Fighting to Live

Chapter Six

Sunday passed uneventfully, just like every other Sunday since we had moved. I took this chance to spoil Miles. I woke him up with cake and told him we would do whatever he wanted all day.

After eating a small piece of cake he asked for a real breakfast of eggs to my disappointment. But he reminded me that I had said that he was allowed to pick whatever he wanted. So we spent the day at the zoo and an arcade down the street.

After our heavy talk last night, I was happy to see Miles enjoying himself and truly acting like a child. I could tell that, even for the day, he had forgotten about everything else. He seemed so much lighter without the burden of knowing what he knew.

Watching him like this also made me feel lighter. Not completely, but ever so slightly. I was still worried about Cade and I hated that someone else had power over me. I just hoped that my instincts were right and that he was someone that could keep this knowledge to himself.

My instincts were the only thing keeping me from packing us up and moving us yet again. Well, that and the fact that Miles and I both really enjoyed this city.

After my annoying poking and prodding, as well as reminding Miles that he ruined my breakfast surprise, Miles agreed to ice cream for dinner. Never mind the fact that I had to promise him that we would have two servings of vegetables for dinner tomorrow night.

We fell asleep together on the couch later, watching Miles' favorite movie, Lilo and Stitch. This had been the perfect day, it was what our life should have been like. Without worry or stress. Without the memories of the past. Without constantly checking over our shoulders for our worst nightmare.

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After our great day yesterday, I wanted to drop Miles off at school myself. It made him beyond happy, but now here I was. Grinding my teeth in frustration at the city traffic, trying to make it to work on time.

Traffic like this was when I wished that I could ride my motorcycle around during the day. It would be so much easier with the ability to squeeze through smaller spaces than my car could.

I was about to slam my head against the steering wheel when the car in front of me finally started to pull forward. "Thank God!" I yelled out as I was finally able to pull into work's parking lot before running in to the time clock.

8:01am. Better than I was expecting with all that traffic.

"Jones! You're late." Shawn tapped his watch while I was putting my time card back.

"One minute. It's fine." I rolled my eyes. I know Shawn wasn't actually mad, I was the only one consistently on time, and when I was late, it was five minutes or less. Most of the other guys could be up to half an hour late.

"Well that Mustang you fixed the other day is back. Kid says it's still rattling." He shrugged pointing out towards the customer waiting room. "He's the only one in there."

I sighed, "Got it." I tie up my hair into a pony tail as I make my way into the waiting room, not looking up at the customer as I finish, "Let's go for a ride and see what noise you're hearing. The exhaust was tightening down Friday, it can't be loose again." Finally, I look at the customer, "You've got to be kidding me."

Cade is just looking at me dumb founded with his mouth open.

"Nope. No. I don't believe this." I look up at the ceiling wondering why someone is playing this ever cruel joke on me, "Don't say anything. Outside. Now." I don't look to make sure he's following me as I storm outside.

"This can't be a coincidence. Are you following me? Do you work for him?" I whip around as soon as we're outside and push Cade against the brick wall of the shop while throwing my questions at him.

This seems to snap him out of his silence. He throws his hand up, as if he's surrendering, "For who? I promise I'm not following you. I'm as shocked as you are." The look on his face reminds me of the look someone gets when facing a wild animal. But I don't care, I know I'm not thinking rationally, but it doesn't matter. Only one thing matters.

"Then why do we keep running into each other?" I'm still holding Cade against the wall even though I'm sure he could have pushed me off.

"I don't know. Really. Remember you worked on my car Friday? That was before I knew..." He trailed off, not daring to say what he knew.

"Fuck!" I screamed after moving away from Cade and before punching the same brick wall that he was standing against.

I felt something inside of me crack as I struggled to regain my composure. It was different than my hand, which also cracked at the same time. For the first time in awhile I felt like I was struggling to keep my head above the water that I my life. I felt like I was getting pulled down and it was getting harder and harder to breathe.