We Only Come Out At Night

Chapter Two

Max had found me the night the next night curled up on the soft carpeted floor where I laid last night, still asleep. Maria had the morning shift and had neglected to wake me up. She kindly left my sleeping body to be found and taken care of. Max wouldn't be pissed at me, oh no. He would rip into her for "not being a good co-worker". Either way, I knew Maria would be gripped at, so I honestly didn't mind at all. I was surprised I'd even slept through the commotion of the day.

"Cassandra, wake up dear," Max cooed lightly with a hand lightly on my shoulder. I didn't want to get up, that ride with Paul last night took a lot out of me, but the sloppy dog kisses that Thorn so lovingly administered happened to be quite the motivator.

"Why were you sleeping on the floor," he asked, a rather confused look adorned his face.

"Well you see," I mumbled stretching," I was recently evicted from my apartment and I just missed the church closing," I wish I could have seen his ever amusing visages clearer. To say Max and I were close was an understatement at best. Not only was he like the father I never knew nor had but he was my whole family. He was the one who set me up in the apartment, he pulled me into the shop and fed me. He was the one who gave me a job and he looked out for was the only one who ever cared about me. He had to care I think, if he didn't then he wouldn't have given me a job here. When I got to Santa Carla, I was a scrawny thing with long dreadlocked white hair, a sunken in stomach and face,and I stunk. I looked sickly but he saw past that and helped me. I owed him so much and we both knew it.

"Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you go to my office and call? I would have let you stay with me, you know I have many extra rooms," he asked a small frown on his face but offered me his hand none the less.

"I thought I could make it to the shelter or church in time. You do a lot for me Max, I owe you big time. I didn't make it,then the rain started, I planned on walking back here."

"You were going to walk ten miles in the rain? Really? I have to insist that next time you call me,"he said as he walked with me to the back.

"Yes." It's not like I had any other way of getting here. He pushed and held the door open for me. The beads in my hair clattered as I made a point to look him in the eye for a challenge to my words. He made sure to get the point across before; trustno one in this damned town.

"Then is that why I saw you getting off the back of a particular blonde's motorcycle" he replied calmly as he hung his jacket.

"You saw that? He was really persistent and-"I rambled off melting under his fatherly stare. It was just something that he did and I automatically had to tell him. It was like I couldn't help it. Besides lying wouldn't have helped anyway.

"The security cameras show everything," he grinned as he went around his desk.

"Shit. You got me there. I forgot about those."

"Yes well, you'd do well to remember they're there next time. And try not to get rides from strangers. Do you even know that boys name?"

"Not exactly."

"He's one of those guys in that motorcycle gang. He's a punk, don't let him or his friends fool you."

"Well don't worry about me. I'll never be seeing him again anyway," I replied with an eye roll.

"I always worry Cassandra. Besides do you know how difficult it is to hire another work as efficient as you?"

"Oh how you wound me, I'll never be the same again and you'll never find another employee," I sighed dramatically, fainting in the chair with my head at my forehead.

"Cassandra please never be afraid to ask for anything Cassandra. I'll do my best to help in anyway I can," he smiled before setting the papers he'd been messing with down and pulled me into one of those fatherly bear hugs.