Five

Before I headed home last night, Benji and I agreed on my working hours. We also decided on having me take a few things from the store if I needed anything since I was doing unpaid work. As expected, I argued with him, but he had a firm look and wouldn’t take no for an answer. So last night, I was able to nab a free instant coffee, a bottle of milk, and a bag of chips. To reassure me, Benji said it would lighten his conscience at making a stranger work for him for free.

When another day rolled in, I felt eager to be heading out to do something in my exile. No one would expect to see a multi-million-dollar owner and CEO of the fastest growing business in the country working at a tiny convenience store in a small town in Montana.

On the drive to work, without any breakfast in my stomach, I struggled to decide to grab some bread at the bakeshop. In the end, I caved in. I parked the car by the glass door and entered the shop with confident strides.

When I entered, she was standing with her back facing me. Her brown hair was tailed up in a small ponytail. After hearing the bell ring from the door, she turned around to greet me, and our eyes met briefly before someone entered the empty store from the back room.

“I think you should be complimenting me on arriving early today.” It was her co-worker, Archie; from what I remembered the last time I was here.

“Still not early enough, Archie,” Lenna remarked before turning her attention back to me.

When they finished their short banter, and the man left us, I stood in front of the register, ready to order.

“Hi! Glad you came back. I thought we scared you away from this place. And sorry about last time with Gavin,” she greeted, her tone light and friendly.

“It’s nothing. You didn’t scare me away. I was testing out other shops in the place, and I forgot that I never got to taste any of the bread here. Though the breakfast meal at Carol’s was much appetizing.” I quipped casually.

“Ah, well, we try, though.” She sighed dramatically in defeat. “But you are right. I liked Carol’s hash browns and chicken fritters. It’s Gavin’s favorite.” She gushed with a smile.

“So, how is the little guy?” I asked, smiling at the gleam in her eyes when mentioning her son.

“He’s fine. Thank you for asking.” She was a bit stunned, like she hadn’t expected the question. But like a snap, the expression was gone. “Oh! I’m sorry for keeping you with idle talk. Anything, in particular, you want to eat this morning?”

My lips twitched slightly at her question but otherwise didn’t press on the thought. “Bread, since it’s a bakeshop, and it would be easier to eat it on the go.”

“Any particular kind you liked?”

“What’s the shop’s best-seller?”

“We have bagels, baguettes, croissants, and the classic cornbread. But since it’s a breakfast run, might I recommend a sandwich?” She smiled cheekily.

“Sure.” I chuckled. “I’ll have those and add two bagels and a cup of coffee, please.”

“Got it.” She nodded with a smile while punching my orders on the register between us.

I handed her some bills as payment. She then gave me the change and asked me to wait while she got my order. I settled down on the table near the register and sat down facing her. I watched her patiently as she walked to and fro behind the counter.

“So, how do you like the town? Have you been around the place?” she called out while picking two bagels on the glass counter display. She packed them in a brown paper bag.

“Ah… I haven’t seen any of the sites yet, but I’m getting there,” I replied evasively, looking away when I realized I was ogling her.

“Where had you been to?” she inquired, and I could hear the amusement in her voice.

I turned back in interest. “Does Carol’s Diner and most of Central Avenue count?”

“No.” She trailed off with a laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. “Hadn’t Luke told you any places you should visit?” she asked after laughing. Then she turned back around and prepared my coffee.

“I think it’s obvious that he hadn’t since he left me here to fend for myself,” I said playfully in disappointment.

“So he hasn’t changed about leaving people behind. Don’t worry. You weren’t the first person he left.” She pointed out in understanding. The enthusiasm in her voice was gone.

“What did he do to you?”

She turned abruptly, her face blank for a second, before giving me an amused smile. “Maybe you should ask him. It’s not my place to share one of his failed moments.”

“Right. Sorry for prying,” I apologized shyly.

“Don’t worry. But as a hint, we were around our second or third grade in elementary. It was traumatizing for a little girl who was on her first date,” she stated with a laugh.

I snickered along. There was nothing forced with her laugh. On the contrary, her smile and carefree expression gave me a sense of normalcy from the life I used to face.

