Chapter 31 - Roommates [https://cdn.midjourney.com/2084ec1d-0cf1-45e7-8778-53d477ee08d2/0_2.png]
Dwarfed by a large cardboard box containing shoes, Sandy forced Kennedy’s stuff deeper into the bed of her boyfriend’s truck. Lifting onto her toes, she pushed until it was in far enough that they could close the tailgate. Numb, Kennedy shoved the last bite of an ancient granola bar into her mouth. Her friend had fished the stale treat out of the console for her when Kennedy had admitted she hadn’t eaten all day.
Shooting a nervous glance toward Mr. Bob, who stood glaring from the porch, Sandy asked, “What happened, Kennedy?” She pushed her sweaty bangs back from her face. “What did you do? Why does your neighbor have a gun?” She lowered her voice. “Did you steal from your mom? Were you in jail? Is that why you haven’t been at work? Stupid Martin is hella pissed at you. I covered one of your shifts.”
Kennedy shook her head and lifted the last box into the backseat. She didn’t know how to explain her situation to Sandy. Feeling absurd, she asked, “How do you feel about bears?”
“Kendie, are you high?”
*
When the store’s doors slid open, a new employee greeted Kennedy. “Welcome to Mega Mart.” Because turnover at the store was rough, they constantly needed new people. Kennedy planned to talk her way out of being fired for missing three shifts. Shit, she would work on the weekends if she had to.
The banks of fluorescent lights were blinding and soul-absorbing as she walked toward the back of the store. She’d pulled her uniform right out of Sandy’s dryer this morning when she heard the machine beep. The fabric looked almost new. Her name tag, freshly cleaned, was placed in its proper spot on her chest. Wearing their name tags in odd ways had become a game in the last year. Not today. Determined to convince Martin she was worth rehiring, she made her way to his office. What was the worst he could do?
*
The demotion to stocker was irritating. The job was dirty, boring as hell, and paid fifty cents less than the garden center. Plus, she would have to take the late bus some nights, at least until they forgave her. There were other dangers. One tooth Larry insisted on driving the forklift, and that asshole had clipped a few people. At least she had a job now. That was something. It could be worse. She could have been put in charge of the bathrooms.
Normally, you had to get caught stealing to end up with that job. So far, she had escaped punishment for the random sodas and occasional bags of chips she’d filched. Everyone did it. Shelving a million cookies every night was all she had to look forward to. A rack full to the top with boxes waited for her in the aisle. The boss had handed her a box cutter at the end of their conversation and pointed to the door. Resigned, Kennedy clicked the blade free and zipped open the first box.
*
The one good thing about stocking was they didn’t give you shit about headphones. Even considering that, she was going to miss her sweet gig in the gardening section. Keeping everything alive and green had been enjoyable. Maybe in a week or two, they would return her to the hours of standing, waving the spray hose over the rows of blooming plants. She particularly liked the brightly colored marigolds with their bitter scent. Headed to her break, she walked through the familiar rows of succulents and specials. Some dumbass was over-watering the orchids. She could tell by their stems.
Loitering at the back of the store, the regular smoking crew lingered. Sandy smiled at her. “I see you are still working with us.” When she extended her joint toward Kennedy, she took it. Management never came around the building to the smoking area. They would have to fire too many people if they ever did.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Doug lifted a hand toward her in greeting. She did not know how many breaks he took in a day. He had been there seven years and knew how to get the air conditioner to work when it acted weird. His dad was an electrician or something. That was real job security.
“Lucky me.” Hiding a grimace, she took a pull. She’d never liked the smell or taste of weed, only the effects. Being high made the day go by faster and helped her not be an ass to the customers. She handed the joint back after a second pull. “Thanks. How are you surviving the day?”
“Had to clean up kid piss by the bicycles. Some brat got mad and peed on his little brother.” Two months ago, Sandy had gotten caught pocketing a pair of expensive headphones. She was still in purgatory.
“So normal day?”
“Yup.”
*
Filling the ever-emptying shelves with product was a thankless task. Hands stained with grime and ink, she placed a box of Ho Dingles on the shelf. Kennedy was making do the best she could. In her pocket, her phone pinged.
The vet had texted her a few times since she moved in with Sandy, and she had never answered. What was left to say? Terry was delusional, caught up in the same madness that had caused her birth mother to kill her father. Her own mother was afraid of her now. What had people done while they were hallucinating? It wasn’t like she had brought any of the drugs Terry had shared with her home. Being a bear had seemed very real, unlike anything she had ever heard of. As good as the trip had been, those drugs weren’t designed for casual use. Kennedy wasn’t sure the boys at the bar hadn’t slipped her something to cause the whole wild trip to start.
Her mother’s response had her spooked. If she had known her family would stop talking to her, she wouldn’t have gone there. Mr. Bob had been very clear that she wasn’t to show up at her mother’s house.
Terry’s texts made it obvious that he believed they had turned into bears and not just hallucinated on powerful drugs. He’d stopped texting her after a few days of her not answering, but she hadn’t deleted his texts. It would have been nice if he had left a voice mail so she could hear his voice.
She missed him. Which made no sense, considering she’d had hookups that lasted longer. Sleeping on a cot in Sandy’s second bedroom, which was also Sandy’s studio, wasn’t a permanent solution. Because Sandy’s boyfriend didn’t like having a new roommate, Kennedy tried to stay out of their way.
The couple was going to visit Sandy’s folks this weekend, and Kennedy was going to be blessedly alone in the apartment. The solitude might give her room to think. She had been back at work almost a month, and it had been one of the strangest times in her life. Her mother had cut a line between them, clean and final. She’d tried calling her, even gone over there once, but her mom had called the fucking police.
There was a restraining order issued against her now, by her own mother. The only family she had left that might talk to her was her Nana, her dad’s mom, and she didn’t even know if she was still alive. Her mom and her Nana despised each other.
Before her parents married, Nana had been very clear that she didn’t think Kennedy’s mom was good enough for her dad. Things became strained after he died, and Kennedy hadn’t heard from her Nana for a few years. Her dad had taken her to visit Nana every year during her childhood, like a pilgrimage. Kennedy fought the urge to call her every day.
Even though she felt alone, after so long, making contact felt weird. Hey Nana, I know I haven’t talked to you for years because my mom gets pissed when I do. And yeah, I live in her basement, or I did, until just a few weeks ago. So anyway, things are pretty dire for me. How are things with you?
That would go over well.
*
When she was finally alone, Kennedy sank onto her cot and wound the covers around herself. She wished Terry was with her, with his big, warm body. Even if he was crazy, he was handsome and nice to sleep beside. With a sigh, she rolled over. Her shift was going to start in a few hours. After a little sleep, she’d be walking to the bus stop without moonlight. Kennedy didn’t mind.
She planned to tell Martin that she was sick so she could skip a shift tomorrow night. Making it believable wouldn’t be hard, because she didn’t feel very well. When her phone pinged, she turned it over. Terry. Sky bears were persistent, she could give them that. If she wasn’t so damn sleepy, she might have finally answered. Rolling her phone face down, Kennedy gave into her body’s desire to sleep.
Long past the start of her shift, Kennedy woke up on the kitchen floor bathed in the glaring light of the open refrigerator.