Love, Scars, & Shooting Stars

Chapter Five

 Julie tucked her car into the shade of a large maple tree a fair distance from The Sub Shack, a quaint little clapboard building nestled snugly between an antiques shop and a small engine repair service, neither of which appeared to suffer an overabundance of clientele. Julie had driven right past the building on her first pass, and now, staring down the street at the tiny white building with the red shutters, she began to have doubts. How much business could a tiny little sandwich shop do in a day, and how much could she possibly earn working there? Doubtful it would be enough to live on, and he'd said it was seasonal—what would she do a few months down the road, when the place closed for the winter? She'd be unemployed again, and right back at square one.

Julie dropped her head back against the seat and closed her eyes, the effects of a fitful night's sleep already beginning to wear on her. Okay, so it wasn't the greatest job on the planet, but what choice did she have? It wasn't as if employers were lining up to hire her, so she was certainly in no position to be choosy. What was that old expression, something about not looking in a horse's mouth...? She couldn't recall exactly, but the basic idea was that you should be grateful for the things that you're given, regardless of their quality. And right now, she was being given an Opportunity. For the first time in almost a year, somebody was at least willing to consider giving her a job, and for that alone she had to be appreciative. With a deep breath, she opened her eyes and turned to her son in the passenger seat.

"Are you sure you'll be okay on your own?"

Finn lowered the comic book he was reading just low enough to roll his eyes at her, and then disappeared behind the pages once again.

"I'm twelve, Mom. I'm not a little kid anymore."

"I know, but—" Julie stopped herself, knowing that she would only annoy him further. "Okay, fine. The library is on that side street right there, remember? The sign said they open at eight-thirty, so you can walk down then. But be careful crossing the street, and don't talk to strangers! And definitely don't—"

"Mommm!"

"Okay, okay," Julie relented, throwing up her hands. "You're a man now, I get it."

She opened up her door and started to climb out, but then turned back. Finn still had his nose buried in the comic book, but she could tell that he was no longer reading it.

"We're gonna be okay, Finny," Julie said softly. "I promise."

Finn raised his dark eyes beneath the overgrown fringe of bangs, and Julie caught a fleeting glimpse of the trusting little boy that he used to be, before their lives had been thrown so horribly off-track, before she had failed him so miserably. He blinked, and then turned back to his reading.

"You're gonna be late," he mumbled.

"Right," Julie smirked as she climbed out of the car. Her son was a man of few words, but she'd learned to read him pretty well over the years, and in his own way, he'd just wished her good luck.

Ten minutes early for her eight o'clock interview, Julie tried the door of The Sub Shack only to find it locked. She did a visual inspection of the building's quaint exterior, still amazed that a restaurant could be housed within such a small space. The paved area in front allowed for only four parking spaces, and two picnic tables sat in the shade of an oak tree to one side of the building. Standing on her tiptoes, Julie peered in the window and immediately liked what she saw: The inside was small, offering only three little tables for seating, but it had a certain cozy charm that reminded Julie of one of those old-fashioned soda shops that were popular way back before she was born. As she seated herself on the painted wooden steps, Julie's previous doubts began to slip away. Something had led her here, to this charming little shop that she would never have noticed, in this quiet little town that she had never heard of, so she was just going to have to trust the Universe on this one. Besides, who knew? This could be a whole new beginning for—

"You're early," her prospective employer observed, seemingly indifferent as he shuffled through the ring of keys in his hand.

Julie rose from her perch, standing awkwardly to one side as he moved to unlock the door. She'd been brash and impetuous the night before, when angst and desperation had overridden her better judgment, and she knew she'd gone a little overboard in the attitude department. Still, he'd agreed to grant her an interview, so she hadn't completely blown her chances, right? She simply needed to focus, to just block out everything that was weighing on her mind like a ton of bricks, and concentrate on getting this job. Employment. That had to be her first priority, and then she could—

"Are you coming or not?"

Julie snapped to attention, looking up to see her potential boss regarding her impatiently from inside the doorway. He shook his head as he disappeared inside, and Julie silently chastised herself.

Focus, she demanded, hoisting her body up over the two wooden stairs and crossing over the threshold.