and I’ll call my mother and aunt and tell them what happened.” Sal led her out the door. They walked back to Annie’s house, and for the first time since she’d lived in the neighborhood, for the first time in her life, Annie realized she was frightened.
“What’s wrong?” Sal asked as she inched closer to him, clutching his jacket as they walked.
“I’m scared,” she whispered, scanning the darkened street. “I never thought I’d ever say that. I’ve lived in this neighborhood my whole life, walked up and down these streets on hundreds of nights without ever being afraid, but now—” She glanced up at him. “I never thought I’d be scared,” she whispered, “but I am.”
He tightened his arm around her as she hurried up the stairs of her house and opened the door. Slamming it shut soundly behind her, Annie took a deep breath when she realized her home was safe and sound. It was an old brownstone that she’d lovingly restored after her husband’s death. Tonight it seemed even more warm and welcoming. Tonight it seemed—safe.
“I know how you feel,” Sal said quietly, his eyes pinning hers. “But I’m here, Annie. You don’t have to be afraid of anything, ever.”
His words were reassuring. But she knew Sal wouldn’t always be there for her. The thought brought a round of sadness. She thought that was what she wanted—not to be a burden to him anymore, to let him go and to lead her own life and let him lead his. But now, the prospect of not having Sal around anymore terrified her, not just because of the burglary, but for reasons far more personal. Her gaze dropped to his lips, and she couldn’t help remembering the touch and taste of Sal’s mouth on hers. She suddenly felt like crying again.
“I’d better go change,” she said hesitantly, glancing up the long oak stairway that led to her bedroom.
“Want me to come upstairs?” Sal asked, sensing her fear.
“I feel like a baby,” she confessed, trying to smile as he took her hand and led her up the stairs. “It’s just…I feel so…spooked,” she said, unable to find a better word to describe what she was feeling.
“I know, honey. But you’ll get over it, I promise.” Sal waited right outside Annie’s bedroom door while she changed, using the hall phone to call his mom and aunt to let them know what had happened.
His mother and his aunt worked for Annie part-time, and he knew if he didn’t tell them, someone from the neighborhood would, and he didn’t want them to worry. Everyone knew everything about everybody in the neighborhood. Word of the burglary would spread fast, and hopefully someone would remember something—anything—that would give him a clue as to who had done this. He surely hoped so. He couldn’t remember ever wanting anyone as badly as he wanted the people responsible for doing this to Annie.
Once changed, Annie let Sal take her back to the deli where they set about cleaning up the place. After stripping off his suit jacket, Sal rolled up his sleeves and got to work.
“I’ll start in this aisle,” Sal instructed. “You start on the next. That way we can see each other.” He smiled as Annie hesitantly let go of his hand. Despite the heat, Annie had thrown on a pair of old faded jeans and a short-sleeved sweater. She was cold, so cold, and she couldn’t stop shivering.
“Sal,” she asked after a few moments. “Why would anyone want to rob the deli? I mean, what could they possibly want?”
It was a question he’d been asking himself since they’d walked in. It didn’t make sense. From the quick appraisal he had done, he really couldn’t see anything missing. The place was wrecked, but whoever was responsible didn’t seem to have been interested in anything other than the cash.
“I don’t know, Annie. I just don’t know.”
“Sal, look at this.” Annie handed Sal two empty candy wrappers she’d found on the floor. “What do you make of this?”
He frowned. “A
“What’s wrong?” Sal asked as she inched closer to him, clutching his jacket as they walked.
“I’m scared,” she whispered, scanning the darkened street. “I never thought I’d ever say that. I’ve lived in this neighborhood my whole life, walked up and down these streets on hundreds of nights without ever being afraid, but now—” She glanced up at him. “I never thought I’d be scared,” she whispered, “but I am.”
He tightened his arm around her as she hurried up the stairs of her house and opened the door. Slamming it shut soundly behind her, Annie took a deep breath when she realized her home was safe and sound. It was an old brownstone that she’d lovingly restored after her husband’s death. Tonight it seemed even more warm and welcoming. Tonight it seemed—safe.
“I know how you feel,” Sal said quietly, his eyes pinning hers. “But I’m here, Annie. You don’t have to be afraid of anything, ever.”
His words were reassuring. But she knew Sal wouldn’t always be there for her. The thought brought a round of sadness. She thought that was what she wanted—not to be a burden to him anymore, to let him go and to lead her own life and let him lead his. But now, the prospect of not having Sal around anymore terrified her, not just because of the burglary, but for reasons far more personal. Her gaze dropped to his lips, and she couldn’t help remembering the touch and taste of Sal’s mouth on hers. She suddenly felt like crying again.
“I’d better go change,” she said hesitantly, glancing up the long oak stairway that led to her bedroom.
“Want me to come upstairs?” Sal asked, sensing her fear.
“I feel like a baby,” she confessed, trying to smile as he took her hand and led her up the stairs. “It’s just…I feel so…spooked,” she said, unable to find a better word to describe what she was feeling.
“I know, honey. But you’ll get over it, I promise.” Sal waited right outside Annie’s bedroom door while she changed, using the hall phone to call his mom and aunt to let them know what had happened.
His mother and his aunt worked for Annie part-time, and he knew if he didn’t tell them, someone from the neighborhood would, and he didn’t want them to worry. Everyone knew everything about everybody in the neighborhood. Word of the burglary would spread fast, and hopefully someone would remember something—anything—that would give him a clue as to who had done this. He surely hoped so. He couldn’t remember ever wanting anyone as badly as he wanted the people responsible for doing this to Annie.
Once changed, Annie let Sal take her back to the deli where they set about cleaning up the place. After stripping off his suit jacket, Sal rolled up his sleeves and got to work.
“I’ll start in this aisle,” Sal instructed. “You start on the next. That way we can see each other.” He smiled as Annie hesitantly let go of his hand. Despite the heat, Annie had thrown on a pair of old faded jeans and a short-sleeved sweater. She was cold, so cold, and she couldn’t stop shivering.
“Sal,” she asked after a few moments. “Why would anyone want to rob the deli? I mean, what could they possibly want?”
It was a question he’d been asking himself since they’d walked in. It didn’t make sense. From the quick appraisal he had done, he really couldn’t see anything missing. The place was wrecked, but whoever was responsible didn’t seem to have been interested in anything other than the cash.
“I don’t know, Annie. I just don’t know.”
“Sal, look at this.” Annie handed Sal two empty candy wrappers she’d found on the floor. “What do you make of this?”
He frowned. “A
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