and no answers.
Leah was on her way to Darla’s register when she saw the
second-to-last person she wanted to see that day—Mike, Mr. Hands. And he was
late. He was pinning his name tag on as he looked up and saw Leah.
“You’re late,” she said.
Mike shrugged.
“I hit traffic. I have a car.”
Leah bristled and didn’t even try to hide it. “Well if you
have a car, then you should be able to get here a lot faster than me on a bike.
Be on time next time.”
Leah brushed by him and headed straight back into the storeroom.
She found herself in the bathroom again but was pleased that she at least
wasn’t sobbing. She tried to remember if there had ever been a time when she
would have been so quick to insult a manager. Why don’t they respect me ?
she thought, rubbing her temples. Even if they don’t respect me they could
at least respect the position.
Hale’s voice seemed to permeate her mind. She knew exactly
what he would say. They don’t respect you because you don’t respect
you. They don’t respect the position because they know there’s no power in it .
Leah sighed. She already knew what needed to be done. The
question was just whether or not she would be able to do it.
Leah successfully avoided Rusty for the rest of the day,
although she caught him staring in her direction a few times with a disgusted
look on his face. If you had any nads you’d go confront him , Leah
thought. But I guess you don’t.
* * * * *
At the end of her shift Leah sprinted out of the store. On
her way home she stopped at Fit4Life and found Regina behind the desk again.
“Hey Regina.” Leah leaned up against the counter.
“Well hi there, sweetheart.” Regina put down the magazine
she was reading. “What can I do for you?”
“Did you say someone here was selling their car? Do you know
how much?”
“Well, Lance is getting rid of his old Honda. Don’t know
what he’s asking for it but he’ll be here on Monday if you want to stop by and
talk to him.”
“I will.”
“That cold weather finally getting to you?”
Leah smiled. “Yeah.”
It was a convenient-enough excuse, although the real reason
was shame. Mike’s comment had really hit a sore spot and he was right. How
could they respect a manager who shows up for work on a Schwinn like a grade-schooler?
Leah couldn’t wait to see Hale. She did her homework with
half of her attention. The other half was thinking about what would happen when
she opened the box that night. After the complete shit of the past several days,
Leah was in need of a little TLC. A good, hard fuck wouldn’t hurt either.
When she couldn’t take it anymore, Leah slammed her books
shut and pushed them away. She walked into her bedroom and took the box down off
her dresser. She paused a moment to feel it in her hands, marveling at the way
it still made her feel like she was in love. Then she lifted the lid and
waited.
Bang, bang, bang!
Leah sprinted for the door. She yanked it open and welcomed
in Hale, who entered with his usual nod, smirk and “Hey.”
“Hey,” Leah said. “I’ve missed you.”
“I know.”
Hale smirked again and headed for the fridge. This time he
pulled out two beers, opened them and gave one to Leah. He hung his jacket over
one of the chairs and sat down at the table. Hale motioned for her to join him.
Leah sat down and took a drink of her beer. It was good,
refreshing—but really she wanted Hale to open up her pants, not her adult
beverages.
“So you’re having a rough time of it, huh?” Hale took a long
chug of the beer.
“It’s been a challenge,” Leah conceded. Hale laughed.
“I like your spunk. ‘It’s been a challenge,’” he mimicked
her. Leah made a face.
“Challenges don’t make you come home and do something that
makes you feel bad about yourself.”
Leah looked away, ashamed. How the hell did he know
everything?
“Don’t be ashamed of yourself, Leah,” Hale said firmly.
“Everyone falters. You’ve made more
Leah was on her way to Darla’s register when she saw the
second-to-last person she wanted to see that day—Mike, Mr. Hands. And he was
late. He was pinning his name tag on as he looked up and saw Leah.
“You’re late,” she said.
Mike shrugged.
“I hit traffic. I have a car.”
Leah bristled and didn’t even try to hide it. “Well if you
have a car, then you should be able to get here a lot faster than me on a bike.
Be on time next time.”
Leah brushed by him and headed straight back into the storeroom.
She found herself in the bathroom again but was pleased that she at least
wasn’t sobbing. She tried to remember if there had ever been a time when she
would have been so quick to insult a manager. Why don’t they respect me ?
she thought, rubbing her temples. Even if they don’t respect me they could
at least respect the position.
Hale’s voice seemed to permeate her mind. She knew exactly
what he would say. They don’t respect you because you don’t respect
you. They don’t respect the position because they know there’s no power in it .
Leah sighed. She already knew what needed to be done. The
question was just whether or not she would be able to do it.
Leah successfully avoided Rusty for the rest of the day,
although she caught him staring in her direction a few times with a disgusted
look on his face. If you had any nads you’d go confront him , Leah
thought. But I guess you don’t.
* * * * *
At the end of her shift Leah sprinted out of the store. On
her way home she stopped at Fit4Life and found Regina behind the desk again.
“Hey Regina.” Leah leaned up against the counter.
“Well hi there, sweetheart.” Regina put down the magazine
she was reading. “What can I do for you?”
“Did you say someone here was selling their car? Do you know
how much?”
“Well, Lance is getting rid of his old Honda. Don’t know
what he’s asking for it but he’ll be here on Monday if you want to stop by and
talk to him.”
“I will.”
“That cold weather finally getting to you?”
Leah smiled. “Yeah.”
It was a convenient-enough excuse, although the real reason
was shame. Mike’s comment had really hit a sore spot and he was right. How
could they respect a manager who shows up for work on a Schwinn like a grade-schooler?
Leah couldn’t wait to see Hale. She did her homework with
half of her attention. The other half was thinking about what would happen when
she opened the box that night. After the complete shit of the past several days,
Leah was in need of a little TLC. A good, hard fuck wouldn’t hurt either.
When she couldn’t take it anymore, Leah slammed her books
shut and pushed them away. She walked into her bedroom and took the box down off
her dresser. She paused a moment to feel it in her hands, marveling at the way
it still made her feel like she was in love. Then she lifted the lid and
waited.
Bang, bang, bang!
Leah sprinted for the door. She yanked it open and welcomed
in Hale, who entered with his usual nod, smirk and “Hey.”
“Hey,” Leah said. “I’ve missed you.”
“I know.”
Hale smirked again and headed for the fridge. This time he
pulled out two beers, opened them and gave one to Leah. He hung his jacket over
one of the chairs and sat down at the table. Hale motioned for her to join him.
Leah sat down and took a drink of her beer. It was good,
refreshing—but really she wanted Hale to open up her pants, not her adult
beverages.
“So you’re having a rough time of it, huh?” Hale took a long
chug of the beer.
“It’s been a challenge,” Leah conceded. Hale laughed.
“I like your spunk. ‘It’s been a challenge,’” he mimicked
her. Leah made a face.
“Challenges don’t make you come home and do something that
makes you feel bad about yourself.”
Leah looked away, ashamed. How the hell did he know
everything?
“Don’t be ashamed of yourself, Leah,” Hale said firmly.
“Everyone falters. You’ve made more
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