e-Bae

4.5

Sinful Secrets by Rye_Bread

Thomas rushed down the street, footsteps clipped. The summer air was beginning to cool with the beginnings of fall, and he pulled his hoodie closer to his body. Ignoring the quick steps behind him, he turned around a corner, pulling the required uniform hat out of his pocket. Entering the establishment, he pulled off his hoodie and slipped behind the counter, still feeling the unwanted the presence of the person behind him. Straightening his name tag, Thomas nodded to his co-worker, seeing a her face relax at the thought of not smelling French fries for an hour.

Sighing, he turned to the register, readying himself to deal with the annoyance that wouldn't leave him alone.

"Welcome to McDonald's. How may I take your order?" he asked in a bored tone, eyes looking up to meet an identical pair.

The man in front of him looked out of place, was out of place, in the fast food restaurant. His tailored suit and expensive shoes didn't fit in with this neighborhood, which got more police calls than tourists. The man shifted uncomfortably, slipping his hands into the pockets of his expensive jacket to hide the high quality watch on his wrist.

"You know why I'm here, son."

Rolling his eyes, Thomas looked at the growing line.

"If you're not going to order, sir, I suggest you get out the line," he said, gesturing to the angry patrons. Running a hand through his dark hair, the man's blue eyes briefly glanced at the crowd.

"Thomas, you know you don't have to work here. I can take care of you-- you and your mother," he pleaded. With a bitter laugh, Thomas looked at Britany, a person he actually didn't mind talking to , and gestured for her to take over his register. Looking up from her nails, she shuffled over, pregnant stomach beginning to strain against her uniform shirt.

"Yeah, and you really took care of us when you left my mother for a newer, more 'American', woman," Thomas said, glaring at the man in front of him with disgust as her grabbed his things. It didn't matter he was losing a much needed day of pay, he needed to leave. He needed a smoke.

Moving quickly out of the door, he yanked the hat out of his hair, hearing the slap of his father's shoes following him. A hand came down on his shoulder, and he stiffened.

"Thomas. . . please. Let me make this right."

Holding back the burning sting of tears in his eyes, Thomas clenched his jaw and shrugged his shoulder out from under the hand. All his life, he wanted to be accepted by his father, be good enough to fit in his cookie cutter life. For a while, his father tried too, at least until he realized a dyslexic son wasn't good for his image. Not turning around, he stared at the traffic, not wanting to cave at the look on the man's face.

"Let go of me, Mayor Murphy. You wouldn't want to be associated with me. Isn't that why you left in the first place?"

And walked away.

Published 7/21/14

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Wow, now I feel all dramatic.

Moving on. . .

e-Bae has reached *drumroll* #380 on the Short Story Chart. All the witches that put this together, keep stirring that cauldron.

Thank you all for re-vommenting all over this story (that sounds so weird in a sentence), and more updates are on the way!