Page 22

Chapter twenty-two

Nora

“Ah, your hunk is back,” Anna said sneakily, pointing to the video feed.

Nora’s heart did a flip, hearing him referred to that way. Simon. She looked where Anna pointed, to the small, closed-circuit video feed that had stripped wires running to it through the wall.

The picture did indeed display Simon, and Nora took a minute to marvel at the screen. I need to ask Simon about videos later. She knew there were actual movies that played on screens like this; the discs that were sometimes scavenged were able to be played in some of the houses that had a black box that could read them. She’d never come across one, because apparently discs like that were an older, faded technology even back when the wars happened. The big bulletin from Mars was the only thing she had ever seen similar to this video feed, but that only displayed beautiful nature scenes and announcements.

Simon was standing dutifully by the hover, leaned against it, waiting and watching the small amount of traffic pass in front of the shop.

Anna chuckled, tapping on the small screen. “Your man even comes back instead of getting himself drunk in a tavern or forgetting the time. I’ll go get Tilly and meet you out there.”

Nora’s stomach flip-flopped in an unfamiliar way as she exited the bakery and walked toward him. “Hey Simon.”

Simon’s eyes lit up at seeing her, his posture loosening as she came close. “Where’s Tilly?”

Nora gestured toward the shop. “She’s coming. With Anna. Anna saw you on a video feed and wanted to say hello.” She twined her hands nervously.

“Ah,” Simon said. He took his hand and put it over hers, holding both steady in his own. Nora’s heart rate spiked immediately at the contact.

“Simon!” Tilly came hurtling out, running straight to Simon as if she hadn’t seen him only an hour ago. A small amount of dust rose up in her wild steps.

Anna waved the dust aside and came trailing behind her, waddling a bit from her stomach starting to poke out.

Nora pulled her hands away from Simon’s and waved toward her. “Ah, Anna. Here, let us come to you.”

“No, it’s fine. I needed to move around anyways, this baby was sitting on me weird and hurting my legs.” Anna’s eyes traveled up and down Simon's frame. She gave an appreciative grin. “I’m Anna.”

Nora stepped back and watched the exchange as Simon gave a professional smile and his name. “Simon.”

“Nora said she found you at the old mall?”

“In a sense,” Simon asked, giving a sideways glance to Nora.

“Yeah, he was in a closet!” Tilly piped in.

Anna’s nose scrunched and her eyes narrowed. “A closet?”

Nora made a flapping motion with her hands. “Tilly, hush.”

Tilly didn’t listen, walking circles around Nora, dust sprinkling over her worn shoes. “Yeah, Mama carried him and I helped too.”

Anna’s eyes were big, looking up and down Simon’s toned frame. “You were injured? Don’t look . . .”

“Yes,” Simon answered simply. He cleared his throat in a very human way. “I’m better now.”

“Oh.” Anna’s eyes were round in her face.

Nora felt her face turn red again. She reached out to stop Tilly’s circling. “Okay, well, we need to go now.” She took Tilly’s hand, pulling her to the hover while looking back and saying to Anna, “Simon found a spot with a lot of great scrap. I spent most of our money on chicken feed and gas, but we will be back next week to get some other staples now that we know where to get some better stuff.”

Anna watched as Nora pushed on Simon’s arm as well. She had a smile on her lips. “Alright. I’ll see you in a week, okay? We’ll talk more then.” She turned to Simon and put her hands on her hips. “I don’t know you from Adam, but be good to my friend or I’ll put a sign up here in this shop with your handsome face on it.”

“Anna!” Nora said, her voice breaking.

Tilly piped up, now leaning against the side of the hover. “He’s nice, Anna!”

But Simon just nodded, seriously. “Nora saved me. I’m just happy to find someone else out there to survive with.”

Anna looked embarrassed at that, waving her hand in front of her face as she stepped back. “Alright then. Jeez, Nory. Your face could fry an egg. It’s so red. See you in a week.” She handed out a little tan bag, waggling it in the air. “Here’s a little something extra for later.”

Nora took the bag, laughing. “Thank you Anna.”

They were about to get into the hover, Anna on the sidelines watching, when Paul emerged before they could, his expression thunderous. “I was looking for you, Anna, and saw you out here on the feed instead of working.”

