A Summer's Dream

Chapter 25~An Eternity Lasts Forever...

“Would you like that in a bag?” I stretched a friendly smile across my face for the young woman in front of me. It would be impolite if I didn’t treat the customers with friendliness. Cynthia would not approve. With a nod as her request, I began wrapping her purchases in tissue paper, delicately placing them in the paper bags we had stacked to heavens above.

“Have a nice day!” All three of us chorused as she left. Lucy was restocking a few items while El continued to sweep up imaginary dust. My hands collated the strange currency and tucked it neatly into the cash register. After memorizing the list Lucy had made they now trusted cashiering to me. We were supposed to ring up the person we were serving, but I couldn’t because of obvious reasons. Now I was able follow through until very the end; not having to rely on others.

A pair of mystifyingly brown eyes blurred my vision. I could see every fleck of purple and gold stirred into the familiar gaze. My hand found the locket around my neck and I began fiddling with it. It had only been a week since Terrence had given it to me but it still felt foreign. A wistful smile crossed my features.

“Earth to Em…” I heard a snap of someone’s fingers and found Lucy’s pale face in front of me.

“W-What?”

“I was just saying how El and I were going to grab some lunch, you’re coming right?”

“Oh! R-Right!” El flipped the sign to closed and we all walked out the back entrance. We were allotted an hour lunch break and we would usually spend it at a small coffee shop or an in and out place. On a nice day, like today, we would sit outside and bask in the sunlight.

“So how are things with Terry?” Lucy said right before biting into her chicken sandwich. El flicked her large sunglasses down and took a sip of her iced tea, obviously enjoying the weather.

Color splashed onto my face at the memory of the candles and my new necklace. “It’s, alright. Can’t complain.” I gave a reassuring smile but the look she granted me would have made Godzilla shake in his scales. “What? It’s good! Really!”

“Is that what you said when he gave you that necklace?” The redhead nodded towards me. “It’s good?”

Another tidal wave of warmth came and I looked down at the pendent in embarrassment. “You knew?”

“Em, who else would have given you jewelry? I’m just offended he didn’t confide in me. And you didn’t even mention it!”

“I meant to…” I tried defending myself when a thought occurred to me. “El have you ever even met Terrence?” I studied the contrast between her golden hair and all black attire.

She looked a little taken back but wiped her hands on the napkin before her. “I’ve met him once or twice. Casually. He and Craig would pick Lucy up from work occasionally.”

I nodded in reply and began eating my own food. It was hot out here! How did she survive in all black? Just then my phone began buzzing erratically and I swiped it up from the iron table we were sat at.

“Hello?”

“Deary?”

“Mrs. Holmes?” My voice raised an octave from the surprise and I sat up even though she wasn’t here. Taken back was an understatement. I didn’t even know she had my number, but it wouldn’t surprise me if she swiped it from Terrence.

“Yes it’s me. I called to ask you a favor.”

“Favor? Shoot.”

“Well Mr. Holmes was invited to speak at a meeting tonight and asked me to come. Oh dear. Well. I hate to put you in this type of position but I have no alternative. I was wondering if you could watch the girls tonight? It would be during supper and we would be back before bedtime! Oh dear. I don’t mean to impose…”