A World Unknown

Chapter 7 Rainy Day

Trying to pry my eyes open, I could smell the musty air from the rain falling as it was still dark outside. "Come on, Babydoo, you're going to be late!" my mom hollered. I knew I was going to have a hard time waking up, but I didn't think I would oversleep this late. I'm glad I laid out my work clothes before I went to bed. After realizing what Mom said, I jumped up in a panic, determined to get dressed and out the door in the next five minutes to avoid being late. Thankfully, I managed to splash water on my face, a last resort to get the sleepiness out of my eyes so I could drive to work. The rain didn't help, making it an eerier feeling driving in the dark so early in the morning. I wasn't used to the surrounding darkness being this intense. I guess the lack of streetlights was the reason. The air even had a different smell here when it rained—a musky smell with a hint of sulfur. Almost at the store with a few extra minutes to catch my breath and ready myself to learn the new duties ahead of me, I reflected on how I'd stayed up later than I'd expected. I must have slept well, too, since I didn't have that hard of a time getting my senses back after waking up so quickly. There were quite a few different jobs I had to learn, all with strict timelines, which is why we had to start so early. First, we did the cigarette count, then the ATM count. They were easy enough, just a lot of numbers to remember and not lose track of. Then we did the safe drop. The manager felt it was safer to do it before the morning rush hour picked up. After gathering all the previous day's cash and marking out the deposit slip, we put it in the safe to prepare for the influx of people. It was still raining, so there were fewer customers than usual. Still, they were all regulars who came daily. I had learned most of their names and orders, making it easier to ensure I had enough cash in the registers for a smooth morning.

Once the rush died down, it was back to manager duties. My manager, Michelle, was a sweet woman. She took her time showing me how the inventory orders worked, explaining that after a few months, I'd know what we needed just by walking through the store on order days. The store was pretty steady, so the same items were almost always needed. The next job was crucial; she stressed that no matter what, I had to watch the videos from the night before. Certain actions on the register would flag the camera system, and the shift manager was required to review all flagged footage to ensure there were no thefts and the store was running smoothly. Missing too many flags would lead corporate to question our ability to do our jobs correctly. After that, I reviewed the previous day's numbers to ensure everything was accurate, from register receipts to safe drops. With about an hour left of my shift, I made the bank deposit, returned to check if anyone needed help, and then I could go home. However, as manager, I had to be reachable in case someone called off, meaning I might have to find a replacement or cover the shift myself. I didn't think the job would be this challenging. I knew I needed more practice with the paperwork to feel confident with it. It wasn't a bad day; staying busy kept me from getting too lost in my thoughts. Ready to clock out and head home, I couldn't help but wonder if I should stop at SJ's first or go straight home. His house was just before mine, so it wouldn't be out of my way. I might as well stop and see him for a minute first, giving me an excuse not to stay long because I had to get home to Anna. At that point, I turned off to go to his house, my nerves swelling up, and those damn butterflies fluttering in my belly, burning my cheeks a new shade of red.

Pulling into his driveway, I noticed there was no one around. It seemed empty. His truck was in the driveway, as well as his mom's Cavalier. My nerves almost had me backing out of the driveway when I saw his front door swing open and his head pop out, just enough to be visible. Stepping out, he waved slightly my way. Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of my car and made my way toward him. His lips curved into a smile that met his eyes as I slowly approached. I almost thought he was going to swoop me up into a hug when I stopped in front of him. I slightly wished he would have before he motioned for me to follow him inside. His voice had a shy tone as he spoke, "How was your day? I wondered how your morning was when I noticed you left so late last night."

"I woke up almost late, with just enough time not to be late," I laughed. I told him I couldn't stay long because I had to get home to Anna since I stopped here first. After a few more minutes of conversation, I got ready to leave, and he walked me to my car. He was so handsome, looking into my eyes as if he had something to say but couldn't muster the courage. He stopped me before I sat in my car, saying so innocently, "If you ever need somewhere to go, or a safe roof over your head, you can come here."I tried to stop the slight giggle from escaping my mouth. When he continued, "I'm serious. If you need somewhere to go, even you and your baby Anna, you can come here with me."I stood there, looking into his beautiful blue eyes, with a perfect yellow sun around his pupils. A feeling of comfort washed over me, still slightly shocked by what he had just said. I wasn't in need of finding a place to go. He pulled me out of my thoughts by asking me to kiss him. If I thought I was shocked a second ago, I was truly surprised now. I looked at him sincerely and apologized for not being able to kiss him, not because I didn't want to but because I wanted something more and didn't want to risk things by rushing into something. He apologized for being so forward.

I assured him it was okay and told him I had the day off tomorrow if he wanted to spend time with me and Anna. He smiled brightly and said that would be great, shutting the door to my car and waving as I headed home. My mind was still trying to process everything that had just happened.