I'm behind this week. Sorry for the late post and I'm trying to comment but that may not be until tomorrow. I have company from out of town along with my son still recovering.
So here is the story all of you wrote. Really great stuff guys! We did get a little mix up in the middle so I'll post those versions tomorrow. Some of you wrote your own versions. No worries. I posted the beginning again along with the additions from you guys. I hope to do this again next month.
Any title ideas?
By: ~Nicole Ducleroir~,Piedmont Writer,Amie McCracken,Jen,Crystal Cook,Falen, Summer, Bossy Betty,Charity Bradford,Bethany Mattingly,Ann,Elliot Grace,Talli Roland,Shelley Sly,SonshineMusic i.e. Rebecca T.,Theresa Milstein,Carolina Valdez Miller
I continued scrubbing the dried ice cream from the table top as the door chimed.Don't these people know we are closing. I have homework to do. Gary, will take care of it
I tried to make it look like I was busy as I eavesdropped. The customer's voice was low so it was hard to make out what he was saying.
"Claire, this man wants to speak to you," Gary yelled from across the room.
Me? What did this guy want from me?
His tall, slender frame slowly made its way over to me.
"Can I help you?" I asked.
He held out his hand and inbetween his fingers was a photo. "Do you know where this person is?"
The man's eyes were sleepy, drooping down at the corners, but insistent. I pulled my gaze from them and looked down at the photo. A gasp escaped my lips as the blood froze in the veins.
It was Tommy, all broken and bruised with a large open cut running along his hair line. I looked back at the man in the bad suit
"I have no idea who he is." I set down the rag and reached for the photo. He handed it to me and I looked closer. "Nope, sorry.
I couldn't tell what this man wanted he looked like he'd been run through the ringer but was it because he was after Tommy or because he actually cared I wasn't planning on taking my chances either way I didn't know where Tommy was but I knew I needed to find out.
"Sorry I can't help you is there anything else?"
The man was silent, his black eyes studied every part of my face, searching for a lie. I smiled hoping that would convince him, it probably would have if I had been one of the pretty girls who worked here.
"You're sure you've never seen this man?" he asked.
I shrugged. "Don't know what to tell you."
He stared at me for a long moment, judgment heavy in those drooping eyes. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a slim black wallet, and when he flipped it open, I recognized the three bold letters printed inside.
AAA. "Triple A, ma'am. I think you know why we are here.
My brow nit. Triple A? Why would they be looking for Tommy?
"Uh, not really. How did you get a picture of this guy?" I looked back at the table and played with the cloth in my hand.
"Let's just say he was on our "get to know" list." The man grouched as he scratched his scraggly chin.
I chuckled uneasily, swirling the wet cleaning cloth over a table. "Looks like you missed out on that opportunity."
"Poor guy, looks like he's seen better days." She wanted the Triple A man to leave. Her hand on the door she asked, "Anything else?"
He grinned, revealing a sharp set of incisors, gleaming under the overhead lighting. "That's all for now, Sweetheart. But just so you know, lying isn't your forte."
He turned and walked out the door. I slumped into a heap on the sticky floor.
'Claire!' Gary rushed over to me. 'Are you OK?'
I raised my head. 'No. I'm not.'
I would never be OK again.
It was the first time I'd seen Tommy, or at least an image of him, since that night at Lina's apartment.
It made sense that AAA would be after him. The Tommy I remembered had an attraction to cars - stealing, joy riding, and wrecking every single one he touched.
I had no doubt that Tommy wrecked one too many cars, which got AAA on his case and probably explained why Tommy was banged up in that photo.That was the night that everything, and I do mean everything, had gone wrong. The night my suspicions had been confirmed. The night my nightmares had begun. I had hoped never to see Tommy again.
If something happened to him, it would be my fault.
How could I have let Tommy get so drunk? He'd stumbled around Lina's living room with a bottle of Jack, crying out, "I don't want to go!" over and over. Finally Lina slapped him hard across the face and told him to shut up and, "Go anyway!" I was furious with Tommy for embarrassing me in front of my friends, so I let him leave. Just like that.
When he didn't show up at our apartment the next morning, I should've known something was wrong. I think a part of me did.
So what do you think? Great job guys! Tomorrow I will post the other stories and Friday will be an awards post. I'm delayed this week so sorry. I'll be visiting your blogs soon. :)
Have a great day!
