Gavin's Song: A Last Rider's Trilogy (Road to Salvation Book 1)

by Jamie Begley

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Ginny 18 / Gavin 31

  “Can I get more coffee?”

  “Give me a sec.” Tucking her pencil behind her ear, Ginny gave a quick smile to her customer as she rushed behind the counter. Was it just because she was tired or was the diner busier than usual? She was already running on empty after working last night at the theater. Instead of falling asleep when she got home, she had spent half the early morning tossing and turning before managing to fall asleep. There were two more hours on her shift at the diner, then she had to grab a bite to eat before going to her second job.

  The job at the theater was moderately better—simply cleaning and getting the place ready for the next day—but it had her days and nights turned around, which sucked.

  “You have customers waiting to be seated.” Her coworker gave her a condescending look as Ginny reached past her for the coffee pot.

  “I see them.” Staring Carly down, Ginny retorted, “It would help if you would seat the customers after Toby buses the tables, when you’re not busy at the counter.”

  “I’m helping prep the orders.”

  “Really?” Putting the coffee pot down on the prep table, she reached through the order window and grabbed the hot plate and the ticket. Ginny quickly scanned the order before sliding the ticket into her apron. “I must have missed that.” Grabbing the plate and pot of coffee, she hurried to serve the order, ignoring the nasty look Carly gave her.

  The twenty-nine-year-old waitress had the owner in the palm of her hand, and she used it to shirk her share of the work. Normally Ginny ignored her hostile behavior, but the longer she worked at the diner, the harder it was to do.

  Carly might have the stronger personality, because of her relationship with the owner—which had her thinking she could say whatever she wanted—but Carly was messing with the wrong girl. Ginny had been forced to live with Lisa’s demands, and there was no way she was going to find herself under someone else’s thumb ever again, no matter how much she needed a job.

  Lisa was a lousy foster mother, but she forced Ginny to grow a backbone that could easily withstand another bitch trying to walk all over her.

  Refilling the coffee cup and giving a customer his hamburger, she then refilled four other coffee cups before taking the pot back to the coffeemaker. Counting out menus, she hurried to the door to escort the group waiting to be seated, showing Pastor Dean, Willa, and four children to a table for six.

  As rushed as Ginny was, she felt for Willa, sensing she was uncomfortable with the town’s busybodies watching them as they took their chairs. She’d heard the rumors circulating around the restaurant about Willa taking in foster children but had no doubt the gentle woman would do better than Lisa had done for her.

  Everyone born and raised in Treepoint knew Willa. Ginny knew her casually from church and had met her briefly when she came into the insurance office that Ginny had worked at prior to the diner.

  “Do you know what you want, or do you need me to come back?” she asked once Willa, Dean and the children were settled.

  “We can order and save you a trip.”

  Ginny gave Willa a grateful smile as she started taking their orders. Willa ordered for the two younger ones before letting the older children order for themselves.

  Writing down Pastor Dean’s order of steak and fries, she then looked expectantly at Willa. “How about you, Willa?”

  “I’ll just take coffee.”

  “Bring her the same as I’m having.”

  Seeing that Willa was about to argue, Ginny gave the pastor a quick wink when Willa turned her head in his direction, then took off before she could change the order.

  Putting the order in, she fixed their drinks, then carried them to the table before checking on her other customers. When she saw the plates come up to the window, she went back to the counter to grab a tray.

  She kept busy, occasionally giving some of the customers reprimanding glares when she caught them staring at Willa’s table for too long. It wasn’t going to be a stellar day for tips, but she didn’t care. She couldn’t bear the hunted expression on Willa’s face, feeling censorship from everyone.

  By the end of the meal, Ginny noticed that Willa seemed more relaxed and not as self-conscious. She went back to their table when the pastor motioned for her to bring the check.

  “I didn’t realize you worked here?”

  “I was fired from my last job,” she answered Willa without embarrassment.

  Willa nodded at her sympathetically. “I was wondering where you were the last time I stopped in at the insurance office.”

