Page 18 of The Good Char (Soul Taker)

KIMMY

I couldn’t believe Cindy was missing. What if I never got to see her again? What if they never found her and the last thing we did was fight. I rode my bike as fast as I could to get to my parents’ restaurant. Maybe my parents could help me find her.

I arrived at the back of the restaurant, located in another plaza, dropped my bike and ran through the back door. My heart was breaking with every step I took.

“Mom, Dad!” I sobbed while I walked through the kitchen where several of the workers were cleaning and prepping food for service. They looked at me, saw my current state and quickly got out of my way. My mother was the first to hear me and closed the distance between us.

She took one look at me and pulled me in for a tight hug. “What’s wrong, Kimmy?”

My sobs got worse and I began hiccuping. It was hard for me to get the words out. She grabbed my hand and pulled me into their office for privacy.

“What happened? You are pregnant, aren’t you? Sweetheart, it’s okay, you can still live a great life as a single mom.” She looked like she swallowed a live frog while she was trying her best to comfort me.

“Mom. Once again, for the hundredth time, I'm not pregnant!” I screamed through my sobs.

“Shhh, baby, listen to me. Our workers don’t need to hear about your pregnancy, not right now. It’s not that we are ashamed that you got yourself pregnant at such a young age,” she lied, “but you have us, and we will get through it together as a family.”

She rocked me back and forth, patting the back of my head, shoving my face against her chest.

Was she listening to anything I was saying?

“Mom!” I cried out, pushing against her forced comfort. This was not what I needed right now! “I’m not pregnant. Cindy went missing and they can’t find her!”

My father came in just as new sobs bursted out. “What is the meaning of this, Margie? What did you say to her?”

“Harold, her friend Cindy went missing,” she informed him before she gasped aloud, turning to me with knowing eyes and grabbed both of my hands.

“You murdered her, didn’t you? Baby, we need to get you out of the country right now!

Harold, we have to fly her out tonight. Do the police suspect you in any way? ”

What?!

My father quickly interjected with his fatherly logic. “No, Margie. If she killed someone’s child she needs to turn herself in and do the right thing. Like I’ve always said, don’t do something if you can’t live with the consequences.”

I watched, dumbstruck at the turn of conversation while my father began pacing around the office with his hands in his pockets.

How in the world did we get to this?

“Both of you, just please, stop! My friend is missing and you both are rambling on and on about nonsense.” I bolted up and stared directly at them, wiping my wet face with the back of my hands.

I was so mad, I couldn’t even cry anymore.

“I’m not pregnant. I didn’t murder anyone.

Gah! What is wrong with you two? And you wonder why I don’t want to work here anymore! ”

My heart raced at my tone of voice. I knew it was disrespectful but I couldn’t contain it anymore. I left their office and the restaurant, getting back on my bike.

I’m going back to Mr. Dzik’s place. At least he listens and understands me.

I pedaled as hard as I could back to The Good Char. I didn’t know if he was there since he sent me home early but I was willing to try. I didn’t have anywhere else to go or anyone else in my life now that Cin was gone.

When I finally made it back to the mall, our spot was closed.

Growling in frustration, I stomped back out the mall and toward my bicycle.

My hands were shaking from my anger that I couldn’t snap my helmet off, causing me to consider throwing it on the ground.

But I only had one helmet, and I needed to stay safe.

“What are you doing here?” came an overly gruff voice that sounded like he had been yelling. But to me, the voice made my body deflate in relief. He was here after all. “I gave you the day off.”

I turned to find him walking toward me in all of his glory, his steps confident, his strength emanating off him like a visible aura. My lips trembled. I needed him. I needed him to keep me from falling into pieces.

“My parents are crazy! They think I killed Cindy and they keep asking me if I’m pregnant. I mean do I look pregnant to you?” I lifted my shirt up and showed him my flat stomach.

His eyes widened and his nostrils did that flaring thing again. He looked left and right as if searching for something then brought his gaze back to me, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. “No, you look like a normal girl to me.”

