Kiss Me, Kiss Me

‘Hey, McKenzie.’ Devin smiles the next morning as I walk through the glass double doors at Earth Bound.

I offer a silent wave before going to the back to get today’s task clipboard and my nametag. To my surprise, Devin is behind me in this closed confined space – with the door closed.

‘Is everything all right? You seem a little stressed this morning.’ He frowns placing a hand on my shoulder, instantly sending chills down my spine. ‘I just hate to see my employees feeling so down.’

‘Get. Your. Hands. Off. Me.’ I growl slapping his tattooed arm from my skin.

I push past him and exit the closet to grab my purse to leave. Devin scoffs following closely behind me. He grabs my purse just as I go to grab it, holding it in his cold grasp.

‘Now, now, now.’ Devin shakes his head slightly disappointed, ‘that is not the way an employee is supposed to talk to their supervisor.’

‘It is when their supervisor is a creepy, perv!’ I speak loudly enough for Jane and Tony from Hallmark to look over into our store.

‘Listen here, you little bitch, I don’t know what game you think you’re playing but I already told you that you do not want to mess with me.’

‘Are you threatening me?’ I speak louder, ‘Give me my bag, now.’

‘Is everything all right here Mck? Tony wonders with Jane following behind him.

‘Yeah, everything’s great. Right, Mckenzie?’ Devin plasters a fake smile onto his face loosening his grip on my purse allowing me to snatch it from him.

‘I believe he was talking to Mckenzie.’ Jane chimes in, ‘are you okay dear?’

‘No, I’m not. My “supervisor” has been making passes at me ever since he got here.’

‘That’s it. You’re fired – termination effective immediately. You no longer work here Miss. Mclaine.’

‘I consider myself lucky to not have to answer for a slimy, disgusting, manipulative, scumbag like you.’

I storm out of the store and the building without looking back at what I was leaving behind. My heart pounded as I was rushing to my car. I can’t believe I just did that. What was I going to do about the insurance payment, or helping out with the bills while my mom was looking for a better job. We couldn’t exactly afford to be a one-person-working household right now. I go home to an empty house and immediately go to my room.

Call me when you get a chance please – Mckenzie.

The last thing I wanted to do was sidetrack Michael in the middle of the tour but he was the only person I wanted to talk to right now. I needed to hear his voice and hear Michael tell me that everything will be okay. Within minutes after sending the text my phone was ringing with a call from Michael.

‘Hey, is everything all right?’ Michael inquires as soon as I answered the phone.

‘Well, I got fired today for outing that scumbag.’ I sniffle nervously wiping the salty tears from my cheeks, ‘so I’m just feeling a little down about it.’

‘I’m sorry Kenz.’ Michael sighs, ‘I wanted him to be the one that got fired not you. Isn’t there something you can do?’

‘I don’t know. That job is the honestly the last thing I want to think about right now. Can we talk about something else?’

‘How about we talk about you leaving Texas for a couple days? We’re here in Belgium for the day then heading to Paris. Maybe we could go site seeing and take your mind off things? What do you think?’

‘I just can’t up and leave Michael.’

‘You can and you will.’

‘I really should save the money in my bank account for emergencies at least until I find a new job. Maybe we could reschedule or I can just wait until you come here again?’

‘I can pay for it; you won’t have to pay for a single thing. I will not be in Texas for another three months. I haven’t seen you in months please it’s been so long. I can’t wait any longer.’

‘Michael…’

‘If you are trying to cough up another excuse, please don’t. I want to see you. Don’t you miss me, Kenzie?’

‘You know I do.’ I sigh, ‘the timing’s not right.’

‘It’s never be the more perfect time. Just come out and if you don’t like it you can leave. No damage done, right?’

‘Okay.’

‘What was that?’ Michael beams into the phone happily, ‘was that a yes?’

‘It was a yes.’

‘YES!’ Michael shouts into the phone loudly, ‘Mckenzie’s coming! Mckenzie is coming out! Yes!’

‘Shut up.’ I laugh leaning forward on the bed, ‘I guess I better start packing.’

‘Yes do that immediately. I am just waking up but I am going to order you a plane ticket right now. Get your passport and your things ready because I’m sending a car in two hours.’

‘You’re spoiling me.’

‘Only because I think you’re worth it. Hurry your ass up and get here.’

‘Fine, see you soon.’

‘I cannot wait.’

I rush to the closet pulling out the large black suitcase and begin filling it with every thing I think I would need. I dig down in one of my drawers getting my passport out. I remember, my aunt buying me this on my sixteenth birthday with the book “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss.

‘Uh, hey, Kenzie!’ my mom calls about an hour or so later, ‘there’s a black SUV outside. Do you know who that is?’

‘Yeah, Michael sort of sent a car for me. I’m visiting him in Belgium and we’re going to Paris for a couple of days.’ I explain, ‘I sort of lost my job so he’s just trying to help.’

‘Lost your job? Hold on, aren’t we going to talk about this? I don’t like the idea of you running off with some guy to another country for God’s sake you’re 19.’

‘You know what mom? I never do things like this. I never have time for myself. Every dime I get goes towards bills for the house. I think I can act like a teenager for one day. Like you said, I’m 19 – legally free to leave when I want.’

‘Mckenzie!’ she calls as I grab my suitcase and purse.

‘Bye mom, I love you but I need this. Please, don’t take this away from me.’ With that I rush out of the house without taking a second to look back.

‘Hello ma’am.’ The driver gets out of the car to help with my luggage, ‘are you ready?’

‘As I’ll ever be.’