Chapter 39
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
RESISTANCE IS FUTILE
Scowling, I trudge into Watertower Place on Monday morning. Taking the escalator up, I walk into the store. “Thank you, Jesus. You’re actually early today,” says a smiling Theresa.
“Yeah, I woke up super early. Thought I might as well come in. I owe you.” Plus, I finished my new jewelry set last night and I’m anxious to put it in the case.
This set contains a long chain, a pair of earrings, a bracelet, and a shorter necklace.
The short necklace can be worn on its own or layered with the long one.
Yeah, like someone is going to buy both necklaces.
“You okay, Mac?” asks my boss.
“Yes. Just had a crappy weekend. You know how that goes, right?”
“I sure do.” She smiles again. “Well, maybe this will cheer you up.”
I look up at her expectantly.
“Someone called this morning asking if you had any new pieces in this week.”
“New pieces of mine? Seriously?”
“Seriously. It was a woman. I didn’t ask her name, but she said she’d be in this week.”
Hopefully today. I could use the money after taking three thousand dollars out of savings to pay Sam. Don’t think about Sam. Just don’t….
“Hey, MacKenzie. Did you have a nice weekend?”
I turn to see Bobby walk into the store. “Hello, Bobby. My weekend was fine. How was yours?”
“Good. Played in an online tournament this weekend.”
I walk into the back room to put my coat and purse away.
“I’m still listening,” I say loudly. I’ve sort of feel bad about Bobby.
I keep blowing him off. I know he’s got a little crush on me but there’s nothing that says we can’t be friends.
Right? “What game was it?” Not that I understand or know anything about video games.
“Die2Nite is the name of it. It’s really hilarious.”
“The name makes it sound scary.”
“Nah, it’s about zombies. It’s cool.”
“Oh, zombies I totally get. I love The Walking Dead.” I walk behind the cases to get to the one where my pieces are displayed. I’ve got my new pieces in a box in my hands. As I arrange my small display, Bobby continues to talk.
“So, in the game, there’s this attack of the hordes that takes place every night at midnight. The zombies attack the town and attempt to kill citizens. The citizens in town have to do a bunch of stuff to protect itself like using construction sites—”
“Uh-huh. Sounds cool.” I nod. I’m sort of listening. I’m just not the gamer type. I had trouble with Mario Kart.
He continues. “There are players from all over the world in Die2Nite, so there is no nighttime search penalty, which occurs in the German version, Hordes.”
“All over the world? Wow, that’s nice.”
“It is. And…,” he says excitedly.
I’m still arranging my jewelry when someone holding the biggest bouquet of flowers I’ve ever seen interrupts our conversation. Bobby stops talking and stares at the man. “Can I help you?” I ask.
“Is there a MacKenzie Parker here?”
“Uh, that’s me,” I say, swallowing hard.
He sets the flowers on the glass display case to my right. “Sign here, please.”
I sign the electronic receipt and stare at the flowers. Theresa walks up behind me. “Wow, those are beautiful. Very expensive,” she adds. “Who’re they from?”
I know who they’re from. But I’m afraid to read the card.
Courage, MacKenzie Blue. I reach into the bouquet and pull out the card.
I try not to notice the red and yellow roses, the pink and white lilies and yellow daisies.
Dang, I love lilies—how did he know that?
I unseal the tiny envelope and slide out a rather pretty card.
MacKenzie,
I’m sorry about the other night. I was a complete ass. Please give me another chance. Sam.
I feel Theresa crowd in behind me. “Wow, what did he do?” Theresa whispers.
“Nothing.” I shove the card back in the little envelope. “I think the flowers should stay in the store, don’t you? Yeah, let’s put them over here near the front so other people can enjoy them.”
“MacKenzie?”
I look up at Bobby. His expression looks pinched. “Who sent you flowers?”
“Nobody. Just a former friend.”
“The guy who picked you up a couple of weeks ago?”
Now it’s my turn to look pinched. “Bobby, it’s none of your business.
” It’s nobody’s business. Sam shouldn’t be sending things to my workplace.
I turn and stomp into the back room. I need to give my heart a chance to stop pounding in my chest and to force the tears back inside.
“He sent me flowers?” I whisper to the room.
Last night, I’d finally gotten myself to a good place.
Well, not a good place but I’d quit crying, so that was an improved place, anyway.
I return to the shop and see Theresa but no Bobby.
“You upset him.”
“I know. I just didn’t want to talk about Sam to anyone right now.”
