The Worst Days of Our Lives

Chapter 18: Chance

As Chance returned the key card to the front desk, he caught a glimpse of the calendar posted on the wall above the manager’s desk. It was her birthday, and he had forgotten completely. How he didn’t associate the cold that was bringing fall or the pumpkins placed on front porches, he wasn’t sure, but he had forgotten it was October and it was her birthday.

He sighed, there really wasn’t much he could do. Chance wondered if she had any concept of time where she was, if she didn’t did she somehow sense that this day was suppose to be her day? This is the second birthday that she missed. She should’ve been coming home from college to spend this day with her family, with him. She turned 20 today, and he had just turned 18 in September. She would be mocking him so hard about him being younger and inferior.

He sighed and shook his head, walking out to his truck and sliding again. One the door was closed he gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles were white, this day would be one of the hardest. No one from Indiana to Maine had ever laid eyes upon Cass. He had completed the first leg of his journey in four days time. He was making excellent progress considering the fact that he really wasn't making much progress at all. It took every ounce of focus to keep himself from breaking down under the pointlessness of this whole trip. He only had time to stop in major cities, and only for a brief while. She could be in the basement of some rural home or locked in the attic of a farmhouse. There’s no logical reason why he should statistically be able to find her.

Nevertheless, he planned to keep up this journey until he reached Washington. After that? Well, if he had the funds, Canada. On his way towards the interstate, he passed a small, shabby-looking bakery with cakes in the window. Chance couldn’t help it. He veered off the road into the parking lot and turned off his truck, sliding out the door and locking it behind him.

When he pushed open the green, pastel door to the bakery, a cheerful bell marked his arrival. The floors were vintage, black and white checkers, there were a few tables and chairs scattered around painted the same color as the door. A girl in her early twenties, barely, was standing behind the counter, smiling at her customer gently. Chance approached the counter and looked at some of the desserts and pastries.

“Hello!” The girl chirped cheerfully, “How can I help you, today?” He met her eyes briefly and flashed her a small smile. She had fiery red hair that was pulled back from her face, prominent, high cheekbones and a small mouth, Chance couldn’t help but notice she was attractive. Chance looked back down at the array of cakes and cookies before he pointed to a chocolate cupcake with caramel icing, “Can I get two of these?”

Quickly the girl bent down and opened the back of the glass case, pulling out two of the desired cupcakes, and setting them in a small box, the color of the decor and the door. “That’ll be $6,” She beamed entering his purchase into the cash register. He nodded and reached into the back pocket of his jeans, pulling out a wrinkled five and four quarters. As she entered the change, he pulled out his phone to send a quick text to his mom, updating her on his location.

The girl lifted the box of cupcakes, fumbling slightly and almost lost her grip on the box. In a rush, Chance set his phone down and placed his hands over hers to keep the small box steady. As their skin made contact, Chance froze. The girl raised her eyebrows at him gently and he coughed lightly, trying to cover up his brief lapse of thought. He took the box from her hands and spun on his heel, giving her a half-hearted wave and a thank you before walking out the door.

He was back on the interstate, halfway to New Hampshire before he realized his phone was left sitting on the counter of the bakery. Chance swore violently and swerved to the next lane, pulling into the rest stop just seconds away from passing it. He slammed the door of his truck shut, leaving the keys in the ignition. Running up to the pay phone, he crammed two quarters into the coin slot and dialed his number. Chance jammed his hand deep into the pocket of his jeans, the cold October weather was biting at his skin. On the 5th ring, when he was afraid his phone was lost, the ringing stopped and he heard the soft and sweet voice of the cashier. “Hello?” Chance let out a breath of relief, “Hello, my name is Chance, I stopped in your bakery earlier and as you know, I left my phone.

She laughed lightly, “I was hoping you would call, I’d hate to lose my phone and not have a way to get it back.” Chance jumped up and down on his toes lightly, trying to stay at least something that slightly resembled warm. “When will you be able to pick it up?” He sighed and looked around, “Well, I’ve been driving south for about, well, five hours.” Chance looked at the watch on his wrist, it was seven o’clock and it would be well past midnight before he could make it back to the bakery. “Why don’t we meet halfway, say around Greenville. I know of a nice lodge where we can grab a drink.”

He agreed and used the pen attached to the pay phone to write the address down onto the back of his hand. When he hung up, he jogged back to his truck and slid into the warmth of the cab. Chance turned the heat up and slowly pulled back onto the interstate, heading back into Maine.