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We stopped at a Denny's on the way to their house across town. They let me pick what I wanted. They sipped beverages and watched me eat.
I could tell Davie was trying to get back in control. He was still furious.
The plan? I would stay at Davie and Jerry’s place until Mom came home.
I had to. No food at home. No adult supervision. No daddy in the picture.
None of us ever saw or heard from my mom again.
I was eleven years old.
Leighton Peterson
Iwoke up groggy. I had fallen asleep at my desk again. Pulling my phone to me, I saw that it was already dawn.
Heading to the elevator, I dug in my pocket to make sure I had my key. I stuck the key in the directional panel to go up a few floors to my penthouse apartment.
After cleaning up, I headed next door to my favorite early morning place for some food. Amy was there as usual, with a big smile on her face.
“Hi, Mr. Peterson! Oh ... It sure looks like you had another late night.” She giggled and shook her head at me. She was my mom’s age and always concerned that I burned the candle at both ends.
She was right. I did.
She went on, “I'm sorry I can't give you your usual.”
That woke me up. “Why no donuts this morning, Amy?”
She responded, “The boss is all in knots. The deep fryer is cold. No power going into it. So ... no donuts today, I’m afraid. We have to wait to call the maintenance company, cuz they’re noteven open yet. Even if we call them right at opening, it usually takes two-three days for them to send a tech.”
Never one to refuse a challenge, I looked over at the closed door to the back kitchen. “Let me go have a look. I know something about machines.”
Amy was skeptical, “Are you some kind of mechanic?”
“No. Well, yes. Mostly a curious engineer with lots of machine experience.”
Without further ado, I headed back to the kitchen but stopped at the door.
“Do you have tools in the shop?”
Amy nodded to a box under her back wall counter. Still unsure, but willing to chance it, Amy pulled out their small box of basic tools for me.
She just said, “The boss is back there. I'm not sure if Alex is back from his delivery. The deep fryer is on the left wall, toward the back.”
Amy turned to help new customers.
In no time at all, I saw the vats had been emptied of oil. I pulled the fryer out. I got on my hands and knees behind it with a couple of tools. I saw what was wrong right away and fixed it.
Then I shouted out, “Amy! I fixed it. Come have a look.”
I backed out on all fours from the wall and, still on my knees, pushed the deep fryer back into place. I stood facing the front shop as Amy peeked in. Her brows shot up.
Just then, a voice behind me said, “Mr. …Peterson?! What are you doing in mykitchen?”
I would know that crystalline voice anywhere!
I turned around to face her, and it was as if an electromagnetic pulse shot me right in the heart. Froze me in place. Took the wind right out of me.
The woman I saw before me stopped me in my tracks. Stunning me speechless. I think.