As she went to prepare my sandwich, I was left in the front of an eerie, silent room without the sound of her voice. I drummed my fingernails on the wooden table while I waited, and within a minute, a voice surfaced from where Lenna had disappeared. But it wasn’t her.

“Hey. Lenna told me to tell you that it would take two minutes to prepare the sandwich,” Archie called as he stopped by the glass counter display.

“Oh, okay. It’s no problem. Thank you,” I said with a brief wave of dismissal.

Archie regarded my reply for a second before nodding. He was about to turn on his heel when he looked back at me again.

“It’s Kyle, right?” he called out.

“Yes.”

“Luke’s cousin?”

“That’s me.”

“I don’t want to pry. Do you have a thing for my cousin?” he asked plainly.

“Who? What?” My voice sounded breathless and confused.

“Lenna?” He pointed out, glancing briefly behind him.

“I’m sorry… I’m not sure what you are implying.”

He stared at me like I was acting stupid, which was partly true. I would never admit to a stranger, especially him, what I wasn’t sure myself.

“Right… Well, it was nice to meet you.” He rolled his eyes and gave a dismissive wave.

“Yeah. You too,” I replied with uncertainty while watching him head toward the back of the store.

After two minutes, Lenna reappeared with another brown paper bag in hand. She walked up toward the counter, placing the to-go bagels and coffee. I got up from my seat and headed toward the register, and as she turned around, I was already on the other side waiting for her.

“Oh! Sorry, it took a while….” She shyly placed my order on the marble countertop between us.

“It’s okay. Thank you.” I picked up the two bags in one hand and held the coffee in the other.

“I hope this didn’t make you want to take another few days before you visit again, would it?” she asked with a stiff smile.

I laughed at the look of guilt on her face.

“Don’t worry. It won’t….” I trailed off as my laughter subsided. “Ah, you know, I’m currently helping out the old man at the convenience store across Carol’s diner. If you have some free time after work, we could get something to eat there?” I suggested.

“Are you trying to ask me out or something?” Her voice was just above a whisper as the blush on her face came back.

I arched my eyebrow in refined innocence. “I wasn’t asking you out. I was merely suggesting if you were free. I would love to talk more about how Luke was when he lived here,” I replied with an innocent grin.

I watched her eyes glinting in amusement. “Right, if that’s how you call it. You and Luke are undoubtedly relatives. The way you two ask a girl out is so smooth. I wouldn’t even know. And if you didn’t get it, I was being sarcastic.” She snorted in disbelief.

I tried to hold back another smirk from her comment. But by how she cheekily smiled, I knew I hadn’t done a great job.

I excused myself and headed out of the bakeshop with a slight nod. Once I entered my truck and placed my meal and cup of coffee on the cup holder, I hastily checked my expression in the side mirror. The goofy smile on my face looked like I had just miraculously won a lottery.

~

Benji was by the register when I arrived. I didn’t know that I still had the goofy grin until he pointed it out.

“Something good happened today?” he asked rather than greeting me.

“Nothing much. I got bread. Do you want anything? I think I bought plenty for myself.” I offered while walking toward him.

After placing the brown paper bag filled with the bread on the counter, I opened it and pulled out my sandwich meal. Benji kept quiet while he regarded the bag and continued to be quiet until I took my first bite of the sandwich.

“I see. She charmed you, huh? I wouldn’t be surprised,” the old man remarked with a smug look before returning his gaze toward the register.

I coughed as I choked on my sandwich. I picked up the cup with my free hand and tried to wash the sandwich down with coffee. Once I composed myself, I stared at Benji in confusion.

“What?”

“If you are done eating breakfast, here’s an apron. I don’t want your shirt getting dirt again. Also, I would need a hand in clearing out some stuff in aisle three. There would be new deliveries today.” He instructed and placed a dark green apron on top of the counter.

I regarded his calm expression while he was trying to look like he hadn’t said anything about Lenna. Then, with a heavy sigh, I nodded and quickly ate my meal before getting the apron from him.

“Could I have some of this bagel?” he called out after I headed toward aisle three.

“Sure. Help yourself.”

“Lenna sure is generous in giving you the good batch.” He observed softly. Since we were the only people in the store, it wasn’t difficult to hear what he said.