Oh no. Damn Paul. Nora attempted to walk forward, in front of Simon, but Simon beat her to it, angling himself before her and Tilly protectively, using his arm to herd her behind him. Nora’s throat tightened.

Paul looked at Simon, now front and center, questioningly. “Who’s this?”

Simon gave a smile and offered his hand, stepping forward. “I’m Simon. I’m living with Nora now.”

Nora cleared her throat. “We were just leaving, Paul.”

Paul ignored her and Simon’s hand, putting his arms across his chest as he looked at Simon with a sour expression. “Why have I not seen you before?”

“New in town.”

Paul looked him over speculatively, much the same way Max did, only the spark of insight was missing that Max had. “You’re too pretty to belong here. You leave my business and wife alone or we are gonna have issues.”

Anna glanced at Nora, and they shared a startled expression. “He’s with Nora, Paul!”

Paul matched Nora’s direct gaze. “Just letting him know where things stand. Not too often someone brand new comes around.”

Tilly ran up then, before Nora could snatch her back, peering up at Paul with an eager expression. “Simon is great. He’s been helping us get all sorts of good things.”

Paul just glared at Tilly before he turned and walked back toward the shop. “That’s all I got to say on it. Get back to work, Anna. We got a big order later today.”

The mood was more somber once Paul left, the door slamming behind him. Nora watched him walk off, anger rising within her. It mixed with compassion when she saw Anna’s closed expression.

Nora gave Anna an extra hug goodbye, tone low. “Bye Anna.”

Anna had tears in her eyes as she returned the hug. “See you soon, okay?”

“Yep, in around a week. You always know where to find me . . .”

Anna forced an awkward laugh and stepped back. “I’m alright, Nory. . .”

Simon helped Tilly in the hover as Nora climbed in after. Anna waved as they soared away, watching them leave, putting her hand on her stomach.

Nora kept her eyes on her in the rearview mirror. Once they were out of sight, she sighed. “Other than that last part with Paul, that went . . . better than I thought. I almost thought the cover was blown when Tilly said where we found you though.”

Tilly chirped from the backseat, “It was the truth. You always say tell the truth.”

Nora winced, tapping her hands on the steering wheel. “I know, I know. I’ll let Anna know next time if Paul isn’t around.” She muttered under her breath, “That man is such an oaf.”

Simon’s eyebrows contracted, his gaze on her. “Paul makes you really nervous. Your temperature dropped when he came near. Has he hurt you in some way before?” His eyes turned flinty on the words, and Nora saw his hand ball into a fist on his lap.

Nora shook her head. “No. Not me but, yeah . . . he . . . let’s just say he is not nice.”

She looked over to Tilly, who was distracted by holding the doll on the side of the hover as the town passed by. After leaning in close, Nora whispered, “Paul scares me. Heard he did all sorts of favors for people to get where he is now.”

“Favors?” Simon’s lip flattened.

“Yeah . . . and not the nice ones. He worked as a hit man for the Tyra gang. Made a lot of money, enough to buy the bakery.”

“Why is Anna with him?”

Nora shrugged, sitting back up. “She lived at the same place I did . . . before. And that was . . .” She hedged. Don’t want to get into all of that . “Just some shops here in town, closer by where Max is. That’s how I got to know him.” She adjusted her position in the driver’s seat. “That’s how Anna and I got to know each other too. Paul was nice to her then. She said he changed after getting the bakery.”

“Is she in danger?” Simon asked.

Nora just shook her head. “No. Only because Anna is too sweet to make waves with him. She’s more . . . agreeable than I am. But she’s not really living either. I just keep my distance from him when I go in.”

She saw Simon open his mouth to ask more but headed him off with something else. Don’t want to talk about Paul anymore. “My nerves are just shot today for too much more.” She cleared her throat. “Simon, where did you go on your adventure?”

Simon was slow to respond. “Nowhere important. I believe I understand better now why you live outside of town. It is a soulless place here.” He picked up the bag Anna gave them, pulling from inside three circular objects. Cookies. “Outside of Anna.”

At that, Nora had to agree. “Yeah, well, there’s one other spot that is okay. I’ll take us there. I’ll also show you the place where Mars drops items before we leave.”