The Kindness of Strangers

Ch. 8 - Death in the Family

I scrub the grime of old food from out under my nails as Thomas looms behind me, rubbing his rough hands through my hair. He's been so affectionate since we began dating a few weeks back. He holds me, kisses my face, and pats my arms when you're upset. I feel like the luckiest woman alive to win the heart of such a sweet man. Maybe this is the type of love your ma always told you about.

"Darlin', we're expecting a shipment of gasoline anytime this week, would you mind helping me at the station till then?" Mama makes the same pleading eyes Thomas does when he wants to keep his mask while he sleeps. I give her a nod before letting Tommy take over the dishes.

"You heard Mama. I'll be gone till late tonight. You think you'll be okay?" Thomas scoffs and gives me an amused squint. "You know what I mean you sass." He leans down to meet my kiss, his chapped lips sending a warm glow through me.

The car ride is rough and bumpy, the damn air feels suffocating with its unrelenting heat. An old lady like Mama shouldn't be working during this kind of weather but I won't be the one to tell her that. Drayton grumbles out a greeting from the cook's window as Mama goes behind the counter.

"All I need from ye is to stock shelves and keep an eye out for that delivery truck." I nod and start opening the boxes with the store's box cutter. I let myself work up a pattern. Box, cut, pick up four cans, put them in their place, and repeat. I unpack all the inventory before sweeping all the dust out of the store and wiping down the counters. It didn't help the hot meaty smell coming from the kitchen but it was better not to breathe dust too. I look outside and see that the sun is at its peak. The only thing to do is wait for customers and clean up after them.

A van rolls up with blood on the side of it and I grimace at the sight. They must've run over something fresh or hit something large. A group of three people around my age start filing out, causing a commotion that was foreign to this area. The fourth person was in a chair and looked out miserably as they were left behind. The driver didn't seem to pay the other man any mind.

Drayton rolls out to greet the driver while the couple comes into the station, squealing and grabbing at each other. I wrinkle my nose at them and just walk to Luda. These types of people were not for the sensibilities of an old Christian.

"How can I help y'all on this hot day?" The girl seems to gawk at all the selections of jerky we have and chips while the man grabs at her body like a hungry animal. I cough politely, bringing them back to reality.

"Oh, I'll take a bag of peppered jerky and a coke!" The girl seemed nice enough if not a little empty-headed. I hear the man make a snarky remark about how ugly the workers here are and your blood boils.

"Sir, that's my Mother-in-law you're talking about. Now I don't HAVE to serve rude ass customers in this establishment." The man's face turns red and the girl smacks him in the side before handing over her money. "Y'all get where you're goin'. Folks around here are private." The man nodded, leaving with the girl as they both began grabbing each other once more.

I sneer at the door as if it had been the assailant. Luda looks at me with a smirk.

"You and Tommy ain't married, honey." I smile, smugly.

"Yeah, but they don't know that." Luda cackles happily, slapping my back as I put the cash in the register. Drayton didn't seem too happy as he came back in. "Something wrong?" He shakes his head.

"I just gotta talk to Mama in the kitchen about that gas delivery." I nod and sit in the chair, watching the side of the road the truck is supposed to come from. There's not much business except a few drunk old men buying a few more beers as the sun goes down. I feel myself dozing off during the night shift.