The Forgotten Ones

Over the next few weeks Chet’s eyes would follow me throughout the store. He made sure all my shifts lined up with his, so Fear really was keeping a close eye on me. To everyone else he was just a cheesy manger who was trying to be your friend without being unprofessional. To me, he was a menace, the face Fear wanted me to see. I wonder if he is even a good agent, I mean he is stuck here watching me. I spent most of my time trying to figure out why Fear was targeting me in the first place. Does it have something to do with my mom? Does Chet know why she disappeared? Maybe he was even the one who took her? Those were the questions swirling in my head and clogging up my mind. I wish I spent more time paying attention to the signs; maybe I could have prevented what was about to happen next.

It was a Friday, and Chet had me working an eight hour shift. I wasn't happy about this at all. I wanted to take the day off and spend it with my dad since he never gets off work. Of course, I didn't want to give Chet a reason to go sniffing around so I decided to go. So I show up, with extra large cup of coffee in my hand and a smile plastered on my face. I had to open up the shop today, so I placed my coffee on the floor and lifted the gates. I sighed loudly to no one and looked through my purse for the shop key. I rarely ever open, in fact when Pete was here I only opened once, he knew afternoon shifts suit me better. I am not an early morning person. Chet on the other hand has me opening two times a week. I really do hate that guy. I flick on the lights as I make my way into the store. Two hours until we even open to the public. So I run cash office, make sure everything is clean before people come in and start some markdowns. I did all of that even before Chet got in. He didn't get here until a few minutes before we started accepting customers. He saunters in with a huge grin on his face. He looked so pleased with himself this morning. I roll my eyes at him and head to the back room to change into my uniform.

“Customers will be here in fifteen minutes Esmeralda.” He checks his watch, “and Sarah, Jane, Daniel and Kim aren’t in for another ten. Enough time for us to chat, eh?”

I zip up my pink vest and try to ignore him. My stomach twisting in knots and the thought of us having that much time alone. I slowed the pace of putting my things into my locker, the longer I am away from him the better.

“So, I hear your mother died when you were young.” I step out of the back room and glare at him. He is truly a cruel man. He shakes his head and makes a noise of disapproval. As if my mother's 'death' was a tacky wall paint he didn't like. “Such a shame, a girl needs her mother.” He steps closer to me, his olive green eyes harden, his voice takes on a masculine and cruel edge. “Do you think you will ever find her?”

I hide my shock; something I have got so much better at working with Chet.

“I know where she is,” I push past him to head to the floor, “she is buried in center field cemetery, six feet under her marker. Why would I be looking elsewhere? You said it yourself Chet, she is dead. There is no need to be cruel to me just because you dislike me.”

He let out a short bitter laugh, “I never said that I didn’t like you.”

I was grateful that Daniel walked in right then, a box of doughnuts in his hands. A token of thanks to me for covering his shifts these past few weeks. Something I didn't even know I was doing. I smile and thank him, just like that I watch as Chet becomes the cheesy manager again. I wasn't sure where that conservation would have gone but the thought alone was enough to frighten me. The rest of the day was a blur. I kept busy and made sure to stay out of Chet’s way. I hate that he knew so much about me and I had no idea who he really is. That edge in his voice this morning, is that the real him? Or was the dorky baseball gesture when we first met the real him? I felt like if I knew that much at least I would have some kind of edge in this whole situation but I don’t. I don't even know if his name is really Chet. He has all the leverage and who knows what he will use it for. My head was spinning with these thoughts as I made my way home that evening.

When I got home, I was tired from the long day of work. Plus that little chat with Chet wore me out mentally. The door of my house was already opened before I even got to the path to the entrance. I got closer and could clearly tell that the door knob had been replaced with a new one. I pushed the door lightly and it swung open so easily. I could feel the tears already spilling down my face. I knew, I just knew that my dad was gone. I rushed around the apartment searching for signs that he was once here. I found nothing, everything was gone. The pictures of us were stripped from their frames. The clothes he left in the dryer, missing. I would ask the neighbors, but they no doubt, are unaware that he was ever here. The to-do list he wrote for me yesterday ripped off from the little pad that hung on the fridge. My pulse was racing, my head spinning in circles. I have to calm down.

I go back to the front of the house quietly. I close and lock the door calmly before I walk to my room quickly. I only have about five minutes before they come back and have my memory wiped. They should be here already but either Chet got my arrival time wrong or he gave them bad intel on purpose. But why would he do something like that? I hide my mother’s picture and the envelope I found on my pillow that my dad must have left for me today. I found it lying there and wondered how they could miss something this obvious. I have no time to wonder about it. I decide to fix my bed and lay in it, I know I will forget. I want to be comfortable, as if that would make forgetting my parents hurt less. I know its coming. Suddenly fog fills my room and I see a silhouette stand over me.

“I am sorry but you have to forget pumpkin. Forgive me.” A hand gently caresses my eyelids and I let the weight of the smoke pull me under.