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We begin eating, no talking, just enjoying each other’s company. I smile at her, and she smiles back. It’s like we’re on a real first date. But I don’t say it out loud. The thought spooks me for some reason.
“I’ve had pancakes for lunch before,” Mimi says suddenly.
I pause, a fork halfway to my lips. I nod my head to show her that I’ve heard.
She continues on. “When we left my dad. When we drove across the country to escape him, we didn’t really stop until we were in the dead center. Mom had just been so freaked out, so convinced that he…” she fades off to nothing, sighs, and shakes her head. “Anyway, we ate in gas stations like this the whole way. Carlos and I were so young. I guess as kids in a weird situation like that, in a world that’s drastically changing,” Mimi shrugs. “I guess pancakes were safe. Cause everything else was so insane. Mom would be crying silently as she drove, thinking that we were asleep, but she couldn’t or wouldn’t tell us the truth. Now I know. I’m older and definitelyknow.” Mimi has stopped eating and is pushing her pancakes around. “But we only ate pancakes on the road. Mom would try to get us to eat all these other foods or try anything, but night and day, at every stop, we had pancakes.” She smiles at the memory. Despite it being one of darkness, it brings some light. “We always had pancakes. So yes, I've had pancakes for lunch.”
I grin. “Well, I’m happy that we’ve brought you back to the food group of most importance.” Mimi snorts. “Which reminds me, your pancake looks a little dry. I think it could sponge up some of my maple syrup.” I offer one of the many foil sealed packets of maple syrup I’ve taken. Mimi shakes her head and smiles, looking away at all the cars.
“That’s why I’m angry at Carlos. Moving north with Leah, that never mattered. It’s the fact that he left when the shit hit the fan for Mom. Our mom, who’d done so much to remove us from a bad situation.”
I take her hand. I don’t know what to say. Mimi wipes away a tear, and in a flash, I move around the booth. I bring her into a hug. She doesn’t let herself go but lets herself be hugged.
A few minutes pass, and we just sit there holding onto one another. The morning disappears, along with all the madness and paranoia. The crash and working with Reggie. Even my fear of ruining my friendship with Carlos if I date his sister disappears. Suddenly it all seems so easy, and stupid. Just being honest would fix things. But then, it’s not the fear of honesty that stops us from admitting things, it’s the results of that honesty.
Eventually, a little hand reaches out from under my arm and drags a stack of pancakes across the table.My pancakes.Mimi frees herself of my grip and continues eating. We both do. Swapping our plates back, we eat in silence and enjoy the coffee. It’s beautiful. It’s nice. I suppose, in some way, it’s normal.
A bunch of kids run past us playing a game of tag. There’re two boys and a little girl, I can't help but wonder if it's the same situation as myself, Carlos and Mimi?
I remember her moving into the neighborhood when we were kids. She must’ve been about five or six? Which meant that Carlos was eight. I remember him from school first. At first, we kept a distance between us as we walked home to the same area. Then one day we were both buying comics at the little corner store. We became friends walking home everyday after school from that point on. Always at the end was Carlos’ younger sister, home from school earlier than us, watching us through the screen door and playing with her toys. Or eating glue, as I liked to tease.
Now? Now she wasn’t the girl who ate glue. Maybe that’s why it’s been such a weird and confusing time for me. My own memories and ideas of our lives were guiding me, not what the truth was now.
“Should we get back on the road?” Mimi asks.
“Yeah, I’d say so. We’ve still got to make time—” I almost choke out the last bit of coffee I’d just drained down. Instead, I gulp the boiling drink down and cough and sputter only slightly.
“Are you alright?” Mimi laughs.
“Yeah, it just went down the wrong throat.”
Mimi rolls her eyes and gets out of the booth. She adjusts her track pants and then turns. “I’m off to the toiletbeforewe leave.”
I wink. “Meet at the van then?” She nods, and I watch her go, trying to stop the fear growing in my mind. The fear at what I hope I’d only imagined I’d just seen. But I have to know.
I turn around and look out the window, towards our van, where we’ve parked.
I look at the two men with folded arms leaning against a random car.
The two men from the car that wasfollowingus.
My blood surges, and rage fills me. I look after Mimi; she still hasn’t gotten to the toilets. I swing back to the men. They’re smirking now. They’re happy that I’ve seen them. I rise out of the booth.
This is ending now. I don’t give a shit who they think they are. We’re doing business with them. Assuming they’re Kumarin people, trying to intimidate us on the way up to a deal is childish. I know I should call it into Luca, but I want to handle it. I’d much rather call and inform him that a problem is sorted out for once.
I head out of the gas station and into the car park. The wind chills my skin, and I zip up my hoodie jacket. I spot the men tracking me and still leaning on the car. Their hands are covered in tattoos, and I see more leading up their sleeves. A truck comes in, and I have to wait for it to pass. Once it does, I see they’re gone. Heading back further into the carpark.
I follow, heading for our van. But they're beyond it when I get there.
They duck between park lanes, behind a small three ton truck. I cross over and see them further on, edging me further away. I look at our van as I pass; they haven’t tampered with anything, have they?
I run to the next lane and see their boots heading behind another truck. I know that they could be leading me right into a trap, but I go anyway. The thought of them threatening me pisses me off enough, but add in that this is meant to be some sort of deal with Lucaandthe fact that they’ve threatened Mimi’s life? I’m prowling with rage.
I’ve had enough of these guys. I’ve had enough of this bullshit. I want to know what the hell they want!
I get behind the truck and—
They’re gone.
