Mule

Chapter Seven: Followed

Not wanting to deal with the people of Walmart, Ana went to Ross instead. There hadn't been a Ross the last time she was there, or a Marshall's, or even a Winco. This town was really moving up in the world. When she was a kid, she got her clothes from K Mart back before Walmart ran them out of town, and some at little boutiques in the business district.

She put way too much thought in the clothes she bought. She got three t-shirts, three polos, three checkered long-sleeves, three pairs of jeans, one pair of cargo pants, some black work-out pants, some shorts, black and white socks, tennis shoes, hiking boots, slippers, and a couple jackets, one nice one and a few for running around. She got two belts and a few beanies as well.

With her cart full, she rolled it to the front and checked her phone while she waited in line. Jared still hadn't texted her since the night before. She couldn't decide if she cared or not. Then again, he should have been the one waiting by his phone for her to call. He'd been the one to screw everything up. After everything she'd done for him, she deserved a little honesty.

She flinched as her phone started ringing and she saw Sophia was facetiming her. Since the line was pretty long, she figured she had time and answered it. Rather than Sophia, she saw Hattie's precious face on her screen. She had a flower painted on her cheek.

"Hi there!" Ana said. "Look at you, pretty girl! Where did you get that?'

"Grandma took us to the park and a lady did it for me!"

Ana instantly felt soothed by the little girl's voice. If only Hattie knew just how much she needed this call.

"What's up, pumpkin" she asked.

"Daddy said you might not go to California, and I was really sad."

Her heart sank. "I'm sorry, baby. A good friend of mine is sick, and I want to be there while he gets better."

Hattie pouted. "Are you going to meet us later?"

Ana didn't want to lie. She had planned to stay two days and fly over with them on Sunday, but her dad promised Derek she would be in town for the next week. She already had to call out of work, which she'd never done. She lied and said her dad was in hospital to save her gossipy friend from grilling her.

"I'll try my best, sweety. I really will. I love you guys."

"Love you too, Mamma Ana. Bye!"

Hattie ended the call, and Ana put her phone in the car. Hattie had never called her that before, and it brought tears to her eyes. She spent more time with those kids than Jared did. She was the one who helped with the homework and made it to the school plays and Parent's day with Sophia and brought cupcakes for the class on their birthdays.

Jared was a good dad when he tried. But as she thought about it, she didn't want to have a child with him if she would be the only one in its life. She needed to have a child with a man who didn't want to miss a single milestone.

She paid for the clothes then walked out to her car. Parked next to her was a woman with a little boy. he had a plastic container with a purple and green Betta fish he must have gotten from the pet store next door. Ana opened the back of the truck and began unloading the bags when the woman spoke.

"Anabelle? Anabelle Darrow?"

Ana looked over. "Uh . . . yeah. That's me."

She lightly smiled. "I'm Grace Hoffman. We were in that teen therapy group about seventeen years ago."

That's when Ana recognized her. Back then, Grace had been much different with blonde hair and gauges in her ears. Now she had brown hair with some highlights and she had a little boy.