little office and threw myself into my chair to write him a long email about Alesha’s antics. Before I hit send, I read it back through, and was struck with an echo of Alesha’s words “Dad already hates me.”
How could she think that? I shook my head. It didn’t make sense. She was and always had been his princess.
He was a workaholic and when not working, did a lot of traveling with Kelli, but that was to be expected. Wasn’t it? What did Alesha want? Surely she wasn’t pining for the days where her and Dad would go to the movies on the weekends, or take camping trips. Seventeen-year-old Alesha wouldn’t be caught dead camping. How would she do her hair and makeup without a bathroom full of supplies?
I stared at the screen, reading the message once more, and flicked the pointer to save the email as a draft instead of hitting send.
I’d make my decision once we’d both cooled down and had a chance to talk like adults instead of scream at each other in an abandoned coffee shop. Decision made, I pushed away from the small desk and went back to finish breaking down and scrubbing the espresso machine.
* * * *
Hours later, night had fallen, but Alesha hadn’t returned to the coffee shop. I’d cleaned the entire shop from top to bottom, taking the time to go through the master checklist of chores for the first time all month. It was better if I kept busy. Otherwise, I’d sit and obsess over the argument and get myself worked up again.
But I’d finally run out of things to do and knew I needed to go to the grocery store and get some things for the house. Maybe I’d get the ingredients for Alesha’s favorite dinner as a way to broach a peace treaty. I was making a mental grocery list as I shrugged into my light sweater, grabbed my purse, and went to the back door. The small alley behind the row of shops was lit by a series of security lights at each back door, but as I stepped into the alley and turned back to lock the door, an eerie feeling crept up my spine. I turned to look up and back and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary but still felt like someone was watching me.
I locked the door and tucked the keys back in my purse before starting down the alley to where the sidewalk would lead me to the beginning of the small shopping center. It was too small to be considered a strip mall, but there were three shops all next to each other, with The Siren on the end. A gust of wind kicked up and howled down the alley and I popped the collar of my sweater up to protect my neck from the chill.
Footsteps sounded on the gravelly alley behind me and I froze in place.
“Where’s the other girl?” A low, rumbling voice called to me.
I whipped around and found myself staring up at a huge man with a broad chest and a mean snarl on his face. His eyes were fixed on me and my heart stopped beating in my chest. “Who are you?” I demanded, trying to keep my voice from quivering.
“None of your business.”
I drew in a breath, forcing my lungs to open again. I wanted to turn and make a break for the sidewalk and run as fast as I could until I got home and could barricade myself inside. I had no idea who the hulking man in front of me was, I’d never seen him in the shop before, but there was a menacing glare in his dark eyes and unless someone else was working late, I was all alone.
“Where’s the other girl?” he repeated, more forcefully.
“You have no business with my sister. I don’t know who you are but if you don’t leave, I’m going to call the cops.”
“Oh really?” His lips pulled back in a cold smile and my heart sputtered and then sank to my feet.
At my sides, my hands fisted into tight balls. I tucked my thumb alongside. Ready to strike if needed. The man had a good six inches on me and probably eighty pounds but I needed to be ready in case I couldn’t outrun him. “Yes. You’re trespassing to start with.”
He laughed. “You’re feisty. I like that.”
Something told me that
How could she think that? I shook my head. It didn’t make sense. She was and always had been his princess.
He was a workaholic and when not working, did a lot of traveling with Kelli, but that was to be expected. Wasn’t it? What did Alesha want? Surely she wasn’t pining for the days where her and Dad would go to the movies on the weekends, or take camping trips. Seventeen-year-old Alesha wouldn’t be caught dead camping. How would she do her hair and makeup without a bathroom full of supplies?
I stared at the screen, reading the message once more, and flicked the pointer to save the email as a draft instead of hitting send.
I’d make my decision once we’d both cooled down and had a chance to talk like adults instead of scream at each other in an abandoned coffee shop. Decision made, I pushed away from the small desk and went back to finish breaking down and scrubbing the espresso machine.
* * * *
Hours later, night had fallen, but Alesha hadn’t returned to the coffee shop. I’d cleaned the entire shop from top to bottom, taking the time to go through the master checklist of chores for the first time all month. It was better if I kept busy. Otherwise, I’d sit and obsess over the argument and get myself worked up again.
But I’d finally run out of things to do and knew I needed to go to the grocery store and get some things for the house. Maybe I’d get the ingredients for Alesha’s favorite dinner as a way to broach a peace treaty. I was making a mental grocery list as I shrugged into my light sweater, grabbed my purse, and went to the back door. The small alley behind the row of shops was lit by a series of security lights at each back door, but as I stepped into the alley and turned back to lock the door, an eerie feeling crept up my spine. I turned to look up and back and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary but still felt like someone was watching me.
I locked the door and tucked the keys back in my purse before starting down the alley to where the sidewalk would lead me to the beginning of the small shopping center. It was too small to be considered a strip mall, but there were three shops all next to each other, with The Siren on the end. A gust of wind kicked up and howled down the alley and I popped the collar of my sweater up to protect my neck from the chill.
Footsteps sounded on the gravelly alley behind me and I froze in place.
“Where’s the other girl?” A low, rumbling voice called to me.
I whipped around and found myself staring up at a huge man with a broad chest and a mean snarl on his face. His eyes were fixed on me and my heart stopped beating in my chest. “Who are you?” I demanded, trying to keep my voice from quivering.
“None of your business.”
I drew in a breath, forcing my lungs to open again. I wanted to turn and make a break for the sidewalk and run as fast as I could until I got home and could barricade myself inside. I had no idea who the hulking man in front of me was, I’d never seen him in the shop before, but there was a menacing glare in his dark eyes and unless someone else was working late, I was all alone.
“Where’s the other girl?” he repeated, more forcefully.
“You have no business with my sister. I don’t know who you are but if you don’t leave, I’m going to call the cops.”
“Oh really?” His lips pulled back in a cold smile and my heart sputtered and then sank to my feet.
At my sides, my hands fisted into tight balls. I tucked my thumb alongside. Ready to strike if needed. The man had a good six inches on me and probably eighty pounds but I needed to be ready in case I couldn’t outrun him. “Yes. You’re trespassing to start with.”
He laughed. “You’re feisty. I like that.”
Something told me that
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