Her Journey Begins (26 page)



   Sitting on the stool behind the counter Chris can
’
t seem to tear her eyes away. Brent stands up and puts his arm around her.

  
“
Is that where it happened?
”

Looking at him with tears in her eyes Chris nods then looks back over to where Brandon died in her arms.
“
Go to school Brent. I
’
ll be okay and you can
’
t be here all the time.
”



The day seems to pass ever so slowly. Customers have come in and out, but not enough to keep her busy. Most of them have been repeat customers that knew Brandon and have been stopping by to tell her how sorry they are. Chris is sitting behind the counter looking through a magazine when the owner walks in.
“
How did it go?
”

  
“
I survived. I
’
ll see you tomorrow
”
and she walks out.



   The first week back has been hard. So many people, kids they knew from school, customers, all wanting to tell her how sorry they are. All she wants to do is tell them,
“
Go away and leave me alone
”
Just before her shift ends on Friday an older gentleman comes in to purchase a pack of cigarettes. For some reason he looks vaguely familiar to her, but she can
’
t quite place him, but as she leaves he slips her mind and she doesn
’
t think anymore about him until months later.

   Chris smiles at the customer.
“
Thank you. Have a nice day.
”
As she wearily watches Amber walk to the back of the store and grab a soda.

Amber sets the soda on the counter.
“
Hi Chris
”

  
“
What do you want Amber?
”

  
“
I just wanted to stop by and tell you how sorry I am.
”

  
“
You wait two months to come in and express your sorrow?
”

  
“
I
’
m sorry Chris, I just thought maybe
…”

  
“
You thought what? That we could be friends? After all the pain you caused me in high school? After the shitty way you treated me? Well, you
’
re mistaken. There is no way in hell I would ever be your friend.
”

  
“
Chris I didn
’
t come here to fight with you. I came to apologize. It was my fault Brandon was late that night. He was with me.
”

Chris stares at her. Bewildered and angry.
“
What do you mean,
He was with you?
”

  
“
Don
’
t worry. He wanted nothing to do with me. It didn
’
t matter how hard I tried to get him away from you, he loved you, and only you. When I got to school that night I purposely left my headlights on, so when we got out of class, my battery was dead. Brandon jump started my car and then when I tried to come on to him, he pushed me away.
”

Clenching and unclenching her hands to keep from slapping Amber Chris grits her teeth.
“
Get out of my store Amber. And don
’
t ever come back. Because if you do, I can
’
t promise I won
’
t beat the shit out of you the next time.
”

Amber leaves her soda sitting on the counter and walks out.



   Chris doesn
’
t know Brent is standing behind her until he puts his hand on her shoulder.
“
Hi Chris. I went by your apartment, but you weren
’
t there.
”

Chris looks up at him and smiles despite her tears.
“
Sorry, I needed to come see him.
”

Brent looks around at all the graves and then sits down next to her.
“
I haven
’
t been out here since the
…”

Chris hears the catch in his voice and squeezes his hand.
“
I usually come out every Sunday and wait for his mom to leave and then I come and sit with him. But I couldn
‘
t wait till tomorrow. I had to see him today. Funny thing is, I had to wait for his mom to leave today too. I guess she needed to see him also. Have you talked to her since the funeral?
”

Brent shakes his head and plucks at a blade of grass.
“
No, but I heard that Brandon
’
s dad moved out of the house. So why are you here today instead of tomorrow?
”

  
“
Amber came to see me yesterday. Brent did you know Amber was taking classes with Brandon?
”

  
“
Yeah, I knew.
”

  
“
Why didn
’
t Brandon tell me?
”

  
“
Because he didn
’
t want you to worry.
”

  
“
Worry about what? Was there something going on between them?
”

  
“
Oh God no Chris, Brandon would never cheat on you, especially with Amber.
”

Chris leaves it at that and they sit in silence. Chris traces Brandon
’
s name on his headstone with her fingers.
“
Brent? Why did you have Brandon
’
s wedding ring?
”

