HARMONY

Part 13 "Worlds Collide as choices are made"

Reality crushes Steve, Michelle and Claire's mother-daughter relationship frays--just when they'll need each the  most. 

"Welcome to Shop-Mart!" The greeter said. "How can I help you today?"

"By getting out of my way," Steve said as he pushed past him.

"Have a nice day," the greeter replied.

"Oh, it's been just great," Steve mumbled under his breath. He walked to men's clothing. With two fingers, he pushed T-shirts around the clothing rack and searched through the jeans. In the dressing room, he smiled into the mirror. "I do look like Brett Farve."

He threw last night's clothes into the corner and headed to the check stand. With the intent to hand the price tags to the checker, he yanked them off. 

That's when security smashed his face to the floor.

***

Michelle walked into Coffee Palace and looked for Claire. She scanned the green aprons behind the counter until she saw her daughter. When did she put purple in her hair? Without the energy to confront the latest appearance alteration, she simply went to her daughter for a drink. "Hi honey," she said.

"Hey," Claire said. "You want your usual?"

"Nope," Michelle said. "Make me something unusual. Something crazy. Surprise me!"

"Whatever."

Plopping down in the make-believe living room, Michelle took out her phone and set it at a ninety degree angle on the table. She rested her head back and pretended the sounds and smells of coffee soothed her.

"Here, Mom."

"Thanks sweetie," she said, taking a sip. "Um, that is yummy!"

"Sophia's Pop orders it all the time," she answered.

"Isn't that lovely," Michelle said. "Heard from your father?"

"Nope."

Michelle took another sip and sat up. She looked at Claire and lowered her voice. "Well, this is family business and we should just keep it, you know, in the family until we know what's going on."

Claire bit at her lip and narrowed her eyes.

Michelle took another sip. "Um, that is so yummy. What did you say it was called?"

"Dad could be totally dead," Claire said. "And all you care about is what the nosey-ass neighbors might think." She turned to walk away.

"Shh! Claire! For God's sakes!" Michelle glanced around to ensure there were no familiar faces. "Come here. That's not what I meant at all."

Claire kept walking toward the counter. "That is so what you meant," she hissed.

Taking another drink and smoothing her hair, Michelle straightened her phone so it aligned perfectly on the table. Call me, you bastard.

***

He sat on the folding metal chair in the tiny security office. "I was going to pay for these clothes," Steve said. "I have forty dollars."

The two Shop-Mart security officers had a full set of teeth—between them—and confidence pulsating from their security badges.

"Why'd you tear off the tags?" The tall skinny guard asked. "I'll give you a cigarette if you tell us what we need to know." He took a Camel out of his shirt pocket and put it on the dirty table in front of Steve.