Page 17 of The Journey of a Lifetime (Tiny Homes and Happy Tails #2)
M aggie had fueled up the van before pulling into the parking lot of the grocery store. Cindy had been quiet the entire ride despite Maggie trying to engage in conversation with her.
She glanced over at her before grabbing her bag. “Why don’t you go in with me? It’s too hot to wait in the van.”
Cindy glanced over her shoulder at Walker. “What about him? Are you just going to leave him in the van?
Maggie bit the inside of her cheek. She was going to leave the van running while she grabbed some groceries, but she was uneasy about leaving Cindy. She could very easily drive off with a van that didn’t belong to her and Walker.
“I’ll stay here with Walker.” Cindy said quietly.
Maggie didn’t move.
Realization flashed through Cindy’s eyes. “You’re scared I’m going to steal your van.”
Maggie quickly shook her head. “It’s not that ….”
It was exactly that.
Cindy gave her a small smile. “I don’t blame you. I mean, you don’t know me from Adam’s housecat.”
Maggie slumped toward the steering wheel. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to insult you.”
Cindy chortled lightly. “Believe me, I’ve experienced worse.”
That made Maggie feel even worse. “So, what should we do?”
Cindy leaned over, fished something out of her back jeans pocket and held it out to Maggie. “What if I give you my driver’s license as insurance I won’t take off in your van?”
Maggie glanced at the photo.
Cindy Miller. Age twenty. Younger than Maggie.
The woman in the photo looked a lot different. Her face was fuller, and she was smiling. Gone were the dark circles under her eyes.
“Take it.” Cindy nudged gently. “Tony takes it sometimes to make sure I won’t run off.”
Maggie’s eyes grew wide.
Cindy realized she’d said too much and dropped her driver’s license into Maggie’s bag.
Her cell phone dinged with a text. She looked at the message and rolled her eyes.
It was Mason asking her to call him back.
“Are you avoiding someone?” Cindy asked carefully.
Maggie snorted. “Something like that.” She grabbed her bag. “I won’t be long.”
Leaving the van running, she closed the door behind her and headed inside the grocery store.
It took her less than ten minutes before she was checking out. After paying with her debit card, she headed outside to see Walker sitting in the driver’s seat and Cindy gently petting him.
She opened the side door to the van and stepped inside. “Looks like you two are getting along just fine.”
Cindy shot her an anxious look. “I tried to stop him from sitting in the driver’s seat, but he was insistent.”
Maggie laughed and put the cold food items into the small refrigerator. “It’s okay. He loves the air conditioner blowing in his face.” She finished putting the groceries away.
She patted her leg and smiled at Walker. “Come on, boy. I don’t think you can drive to Colorado.”
Walker crawled out of the seat and headed to the bed where he promptly curled up.
Maggie slid into the driver’s seat and put the van in reverse.
Cindy seemed to forget that she was going to wait for Tony, which was fine by Maggie. She knew the girl was not safe with that man.
“I’ve got some ground beef for burgers tonight. Hope you aren’t vegan.” Maggie smiled hoping to put the girl at ease.
Cindy shook her head. “I’m not vegan.” She cut her eyes at Maggie. “I can’t pay you for gas or food or anything. Tony took my money before he made me get out of the truck.
Maggie gritted her teeth together. Tony sounded like a complete jerk.
She forced herself to relax and give Cindy a reassuring look. “No need to pay for anything. Besides, you kept an eye on Walker while I was inside, so we are even.”
Cindy’s brows bunched together and she chewed the bottom of her lip. “People always want something.”
Maggie cleared her throat. “Did Tony teach you that?”
Cindy was silent for a beat, and Maggie thought she might have said too much.
Cindy shrugged. “He’s not always mean. It’s just when he’s been drinking too much or when I push his buttons. It’s my fault I made him angry this morning.”
Maggie arched her brow but kept her tone neutral. “Oh yeah? What did you do?”
Cindy picked at a hangnail. “I put cream in his coffee. I’m the one who likes cream. This morning, I handed him the wrong cup and he got upset.” She shook her head. “I should have double checked before handing it to him.”
Maggie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “So, you made a mistake, and your boyfriend gives you a black eye and abandons you. He sounds like a real jerk.”
Cindy shook her head. “He’s not always like that. He’s been so loving and attentive. He gave me a place to stay when my parents told me they disapproved of our relationship. He’s paid for everything since then. I should be more appreciative of everything he’s done for me.”
Maggie tightened her hands on the steering wheel. “I’m going to assume this is not the first time he’s hit you.” She nodded at the girl’s black eye.
Cindy quickly looked out the window, hiding her eye from Maggie’s inspection.
Silence filled the van.
When Cindy finally spoke, what she said shocked Maggie.
Cindy took a deep breath and breathed it out. “I haven’t talked to my parents in over six months. Tony threw away my cellphone, so there’s no way for them to contact me. After all I’ve put them through, I’m sure they don’t want to hear from me now. He’s all I know. This is my life now.”