone would be receiving them. Sometimes I would imagine them opening it and how happy they would be. Even if these gifts couldn't make someone happy then at least it would let them know that someone was thinking of them.
I put a finishing bow on everything and she went on her way. I wiped some things down and restocked some ribbon and the pink wrapping paper. It was our most popular lately and so pretty in my opinion. The bell on the door rung while I was folding a shirt, a woman came in looking for snow globes and a shirt with snow globes. Her niece just loved snow globes. No she was obsessed!
I had a feeling I could help. Together we found a beautiful snow globe with ballet slippers inside as she also loved to dance. We also found her a pink shirt with a snow globe on it that had a princess castle inside. I surprised her then, knowing we had a pencil with a snow globe on top. I suggested since her niece liked pink that she could wrap some pink ribbon around it and add to it. Oh she loved that idea. Her eyes lit up and I felt like I had really helped someone. As I was wrapping everything up, in the pink wrapping paper I'd just restocked, I noticed someone else had come in, a gentleman.
For a moment I wondered if he was with the woman as I'd only heard the bell ring once. He must have come in right behind her. He was dressed in a long designer jacket that came down to his shins and a dark business suit. He wore black gloves and had his hands behind his back as he slowly looked around. I couldn't see his face, only the back of him and maybe the side of his face, his ear. When I handed the woman her gift she thanked me again and left. She walked right by the man and I realized they didn't know each other after all.
It wasn't unusual to get men in the store but something about him felt...different. With his attire, I guess, I assumed he'd shop at one of the fancy, high end places down town. The kind of gift shops that had things made of crystal, sliver and gold. He continued to move around the store and I realized I was staring.
I went back to folding shirts but kept glancing over at him. Another thing that was weird is why such a heavy coat? It was still morning but it was warm, at least in here it was. Outside hadn't been bad, I'd only worn my light jacket today. I didn't think the weather called for something so heavy. He suddenly picked something up, quickly looked it over, then set it back down and moved on.
I really needed to get a life and stop hovering. I went back to the front desk and noticed it had gotten a little messy again. It gave me something to focus on. I cleaned up scraps of ribbon and wrapping paper. As I did, I couldn't help but notice he was glancing at me now, out of the corner of my eye. I'd see him turn to him but when I looked up he was suddenly interested in something in front of him and his back was to me once more.
I pouted my lips and scratched the side of my face, finding it rather peculiar. Then it occurred to me, he might need help and was just waiting for me to ask. Some people were shy or they just preferred the offer of help with out having to ask. I came around the counter and started walking up to him but the bell on the door rang.
I turned and saw a woman come in with two small children. They were going a million miles a minute. They made all sorts of sounds as they jumped up and down and kept trying to take off. I could see they wanted to look at things but their mother firmly held one of their hands, keeping them beside her. She looked over to me and I quickly walked up to her, seeing if I could be of some assistance.
Before I could say a word the kids let me know their grandpa was in the hospital. He just had surgery because he was old and his parts were worn out so they got him new parts. He was going to be able to dance when he got better. I thought they were so sweet. The mother said they were looking for a gift, something to do with fishing. It was a popular choice. We had a whole section dedicated to fishing, from trophies, clothes, gear, jokes, books, posters, statues, shirts, cards, and postcards. I showed them where it was. The woman didn't have a free hand so I'd pick things up every now and then, so the she could get a look.
The business man's phone rang and he answered it on the other side of the store. I kept assisting the woman and her kids. After a few minutes, the kids picked out a little clay statue of an old man holding up a fish that was the same size as him and some fish shaped candy. I had a feeling the candy was more for the kids then grandpa. I careful wrapped the statue and put it in a little box.
By the time I was done I heard the door bell ring and saw the business man leave. The woman thanked me and left with the kids. I saw one of them had dropped a toy they'd come in with and I rushed after to. I found her as she was getting into her car. She thanked me very much and I told her to have a nice day. She buckled her kids in then drove off.
I stood outside for a minute just taking in the fresh air and sunshine. I felt like it was going to be a beautiful day. I thought about the mother and kids as I went back inside. The mother had looked tired but happy. The kids must have been a handful at times but I knew they were worth it. I forgot myself for a moment wondering if we should have some this time around. I quickly came to my senses and knew it was too dangerous.
Still I thought about the ones I'd already had. I wondered where they were. They were probably all gone but some of them must have had kids of their own and so forth. It was weird to think I might have hundred if not thousands, maybe even millions of decedents out there, by now. I could run across one and not even know it. I suppose anyone who had large enough family could do the same.
I checked the time and it was lunch, a little early but I was hungry. I finished off the leftovers then opened some new boxes and put things on the shelf. I had a phone call or two, then there was a delivery I had to sign for. As I was signing it, an older gentlemen came in. He was looking for some cards for an old buddy he had. We didn't exactly have the ones he was looking for, but I showed him a few different set. He picked up a pack or two for his friend and one for himself.
As he left, the man from this morning, with the long jacket came back. He seemed to know what he wanted this time. He quickly moved around the store grabbing several items before he brought them up to the front counter and sat them down. It was an 'odd' assortment. Some mental puzzles, a pack of cards, a game, some plastic flower, and stickers. Usually I could figure out if there was a theme or special event. It was kind of like he'd grabbed a bunch of stuff at random.
"Would you like this wrapped?" I asked slowly looking up.
I froze when I saw him head on. Up until now I'd only saw parts of him. I knew him at once. I could never forget those ice blue eyes that haunted my nightmares. They had only grown more intense as he'd aged. He stared at me across the counter and I furrowed my brow as my breath caught in my throat. Was this it? Was today the day? Had he come for me at last!
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