A Place to Call Home

by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  Athena loved it here in Cherry Hill. She loved the name, the way the town looked, the storybook setting, and the personalities of the people living there. They were kind, caring, and she felt badly for blowing them off more often than not, and especially that sheriff. He was a force and then some. Tall, like six feet four, with wide shoulders, big muscles and an intensity that came along with being a man of authority, and perhaps military experience. She had heard he was Special Forces at one time or another from one of the women she worked with at Spark’s. Essie had forced conversation onto Athena, who was now Hannah, and there was no stopping the woman. Essie was bubbly, knew a lot about both towns and their residents, and also about the women’s shelter in Central Valley.

  She got a lot of information on the shelter, but Athena was doing fine on her own. Had been for a year now, but she still needed to take precautions. Police couldn’t be trusted either. Six months ago when she was in Pennsylvania, some cop tried to touch her one night after work, and despite there being witnesses, he threatened to lock her up. She got the hell out of there fast. She just kept going, running and running until she started to hit these different towns, offering the same types of things. Country settings, kind-hearted people, but ménage relationships galore. She worried about the whole guardianship rules many towns enforced, and then wound up here in Cherry Hill where the sheriff didn’t enforce guardianship, but supposedly had to approve of it along with another town official. The point was, she was in control, and despite being lonely, being scared every night, and having episodes of shaking and fear coming out of nowhere, she still was doing okay and making it.

  She probably shouldn’t be working in the cafe in Central Valley, but they paid off the books because she only worked two days. It was to keep her sanity. She could socialize but under her control and she determined how much. She was used to turning down offers of coffee, dinner, dates in general. She was lying her way through this stage of her life, and the last thing she needed was a boyfriend, or a fling. She didn’t even think she could ever be intimate with a man again, but maybe someday. Maybe if she found out that Matias Garcia was dead.

  She exhaled as she finished showering, and then started to cook some dinner for herself. She enjoyed doing that, and tended to make a little too much but it was okay, leftovers were fine with her. Her days of not eating because she was so scared, sick to her stomach with worry, were past, aside from the few days here and there when out of nowhere fear hits her insides. Migraines, nausea, all part of her life now as she continued to live with the fear of being found by Matias. Keeping busy helped. Joining the dojo in Central Valley made sense to her because if she joined the one in Cherry Hill, then she might be forced to converse with more locals, gain their attention, and gain the men’s attention, and others who would want her to hang out like normal men and women in their twenties did. She wasn’t normal. She was a victim, a survivor, a woman who had been held prisoner against her will for so damn long, she nearly lost a grip of her own identity. She was getting that back now. She could be anyone, and here in Cherry Hill, she was Hannah Murphy.

  With thoughts of the lie about her name came thoughts of that darn sheriff. Between him and the guy who ran the dojo in town, Culter, she thought Essie said his name was, they made her very nervous. They were always watching her, and she wanted to say something to the sheriff and tell him to back off, but then her experience in Pennsylvania with that drunk cop made her hold back. Maybe she was making an assumption about the sheriff, but she couldn’t be too cautious. Not in this life. She had to remain off the radar and she was doing that. She just prayed to continue on this path.

  As she sat down and prepared to eat dinner, she closed her eyes and prayed. As silence loomed around her, and night began to fall, and that uneasy feeling started to simmer in her gut. Matias was still out there looking for her, trying to get her back. She knew that with all her being. She wished that her brothers hadn’t died in combat, but she was proud of them for serving their country and for being heroes. She could use a hero of her own, but knew there was no such thing. There was no one to trust. No one to feel safe around. No one to confide in, to lean on, to just get a hug from. The tears fell. She laughed at herself and wiped her eyes. “A hug, Athena? Seriously?” she reprimanded herself aloud, and then gave up on prayers that never worked. Actions worked. Remaining in control worked. Being strong, doing for herself worked. This was her life and being alone was a permanent consequence for actions out of her control, and with the power still remaining in Matias’s hands. That was the truth.

  “I’m desperate. I can’t believe that Cass would do this to me. She gone and went and quit just like that. Shit,” Harper said as she threw down the papers she was working on with orders for the distributor.

  “What do you want to do? Maybe call around and see who we can grab?” Maya asked her. She worked behind the bar now and the place was getting crowded for a Thursday.

  “I need someone with experience, and of course good looks, not these young things like Cass who look for a good time and can’t make drinks worth a shit. God damn, I need this like a hole in the head. The fight is Saturday night and this place will be jammed packed.”

  “What about that brunette in town you mentioned?” Maya asked.

  “Hannah? Yeah, she’s really shy, yet I heard she does a great job at Spark’s.”

