To Know Him

part eight

Bill sat at the soda bar, looking around the small General Store with appreciation. It had become a sanctuary for him and Gloria. And there was Harvey the only true adult in town that let them be and never questioned their relationship. Bill didn't know too much about him other than that the General Store was his wife's Eileen's dream. He opened it with her and for her and maintained it even when she passed a near decade ago. Suddenly, Bill felt bad for taking collections from his business upon remembering that. Being a Saint could be pretty scummy sometimes, he couldn't deny that.

"Uh hey Harvey," Bill sat up on the bar stool.

"Need anything," he paused from wiping down the soft serve machine.

"No, not until Gloria gets here... I just wanted to say thanks."

"Thanks?" He tilted his head, looking a bit perplexed.

"Yeah, I'm leaving town in a few days, um, with Gloria. So I just wanted to say thank you for giving us a place to be..."

"Oh, well uh no problem?" He chuckled.

"I'm mean it's just hard to be together in this town cause of who her dad is and who I am..."

"I understand. I'm not too fond of that guy either," he said leaning on the bar across from him. "He's always dragging out his tab here. But anyway, I left you two alone 'cause my ol' girl Eileen's father didn't like me so much," he shrugged with a slight smirk on his face.

"Really," Bill laughed.

"Yeah, I was a coal miners son and she was the daughter of the man who owned the mine. He wasn't so keen on her taking a shine on me. But I took care of her, we moved here and I lived the best years of my life before her lungs gave out."

"W-What was it? Sorry, shouldn't ask." Bill bit his lip.

"Oh, it's been years. It was black lung. Doc' said it might have been from growing up around the mines, who knows..." He took a deep breath. "Well, where are you and Gloria headed then?"

"Austin, she's going to college," he smiled. "I'm going to look for a mechanic job there. Luckily, Ace has some friends at a shop that can get me on."

"Sounds like a good plan," Harvey nodded approvingly. "Just take care of her, it makes everything worth it. And life a lot easier."
...

On her last Monday in town, Gloria was back to work in the church. She planned to book it out of town by Thursday so that she could become somewhat acquainted with Austin before her college orientation. She had barely left the General Store after having lunch with Bill and she could tell that something was pressing him. His knee kept nervously bouncing and knocking into hers on accident and he'd fiercely apologized every time. He was certainly acting different but she chalked it up to the fact that it may be because this was their last week together.

She was locked out of her fathers' office since she'd been back. So she was stuck with the meaningless task of straightening out hymn books on the back of the church pews and lightly dusting with a damp rag. She could hear voices from inside her fathers' office but she couldn't distinctly make anything out. She was never the nosy type anyway and really didn't care to know about her father's work affairs. Her complete indifference faded once she saw Rick step out and she froze for a moment. He politely tipped his hat to her before turning on his nice dress shoes with a knowing grin on his face as he left. She felt sick, she was sure she was busted. Pastor Castillo soon emerged, she glanced at him while pretending to be busy with dusting. She expected him to be angry, surely Marty's father had come to tell her father all about seeing her and Bill strolling in the night together but he smiled at her appreciatively.