I'll Follow Your Lead

Chapter 3 - He's Gone Now, Dorothea.

     Dorothea looked up as the café door opened. Jack smiled brightly at her and took his normal seat at the counter. Dorothea smiled back and leaned over the counter in front of him.

      "Same thing?"

      "You know it," Jack responded with a sly smirk. Dorothea laughed and turned to get his order started.

      Jack had been coming into the café every day at the same time for almost two weeks. He'd order hot chocolate and a cinnamon bun and sit in his usual spot at the front counter. Depending on how busy it was in the café he would either chat with Dorothea or draw. He never let Dorothea see his drawings. He always said he would let her see if she let him draw her and she always rolled her eyes before moving on.

      "All right, here you go!" Dorothea sat his plate and mug in front of him and leaned against the counter. The café was basically empty, except for the old woman that was always there in the afternoon. "So, what do you do when you're not here? I have to believe that you have a job or something," Dorothea laughed and leaned her cheek against her hand. Jack was mid-bite when she asked and glared at her as he finished chewing his pastry.

      "I pick up odd jobs here and there," He responded with his mouth still full and Dorothea giggled. "I also sell my drawings around town."

      "Oh yeah?"

      "Yeah."

      "So, you're some sort of big-time artist like Da Vinci?" The girl was teasing him and he knew it but he just smiled and nodded. "So you compare yourself to Da Vinci?" Dorothea deadpanned.

       "Nope! You did," Jack was quick to turn the situation around on her as he took another bite from his cinnamon bun. Dorothea scoffed and just before she could retort, she glanced up and quickly stood straight. Jack saw fear cross her face as she scurried back into the kitchen without saying a word. Jack tried calling for her but was interrupted by the door opening. He turned and saw a man, older and taller than him, looking around the building with a hard look on his pale face. The man spotted Jack at the counter and sauntered over.

      "Where's the girl that works here? The black girl," The man leaned his hands on the counter and seemed to be scanning the area. Jack furrowed his eyebrows and snuck a glance toward the kitchen. There was no door but Dorothea was nowhere in sight. Jack returned his gaze to the man.

     "I don't know who you're talking about, sir," Jack smoothly lied as he took a drink from his mug. Jack didn't know why Dorothea had run out so quickly upon seeing him but it didn't take a genius to gather that she did not want to see this man. The man's eyes slid to Jack's and then looked him up and down. Jack remained unbothered. After a long pause, the man scoffed and walked out of the café. Jack watched the man walk out into the setting sun and then down the road.

      "Is he gone?" Jack had never heard Dorothea's voice be that soft. He turned and saw her peeking out from behind the wall separating the dining room from the kitchen.

      "Yeah. Yeah, he's gone," Jack brushed his hands off on his pants and got up. "Who is that?"

       Dorothea came out from behind the wall and walked around the counter to stand in front of Jack. She looked out the window, just to make sure the man wasn't lurking around waiting for her to reveal herself.

      "He comes in occasionally. He's a cad! Absolutely horrid! He's the reason that the other girl who worked here quit," As Dorothea was explaining, she was working herself up. Her slender hand ran down her face and rubbed her eyes. Jack gingerly approached her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He remained quiet and let her finish. "He keeps harassing me. He's never touched me before but, good lord, the things he has the audacity to say to my face!"

      Jack guided her to one of the stools and forced her to sit down. "He's gone now, Dorothea." The way he said her name sounded like music to her ears. Her brown eyes met his blue ones and she could swear her heart leapt to her throat. He looked so sincere as he stared into her eyes. He gently squeezed her shoulders before letting go. She continued to stare at him. It was as if seeing him for the first time.

      "Thank you."

      "For what?"

      "For not giving me away," Dorothea vaguely gestured to the kitchen doorway. Jack let out a breath through his nose, furrowed his eyebrows, and shook his head.

      "I'd never do that. Not for anything," He said. Dorothea furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head.

      "Not for anything? You hardly even know me," Dorothea could not understand why he would protect her this way. "We've known each other only weeks and yet you say not for anything. Sounds like you want something," Dorothea crossed her arms over her chest and her lips quirked into a playful smile. Jack stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned against the counter next to her. He let out a sigh.

      "You're right. I'm after your money."

      Dorothea let out a snort before quickly covering her mouth. Jack laughed loudly. The kind of laugh that made his head lull back as he clutched his stomach.

      "Don't laugh at me!" Dorothea swatted his shoulder but he only laughed harder. The girl couldn't help but break into laughter herself. She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed like that. As the two teens laughed themselves silly at the front counter, the old woman sitting at the table by one of the windows looked on fondly. She saw Dorothea every day and yet she had never seen her with such sparkles in her eyes, looking at the young boy as if he had hung the moon.