vehement

18

• LORENZO •

"We found Amalia's car. It's in the North of Wales."

     I furrow my eyebrows. "You checked it out yet?"

     My employee shakes his head.

     "Okay. I will. Send over everything you have."

     "Alright."

• AMALIA •

The next days pass by excruciatingly slow.

     My main priority is keeping Enzo fed and warm. I eat and drink only the bare minimum—only enough so I don't become sick.

     One day, while we're parked on the side of the road, Enzo begins to play with his teddy bear. It's small, brown and fluffy and is holding a heart sewn into its hands. Embroidered into it are the words: I LOVE YOU.

•

Our food runs out quickly, so I go into a supermarket.

     Enzo clings onto me as I lift up a basket. I get odd looks from others, but I ignore them and walk through the aisles.

I'm putting some bottles of water into my basket when a woman that works here comes up to me. She regards me with pity. "Hi. Can I help you out with anything?"

"I need cheap stuff."

"We have a meal offer in our cafe today." She tells me, beginning to guide me toward it. "It's a free meal for an adult and a child. You can pick anything off the menu. It comes with a drink, too."

"Really?"

She nods. "Here's a menu. Just go up and ask for whatever you want."

"Thank you.." I whisper.

She smiles and walks away. I carry Enzo with me to the till, ordering two meals from the menu. We sit down and they come to us, along with drinks.

I eat mine quickly, but Enzo finishes before me, so I put some of mine onto his plate, and he eats it all. I'm still not finished, so I just give the rest to him.

When we're done, I take Enzo to the toy aisle and let him pick one thing out. He chooses a small race car, and then he walks behind me to the food aisle.

I get him a pack of sweets, and a pack of chocolate. I grab a pack of water bottles, as well as things that don't need to be refrigerated and take a while to expire.

I also buy a thicker blanket, as well as a pillow. I find a ten pound note on the floor too, and pick it up quickly. I've found a few coupons on the floors too, so I use two of them for the food.

"Let me get that for you." The woman who told me about the free food says, scanning her card before I have the chance to hand money over. "Go get more." She says, "I'll wait here for you."

"What?"

"Go get more things you need."

"You don't have to pay for my stuff."

"It's my husbands card. I'm mad at him. Everyone wins. Go on."

I'm about to decline again, but then I look down at Enzo. I'm not going to skip out on a chance to make him as comfortable as I can.

"Okay. Thanks."

She smiles. "Take your time. I'm not in a rush."

Enzo and I walk down the aisles. I go to the home aisle and grab more pillows, as well as another blanket. Enzo picks out a yellow one.