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His large huff of breath mixed in with the drip of the tap. “If you think I’m gonna stand out there while you’re in here puking your guts up and breaking down, you got another think coming, Lola-Girl.”
I wanted to crack a smile at his brash words, but I couldn’t summon the energy. He was wrong. I wasn’t breaking down.
I was breaking apart.
“Has he gone?” I asked, already regretting the question as it slipped from my lips.
“Yeah. He left a couple of minutes after you ran away.”
Ran away. I wished I could run away from it all. I swiped my arm over my face, the tears now having slowed down from Sal being in here. I gripped the sides of the toilet bowl, using it to hoist myself into a standing position, and pulled in a deep breath. It was now or never. I had to face someone, and I’d rather it be Sal than myself right now.
The cold metal of the lock seeped into the pads of my fingers. Once I pulled it open, I wouldn’t be able to turn back. It was time to pull up my big girl panties and face it head-on. I flicked the lock and gripped the edge of the door to pull it toward me. Sal’s face was the first thing I saw, but I hadn’t expected the small smile to be there, or the kindness shining in his eyes.
“You’re a mess,” he grunted.
“I know.” My voice was barely a whisper, floating on the air between us. I opened my mouth to say more, but nothing came out. I could have told him that I didn’t know Brody was married, that all of this was such a mess, but if I said it out loud, it would make it all the more true.
Sal’s gaze batted over every inch of my face, taking me all in. “Clean yourself up. You have a shift to finish.”
“I—”
“Come on, Lola-Girl.” He pushed off the sink he was leaning against and stepped toward me. “You’re one of my best workers. I don’t care what that shithead did or said to you, you’ll always have a place here, got it?”
The tears burned the back of my eyes again, but this time, I managed to keep them at bay. Knowing I still had a job was a relief I hadn’t realized I felt tense about. I had so many thoughts rolling around in my head, but Sal was right. I had a shift to finish, and for now, that was all that mattered. I’d forget what had just gone down; compartmentalize it for the time being.
Sal walked out, glancing back once and winking, and then he was gone, leaving me in the room on my own for a second time. I didn’t want to look in the mirror, but I had no choice. I splashed water on my face and held my hand over my mouth, trying in vain to push the sob down that had worked its way up my throat.
One more minute, I’d allow myself one more minute, and then I’d push my shoulders back, wipe the tears from my face, and lock my heart away. It wasn’t a choice, not if I wanted to survive. Brody may have knocked my plans off-balance, but they hadn’t come tumbling down...yet.
Within an hour, I was running from one side of the diner to the other, passing out orders and taking new ones. I was determined to do nothing but work, not letting my thoughts stray too far. But all too soon the diner was emptying, leaving only me and Sal to close up. And then we were heading out into the dark night, the cold wind whipping past us and making me shiver.
“You know where I am if you need me,” Sal started, pushing the key in the lock and turning it. He always left one light on in the back kitchen, something about not wanting it to be pitch-black inside.
I nodded, having no intention of going to Sal. He didn’t need to be dragged into this. I’d created it, and I’d clean it up, just like I did with everyone else’s messes.
Gravel crunched underfoot, and I whipped my head around, narrowing my eyes at the shadow in the distance. Sal was looking in the same direction, his breath rushing out of him as they moved into the light.
“You should walk away now, Brody.”
My stomach dipped, and I clutched on to it, my shaking hands rippling against my jacket.
“Don’t tell me what I should and shouldn’t do,” Brody practically growled back. There had been a time when he used that voice on me, and I’d loved every second of it, but now all I wanted to do was puke.
“Listen, you’re my friend, so I won’t do what I normally would, but you ain’t gonna upset my girl more than you already have. Get gone.” Sal took a s
tep forward, half his body coming in front of mine.
“Your girl?” Brody stepped closer, the light from the diner illuminating his face. There was a danger there, one that I’d always seen but ignored. Had anything he said to me been the truth? Or had he spun so many lies that even he didn’t know?
“Well, she ain’t yours is she,” Sal grunted out. “On account of you having a wife.”
“Motherfu—”
“Stop!” My word echoed around us like gunshots on a battlefield, but neither of them looked at me. They were in a stare-off, one I didn’t care to be a part of. I needed to get home, get into bed, and pretend this day hadn’t happened.
I shook my head and whispered, “I’ll see you in a couple of days,” to Sal. I didn’t wait for him to reply as I spun around and headed out of the lot. My heart was galloping like a racehorse in my chest, my pulse an erratic beat. My breaths sawed in and out of me, and by the time I had control over my body again, an engine roared behind me.
“Lola.” My shoulders slumped, my steps faltered, but I kept on moving. Tires screeched to a halt and footsteps pounded on the ground. “Please, Lola.”
