The Outsider Series: The Complete Omnibus Collection

Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Laura glanced around the dumpster and then stepped closer to the gas station bathroom. She peeked the other way before opening the door. Gabriel stood behind her quietly, holding her hand. She had used the dirty sink to clean them up as best she could. Tucking a cloth, a towel, and a bar of soap in the plastic bag she carried, she then returned the key to the balding, overweight attendant behind the counter.

Her neck ached from sleeping, or trying to sleep, in the torn vinyl passenger seat. She’d made a bed for Gabriel on the backseat so he’d be able to stretch out. She’d parked behind the gas station last night and was pretty sure no one had seen her. She didn’t have much gas, so she couldn’t afford to be driving all over town. She only had $24.37 left in cash after she’d emptied the pennies from the cigarette tray. Her stomach rumbled as she sat Gabriel in the backseat. She opened the trunk and pulled out a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter that was almost empty. She scraped what was left in the jar with one of two plastic knifes she had and spread it on a piece of bread.

There was a lot to plan, to organize, just to survive outside. She glanced at the square concrete building of the gas station and the door that swung open from the bathroom. Another patron leaving. She wouldn’t be able to keep using the same bathroom; she’d have to wait for shift change. The guy behind the counter was already giving her odd looks that had her heart pounding her hands sweating. No, she’d have to figure out where another bathroom was for them to use, and then maybe another when it was dark so they could wash up again.

Laura had considered driving to Marysville, but she didn’t think her car would make it, the way it backfired and jerked each time she started it now. Anyhow, she didn’t have enough gas to make it that far, so it was a moot point. A larger city center would mean more jobs, places to live, maybe a soup kitchen to feed her and Gabriel until they could get back on their feet and she could earn a paycheck. She didn’t know who to ask, who to talk to, but she needed to find some answers quickly.

Laura rummaged in her trunk and pulled out a blue knitted hat from a bag of clothes and stuck it onto Gabriel’s head as he chewed and swallowed his peanut butter sandwich. Laura rummaged through the plastic bag of food and counted. There were only two slices of bread left, a half box of crackers, two apples, two cans of soup—which she couldn’t open, anyway. Gabriel had finished off the cereal yesterday and the milk the night before. The paycheck she should have gotten two days ago would have paid the rent and bought some food. She squeezed her eyes shut as her stomach ached even more. She couldn’t get that damn paycheck out of her mind. She was owed that money. She needed it, she deserved it, but there was no way in hell Caroline Friessen was going to give it to her and there was nothing Laura could do about it.

She didn’t make much as a maid, but it was enough to get by. She’d managed when the rent was only five hundred dollars, but when Jerry jacked up the rent for that damp, musty suite to eight hundred, it had become really tight, and she’d lain awake several nights worrying and trying to figure out how she’d pay for everything. Then she’d grabbed a local paper and started searching for another place to live, but there weren’t too many landlords wanting to rent to single moms and nothing in the price range she needed. So she had cut what she could from their food budget and had stopped driving, catching a ride to the Friessen estate with another maid or anyone who was going to work the same time as her. Daycare, even with the subsidy, took up what was left. It was damn impossible to put any money away.

After Gabriel swallowed his food, Laura wiped his hands with one of the cloths she’d dampened in the dirty gas station bathroom. She had to swallow the saliva that was watering in her mouth from the peanut butter she wiped from Gabriel’s fingers, because she was hungry, starving, actually. Her stomach had been rumbling since last night, but until she lined up some kind of job today, she couldn’t take food from her son. “Come on, honey. Let’s go for a walk.”

Laura led her son down the sidewalk of downtown North Lakewood, past the vacant storefronts with rental signs stuck in most of the dirty glass windows. She glanced in at the shops that were still in business but hadn’t yet opened for the day. She wondered if any of them would give her work. She hoped so, even though not one had a help wanted sign in the window. She stopped in front of the small grocery store; a young lady with hair tied back in a ponytail flipped the open sign around. Laura pushed open the door.

“Excuse me,” she said to the clerk wearing the orange and white uniform shirt. “I was wondering if you could tell me if you’re hiring for any job at all?”

The girl frowned as she ran her gaze over Laura and then shook her head. “I don’t think so, but you can check with Mister Harris. He’s in the back.” She pointed to the rear of the store.

“Thank you,” Laura said gratefully. She kept Gabriel’s hand tucked safely in hers and walked to the double doors that led into the back. She froze, because the sign said “Employees only.” For the life of her, she didn’t know what to do. Should she knock or just push it open? Thank heavens, she was saved from complete embarrassment when the doors were pushed open by an older man with round, ruddy cheeks, who was pulling a cart loaded with produce boxes.

