Cored

Chapter 3: Something New

When her fourth alarm went off, Katherine felt less angry at the morning than yesterday. After returning to her room last night, she had sat reading her mother's notebook again for a while before taking a shower and heading to bed. Not as tired, she had dried her hair last night and so left it hanging loose past her shoulders. It was getting long, the dark auburn tresses falling almost all the way down her back. She put a ponytail around her wrist, knowing that the heat would drive her to put it up eventually.

But she was at a loss for what to do today. She walked downstairs, now unsurprised to see Kevin standing behind the bar. She noticed a mug in his hand, and he quickly picked up another.

"Coffee?" he asked, nodding at her.

"Please," she said, sitting down at the closest stool. She didn't love sitting at bars typically—her legs were too short, and she didn't like the way her feet dangled. But it felt like the only right place for her to sit here.

They sat quietly for a while. Katherine stared into the mug, as if it might give her an idea of where to look next. She'd been inside every open store, but no one knew more than Marcie had first told her.

"Where are you from?" Kevin asked, breaking their silence.

Katherine looked up. "My accent doesn't give me away?" she said with a slight smile.

Kevin laughed, "Well, obviously I know you are from America. But that's a big country."

Katherine shrugged. "Fair enough. I'm from Iowa."

Kevin looked confused. "I don't think I know where that is."

"Not surprising. It's near the middle. I live about 6 hours west of Chicago, if you know where that is."

"What's it like?" Kevin said, leaning forward onto the bar with interest.

"Quiet," she said thoughtfully. "There aren't any really big cities. Lots of farms."

"And the people in the picture. Obviously, they aren't in Iowa?"

Katherine got quiet, stiffening.

"Sorry," he said, seeing her bristle. "I just assumed, since you are here looking for them."

Katherine looked at him, seeming to be assessing the whole of his character in this single instant.

"The woman is my mother," the girl said finally. "She died a few months back. I'm here looking for the man. I think he might be my father. Or, at least, he knew her."

He didn't say anything in response, not knowing if she would say more. She didn't.

"So," he said finally, "what's the next step to find him?"

She looked up at him even more serious.

"I don't know. Just sit and wait, I guess."

So, wait she did. She walked a few laps around the town. When she walked back into the pub, an hour later, she helped Kevin roll silverware. He brought her lunch, this time some sort of meat pie. After, she tried to refill the salt and pepper shakers, though she probably spilled more than what made it into the containers. They mostly sat in silence.

More people came in and out that day. Katherine realized it was Saturday, so that made sense. She stayed at the bar, sometimes joined by Kevin when he was between customers. Eventually, he brought her a beer. She drank it quietly.

August 15

Nothing new.

The next week drug on much the same, her helping Kevin around the bar while waiting for some magic plan to fall from the sky. When she didn't have a task, she chewed on the inside of her cheek, trying to think of one. She even befriended the cook, a man named Arlo, and convinced him to let her help with the dishes. She liked his company—he asked no questions, just went about his tasks quietly.