Page 20 of Possessed By Shadows
Micah stared at me for a minute but traded the troopers for the alien. Both were the exclusive line, so maybe he’d be mad if he learned I was making something for Lukas, when Lukas was being a douche? I found a bit of soft gray leather looking stuff for the outside and a black bit of fabric with rainbow helmets outlined on it for the lining. I set my stuff down. Even going so far as to pull the curtain down over the door. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a bit of fabric with magnets attached to the bottom to keep some of the midday sun from burning us up. Stitched into the curtain was “Class in session. To schedule a class call:” and the store phone number. Mostly it kept people away.
Micah handed out printed pattern pieces and precut pieces of interfacing. There were two sizes of this wallet. I chose the small for Lukas’s wallet, thinking maybe he’d fit it in his pocket?
The cutting always took the longest of any project. At least this one was straightforward. I kept my focus half on the door, and half on him, while my brain ran wild with what-if scenarios. What if Lukas had gotten drunk and was lying passed out at his apartment? I didn’t even know if he was a drinker.
What if he’d gone to his money pit of a fixer house and fallen through the floor? What if he was on a ghost hunt in the middle of nowhere with no cell reception? And what if he got hurt?
I sent him a text:Call me, asshole.
I almost expected my phone to ring right away and disturb the class, but nothing. Instead, I focused on cutting, and ironing, watching the door, while Micah walked around the room helping, and instructing at the same time. The low murmur of the crafters chatting indicated they were excited and focused on the project. I was falling behind, mostly due to worry. That was okay, if I didn’t finish this, I had time later, or Micah would do it because he spent a lot of time finishing projects I started.
The class went smoothly. Everyone finishing their wallets, and even creating some really cute and almost professional looking pieces. I decided I was not a fan of snap placement, though Micah came over and finished that part of it for me. Who knew a snap needed so much interfacing to keep it from poking through the fabric?
Three hours passed like lightning, a flash and gone. There had been no texts from the shop or my missing brother. My stomach hurt with worry; meanwhile, my mind raged, so angry with him for causing us worry. He had better hope he was injured somewhere and unable to get to a phone.
Micah took over the finishing of my wallet, even ironing it carefully and putting rivets on the side pockets to hold them in place. I helped two of the crafters pack their things and walked them the half a block to their spouse in a waiting car. End of class was always a trickle like that. Some speedy and trying to meet a deadline to finish before they were picked up, others lingering to chat, or work slower through the seams. We never rushed them out, though I had to admit, tonight, as on edge as I was, I was less chatty than usual.
Micah handed the completed stormtrooper wallet to me, then made his way back through the remaining crafters, answering questions, adding rivets, which seemed to delight them all, and giving praise over completed projects.
“They are amazing,” I added pointing to completed projects. There were several Mickey Mouse wallets, and even a Groot one, which I found cute. Some flowers and one daring crafter had gone with all leather. I kept checking my phone, irritation growing as the radio silence continued.
“Thank you,” I told Micah, impressed more by his finishing skills than any of my sewing lines. The wallet was insanely cute. I’d have to make one for myself, though I had to admit I’d been on autopilot and couldn’t remember much of the process. Good thing I was sleeping with the instructor.
By the time we were cleaning up, all the students gone, and I was packing batches of supplies to carry back upstairs, it was nearly six.
“Sorry you didn’t get a break,” Micah said. “I wasn’t expecting the class to go that long. Once everything is upstairs, take a lunch.” We were only scheduled till seven.
But that was the way of things. A three-hour class, always added at least an hour, sometimes two like today. “Thanks. You should take one too.”
“I think I’m going to sit in the breakroom and read for a bit.”
“Can I bring you back some food?” I almost never sat down on break. Experience reminded me how often my hip locked up, and my joints would ache from sitting for even ten minutes while I normally spent time wandering around the shop, helping people, or acting as a guard during tours or classes. If it was a quiet night with me on the register, I could sit, but not tonight. I planned to stop at my brother’s place on the way to get food and scream at him for making me worry.
“Sure.”
“No preference?” I asked, though he rarely had one. He was not a picky eater.
“Nope.” We both trudged up the stairs with supplies, setting them inside the inner door and rushing back down for the rest until I could lock up the lower door. Brad and Jojo were still in the shop, with Sky behind the register, and at least a half-dozen customers. Busy night.
I took my time putting everything back before making my way to check out for a lunch break and squeezing behind the register to talk to Sky. “Any word from my brother?”
She shook her head. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
She let me use the register to clock out, and I waved to Micah, pointing toward the back room in a reminder that he needed a break too. I headed out into the dark evening, loving the cool breeze and quietness of the surrounding area. It would get busier the closer to Bourbon I got, or even Jackson Square, but I was determined to check on my brother first, then food. And Lukas better hope he was passed out at home or he’d find out what the wrath of a little brother was. If there were ghosts or demons lingering the streets of the French Quarter at dusk, I was too irritated to notice them.