the time, so they’d stayed and Kellen had spent
the next year teaching her how to function in the ‘real’ world.
Cassie had been
amazed at how sheltered her upbringing had actually been. Cleaning,
doing laundry, cooking, even buying groceries, or using city
transit... Kellen had laughed himself silly over some of her
mistakes and she had joined him in it. She smiled thinking of the
laundry incident with suds pouring from the washing machine, and
the time she’d nearly asphyxiated herself by mixing cleaners. The
ruined dinners Kellen had bravely tried to eat...
Kellen said it
was like the story Pygmalion only in reverse; bringing her down to
the common level, rather than elevating her to the status of
refined lady. His Professor Higgins accent had been
hilarious...
“Earth to
Sandy! Where’d you go, girl?” Debra’s voice interrupted her reverie
and Cassie jerked herself back to the present.
“Sorry, what
did you say?” She blinked at the other girl, wondering what she’d
missed.
“I said that
from the look on your face, your anniversary was more than ‘okay.’
Your eyes got all dreamy and—”
The door swung
open and the manager walked in. “Isn’t break-time over, girls?”
Cassie looked
at the clock, gasped, and shoved her shoes back on. Jumping to her
feet, she started to apologize. “Sorry, Mr. Bartlett. We were
talking...”
“Don’t worry.
You’re a hard worker. I can cut you some slack. Unlike other people
who work here.” He looked meaningfully at Debra who just laughed.
Shaking his head, he put out a hand to stop Cassie from leaving the
room. “Before you go back to work, I wanted to talk to you about
something.” Mr. Bartlett paused and stared meaningfully at Debra
who sighed and got up.
“I know. I
know. I’ll leave the room. Geez, you’d think I was a big gossip or
something.” Debra grumbled. Gulping down the rest of her iced tea,
she dropped the can in the recycling bin then left the room. As the
door shut behind her, Mr. Bartlett turned to Cassie and stroked his
greying beard.
“I hate to ask
you this, but... Is Kellen gambling again?”
A flash of fear
shot down her spine and around into her gut as she wondered what
kind of a mess her partner was in now. Mr. Bartlett was aware that
Kellen gambled, but had been willing to give him a chance. Cassie
clenched her fingers and forced the tightness from her throat
before speaking. “Umm... Why do you ask?
The manager
avoided looking at her for a moment. It appeared he was regretting
starting the conversation, but then drew a deep breath and
continued. “Kellen’s been missing work, not showing up for his
shift or arriving late. It isn’t fair to the other employees that
have to do his share of the work. If he keeps it up—”
“I’ll talk to
him tonight.” Cassie interrupted, anxious to prevent the man from
speaking the dreaded words. Her mind was already racing; if Kellen
lost this job, they’d be in big trouble financially. Yes, she had a
large amount tucked away, but that was her emergency fund, in case
the werewolves ever found them and they needed to run...
Mr. Bartlett
was still speaking and she forced herself to focus on his words. “A
man’s also been around, asking about you.”
“Me?” She
squeaked in surprise.
“Uh-huh. The
fellow wanted to know your name and where you lived, but of course
we didn’t say anything. He showed up about a week ago and the other
employees have noticed him hanging around the store. He tries to
act like he’s shopping, but mostly he watches for you. MaryAnn
asked him his name, but he wouldn’t say. Just paid for his things
and left.”
Cassie shivered
and wrapped her arms around herself at the thought of someone
actually stalking her; watching her as she worked. Who was this man
and why was he interested in her? A horrid thought popped into her
mind. What if it was the werewolf? The memory of the huge black
beast with its snarling bloody teeth, made her feel faint
the next year teaching her how to function in the ‘real’ world.
Cassie had been
amazed at how sheltered her upbringing had actually been. Cleaning,
doing laundry, cooking, even buying groceries, or using city
transit... Kellen had laughed himself silly over some of her
mistakes and she had joined him in it. She smiled thinking of the
laundry incident with suds pouring from the washing machine, and
the time she’d nearly asphyxiated herself by mixing cleaners. The
ruined dinners Kellen had bravely tried to eat...
Kellen said it
was like the story Pygmalion only in reverse; bringing her down to
the common level, rather than elevating her to the status of
refined lady. His Professor Higgins accent had been
hilarious...
“Earth to
Sandy! Where’d you go, girl?” Debra’s voice interrupted her reverie
and Cassie jerked herself back to the present.
“Sorry, what
did you say?” She blinked at the other girl, wondering what she’d
missed.
“I said that
from the look on your face, your anniversary was more than ‘okay.’
Your eyes got all dreamy and—”
The door swung
open and the manager walked in. “Isn’t break-time over, girls?”
Cassie looked
at the clock, gasped, and shoved her shoes back on. Jumping to her
feet, she started to apologize. “Sorry, Mr. Bartlett. We were
talking...”
“Don’t worry.
You’re a hard worker. I can cut you some slack. Unlike other people
who work here.” He looked meaningfully at Debra who just laughed.
Shaking his head, he put out a hand to stop Cassie from leaving the
room. “Before you go back to work, I wanted to talk to you about
something.” Mr. Bartlett paused and stared meaningfully at Debra
who sighed and got up.
“I know. I
know. I’ll leave the room. Geez, you’d think I was a big gossip or
something.” Debra grumbled. Gulping down the rest of her iced tea,
she dropped the can in the recycling bin then left the room. As the
door shut behind her, Mr. Bartlett turned to Cassie and stroked his
greying beard.
“I hate to ask
you this, but... Is Kellen gambling again?”
A flash of fear
shot down her spine and around into her gut as she wondered what
kind of a mess her partner was in now. Mr. Bartlett was aware that
Kellen gambled, but had been willing to give him a chance. Cassie
clenched her fingers and forced the tightness from her throat
before speaking. “Umm... Why do you ask?
The manager
avoided looking at her for a moment. It appeared he was regretting
starting the conversation, but then drew a deep breath and
continued. “Kellen’s been missing work, not showing up for his
shift or arriving late. It isn’t fair to the other employees that
have to do his share of the work. If he keeps it up—”
“I’ll talk to
him tonight.” Cassie interrupted, anxious to prevent the man from
speaking the dreaded words. Her mind was already racing; if Kellen
lost this job, they’d be in big trouble financially. Yes, she had a
large amount tucked away, but that was her emergency fund, in case
the werewolves ever found them and they needed to run...
Mr. Bartlett
was still speaking and she forced herself to focus on his words. “A
man’s also been around, asking about you.”
“Me?” She
squeaked in surprise.
“Uh-huh. The
fellow wanted to know your name and where you lived, but of course
we didn’t say anything. He showed up about a week ago and the other
employees have noticed him hanging around the store. He tries to
act like he’s shopping, but mostly he watches for you. MaryAnn
asked him his name, but he wouldn’t say. Just paid for his things
and left.”
Cassie shivered
and wrapped her arms around herself at the thought of someone
actually stalking her; watching her as she worked. Who was this man
and why was he interested in her? A horrid thought popped into her
mind. What if it was the werewolf? The memory of the huge black
beast with its snarling bloody teeth, made her feel faint
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