“Excuse me, I’m looking for Mister Harris.” Laura cleared her throat when her voice shook. Gabriel started whining and pulling on her hand. Her face burned crimson. “Gabriel, please let Mommy talk.”

The older man glanced at Gabriel, and she could feel his irritation when her son wouldn’t stop whining. “I’m Mister Harris.”

“I’m so sorry. He’s tired. I’m looking for a job and was wondering if you’re hiring?”

Gabriel wouldn’t stand still, which was so unlike him, and he was trying to pull away now. She had to look away from Mr. Harris, which was extremely rude, but Gabriel was becoming unreasonable. Then she realized he was reaching for the cheese in the cooler beside her. “No, honey, don’t touch. I’m sorry—he loves cheese.” Laura tried to smile as she jerked her gaze up at the older man frowning at her now. Her smile felt brittle as she gripped Gabriel’s hand.

“No, I have nothing available. Sorry, miss.” He walked away, pulling the steel cart. Laura felt tears burn the back of her eyes, and her heart sink heavily in her chest. She glanced at the block of orange cheese. Gabriel squealed and then yelled as he reached over for it. Laura just stared at the block of cheese, her mouth watering and her heart sinking again as she stared at the price. It cost over six dollars; she couldn’t spare it.

“No, Gabriel.”

He wouldn’t listen to her, so she lifted him and hurried down the aisle and out the door as he made clicking noises and started whimpering, his hand reaching over her shoulder behind her. Laura didn’t stop and look, but she could feel people staring, their eyes and judgement burning into her.

“Miss, wait,” a woman’s voice called out.

Laura turned and stared at a redheaded young woman who was standing on the sidewalk behind her. Laura’s stomach pinched as she clutched Gabriel and lifted him higher so he was propped on her hip. She needed to get out of here so she could calm Gabriel down, but this young, pleasant woman didn’t seem annoyed at all. In fact, she strode to Laura, her head high. With a warm smile, she shoved her hands in the front pockets of a plain brown coat. Laura was struck by two things, the warmth that she felt coming from the woman and the fact that she had the most brilliant blue eyes Laura had ever seen.

“I overheard in the store you’re looking for a job?” the woman asked, ignoring the way Gabriel was carrying on. It was almost soothing, which took some of the edge off Laura’s stress now pinching every muscle all the way up her spine.

“Yes, I am. I need a job. I’m so sorry, the way he’s carrying on. He doesn’t always understand.…” Laura could hear the panic bite into her voice.

The woman stopped her when she rested a warm hand on Laura’s bare one, which was clutching Gabriel and holding him to her. “Don’t apologize, please. I was just getting groceries. But I am looking for help. If you’re interested, maybe we could go next door to Merle’s, have a coffee. I didn’t get a chance to eat, so I’d love to buy you and your son breakfast, too, if you haven’t eaten. We could talk about the job. That’s if you’re interested?” The woman’s eyes widened, reflecting deep caring and concern out at Laura.

Laura did everything she could not to cry, and she must have looked like a shrew as she struggled to hold it in. She nodded because she couldn’t get the words out. “Thank you… Yes.”

“Let me just run back in before they think I abandoned my groceries. I’ll be right back. Please don’t go anywhere.” She looked concerned, as if Laura would bolt.

“We’ll wait.” Laura set Gabriel down, who was still fussing, and kneeled as the pretty woman hurried back into the store. “Gabriel, please stop for Mommy. This nice woman is going to buy us breakfast. Pancakes, would you like pancakes? I know how much you love them. Please, Gabriel, be good. Please, be quiet. I really need this job, whatever it is. Please.” She pleaded with Gabriel until he quieted down, she was glad and hoped he understood. Laura couldn’t always tell, but at least he wasn’t carrying on, and she knew food would keep him occupied. He had to be as hungry, even though he had eaten bread with peanut butter. The pancakes were a luxury and something they hadn’t had since Jerry jacked up the rent, but she was sure he remembered.

The woman appeared a minute later, dashing toward Laura. “Thank you so much for having breakfast with me. This is my treat. By the way, my name is Diana Friessen.”

Laura’s hand froze just as Diana touched hers, and it was then she felt a momentary panic.

“Miss?” the woman asked as if sensing her distress, as she tilted her head and looked at Laura kindly.

“Laura, my name’s Laura.”

“I recognize that look. I had it once, not so long ago.” She patted Laura’s hand again. “Let’s go have breakfast, Laura.”