I felt a set of fresh tears threatening to spill so I tilted my head back and tried to blink them away. How many times did I need to come to Mr. Dzik looking like a hot mess? He didn’t deserve this. I was surprised he hadn’t fired me.

I shouldn’t be. He was too nice. That was why he hadn’t fired me. I tried to take my helmet off again but my hand slipped as I removed it halfway and I gasped, anticipating it hitting the ground. Mr. Dzik arm shot out and he grabbed it before it could, placing it into my basket safely.

My breath stuttered. I felt like an utter failure. I hung my head in my hands and cried. “Why did Cindy have to go missing? She is my best friend. Why didn’t I stop her from going with those guys? I knew something bad was going to happen. This is all my fault, isn't it?” I asked with a whisper.

Mr. Dzik grumbled before he pulled me in for a hug. I wrapped my arms around him and wiped my face against his black shirt. His body tensed but I held him tighter. After a few moments, he relaxed and began patting my back before rubbing it.

It felt nice and I turned my face to lay my head against his hard chest.

When he spoke, I could feel the deep vibration of his voice going through me. “No, this isn’t your fault at all.”

I let out a sigh. I shouldn’t be enjoying his hugs this much. Wasn’t this what my father always warned me of? His fear of my naivety leading me to latch onto the first man that gave me attention?

But it wasn’t true. That boy the other day was trying to flirt with me and I felt nothing for him. This wasn’t like that. This was so much different…

I felt comfort in his arms and found myself rubbing his back too. He didn’t push me away. Instead, I think he pulled me closer and rearranged us so we would fit together better.

My face flushed and I wanted to giggle in nervousness but I bit my lip instead to hold it in.

Who would have thought I’d be in the arms with an attractive bad boy like Mr. Dzik?

When his hand ran to my lower back, something poked me from the front.

My eyes bulged out. Was he…was he getting aroused by our proximity?

My entire body felt hot as embarrassment and intrigue coursed through me.

Wow, he was big. I mean, he was a big man in general, standing a few heads taller than me but he was really big.

When it twitched against me, we both kind of choked and coughed, scrambling to detangle from one another. When my hand accidentally grazed his crotch, I wanted to die. He let out a groan that made me press my legs together before quickly turning around and letting out some deep breaths.

Oh, my god. Oh my god! I discreetly fanned myself, trying to calm my nerves.

Okay, so I totally touched his junk and it grew. Did that mean he liked me?

Kimmy, he’s your boss! What are you doing?

Mr. Dzik was constantly there for me and Cindy always said the best way to get over sadness was to get under happiness.

I didn’t hear him leave. He continued to stand there behind me. What should I do? Should I just go for it? I mean, there had always been a strange tension between us.

I was going to do it. Life is so short.

I felt him close the distance behind me so I spontaneously turned around, closed my eyes and tried to kiss him. But of course, it wasn’t going to happen smoothly like the movies I love to watch. I twisted my legs and tripped on myself somehow, falling onto the floor hard with a loud thump.

I guess he moved! I’m such a spaz!

“Are you okay?” he asked with nonchalance, cool and collected. “You need to be careful. I don’t want you breaking your bicycle.”

I was too embarrassed to look at him. “Yes, Mr. Dzik, I'm fine,” I lied through a grimace.

Nothing on my body hurt but my ego was crushed, shot down completely, and he pretended like nothing happened between us.

“Well,” I laughed nervously, changing the subject quickly to save myself further embarrassment while dusting myself off.

“One thing we should be able to agree on is we can thank God for the storm passing over. Look at how pretty it is. I was wondering if it was gonna storm today, but, just like I was hoping, the sun wins! Woohoo!”

I gave a little fist pump toward the sky like the dork I was.

“We are going to have a bright and sunshiny day, aren’t we?” I concluded with a nervous giggle, looking up at the sky.

It was a beautiful day, even though Cindy was missing.

Maybe she would turn up. In my heart, I hoped she would, trying to stay positive.

They probably took a trip to the beach and here I am having a meltdown.

I should be more grateful. I shouldn’t think of all the worst case scenarios and work myself up.

It was a sunny day and I have a job I love—and a guy I’m gushing over.

Today is a good day.