“I understand. Been there. Done that. But maybe you should apologize to Bobby.”
I nod to Theresa. I take a deep breath and walk out into the mall. In the toy store, I look around and see only one clerk. “Hey, Sandy. Is Bobby around?”
“Back room,” she mutters.
I walk to the back and push open the door. I don’t see him, but I hear pounding. I walk around one of their tall inventories and hear the pounding get louder. I hear words now. “Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.”
I pass another shelf and see Bobby. He’s pounding his fist against the back wall. “Bobby?”
He turns abruptly, and his appearance startles me. He’s red and sweating. His expression is angry, and I think I see tears. “Um, I want to apologize to you. My weekend wasn’t good and seeing the flowers upset me. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you, Bobby.”
A small smile appears on his face. “It’s okay, MacKenzie. You should just throw those flowers away so you don’t have to look at them all the time.”
“I should, but I’ll leave them in the store so Theresa can enjoy them. It doesn’t bother me to see them,” I lie.
“You need to stay away from that guy. You need to watch what you’re doing.”
I nod and smile. “Well, I’d better get back. See you.”
“Wait. MacKenzie? Do you want to have lunch?”
“Can’t. Gotta walk the dogs.” I start to walk away, but I turn. “But their family is going out of town and I don’t have to walk them on Friday. How ’bout then?”
He gives me the biggest, brightest smile. “Sure. Great.”
It’s hard to believe having lunch with me could make him this happy. I make my way back to the store and try to keep my mind off Mr. Three o’Clock.
The rest of Monday continues without any more drama. The woman who called about my jewelry was a no-show, but maybe she’ll stop in on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, I get to work early again, but Theresa’s not there to witness it. “Diane? Make sure you note that I’m here early again. I want to get as many bonus points with Theresa as I can.” I giggle.
“Will do. It is pretty shocking—you being early.” She laughs.
It’s not really that shocking—not to me. I can’t seem to sleep right now. I’m dragging ass; the sun wakes me up.
“We’re going to inventory the cases today—or at least start that process.”
I’m glad we have something to do that’s mind-numbing. “I’ll grab the forms. Where do you want to start?”
“Let’s start at the front and move around the room.”
“Good idea.” Taking inventory is easy work. We also wipe down the cases and clean the jewelry while we do it. Diane and I clean and count until it’s time for me to walk the dogs. When I return, there’s a man in the store holding a brown paper sack.
I look at Diane as she says, “He’s got something for you that smells heavenly.” She moans. She’s hungry—she’s been waiting for me to return so she can go to lunch.
“You MacKenzie Parker?” asks the man in his late sixties.
“I am.”
“For you.” He hands me the bag, and Diane is right—it smells amazing. I look down and see the Mama Mabel’s logo. “Oh, yum,” I murmur.
“There’s writing on this side,” Diane points out.
I turn the bag around and see his handwritten note:
M—I hope you’ll forgive me. But I’ll wait.
Until then, I wanted to make sure you had some comfort food. Sam
Taking the bag into the back room, I pop open the stapled top and peer in. There’s a small round Styrofoam container and something wrapped in foil. I take out both and pop open the lid on the round container. “Mmm, mac ’n’ cheese.” I dip my finger into the gooey cheese and taste. “So, so good.”
I unfurl the foil package and see three chicken strips. Diane steps behind me, whining, “Damn it, I’m so jealous.”
I grab two plastic spoons from the little kitchen area that Theresa has set up for us. “Here, I’ll share.”
Diane grabs the spoon and the round container. “I love you so much, Mac. Have I told you that before?”
“No. I don’t think you have.” I giggle. She has. Numerous times.
We eat the food in record time. I wipe my mouth, close my eyes, and smile. Comfort food is the best thing ever.
On Wednesday, I half expected—no, I fully expected—something delivered by lunchtime.
Walking the dogs was a nightmare, and apparently that stupid groundhog was right.
We were enjoying a lovely February blizzard.
The dogs hated it, too. By the time we had walked a block, all three of them had done their business.
I hustled them back into the warmth of their building.
“Thanks for doing your stuff so fast, pups.”
Walking back to work, I do my best to keep the snow that’s pelting my face from blinding me. I grab the front of my coat and wrap it around me tightly. “Brrrr, cold.” I shiver. Back at the store, I look around hopefully. Maybe Sam sent Thai food today.
I’m terrible. This is ridiculous; I shouldn’t be looking forward to a delivery. I should want the deliveries to stop. When there’s nothing waiting for me, I’m disappointed.