Saints and Sinners

Chapter 2

Amelia opened boxes and restocked the shelves down the first aisle. It was pretty mundane but it was a job and she was able to get a discount which helped her save on groceries along with using coupons. It wasn't that she needed it but it helped her put more money back for better birthday’s or to make sure they had good holidays. She was beginning on her third aisle when a bad feeling swept through her. She took a slow steadying breath and looked around to make sure no one had seen her sway. Her eyes fell upon a tall man at the end of the aisle and he stared at her with such an intense stare it made her stomach start to protest the eggs and toast from breakfast. A crackled voice came over the radio at her side, "Hey Ames, you gotta call in the office." She hit the button to reply, "Be there in a sec. Thanks Michael." she answered. The man had stepped closer while she was on the radio but Amelia stood up and headed towards the office, the bad feeling in her gut disappearing the further away from the man she got.

Amelia entered the back room that served as a locker room s***h breakroom ne office combination, without looking up from his computer Michael said “The school called looking for you. Said Beth was down at the clinic complaining she wasn't feeling well. If you could give them a call back.” “Thanks Michael.” Amelia said, pasting a smile on her face which seemed natural now that she didn't feel ill herself. Michael was a nice older man who had a set of twins around Beth's age. Amelia thought he must have been pretty good looking in his younger years, although he wasn't terrible looking now. His dark blonde hair had gone away at the temples betraying his age, his eyes an ocean blue, a strong chiseled face and a body that had to have matched at some point was now soft in some places. He had been such a father-like figure to the girls over the years, if he hadn’t been Amelia would have been tempted once to ask him out. Amelia went to her locker pulling out her phone and called the school back. While it rang and she waited for someone to pick it up she decided to tell Michael about the guy in the aisle. “Hey Michael,” she said to get his attention, “There was a gentleman in aisle three who gave me a bad feeling, not sure if you want to check it out or not.” she finished as the line on the other end was finally picked up and Amelia turned her attention back to the call. Michael got up to do a quick lap around the store.

*

Amelia had just hung up the phone when Michael came back in "How is she?" he asked Amelia. "The nurse said that she wasn't running a fever and said she could go back to class but Beth came on and started crying and saying she felt like she was on fire. So the nurse said it was ultimately my decision," she paused before asking, "Would it be okay if I left to go get her?" Michael smiled even though it was obvious he would have to go out on the floor unless he called someone else in. "Of course, you came in yesterday on your day off anyway." Amelia thanked him and grabbed her keys from the locker and headed out the door but Michael's voice stopped her and she turned around. "Hey before you take off, can you tell me more about the guy from aisle three so I can keep an eye out for him and let others know to be cautious?" he asked. Amelia paused and thought for a moment, "He was pretty tall I'd guess at least six foot something, had dark hair that had a wave to it, slightly longer than normal. His eyes were dark too. I'm sorry I didn't really catch anything else. I all of a sudden started to feel nauseous. Michael failed at lightening the mood when he asked "Not pregnant are you?" Amelia shook her head, "No, that's the last thing I need." she said. "Anyway I need to get out of here and get Bethany. I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer." he waved at her to get going and so she did.