Page 1 of Mocha Kisses

Luna

Six Years Ago

I’mnotsurewhatI’m running from exactly but the suited man with a gun pointed at my face is reason enough not to stop. My beautiful small town of Spring Haven is no longer the quiet, boring place it used to be. With Red Brook University’s graduation a few hours away, all neighboring towns including mine–Spring Haven–are in on the celebration. From people crowding the shops along the main street to buying up the fresh delicacies from my favorite bakery, I swear everyone is out and about, busying themself in preparation for the yearly party.

The fact that twelve of Spring Haven’s own are graduating this year is something to be celebrated. Unfortunately, my focus is on not getting caught.

Skidding through an alleyway, I head for the main street that will take me around the back of the campus, to the edge of the football fields. Red brick on either side of me ends at the intersection, grass on either side of the concrete following me. This shortcut used to bring me so much joy as I and others fled through here to keep from being late for class. The moments I’d hide back here for a quick smoke when I thought it was cool. The moments that my boyfriend drew me here for kisses and maybe something a little more.

None of that matters now. Today was supposed to be a day full of excitement, a day full of new beginnings, a day to rejoice the first day of the rest of our lives.

Instead, I’ve been saddled with a bill that has more zeros than I’ve ever seen in my life.

“A million dollars?” I whisper, my voice strained as I stare at the promissory note. My father’s name—John Williamson—is signed at the bottom and a bloody fingerprint beside it. I thought shit like that only happened in the movies. The Red Brook county officer sitting across the desk clears his throat and I look up through teary eyes, wondering if he pulled the short stick to be dealing with the St. Claire family. Again.

My mother is no stranger to them, what with the substances she stuffs down her throat half the time. I’m not even sure who her supplier is or where she even finds these people but it’s the only thing that steadily comes into the house. That and alcohol. I twist to look over at her, scowling at her unhelpfulness.

Two weeks ago, my mother gave me a sob story about my father’s debts, explaining that our humble dwelling was a result of trying to pay everything off. I thought she was full of shit at the time only because I had never met the man and his name only came up in passing. Fast forward to today, a sunny Thursday that was supposed to be reserved for the excitement of my college graduation and I’m sitting across from a police officer, filing a complaint.

Aside from the bill that my father has left us, it’s the suited goons that have been prowling around our residence, following me to school and threatening to kill me if I don’t pay up. The problem is that I don’t have any money, neither does my mother, and neither one of us has any means of grabbing a million dollars in the next week before the supposed due date.

I reread the letter, grimacing as I pick out new things.

Due Date: May 25th

Should you be unable to repay your debt whether by death or other incident, your family will be located to satisfy the remaining monetary value.

“Is this even legal?” I cry, thrusting the letter back at the officer. I had to beg my mother to join me at the station but she’s been no help thus far. My mother wobbles forward before placing a hand on the desk, drawing our attention to her.

“Have you seen what they’ve done to my poor baby?”

I let out an agonized sigh because my mother doesn’t care about me. She’s just hoping to get out from under this. The few scrapes I’ve earned from running away will soon become scars full of memories I would rather forget.

The police officer runs his fingers through his hair, shaking his head. “Miss St Claire, I’m afraid there isn’t much I can do with a letter. We’ve opened an investigation to who’s been following your daughter but without any names or faces other than a John Williamson, there isn’t much we can do at this point.”

I knew I shouldn’t have trusted that the police would be able to do anything. This isn’t even the first complaint we’ve filed and yet, we’re being told the same thing. That they can’t help us. No one can. I’m on my own with this shit, just like I am with everything else.

“What am I supposed to do in the meantime?” I ask, steeling my voice so that my mother doesn’t see how much this truly bothers me. She’s ruined every part of my life thus far, why did I think that my graduation would be any different?

My mother adds, “Luna doesn’t have that kind of money.”

The reality sinks in, that my mother expects me to pay off my father’s debts. She’ll wallow in the house as she always does while I suffer. I should have known. The officer looks between the two of us. “Luna? Luna, I would advise you to reach out to your father and find out what’s going on. This is a serious sum of money and paying them off might not actually fix the problem. We’ll offer you a protective detail as we try to get to the bottom of this, alright?”

Sweet relief spreads through my limbs. For the first time, someone is doing something about the situation. I nod and reach across the desk to shake his hand, a small smile finally reaching my lips.

Unfortunately, that protective detail he set up, the fucking officer that was offered to me turned out to be just another one of those suited goons. Apparently, they’ve infiltrated the police department. I dash across the street, glancing back to see the man lingering at the edge of the alleyway, his gaze peering back and forth as his gun slides from behind his back.

Running into public places has always given me a bit of reprieve from the debt I now owe because of a man I’ve never even fucking met.

I wouldn’t know him from a piece of shit and I’ve never cared to know about him until now. Thrusting his financial issues on us? The worst part is that with the appearance of this suited individual waving a gun around, it’s obvious that whatever my father has gotten himself intoisn’t legal.As far as I know, credit card companies just assault your phone.

It was pretty obvious with the bloodied fingerprint that my father’s choices were beyond the legal scope but it’s a whole lot different experiencing it.

The suited goons have also never waved a gun in my face and the adrenaline pouring through my veins is starting to wear off. I can’t keep running through the streets of Spring Haven and Red Brook, hoping that I’ll suddenly lose them. And this man works with or for the fucking police.

I’ll have to leave, won’t I?

My breath catches in my throat but I push forward as the outline of the metal bleachers comes into view, my eyes peeled for my boyfriend. A month ago, my entire world revolved around college and marriage with the love of my life—Griffin Solace. Now, it revolves around escaping this hell hole and leaving him behind.

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