  “She works out at the dojo. Is really good from what I heard, that can be a plus around here sometimes.”

  “I have to find out if she knows anything about bartending. I could always pull Cheris from the floor and instead of waitressing, she can bartend with you.”

  “Shit, she hates bartending and she isn’t very friendly when the guys start hitting on her.”

  “Who is? Ade will be back there anyway,” Harper told her.

  “Well then, find out where that woman lives and go knock on her door and beg her to help out. She might like working in town instead of commuting to work on the bus.”

  “I think she chose to work out of town for a reason. Could see something in her eyes, ya know?”

  “Oh boy, your sixth sense kicking in again?” Maya asked and smiled as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

  “Instincts, Maya. Comes with age.”

  Maya laughed. “You’re twenty-five, how much more instincts can you have than me at twenty-one?”

  “A lot. I’ve seen the type of men that interest you, and I’m just waiting for the trouble.”

  Maya gasped and gave Harper’s arm a slap. She chuckled. “You didn’t go out with Benny, right?”

  “Hell no. He walked me to my car and then grabbed me around the waist and kissed me. I had to shove him back and tell him I wasn’t that type of woman. That we didn’t even go out on a date. And he told me Connor said he fooled around with me in the back parking lot and things got heavy fast. That was plain bullshit. I didn’t even let Connor kiss me.”

  “Men are pigs, Maya. I keep telling you that. Just hold off until the right man or men come along, will ya? Something tells me a few good ones have their eyes on you.”

  Maya rolled her eyes. “Well I’m not getting any younger, ya know?”

  Harper laughed. “I need to take a drive. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “You got it, boss,” Maya said, and then Harper told Ade where she was heading, and then she walked out of the dance hall and to her black pickup truck. The Gaynors’ farm was a mile from town.

  Athena had been watching from the window as Mrs. Gaynor began to plant some flowers along the walkway of the garage leading up to the apartment. She had flats of flowers, her wheelbarrow, bags of dirt, and fertilizer and other tools. The urge to go out and help, to have some human contact and to do something so simple as plant flowers got her off her ass and heading outside. Cynthia Gaynor was friendly, but tough, and she liked that about her.

  They worked side by side not saying much, and she appreciated that from Cynthia.

  “You looking for other work be
sides Spark’s two days a week?” she asked Athena.

  “Not really. I just got the job to not be too bored.”

  “You need to work though, to make money, and feed yourself. Got no family I gather, since you hardly leave the apartment.”

  “No, ma’am, no family, and I like to keep to myself. It’s peaceful out here.”

  “Can get lonely though? You’re young, gorgeous too, you should be enjoying life.”

  “I get my socializing in on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at Spark’s.”

  Cynthia smiled. “I love their empanadas. Best around. Clay loves the chili.”

  “Those are pretty popular,” she replied.

  “My specialty is country fried chicken. You ever have that before? I know you said you’re from the northeast.”

  “I haven’t had that before. Sounds good.’

  “Oh it is. I drizzle a little bit of local honey on it, bake it nice and crisp, and serve it with mashed potatoes and some gravy. Maybe a side of corn and baked apples with cinnamon and drizzled caramel.”

  “Oh God, that sounds so good.”

  “You have to come over for supper one night. Maybe Sunday?” she asked.

  Athena felt tears in her eyes and Cynthia squinted at her.

  “You okay?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Cynthia, remember? We’re friends now.” She patted Athena’s leg and then went back to shoveling and planting flowers as Athena helped.

  When Harper pulled through the main gates to the Gaynors’ farm, she could see Hannah outside by the separate garage, way across from the main house. Mrs. Gaynor was with her. They were planting flowers. Maybe Hannah wasn’t so shy after all. She hoped not, because she needed help at the dance hall, and for tomorrow and Saturday night. Plus, she had a feeling that Hannah went through something. She was resistant to making friends, avoided talking about herself, yet came across friendly and likable.

  Both women stood up as Harper parked the black pickup truck on the gravel driveway in front of the garage. She got out and gave a wave.

  “Afternoon,” she said, and Mrs. Gaynor smiled.

  “Harper, how are you, hun?” she asked, and Harper kissed Cynthia’s cheek hello.

  “I’m doing all right, but hoping to do even better once I talk to Hannah.”

  Hannah’s eyes widened. “Me?” she asked.

  “Yes. I need some help. I know I mentioned to you about working at Harper’s.”

  “Oh, no, I have a little job already.”

  “I know you do, honey, but I’m desperate. Cal went and quit on me, Bernice is pregnant, and her men are going to make her quit in another week or two. I need someone strong, a hard worker who isn’t lazy and knows how to bartend. Please tell me you do.”

