Page 11 of Crash and Burn

“Be safe, Mela. Tell Jimmy I said, hi.”

“I sure will. Goodnight, Harvey, and don’t forget, I’m off this weekend, so I’ll be back on Monday.”

“Hey! Finally, a weekend off. You deserve it, kiddo. Do something fun.” He winked at me and then came in for a hug. I love Harvey’s hugs. He’s warm and I know he genuinely cares. My family doesn’t live close by, so I appreciate the friends who step in.

Harvey left with a wave, so I turned to find Sheila. I went into the back of the diner and saw Donnie washing the dishes. “Donnie, have you seen Sheila? She was just out here.”

“She just ran to the bathroom, doll. She’ll be back.”

No one around here says doll but him, and I love it. Sheila came out as I was sitting at the counter, propped on my elbows. She leaned against the counter, looking down at me. “What’s got you, Am?”

“Nothing. I mean, nothing I shouldcareabout.” She just smiled at me. “Oh geez, Sheila. Quit. Listen, this is the second time that guy…Hudson…you waited on him… it’s the second time he has come in here and just been a mess.”

“He didn’t seem a mess whenIwas waitin’ on him. He was working on his art.”

His art. He’s an artist? “He’s an artist? How do you know that?”

“Honey, he showed me some design he’s workin’ on for old man Charlie down at Charlie’s Lumber.”

“Oh. Well, he left in such a hurry again, all stressed out.”

“Listen, Amelia. I don’t know his story. He’s a pretty relaxed guy, though. He’s been in here, what, twice now? Just keep talking to him. People like that come around eventually. Who knows what anyone is going through these days?”

Smiling softly, I said, “Yeah, I guess so. Thanks, Sheila. Hey, can I head out? It’s dead in here and if I can get home early, that would be great.”

“Of course, honey. Enjoy your weekend. Amelia…don’t sit in that apartment all weekend. Do something. You never have the weekends off.”

“Fine,” I relented, then took off my apron and hung it on the hook in the kitchen. I grabbed my jacket and bag, slinging the bag across my body and yelled, “Night Sheila! Night Donnie!”

When I stepped outside, the air was chilly. I breathed it in deep and watched my exhaled breath turn to a frosty cloud. Maybe it was the changing of the seasons, but something felt new, and I needed that. I made a wish to put my intention into the universe and told myself,Expect something great. You deserve that.

I turned my head when I heard a car slowly creeping up behind me. It was possible that the driver just needed directions, but I picked up my pace to get closer to the bus stop, hoping Jimmy would pull up. The car was still creeping and a little voice inside me wondered if it was my ex-boyfriend, Kevin.No, it can’t be. He has no reason to bother me. I mean, he does if he is a complete psychopath and the jury’s still out on that, but it can’t be him.My heart was beating at a rapid pace, and I wanted to throw up.

I finally reached the bus stop and opened my bag to pull out my keys, placing a key between each knuckle like spikes to punch with in case I was going to be attacked. Sitting down inside the bus shelter, I tried not to stare directly at the car, but kept it in my peripheral vision. It finally stopped, and the door popped open. My heartbeat was deafening, ringing loud in my ears. My nerves were frantic. The headlights were so fucking bright that I couldn’t see who it was.

I finally yelled out, trying to even my breaths and hide the shakiness, “Can I help you with something? Your headlights are blinding me.”

“Shit! I’m so sorry!”

Wait. Is that...“Hudson? Are you kidding me right now?” He killed his headlights and came walking back to the front of the car toward me with his hands in the air.

“Hey Amelia. What the hell are you doing out here?”

“Hudson, you asshole. You gave me a damn heart attack. Don’t you know you shouldn’t sneak up on women like that? What is the matter with you?” I went off, not letting him get a word in.

“Whoa! Hey... I’m sorry.”

I rolled my eyes at him and doubled over, resting my hands on my knees to breathe.In through my nose, out through my mouth. Christ.

He apologized again, “Hey, hey. I’m really sorry. I saw you come out of the diner, and you didn’t go to a car. I was wondering what you were doing. It’s dark and late and you shouldn’t be out here.”

What? Excuse me?Then I let him have it, “Listen! Don’t tell me what I should and shouldn’t be doing! You just scared the shit out of me, and you don’t know anything about me!”

He just stared at me, raising his hands in surrender again. When he went to speak, I cut him off. “You don’t get to leave in a mad dash without any explanation after ordering coffee and then come up on me and tell me what I should and shouldn’t be doing, Hudson. You’re lucky I didn’t slice your face off.”

He laughed and I went wide eyed. “Are you laughing at me?”

“Notatyou, but I don’t really think you were going to slice my face off with your timid, ‘Can I help you?’”

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