Going Alone

After bringing Bagel home with all his necessities, I flopped down on the couch of my small apartment and sighed deeply. Life was so hectic and complicating right now, it’s crazy. My Mom knows I’m pregnant, but not exactly with who. I lied one day and said I got raped, which freaked her out and made her fly out to New York and take care of me for a week. If you didn't know, it's very hard to pretend to be raped. She made me call the police, which I told her I did right after it happened, and that they couldn’t find him. She reluctantly flew back to Florida a few days later.

One night in my sleep, Aislin visited me, explaining all of the repercussions of my little trip. She said anything that was physically mine or that I had possession of came back with me, including this darling little baby. I had all of the mementos of my trip, like the photo of Jack and I at Chuck-E-Cheese and the picture Zack took of me one day. By the way, it is very pretty.

Bagel jumped up on the couch and laid right next to me. I smiled and started petting him, watching the TV. He gently rested his head on my growing baby bump and sighed, closing his eyes. I laughed and turned to attention back to the TV. My phone started ringing and I extended my hand up to grab it from the side table.

“Hello?”

“Mae?” My manager asked, out of breath, “Can you come in today?”

I sighed, “Yeah. I’ll be there in like 20 minutes.”

I looked down to Bagel and kissed his head, “I’ll be back later, buddy.”

I gently rolled off of the couch and lifted myself up, walking into my room and stripping my clothes off, replacing them with my work clothes and apron. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and placed my mandatory hat over my head and walked into the living room. I searched around for my purse and phone, and when I finally found them, I stepped out of my apartment, locking the door securely.

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“You got here just in time!” Larry, my manager smiled.

“Good, where do you need me?” I asked, setting my things down in the break room.

“I need you to ring people up.” He nodded, going back to the computer.

I sighed and walked back to the front, logging into a free register and illuminating my number. I looked down the row of cashiers and noticed Aimee, about three people down from me. I caught her attention and waved at her.

“How are you today?” I asked the customer who gently placed her things on the belt.

“Good, you?” She asked, watching me scan her items.

“As good as you can be when your pregnant.” I laughed, rubbing my stomach.

“Oh!” She brightened, “How far along?”

“Four months.” I asked, scanning her last item, “$24.43”

She swiped her debit card and punched in her pin, “One of the best times.”

“I guess, I wouldn’t know. This is my first one.”

“Good luck.” She smiled, grabbing her bags and walking out of the store.

I heard a commotion in the chip isle and leaned over my check stand to see what it was about.

“You fucking idiot!” A oddly familiar voice yelled.

“It’s not my fault!” Another familiar voice yelled back, and I heard a slap.

“You knocked down the chips.” I recognized the voice as Jack’s.

Yes, the one and only Jack Barakat. My throat constricted slightly and I gripped the edge of my check stand, hoping that they wouldn’t see me. Another person set their things down on my conveyor belt and leaned back, gaining my composure. I quickly scanned their tings though and took their money, giving them their change and wished them a good day. I quickly leaned back over the check stand.

“Whatever you guys, you can go dawdle around the store. I’m checking out.” Jack said, his voice coming closer to me.

My eyes widened, and I ducked down, hoping that he wouldn’t see me. I heard some set their things on my belt and the humming sound of the belt moving closer to the scanner.

“Hello?” Jack asked, “Is anyone there?”

I looked up to see him lean over, and I pretended to throw something away, “Sorry, I dropped something.”

“Don’t I know you from somewhere?” He asked as I slowly scanned his things.

“Um.” I stalled, “N-nope.”

“No, I think I do. You seem very familiar.” He looked to my name tag, “Mae.”

He mulled it over in his mind while I scanned his never ending items.

“Mae!” He said rather loudly, and my eyes widened, “You’re Mae!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I said, scoffing as I bagged some bread.

He leaned closer to me, “Are you pregnant.”

“Um.” I asked, knotting my eyebrows together, looking at my somewhat visible baby bump.

“Oh my God.” He smiled, “I found you!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I shook my head, placing a full bag of groceries in his cart.

“You have to meet Alex.” He smiled, rubbing his hands together evilly.

“I don’t know who you’re talking about.” I insisted, finishing his items.

“Come on, Mae.” I missed the way he said my name, “Don’t play dumb.”

I grabbed his collar and brought his face closer to mine, “You do not tell Alex that you saw me or where I work, got it?”

“Why?” He asked, prying my feeble hand from his collar.

“Because.” I said, pushing his cart to him, “It would just be lots of trouble.”

“Fine.” Jack asked, trying to find his friends in the crowded store, “At least give me your number.”

“Why?” I asked, ripping his receipt off of the printer.

“So I can call you to meet up sometime.”

I rolled my eyes and write it down quickly on the back of the receipt, handing it to him hastily. He winked at my in his normal fashion and walked out of the store. I sighed and leaned on the pole behind me, completely exhausted.