The Hidden Story

Chapter 30

     After thirty minutes of sitting in the car with my head back against the seat and pure thinking, I finally pulled off. I hadn't eaten all day and I started to feel sick. I decided to go to me and Chris's favorite fast food restaurant Zaxby's.

     " Hi! May I take your order? " the woman said over the intercom.

     " Can I have two ten piece traditional mild wings with fries? And also two banana pudding milkshakes. " I said.

     " Yes ma'am! Your total is 21.40 at the second window. " She said.

I reached in my wallet and got a twenty dollar bill, a one dollar bill and two quarters.

     When I looked up the lady said again, " Your total is 21.40. "

     I handed her the money. She gave me the two boxes of food. She tried to hand me a dime back but I told her to keep it.

     " Miss......ummmm..... " I tried looking at her name tag. " Miss Sarah, can I have two extra ranch sauces and two extra Zaxby sauces? " I asked.

     I handed her a dollar because I knew it cost to get extra sauces.

She handed me the sauces then whispered, " Keep the dollar, Sweetie. "

     " Thank you, Miss Sarah. " I said.

     I started to pull off. " Wait! " She yelled.
I pulled back a little bit because no one else was in line and looked at the older woman.

     " This may be weird....... not to be in your business or anything........ are you okay? " She asked.

     " Yes, I'm fine. " I said.

     " Baby, you don't have to lie to me. I know something is wrong. You don't have to tell me what it is. I just wanted to tell you that it's okay not be okay all the time. You may not feel like it but you're super strong. Keep your head up. You and your family are going to be okay, Sweetie. " She said.

     I wiped my face. " Thank you so much. That really helped. "

     " You welcome, Sweetie. Now dry those tears up. " She said.

     " Yes ma'am. " I said wiping my face again and smiling.

     I handed her a fifty dollar bill and I pulled off before she could say she wasn't taking it. I was trying to figure out how Miss Sarah knew there was something going on with my family.

     I pulled up to Freedom Park and took the two boxes of food with me. I walked down to where the ducks and lake is and sat at a picnic table. I started smashing! I was so hungry.

     I heard a vibrate. " Where are you? " Chris asked.

     " Sitting at a picnic table on the hill, near the lake. " I replied.

     Five minutes later he texted back, " I'm near the lake, where are you? "

     " 3:00 " I texted back. He looked to his right and walked to the table.

     " You forever giving a time to explain directions! " He said laughing.

     I smiled and handed him his box.

     " Oh yeaaaaaaah! " He said happily. " I knew my baby was gonna get me something to eat! "

     I smiled again.

     " Babe, what's wrong? You're not talking. " He said.

     " I'm just........... " I started to say before I got up from the table and ran to throw up behind the tree.