  “Well, I haven’t bartended in several years. I did in college some.”

  “That’s perfect, anything you need help with Maya and Ade can assist. I’ll pay you what I pay them since you’re helping me in a pinch.”

  “It really isn’t my thing. I don’t like crowds and I’m pretty shy,” she said, and looked away.

  “I think you’ll do great. You’re easy on the eyes, have a great smile and demeanor, and you aren’t lazy. I need a hard worker. It isn’t easy work at all.”

  “I could imagine.”

  “You could pull in five or so a night.”

  “$500.00?” Hannah asked.

  Harper chuckled. “Yes, we run a great establishment and Saturday night is fight night on TV, and we’ve got the things set up for that event. I would need you Friday and Saturday. Thinking maybe you could come by today and check things out. Or tonight, and do a run through? Whatever works for you, Hannah.”

  “You should, Hannah. Everyone helps one another around Cherry Hill. You could use the extra money, and to get to know more people, and Harper is good people. She’ll watch over you and treat you right,” Cynthia said, and Harper smiled.

  “What do you say? Help a neighbor out?”

  “I can’t make any promises. It’s been forever since I’ve bartended, and I really do like to keep to myself.”

  “Come by and give it a try. See how you feel. I’ll respect your decision, and then I’ll need to haul ass to find someone for Friday and Saturday if it isn’t your thing. But please, give it a try.” Hannah nodded, and Harper smiled wide. “I owe you one, doll. Big time.”

  Athena nearly chickened out, and now an hour into what was supposed to be a trial run to learn the bar, turned into full-fledged work night. Another bartender didn’t show up and they were down to two. Ade and Maya, and that wasn’t feasible at all.

  Athena nearly said her name was Athena instead of Hannah several times, she was so busy and trying to not give too much information about herself. All lies of course, and she needed to keep up with those lies and maintain them. Was it her or was her section more crowded than the others?

  “Hey, gorgeous. You have a knack for this thing, and for people. Harper is not going to let you slip through her fingers,” Ade said to her, and gave her hip a tap. He was drop dead gorgeous. Like total hot guy, blond hair, blue eyes, muscles, a few tattoos and funny. So very funny that he had her laughing within ten minutes of meeting the man. He also had three brothers and they were at the other end of the bar in Maya’s section.

  “Hey, gorgeous. Another round of beers and three more of those special drinks you made the ladies. They’re downing them like candy,” one big guy with a beard said, and gave her a wink.

  She quickly got what he needed and then started making the mixed drinks. “You new around town, right?” he asked.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Damn, baby, don’t make me feel so old. The name’s Ike. Pleasure meeting you, honey.” He smiled wide and looked at her chest.

  Thank goodness she wasn’t wearing a Harper’s T-shirt or tank top. She wasn’t sure she would even fit into one. She was well endowed, and despite losing a lot of weight, the martial arts classes made everything tight and defined, including her abs that were defined perfectly. She remained in great physical condition, did a lot of running too in the back fields and side roads, as to not gain attention in town. She wanted to be ready, and that included having money and supplies stashed away from the apartment and someplace safe.

  She poured the concoctions into the three glasses and then added a cherry and piece of pineapple.

  He started passing out the drinks. His buddies saying something to him about moving to a table. “I think I’ll stay right here. The view is perfect,” he said, and then winked at her.

  She immediately felt on guard and turned away. Her eyes landed on Ade. She gave the guy Ike a look as Ade grabbed her arm and lowered down to whisper to her. “Stay clear of him, and his brothers. They’re trouble.”

  “Got it. Thanks,” she said, and for the rest of the evening she went back and forth, debating about keeping this job and helping Harper out.

  She was really nice, and young like maybe twenty-six tops, and apparently her family owned the place. She had a few brothers and an uncle all involved, but her brothers were some kind of military guys doing private work for the government. She didn’t ask questions because then she would get asked questions. The thing was, she liked the people here. Maya was a riot and very friendly and flirty. Ade was good-looking and had kind of taken on a protective role of her and Maya, and even the waitresses, too. For the most part, the guys kept to themselves and she was used to turning men down for dates, so working here meant she just may need to do that more often. Her funds were getting lower. She wanted to keep a good amount in case she needed to leave in a hurry. She might as well work here, but only if Harper could pay her off the books. That was something she would need to discuss with her tonight.

  “She is really good,” York told Harper at the end of the night. She was assistant manager for Harper’s and a good friend. “I had a feeling she would be. She was getting a lot of attention from the men though, and that isn’t her thing.”