The day went by so fast that I didn’t realize the sun was already setting.

It was just a few more minutes till closing time, and Benji was confident no one would be entering the store, so I was handling the register. I was resting by the counter when the door squeaked open, pulling me out of my daze.

I was about to greet the new and last customer of the day when I got startled to see who it was. I jolted out of surprise and lost my balance on the high chair that Benji placed behind the register. The chair skidded sideways with a loud bang as I fell on my butt on the floor. I hissed in pain and cringed at the bruise that would be visible in a few hours.

“Oh my god! Are you okay, Kyle?”

I watched as Lenna leaned across the counter and peered down at me. I held up a hand, signaling that I was okay, while a disgruntled groan escaped my mouth as I slowly stood up again.

“Hey…” I greeted breathlessly when I found the guts to look at her again.

She tried to suppress her amusement while looking worried. “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to startle you like that.”

I let out a controlled breath before answering. “I’m fine. No worries. That was my fault. I was balancing on the edge of my seat….” I trailed off shyly and turned around to pull the chair up.

“So I see you weren’t joking about working here.” She pointed out, her voice filling up the short awkward silence.

I snickered dryly while I straightened out. “I volunteered after I helped out the old man, seeing as he didn’t have help around here.”

“That’s kind of you,” she stated with a smile before turning away from me. “Where is Benji?”

“He is out back, so I’m taking care of the register for him. Anything I could help you with today?”

She looked back up at me again and waved her hand in dismissal. “No. I’ll manage just fine. Thank you,” she said as she stepped back toward the aisle.

“I’m here if you need anything.” I offered again while I mindlessly watched her walk toward the aisle near the refrigerator.

She took a basket and opened one of the fridges where the milk cartons were stashed. My eyes continued to linger while she tucked a lock of hair that fell out of place behind her ears. Finally, however, I snapped out of it when a door slammed in the direction of the back door.

Startled, I glanced up in time as Benji closed the door behind him. He walked backed into the store, assessing it when he saw Lenna.

“Oh, Lenna! Getting your last-minute grocery before heading home?” Benji asked as he continued walking in her direction.

“Good evening, Mr. Goodwin. I’m just getting a few things….” She trailed off in reply as her eyes glanced up in my direction.

Embarrassed that I was caught looking, I turned away and pretended to clean the countertop with a cloth I had stashed inside my work apron. When I realized how I looked in front of her, I rolled a few profanities in my head at the stupidity of my actions.

“How are you? Where is little Gavin?” I overheard the old man ask while I looked away.

“Gabe is looking out for him at Carol’s diner. We are about to eat dinner,” she replied.

I perked up at the information.

“Oh, good. Well, I think you should hurry up here and rejoin them,” he said as I heard footsteps heading my way. “Kyle, son. How about heading out early? I’ll check Lenna out while you clean up out back. Just leave the apron on the hook by the door.”

I finally glanced up at the two, who stood side by side in front of the counter. I nodded at Benji’s instruction and walked to the back room. After I was done, I decided to head out through the front to see if she was still there. When Benji heard me approach, he turned around after flipping the main door’s sign to “close.”

“I think it would be lovely to eat out for dinner today, don’t you agree?” he asked.

“Maybe,” I replied as I stood behind him.

With a sigh, Benji stepped aside and opened the door for me. “My advice to you, son, don’t do it. But to me, she’s worth it. She’s a good person,” he whispered before patting my arm. He then walked toward the counter and started clearing up the register. Then, without looking up, he called, “Close the door when you get out.”

I smiled at his subtlety and nodded once as a goodbye.

I closed the door before heading toward my truck parked on the third slot in front of the store’s entrance. Once I reached the car, I hesitated while fishing out the keys. Then I looked up toward the diner across the street.

Since Carol’s diner had a clear window without an ounce of tint, it was easy to see the customers eating inside. I instantly saw her sitting at the booth where Luke and I once ate when I arrived in town. But as she had said, she wasn’t alone.

I clinched the keys I was holding, and with a heavy breath, I placed the keys back in my pocket and slowly jogged toward the diner. I felt eyes watching me from behind, and I knew the old man was looking.

As I walked toward the diner, I also knew there would be no turning back.