Divorced Love (Stauren) {Book 1}

Chapter 12

My hand grasped onto my daughter's small hand as the two of us made our way down the sidewalk towards the diner I worked at. I felt Bella begin to tug at my hand, signaling that she wanted me to let go of hers.

"Bells, you know that you have to hold my hand when we're walking near the street," I said, calling her by another one of her many nicknames. Most of the time, Steven was the one to come up with them, for he was always the more creative one.

Bella let out a groan and stomped her foot in a puddle on the ground. "But I want to practice with the jump rope daddy got me."

"How about you practice a little bit later while I'm working," I recommended, earning a nod from Bella.

"Okay."

The two of us walked in silence for a couple minutes before I finally spoke up again. "Tomorrow your dad is leaving work early so he can pick you up from school, so you won't have to sit at the diner."

"Yay!" Bella squealed and jumped in excitement.

A small smile spread across my lips and I joked, "Wow you make me feel so loved, Bells."

"Daddy takes me out to ice cream every time he picks me up from school," Bella explained.

"Then I'll have to start giving your dad a run for his money." After we finished our conversation, I looked up to see the diner.

It normally didn't take long from me to leave work, go get Bella, and come back to work, but I was expected to work twice as hard because of the fact that I have to take an extra break. So every day during the week, I was busy until late at night. But I was used to it.

"Bella, go find a table, and start your homework," I said while pulling my work apron back on.

•°•°•°•°•

"Who's that man?" My friend Rebecca asked as we cleaned off a large counter later that day.

I looked around and gave her a confused look. "What man?"

"The one in the corner table," Rebecca replied. "He's staring at you."

While trying to be discreet, I glanced up to see a man in a black and blue coat. His dark eyes seemed to be fixed on Rebecca and I. He had his hands folded on the table and a cup of coffee in front of him. "I feel like I've seen him before," I said and looked back down at the counter.

"Maybe he comes here a lot?" I shook my head at Rebecca's comment.

"No, not here," I said.

"Well, I've got to go bring food to table seven, so I'll talk to you later, Lauren." Rebecca then grabbed onto three plates of food and took off to a table across the diner.

"See you later," I mumbled and took one last glance at the man before Bella called out to me.

"Mommy, can I go play now?" She asked, her jump rope in hand. "Please? I finished all my homework." Bella walked over to the counter where I was standing.

I tilted my head and put my hands on my hips. "Alright, go ahead." Bella's face lit up at my words, and she got up onto the bar stool to give me a slobbery kiss over the counter. "But be careful, don't bother any of the customers, and stay by the window so I can keep an eye on you."

"M'kay!" Bella tossed me her backpack, and I placed it with my stuff behind the counter.

I had been playing a game on my phone about ten minutes later when a receipt was slapped down onto the counter in front of me. I was slightly startled and jumped a bit before looking up to see the strange man standing in front of me.

Without a word, I took his receipt and rang up the total for his meal and cup of coffee.

"That'll be twelve dollars and fifty two cents," I mumbled, glancing up at him briefly.

Once again, he slammed his hand down on the counter and gave me fifteen dollars.

"Keep the change," he said, and quickly turned around to exit the diner.

°•°3rd person°•°

Bella continued to skip around outside the diner with her jump rope while her mother worked inside. The little girl was so caught up in her jump roping that she didn't even notice a man in a black and blue jacket watching her. The man stood around the corner of the diner's front wall, staring at Bella as his hand clutched onto a small handgun.

Bella began to sing quietly to herself as a car pulled into the diner parking lot.

Out of the car came Norman, but once again, Bella did not pay attention.

The man standing around the corner of the diner turned the safety off of his gun in one click as he eyed the little girl in front of him.

"This is for my brother," he whispered to himself, and began to walk forwards slowly.

That was when Norman noticed Bella was playing outside. He smiled slightly and was about to call out to say hi to her when Norman saw the man holding a gun. It took a moment for him to realize what was going on, but when he did, Norman took off running towards the man.

"Bella move!" Norman yelled out, making Bella whip around. Her mouth dropped open in fear as Norman tackled the man to the ground.

Bella tried to run back into the diner, but it was too late. As Norman's body hit the other man's, the gun went off, and a single bullet went flying through the little girl's chest.

A/N
What do you guys think of this chapter??

If you haven't already realized who the man was that shot Bella, it will be explained in the next chapter! :)