Chapter 14 #2
“Thanks, asshole,” I snarl, sitting up more forcefully than necessary. My head spins and my stomach clenches. I dive off the bed and barely make it to the bathroom in time to throw up. God, I’ll be glad when this part of the pregnancy is over.
Once I’m finished, I get to my feet and brush my teeth before climbing into the shower and scrubbing myself clean.
I stand there until the water’s gone cold, then get out and I dry off before getting dressed for the day.
I pull on a pair of jeans and one of the polos with the diner’s logo embroidered across the left breast, then throw a hoodie on over it just in case.
I don’t know if Midas is still out there or has someone watching me, but the last thing I want is for them to know where I work, especially after Del’s reaction to the MCs.
Running a brush through my hair, I redo my braid, pulling it over my shoulder before curling the loose strands.
“Elsa, eat your heart out.” I blow a kiss at the mirror, refusing to let Midas ruin this for me.
I walk over to the window with trepidation but breathe a sigh of relief when I see his bike’s gone, and a quick scan of the lot shows no other bikers lurking nearby.
The noise next door makes my head throb, so I try to tune it out as I rummage through the fridge for something that won’t set my stomach off again. Nothing looks good, so I settle on some crackers and ginger tea, which I read online is supposed to be good for nausea.
I sit on the sofa to drink my tea and stare at the blank wall.
It’s times like these I wish I had a TV, even if I only use it to distract myself or for background noise.
Still, it’s not high on my list of priorities.
I’m lucky I found a furnished apartment in my budget.
I have a sofa, a bed, and somewhere to store my clothes and books.
Honestly, it’s enough for now. I’m sure once the baby gets here and I’m tripping over baby stuff, I’ll miss my current space.
Once my tea’s finished, I tidy up, pack a few things in my bag, and head to the bus stop. I know I’m going to be early, but I want out of here in case Midas decides to come back. Plus, if I have to listen to that noise next door for much longer, I might lose my freaking mind.
I smile when the bus pulls up and I’m greeted by Gene’s happy face.
“Hey, how did it go yesterday?”
“I got a job!” I squeal, doing a little dance, which makes him laugh loudly.
“Well, that’s great news. Is that the diner one or something else?”
“The diner. The bus stops right across from it, which is awesome.”
“I’m happy for you, Miss. I’m glad someone could see your potential. I never had anything but faith in you.”
Touched, I press my hand to my chest, feeling choked up.
“Oh no, Miss, don’t you start crying, or you’ll set me off, and nobody wants to see an old man cry.”
“You really are the best, Gene.” I reach into my bag, pull out a KitKat, and hand it to him. His rubs his hands at the gesture.
“You don’t need to bring me things.” He tells me as he grabs it anyway.
“Hush now. I’m grown. I do what I want.”
He chuckles. “Yes, ma’am. Now, please take your seat, and let’s get this show on the road.” I reach in my bag to grab my money, and he shakes his head at me. “What did I tell you yesterday?”
“You’re too good to me, Gene.”
He gives me a wink, and I take my seat with a smile, leaning my head against the cool glass. My restless night, combined with the low hum of the engine, almost lulls me to sleep, but thankfully, we reach my stop before I do.
I wave goodbye to Gene and head across the street to the diner.
I push the door open and the bell jingles, making me think of Au for a second.
I shake my head when I spot Susie behind the counter who waves me over with a smile.
I head her way, noting the place is already busy despite the early hour.
“I thought Del said you weren’t on shift until ten?” Susie frowns.
“My neighbor’s been blasting death metal since six. I had to get out of there before I ended up murdering him.”
“I would’ve gone over with a frying pan and beat some sense into him.”
“Don’t be giving me any ideas now,” I warn her, and she bursts out laughing.
“Well, since you’re early, do you want something to eat?”
I chew my lip, knowing I need to save every penny I have. As if reading my mind, she shakes her head.
“Meals are included here. You can eat what you want when you want. Del insists on it, actually. Nine times out of ten, we end up taking food home too.”
“Really?” She nods. “Okay, then I’ll have a banana muffin and a cup of decaf, if that’s okay. Is there anything you want me to do while I’m here?”
“You could make sure the sugar pourers are full and each table has condiments. I don’t think Del got around to it before she left last night.”
“No problem, I can do that.”
“Eat first. Trust me when I say, if you get a chance, take it because you never know when the next rush will happen.”
“Got it.”
She hands me a little plate with a muffin, then sets a mug of steaming coffee in front of me. “Creamer and sugar are just behind you.”
“Thanks.” I grab what I need to fix my coffee and sit on one of the stools at the counter. I take a bite of the muffin and eat it slowly. It’s not the best muffin I’ve ever had, but it helps keep the nausea at bay, and that’s enough to make me happy.
I’m just finishing up when Del walks out from the back. She looks at me and frowns. “I thought I told you ten?”
“No, you did. My neighbor decided to wake me up with death metal—”
“Enough said.” She walks around the counter and pours herself a cup of coffee before taking the seat beside me.
“Feel free to park your car in the staff parking lot. It’s free parking, so you don’t have to worry about getting towed.”
“Oh, I don’t have a car. I actually can’t drive.”
She looks surprised but doesn’t say anything.
“There’s a bus stop outside my apartment complex, so it’s not a problem.”
She scrunches up her face. “Right now, it’s light out. But once winter rolls around and the nights start getting longer, that won’t be safe, Hazel.”
“It’s only temporary,” I tell her, which seems to be my go-to answer for everything lately. “Starting over’s a process, but I’m good. I promise. I won’t let you down.”
“I’m not worried about that, and I know all about starting over.” She pulls a napkin from one of the dispensers and whips out a pen from her pocket before writing her cell phone number on the napkin.
“Here. If anything comes up, just call me, and we’ll figure it out. I don’t want you taking stupid risks just because you’re running late or something, okay?”
I give her a genuine smile. She acts tough, but I’m starting to think it’s just a front to hide how soft she really is. As she looks at me, I recognize the loneliness in her eyes. She might have her life figured out, but you can still do everything right and end up alone.
It makes me feel a little sad for her and a little scared because I might end up the same way.
Sure, I’ll have a baby to love and love me back, but I won’t be the kind of parent who expects having a kid to fix me.
I might have a lot of love to give, but I have too many cracks in my heart to ever truly feel whole.