Page 51 of Malaise
SIXTEEN
Work is work.It’s the last place I expected to feel any inkling of normality, and yet, I do. Aside from my supervisor uttering a quick condolence on Den’s passing, nobody has said a single thing to me, which isn’t all that unusual.
The customers don’t know. The old lady who needed me to call up somebody to help her get the giant ten kilo bag of dog food into her car didn’t see me as anything other than a “helpful young lady.”
I’m anonymous here. I’m simply Meg the checkout chick, not Meg the delinquent, or Meg the alcoholic. It’s a refreshing feeling to have when I’ve been giving serious thought to how life is going to work from here on out.
“Sylvie, do you have a minute?” I grab my supervisor’s attention before she buzzes off to check on something else pre-lock up.
“Sure.”
“Are there any extra hours going? I’d be open to anything you have after exams have finished.”
She gives me a sympathetic smile and shakes her head. “If I did have any, then there are a couple of single mothers on staff who are looking for the extra cash. I’m sorry, Meg. What you have is all I’ve got.”
I thank her and stack my cash box away. I didn’t expect any more, but it never hurts to ask. The lights flicker on out in the car park, and I glance up to find a familiar blue sedan again. This time, though, it appears he’s alone.
Hopefully he’s gone by the time I clock out. Why would Jasper even be here? Was the shit said at school not enough? Perhaps he feels the knife could use another twist?
By the time I’ve rounded up my bag from the staffroom and headed back out to the car park, Carver’s arrived. And he’s parked diagonally across from Jasper. Shit.
I hit the red button to open the automatic doors after hours and step out into the chilly dusk air. Jasper’s door opens, and he steps out before I’ve so much as crossed the supermarket’s covered walkway to the asphalt. Go the fuck away.
The fact it’s near on night, and the floodlights cast shadows over the cars, means I can’t see what Carver’s doing inside the Falcon. I tuck my head down and keep walking toward his passenger door, doing a terrible job at pretending I haven’t seen Jasper.
“Meg.”
Damn it. “Oh, hey Jasper. I didn’t notice it was you.”
He gives me a look that says he sees right through my bullshit, but lets it slide. “You weren’t at school yesterday.”
“Yeah, I was.” My right arm crosses over my body on instinct. “Didn’t your girlfriend tell you?”
“Girlfriend?” He frowns, jamming his hands in the back pockets of his jeans.
“Amelia.”
He laughs, and steps closer.
I step back.
“Amelia isn’t my girlfriend, Meg. I’m not involved with anyone.”
I glance over at the Falcon, and he follows my line of sight.
“That jackass here for you?”
“He’s not a jackass.”
On cue, Carver’s door opens. He unfolds his towering frame out of the driver seat and softly closes the door. His measured movements are scaring the shit out of me, so God only knows what they’re doing to Jasper.
“You ready, Meg?” He walks the few metres to where we stand, a confident swagger in his stride.
“Yeah, I am.” I make a move toward the Falcon and Carver, but Jasper blocks my path.
“Well, I’m not. I haven’t finished talking to you.”
“Got anything else you want to say to him?” Carver asks me.