One Red Summer

Chapter 03.

I jumped slightly as Aunt Tori plopped a large spoonful of mashed potatoes onto my plate. In my mind, I had already prepared basic answers for the questions that I expected her to ask me. But really, I didn't want to talk about my day at all. I just wanted to eat, go to bed, and have a better day in the morning. Right on time, her quiz began, just as I had heard it in my mind.

"How was your first day of work?"

"It was fine," I answered simply, hoping that was enough. I picked at my food, thinking about the incident I had with my salad earlier.

"Just fine?" she asked.

"Yeah. Signed some paperwork, watched some training videos, I saw some of main street when I went on lunch... Just a regular day." I began eating, hoping that would serve as a signal to change subjects.

"You must've been nervous," she said matter of factly. I frowned.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well because  you went and soiled your shirt, spilling something on it," she said pointing at the washing machine where I dropped it when I first arrived home.

"Oh, no. Some moron bumped into me as I was walking out of the break room," I said, growing slightly annoyed by the thought. My blouse had better not be ruined.

"I see... well what about your boss? Does he seem nice?"

"Well, he wasn't here today, so the director of my department did his best to fill in. But he went so fast, I don't remember anything he showed me or anybody he introduced me to."

"Aww. Well. It should get better. You'll grow to like it here, I'm sure. Main street is pretty, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's nice..."

"Where did you eat?"

"Moe's."

"Oh, Christy," she said with a hint of devastation in her voice. "Of all places..."

"How was I supposed to know?"

She sighed. "Well I guess you couldn't have. But... Moe's...," she began and looked at me. I caught her glance. Her worried look slowly transformed into a smirk. I caught that too, and we both chuckled.

"I should have known, huh?"

"How bad was it?" she asked.

"There was a little... beetle or something in my salad," I said, laughing as I spoke.

"Oh no!"

I looked at her and smiled as she laughed a bit. Just like that, I felt better. I did have to dish out more details than I had preferred to, but maybe I just needed to tell someone about it. Aunt Tori knew just how to get to me. Whether I wanted her to or not. For the rest of our dinner, she told me about the importance of patience, and then listed some better lunch choices downtown.

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Tuesday morning

I arrived at my desk to find a folded piece of printer paper that read "READ ME". I frowned and sat in my chair. I powered on my computer and opened the note. It read:

"I'm sorry for what happened yesterday. You seem like a nice lady and I hate that I made you upset. Please let me make it up to you so I can see the smile that comes with that pretty face.

-Mace. 228-555-2984"

I glared at the note. At first I had no idea what the note was referring to. I almost assumed it was left on the wrong desk. Then I remembered the janitor that nearly knocked me over yesterday and realized it was from him.