Page 47 of Protecting What Is Mine

20

Hank

I glance at the radio as I pull out of the feed store lot. It’s a quarter of two, and if I’ve got my days right, that means Mollie gets off work in fifteen minutes. I’m close enough to town that I decide to stop in and surprise her.

I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket when I park in the lot next to Belle’s. After fishing it out, I find a message from Gabe.

Gabe: Good news, just got off the phone with Chet Jr.

What the hell is he talking about?

Me: Not sure what those words are supposed to mean to me.

I shake my head as I shove my phone back in my pocket, confident that whatever Gabe was trying to tell me, can wait. I’ve got more important things on my plate at the moment.

I enter Belle’s anticipating the same routine I’ve received the last hundred or so times I’ve come through the door. If the beautiful blonde is working, she’ll look up, offer a friendly smile and say, ‘Welcome to Belle’s. You can sit anywhere you’d like.’

But what happens instead is…pretty much nothing.

A man seated in the booth nearest the door looks up and offers a nod, but that’s it. While I’m surprised by the change, I don’t think too much of it at first. Mollie’s back is to the door as she tends to other customers, so I shake it off and help myself to a seat at the counter, per my routine, to happily watch as she works.

It’s only after Mollie turns and takes notice of me at the counter, that I realize something is wrong. She freezes mid-step as she looks me over, like she isn’t sure who I am or if it’s safe to continue toward me. When she does recognize me, her gaze softens and the look of fear is quickly washed away by the tears that begin rolling down her cheeks.

I stand, out of instinct I suppose. “Hey. What’s the matter? Was this a bad surprise?”

Mollie crams her order pad and pen into her apron and rushes into my arms, wrapping me in a hug.

“Hey there,” I say, still uncertain if she’s crying happy tears.

We stand like that for a while, holding one another in the middle of the diner. When she finally pulls away, it’s only enough so she can look me in the eye. “It’s so good to see your face,” she says as she traces her finger along my jaw. “You can’t imagine the day I’ve had.”

“Your shift ends in a few minutes, right?”

She nods and then returns her head to my chest and squeezes tightly around my waist.

I pull her close, as if to shield her from the world. “Got any place you need to be after work?”

“No,” she whimpers into my shoulder.

“Okay then. I say we go someplace quiet, so you can tell me all about your day. How’d that be?”

“Good.” Mollie wipes her eyes and then smiles at the cook watching us from the window into the kitchen. “See you tomorrow, Eddie. Thanks again. For everything.”

He nods. “You take care, girl.”

Mollie steps back and unties her apron. “Let me put this away and grab my purse and phone, okay?”

“Sure.” While I don’t have the first clue what’s going on, it’s beginning to feel like I might be the only one who doesn’t. When she comes back around the counter, I wrap my arm around her waist and she happily snuggles in. “Where do you want to go?”

“Anywhere but home or here. Or, The Saddle,” she blurts.

“I can’t help but notice, what with my keen observation skills and all, the places you don’t want to go are oddly specific. Is that, by any chance, related to your bad day?”

Mollie looks at me, but before any words come out of her mouth, her chin scrunches and her bottom lip puffs and I can see she’s fighting tears again.

“Alright. How about you follow me home. I’ll make you dinner, seeing as you’ve been on your feet all day.”

Mollie nods, but seems no less distressed. “Can I ride with you?” She looks away bashfully. “I know you’ll have to bring me back to my car later, but I just got you and I’m not ready to let you go. Even if it is just for a car ride.”

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