Page 12 of Return to Cheshire Bay
Sincewhen? I checked the sign hanging above to verify I hadn’t stepped into a cash only line.I hadn’t. “I don’t have that much cash.”
“Then putsomething back.”
A lineformed behindme.
“Are you sureyou won’t accept the credit card?” I lifted it again to showher.
“Isaidcashonly.” She crossed herarms over her ample chest.
I dugthrough my purse, comingup with about half of what I needed.
The guy inline directly behind me sighed.
Iapologised profusely and started pulling items out of my bag,things I didn’t need tonight at least. I’d come backlater for them. One by one, Kimslowly deducted them off the bill, giving me a total I had theright cash for. I handed her the bills.
She tookeach and ran a blacklight over them.“Checking for counterfeit.”
For crying out loud.
I wantedto scream, butinstead,I bit my tongue to the point where I drew blood. She dropped thechange into my hand, which I barely caught, and tossed my receipt.Even if I wanted to explain I wasn’t responsible for Jordan’sdeath, as his death had been ruled non-criminal and an accident, Iheld back. Swallowing the pity I had for her as she clearly wasn’tgoing to let it go, I simply picked up the paper and tucked it intomy bag.
I wasn’tten feet away when the guy behind me spoke.“Who the hell was that?”
“LilyBaker.”
“She’sback?”
“Bitchcan go tohell.”
Ifroze for a heartbeatbut kept walking out to my jeep. It wasn’t until I pulled in frontof my house that I allowed the dam to break, and the tears toflood. A part of me wanted to call the manager and voice acomplaint, but I wasn’t sure what that would accomplish, except putanother target on my back. I rested my head against the steeringwheel, giving into the feelings. As I reached for a tissue, Ispotted Eric waving.
I sent ahalf-hearted wave back in his direction.
Hepointed and gesturedviasign language asking if I was okay.
Wiping myeyes, I hopped out. “Sorry, just having a girl moment. Pregnancyhormones and all.”
His browspinched together, and he walked over. “Really? That’s somehormones.”
A glanceatmy reflection wasenough to confirm and agree. My eyes were puffy and red. I was notone of those girls who cried pretty. Every cry turned me into anugly disaster, and the raccoon eyes didn’t help. I ran my fingersunder my eyes and wiped away the moisture and blackness. Walking tothe back of the Jeep, I lifted the end gate and grabbed a bag. “I’mfine, honestly.”
“Where’dyou go shopping?” He handled one of thereusable bags with a logo from a small Italianbakery four blocks from my apartment.
“Houseman’s.”
The namemust’ve been explanationenough as he dropped his questions and brought the bags in behindme. I stopped and stared at the kind gesture, I hadn’t expected himto follow.
“Sorry. Imaybe should’ve asked if you needed a hand.”
“It’snice ofyou to helpout.” I put the bags on the counter and started unloading. “Whendid they switch to a cash only system?”
Eric waschecking out my paint job, but he stopped and spun around. “What?No one ever uses cash.”
Islammed the fridge after putting ina jug of milk, rattling a stack of Mom’s favouritedishes. I hadn’t thrown everything away. “For real?”
He steppedback. “Yeah. Who told you that?”
I shookmy head, regretting my desire to get out ofHouseman’s rather than speak to a manager.“It doesn’t matter.”