law is most people with half a brain are scared or at least a little intimidated. Trevor and Marshall sit down and I go behind the counter to make coffee.
When I take their coffee back to the table none of them look up.
“Taylor, you have a phone call.” Janet waves the phone above her head.
“Sunshine’s Café this is Taylor how can I help you?”
“You can start by paying us our money.”
I look towards Trevor and Marshall, both of them are leaning on the table deep in conversation. My heart starts to race and my knees go weak.
“Kipper lied to all of you. We didn’t agree on money. We agreed on meals.”
“I didn’t work my ass off for shitty food, bitch.” The phone line goes dead.
When I bought this place it was supposed to be a new beginning – a new start. After all it took to make Sunshine’s what it is, I just wanted to open it and then enjoy the life of being sober and married. When I found out I was having a baby I was scared and shocked because it was something I planned on for later in my life. I was afraid Trevor would walk away, and I was terrified I would be a bad mom. I had no choice but to prove myself wrong.
When I woke up after what Kipper had done to me and was told that option was taken away from me, I felt like my life had ended. Walking back in here and getting to work helped me get past all of that. I knew that Sunshine’s was my beginning and Trevor was just the bonus. Now someone is trying to take it all away from me again and I feel like I am drowning in a river of new beginnings to cover up the bad. When I look to Trevor I know that no matter where we are he is my new beginning. I take a deep breath and go about work.
“Baby, we are heading out.”
“I love you.” I lean over the counter and kiss him, breathing in his smell and the feel of his skin under my hand as I run my fingers along his cheek.
I watch him walk out and try to hold in the tears that want to fall. I don’t tell him about the phone call. Maybe I should just walk away from here and let them have it. As much as I love Sunshine’s it has been nothing but one thing after another. This place is not my new beginning it’s my end unless I put a stop to it.
“Taylor, daycare called. I have to go get Elijah. Are you going to be okay?”
“Yeah, I can clean up and lock the door. Kiss lil man for me.”
She nods her head and runs out the door. I lock it behind her and go about cleaning up. The waitresses do a good job in keeping it clean throughout the day so there isn’t much to do. I check my phone and slide it back in my pocket. Trevor is probably still at the shop so I pour a glass of tea and sit down at one of the tables and look around.
I want to make sure that walking away from here is really something I can do. I don’t want to hurt Joslynn but I don’t want any more pain. I feel like I am cowering down but when is enough enough? When is it okay to walk away and not be looked at as giving up?
The feeling of being watched follows me as I walk around Sunshine’s making sure one more time that all is clean and okay to leave for the night. I stop and look out the wall of windows. The street is bare of people and the street lights are the only thing I can see.
I shake my head and walk in to the kitchen. The sound of breaking glass soon follows. I look around the kitchen for anything I can find to make me feel safer. I should have known with all that was going on staying late and by myself was a bad idea.
I grab a knife and slide between the sink and the wall pressing as hard as I can against it. I hear footsteps all around the floor passing the kitchen door and I pray that is where they stay. I slide my phone out of my pocket and text Trevor.
Hubby: Break in at Sunshine’s! Hiding in the kitchen.
I slide my phone back in my pocket and try to push myself farther back against the wall wishing it would swallow me up. My whole body is shaking. My heart is racing and my hands are sweaty. Outside
Learning to Kill: Stories