Brent looks up and gazes across the cemetery. Chris can see the tears threatening to roll down his cheeks. With the back of his hand he wipes them away.
“
After the attorney and I left your room he said he had to go down to the morgue and collect Brandon
’
s personal effects. When he dumped the contents out of the envelope he handed me Brandon
’
s ring and said that you might want to have it.
”

  
“
But you didn
’
t give it to me.
”

  
“
I fought with myself Chris trying to decide what to do with it. The night of the viewing after Brandon
’
s parents left, I asked your dad what he thought would be best, Should I give it to you or send it with Brandon and your dad told me it was my decision to make, so
…
Your dad helped me put it on Brandon and after your dad left, I stayed until they sealed the casket.
”

  
“
So how did Brandon
’
s mom know?
”

  
“
Because it was listed on the morgue
’
s paperwork. Poor guy, she probably fired him after she found out that he had given me the ring. You
’
re not mad at me, are you Chris? I did the right thing, didn
’
t I?
”

Chris smiles and squeezes the hand that
’
s plucking the grass.
“
Yes. Thank you.
”

They sit there for a little while longer.

  
“
Chris do you want a ride home?
”

  
“
No, I
’
ll take the bus. I
’
ve got to go see my mom.
”

Brent stands up.
“
I can give you a ride to your moms.
”

  
“
You don
’
t have to do that Brent. I don
’
t mind riding the bus.
”

Brent holds out his hand to her.
“
It
’
s not a problem. I need to go visit them. I haven
’
t been there for a few weeks and your parents have always been good to me.
”

Chris leans down and kisses Brandon
’
s headstone and whispers.
“
I
’
ll come back tomorrow.
”
She takes Brent
’
s hand and lets him help her up.

  
“
Hi mom. Something smells good.
”

  
“
Chrissy, what are you doing here?
”

  
“
I just went and seen Brandon and wanted to stop by before I go home.
”

  
“
Are you hungry? Do you want to stay and have lunch with dad and I?
”

  
“
Only if you have enough for two extra mouths. Brent
’
s in the living room watching the game with dad.
”

  
“
Of course there
’
s always plenty. So why is Brent here?
”

  
“
He found me out at the cemetery and offered me a ride.
”

  
“
Is everything okay? You don
’
t usually go to the cemetery on Saturdays.
”

  
“
Everything
’
s fine mom. You want some help?
”

Barb smiles and hands her the plates.
“
You have always been good at setting the table
…”

Chris grins, grabs some silverware and goes in to set the dining room table. Brad gets up and walks over to her.

  
“
You doing okay?
”

  
“
I
’
m doing fine dad.
”

  
“
Four plates? Are you going to stay and have lunch with us?
”

  
“
Of course. Since when have I turned down mom
’
s cooking?
”

Chris goes back to the kitchen and helps Barb bring out the food.
“
Okay everyone, time to eat. And turn off that TV.
”

Brad and Brent grumble and walk to the table.
“
Why do we have to turn off the game? They were winning.
”

  
“
Because I thought maybe we could have a normal conversation over lunch.
”

Barb walks in and looks at the TV.
“
How did you manage that? I need you here to do that more often.
”

Brad mumbles.
“
I still want to know why we had to turn it off.
”

Chris smiles.
“
Because I have some news to share and I don
’
t want to have to compete with a football game.
”

Barbs tilts her head and scrutinizes Chris.
“
News?
”

Chris takes a bite of her potato salad.
“
Hm hmm.
”
Swallowing she takes a sip of her soda.
“
Yes, news.
”

  
“
Good news, I hope.
”

Chris beams.
“
I got hired to work at Cody
’
s department store.
”

Barb gets up and hugs her.
“
Oh Chrissy, that
’
s wonderful news!
”



  
“
Heads up. There
’
s rumors going around.
”

Chris glances over at the cashier across from her.
“
There
’
s always rumors going around. There were rumors six months ago and six months before that. What? Are they planning on cutting our hours again? I hope not. I had a hard enough time the last time they did.
”