  “I have to work two jobs to make up for losing that one. I’m also working at the theater.”

  “I imagine working two jobs can’t be easy.”

  “I’d rather work four jobs than put up with old man Dawkins.” She wanted to gag in disgust every time she thought of Carter Dawkins.

  Willa must have seen the disgust on her face. “I didn’t mean to upset you. If there’s anything I can do, let me know. If I open the bakery I’m planning, maybe I can offer you a job. But it’s going to be a while,” Willa added hastily.

  Ginny wanted to jump up and down at the offer, barely managing to keep from making a fool of herself. “Let me know. I don’t mind this one, but the theater is third shift.”

  “I’d be glad to hire you.”

  The woman stole her heart with her kindness. Ginny couldn’t believe that she would take a chance on her. She was aware that people in town considered her trash, just another Coleman bastard that even her mother didn’t want. It didn’t help that the Coleman’s still refused to mix and mingle with the townspeople. Even though she no longer lived with them, she was still tarnished by their name—proudly so. No matter that she was a good worker, lived a quiet life, and had never had a boyfriend, the town as a whole still considered her bad blood and wanted nothing to do with her, as if being associated with her would contaminate them.

  “Thanks, Willa. I heard you’re engaged. Congratulations.” She looked at both her and Pastor Dean, thrilled that the man she respected was smart enough to snag the sweetest woman in Kentucky.

  The two of them were perfect for each other. Both took helping the community seriously, whether it involved the church or not. Pastor Dean had tutored her right up until graduation and had wanted her to go to college. When she told him that she was content to stay here, he argued with her incessantly, only backing off when she stopped going to church.

  She wasn’t the only student he had helped. More than one owed their degree to him. Willa had funded the food program that made meals for low-income students, supplying them during the weekends, holidays, and summers.

  “Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow in church.”

  With the thought of a possible new job and working with someone as nice as Willa, Ginny practically walked on air the rest her day. Even Carly leaving early—again—couldn’t ruin her mood. Her job situation was miserable. She’d been forced to leave the insurance company after her boss nearly raped her, then had to get two jobs to manage paying for her car, food, and the rent for her small room at Toby’s house. She’d been too busy with getting out of Lisa and Dalt’s house to entertain thoughts of a career.

  Cleaning and mopping the restaurant in record time, she then stuck her head through the order window and gave a wave. “I’m leaving, Toby.”

  “See you tomorrow.”

  Locking the door behind her, she went to her car then drove to the movie theater. After parking she took out a blueberry protein bar.

  Letting the stress of working at the diner ease off her shoulders as she listened to music on her car radio, Ginny stared out at the parking lot, watching the customers trickle out in small groups as the movies let out.

  Finished with her blueberry protein bar, she took out a small, half-full pack of gummy bears that she had sealed in a reusable plastic snack bag and put them in the pocket of her black pants.

  Stretching her arm i
nto the back seat, she reached for the clean, red Polo shirt with the theater logo. Looking around the dark parking lot, she pulled the red shirt over her head, then shimmied her arms out of the blouse she was wearing, reaching underneath to unbutton the blouse and slide it out from under the theater shirt. Tossing the blouse into the back seat, she grabbed her car keys and purse before getting out of the car. Locking her purse in the trunk, she walked to the front of theater, ignoring the few stragglers coming out of the movies who avoided eye contact with her, as if they’d catch cooties from anyone with the last name Coleman.

  Tapping on the door, Ginny waited as the high school student behind the counter came around to let her inside. “Hey, you’re early. You trying to make the rest of us look bad?”

  Ginny rolled her eyes at Norah, as the seventeen-year-old high school student locked the door behind her.

  “Looks who talking, I thought you were off tonight.”

  “I was supposed to be. Jerry called and asked me to work. Nathan’s practice ran late.”

  Making a grimace, Norah followed beside her as Ginny made her way to the maintenance closet. The pretty teenager gave her a helping hand by wheeling the large rolling trash can out of the closet.

