I'll be right over." She smiled kindly, so patiently, and he nodded fervently.
"You'll be right over in just a minute," he repeated, and she nodded her clarification. Satisfied, he headed back to the corner of the room to grab his iPad, and Audrey turned to me.
"Hi, Blake," she said in nearly a whisper, as though we were exchanging secrets. As though we ourselves were a secret and the world was constantly trying to listen in.
"Hey, Audrey."
Suddenly shy, she smiled bashfully and lowered her hypnotic blue gaze from mine. "I feel bad for showing up here unannounced."
"Yeah, it's no problem. You actually caught me at a good time," I gestured toward my paper towels and bottle of disinfectant, “I was just cleaning up for the night.”
"Oh, okay," she replied, sighing with relief. "I don't feel so bad then."
Something moved behind her and my trance was broken. I shifted my gaze to look at Cee and the scrutiny in her eyes. Suddenly, I didn't like her being there and seeing this, this moment that was somehow private and personal, and I stood up abruptly.
"You wanna step outside with me for a second? I need some air," I suggested.
Audrey's eyes lifted back to mine, looking startled as she nodded. "Yeah, sure."
"Jake," I said, "sit right there. I'll be back."
I turned to lead the way and Cee finally spoke, "You're gonna leave me alone with your brother?"
"He's fine, Cee. Just pretend he’s one of your kids," I muttered and left the shop with Audrey on my heels.
Outside in the evening air, I sucked in a deep breath, filling my lungs and preparing my mind with the cacophony of cars and pedestrians surrounding us. Then, I turned to her, so spotless and perfect in her white coat.
I pointed to where I knew there'd been smudged stains against the stark white. "You had it cleaned."
She looked toward the spot I was referring to. "Oh, yeah. I just picked it up this morning." Her face turned and her smile zapped my chest. "Good as new."
"I'll give you the money for it."
"Oh, jeez, don't be ridiculous. It's fine."
I opened my mouth to protest, to insist that she take my money or my life or my anything she desired, but before I could make a complete ass of myself, she filled the air with her voice.
"So, I-I think I left something at your house, and I ..."
"Oh, right!" My hand pushed into a pocket to wrap around the delicate silver chain. I pulled it out and opened my palm. "Here."
The breath she released seemed to ease any bit of tension from her shoulders. "Oh, thank the Lord,” she whispered, before meeting my eyes and saying, “Thank you.”
“You're welcome. I found it in my living room.”
“I was so worried it was gone forever,” she admitted quietly, staring at the necklace in my palm.
“Well, um, you could've just bought another one. I mean, they’re probably a dime a dozen, right?"
Her lashes drooped lower to her perfectly rosy cheeks as she stole the delicate silver from my hand. "It was my sister's."
I shut my stupid mouth and hung my stupid head. "Fuck. I'm sorry."
"It's okay. You didn't know."
I gestured toward her balled fist. "The chain was broken, but I took it to a jeweler yesterday and had it fixed."
The shushed admission struck her momentarily dumbfounded. She blinked for a moment and swallowed hard before opening her hand and silently inspecting her sister's sacred cross.
"Thank you," she whispered, her words ridden with emotion.
"Yeah, it's no problem."
She lifted her eyes back to mine. "I guess you don't have to pay for my dry cleaning after all. You've already done enough."
“Yeah, I guess so.”
She nodded silently, then lifted the cross from her palm. I watched as she undid the clasp, new and strengthened with the better parts I’d paid for, and pulled it around her neck. Moments passed with her hands behind her neck before she laughed uneasily, and asked, “Can you help me with this? My nails are too long and I’m having a hard time gripping it.”
“Oh, uh, yeah. Sure.”
With a smile, she turned around, passing the ends of the chain to me with eager hands, and my fingers brushed hers as I took them. Sharp, electrocuting zaps of energy passed from my fingertips through my nerves and directly to my heart. Every ping and every surge ground my teeth and locked my jaw, as she lifted her hair from her shoulders and I clasped the necklace. My hands dared to linger a