The mistake of second tries

Day 3- The Adams'

Chapter five

Violet

It's about 5am.

I sit on my bedroom floor with my back resting against the door and my chin propped up on my knees, pulled to my chest with my arms wrapped around them.

I couldn't sleep all night.

I didn't know he was still taking drugs. Seeing me was enough of a reason to, I guess.

The sun is starting to show behind the hills and I take that as my cue to leave the house.

Stepping through the hallways, on my toes so I won't wake my mom, I walk out the door once I arrive downstairs, slipping my feet into the boots that I'd left outside yesterday, so they would dry. Gary tsks at me, shaking his head, when I throw him a sheepish smile.

Slipping through the gates, I begin to walk down the street and release a deep breathe, I didn't realize I was holding.

It's nicely quiet. In New York the streets are never this quiet. But this is Greenhills so the only things that cross your way this time of the day are birds.

I don't take the shortcut, since it leads past Wesley's house.

The one and only grocery store in this town opens just as I cross over the street. Mr. Adams is just opening the door as I step around the street corner at 5.30 am, and he gives me a kind smile, just as he always has in the past.

Mr. Adams and his wife know my deepest darkest secrets. The pharmacy belongs to them.

It's happened a few times in the past- me appearing at one am, needing ice, gauze, ointment- whether for myself or my mother.

My brother pushed me down the stairs once, after he found a scratch on his car and thought I was responsible for it. Mrs. Adams was the one helping me put ointments on my bruised ribs and check that they weren't broken.

Mr. Adams tells me it's nice to see me again, his eyes narrowed in concern the whole time.

"You and your mother are good?" The way he says it seems innocent. I smile and tell him we're both alright, which makes his shoulders relax a little.

I used to work here. Was there before the store even opened, just to get out of my house. The pharmacy is just next to the store, Mr. and Mrs. Adams live in the apartment directly over.

When I was younger and my mom send me to get her some things, I appeared at their front doors crying.

"Do you want a coffee? Like old times." I smile. "I'd appreciate that."

He leads me inside the store and tells me to sit behind the single counter, while he gets us coffee. Mr. Wilson makes the best in town, better than the one you got at our coffee-shop.

He returns after two minutes. "You finally decided to visit?" I shrug. "I kind of wish I wouldn't have come back." Wesley's words, but mine too.

Mr. Wilson gives me a sad smile, like he knows something that I don't. I'd like to say 'Believe me, I do, you just don't know me.' But that would seem harsh, given how much he cares about the things he shouldn't care about.

"Me too dear. You deserve more than all this." I know exactly what he means. It just surprises me that he does.

•

Mr. Adams has asked me to watch the store for a bit. He says he needs to run some errands or something, cause a delivery was unknowingly canceled.

I was happy to do so. It's been one and a half hours though, and no one has come in yet. But it's only 7 am after all. Mr. Adams told me to drink as much coffee as I can handle and I'm currently on my fourth mug.