  “I can stay and help if you want?” Norah offered as Ginny lined the trash can with a clean bag. “I’m not doing anything for a couple of hours, and I have all of my homework done.”

  Taking another box of trash bags off a shelf, she turned to study the hopeful expression on Norah’s face. Ginny recognized a kindred and lonely soul. While Ginny had been ostracized in high school because of her last name, Norah didn’t fit in socially with her peers. Ginny knew Norah couldn’t relate to their mindset of having fun and dodging responsibilities. By avoiding that behavior, she’d earned a scholarship and early admission to a U of L pre-med program.

  “Won’t your parents be expecting you home?”

  Ginny could tell she was searching for an excuse to give her parents in order to keep out of trouble if she didn’t arrive home before midnight.

  Trying to save her the embarrassment and possibility of getting in trouble with her strict parents, Ginny refused her help. “The last time you were late, your dad came looking for you. You don’t want to get your car taken away again, do you?”

  “No.” Norah self-consciously shuffled the toe of her tennis shoe against the carpet. “I’m sorry.”

  “There’s nothing to be sorry for. Your parents are just looking out for you. You’ve worked hard for that scholarship, and your parents don’t want you to jeopardize your future by handing out with someone… like me.”

  “You want to go shopping this weekend?” Norah overrode Ginny. “I need a new pair of jeans. We could meet up at the mini-mall in Jamestown. My parents wouldn’t even know as long as I’m home before they get back from my grandparents.”

  “I’m busy this weekend.” Ginny made the excuse without giving any details, saving the friendly girl’s reputation. The townspeople could be cruel when spreading gossip, and they wouldn’t care it was an innocent shopping excursion.

  “Norah, have you clocked out? Or am I paying you and Ginny to stand around and talk?”

  The teenager jumped like a scalded cat; the manager stood in the doorway.

  “I was just showing her where the trash bags are, Jerry.” Norah gave a nervous laugh. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

  Ginny didn’t bother to deny the lie as she placed the box back on the shelf, then reached for the handle of the vacuum cleaner that she started wheeling out of the room.

  “The concession inventory came up short again.”

  “Are you accusing me?”

  “Are you stealing from me?” he barked.

  “Have you asked Nathan, Mark, and Norah that question?” She raised a questioning brow at his intimidating stance in the doorway.

  Jerry laid a hand on the doorframe, effectively keeping her in the maintenance room.

  “They aren’t Coleman’s.”

  “If they were, you wouldn’t be coming up short. Colemans aren’t thieves. We both know why and whose responsible for the losses. Nathan sneaks them to his friends when they come to the movies. You’re not going to blame your shortages on me to protect your nephew’s job.”

  “Nathan’s a good kid.”

  “I’m not saying he’s not, just that he’s giving a five-finger discount to his friends. If you need to find someone to blame to keep the owner from firing Nathan, I can’t stop you, as long as my name isn’t the one mentioned.”

  Ginny reached into her pocket, coming out with her cell phone and making his smile disappear.

  “Who are you calling?”

  “You’re wife. I’m going to ask her if she knows her nephew is stealing from her and that you’re trying to blame me.”

  “You don’t have her number.” Fury boiled in his pudgy cheeks.

  “Try me. She gave me the number when I waited on her at the diner, and I complained about you buying shitty trash bags.”

  “You didn’t.” He dropped his hand, clenching both into fists as if he wanted to hit her.

  “Ask her,” she said sweetly.

  “You say anything to her, I’ll fire you.”

  “What have I got to lose? You’re been wanting to fire me since the day I started. The only reason I’m still here is because your wife can’t find anyone else that wants this job for the money you’re willing to pay.”

  Giving her a cutting look, he stepped away from the door. “I’m having cameras installed behind the counter tomorrow.”

  “Good for you. Make sure you warn Nathan; it’ll make those Sunday family barbecues awkward if you have to fire him.”

  Ginny took the handle of the vacuum, wheeling it behind her.

  “Ignorant, good fer nothing, witch.”

  Turning with a heated glare, the vacuum rocked back on its wheels when she quickly let go of the handle.

  “I dare you to repeat that to my face.”

  Jerry appeared to be biting his to tongue before furiously spitting out. “Get to work.”

  Ginny grabbed the handle of the vacuum, letting Jerry’s hostile behavior slide off her back, and thinking about the envelope with forty dollars in it that would be waiting on top of the candy counter when she finished cleaning.

  Shoving her cell phone back in her pocket, she left the vacuum sitting where it was as she went row by row, dumping the discarded remains of cups, popcorn buckets, and candy wrappers into a trash bag, all the while wanting to go home and climb into her bed in the cheap bedroom that Toby had let her rent at the back of his house.

  Grimacing at the amount of trash left behind, she could always tell which theater showed the newest release by the number of trash bags she had to use to clean. This was a two bagger at least.

  Sighing, she hoped it was at least a good one before she dropped the bag and went to the projection room. Starting the movie, she grabbed the garbage bag, dumping an empty popcorn bucket inside before going back downstairs into the theater.

  “I knew today wasn’t going to end on a bad note,” she told herself happily, looking forward to watching a new horror movie. Then she nearly jumped out of her skin at the bloodcurdling scream from the movie screen.

  “Freaking hell!” Open-mouthed, she watched a gigantic bug eat the head off a zombie before flying to chow down on a woman loudly screaming.

  “Thank you,” Ginny managed to gasp out, placing a hand over her still rapidly beating heart. “Whatever the heck you are, she nearly scared me to death.” Picking up the trash bag, she went back to collecting garbage. “Move it or the dude with that rifle is going to blow you to smithereens.” Her eyes widened on one of the zombies. “No! Go back. Get the one who’s trying to get over the fence!” she shouted. The grotesque zombie looked remarkably like Jerry. “Eat him!” Ginny chanted, going to the next row. “Eat him!” Sadly, she watched the bug get cut in half by a spaceship laser and the two parts fell limply to the ground. “Darn it. Just on
ce can the jerk get what he deserves?”

  She guessed not. The zombie managed to clamber over the fence and started munching down on the bug parts.

  It just showed jerks like Jerry would survive even in zombie form, while she would have been ant kibble. Ginny used movies as a learning tool, and this was a good example. When shit hit the fan, only those with the strongest stomach would survive.

  Leaving the pawn shop, Ginny was closing her purse when she heard her name called out. Turning she saw Willa making her way across the street.

  “Hi!” Ginny greeted as Willa approached her, holding two paper bags.

  “Hey! I was going to call you today, but when I saw you, I thought I’d save myself the call.”

  Bracing herself for Willa to have changed her mind about offering the job that she had mentioned a couple of months ago, Ginny tried to appear unconcerned as frowning people brushed past them on the sidewalk.

  “I was going to discuss something with you, but we’re going to get mowed down if we stay out here. Do you have a few minutes?”

  “Today’s my day off.” Had people in town talked Willa out of offering her the job?

  “We could go to the church, it’s close by, and I want to show you where you’ll be working.”

  Ginny felt as if a ton of bricks had just been taken off her back.

  Falling in step beside her, they walked the two blocks to the church. They made small talk about the businesses Willa sold her sweets to, including the diner and the Silver Slipper restaurant. It was only when Willa lead her into the large kitchen of the church and she saw cupcakes sitting on a metal table did she realize that Willa was using the space as her bakery.

  “I’ve rented the space from the church; it’s going to make it more convenient for me to manage my business while performing my duties as the pastor’s wife.” Sitting the two paper bags down on a counter, Willa gave her a happy smile.

  Trying not focus on the bottles of liquor Willa was removing from the bags, Ginny walked farther into the kitchen seeing that Willa had already organized her baking equipment. Her fingers itched to run over the smooth shine of the expensive mixer that she could only dream of having one day, much less the three that were resting on the counter.