Braving The Storm

2 - Stranger and Stranger Still

“Um, excuse me, mister.”

The blond looked up at me, and I caught alluring blue eyes. Instinctively, my own eyes took in his appearance.

“How may I be of assistance?” His brows furrowed a tad.

I held up the coin. “No store in America accepts this as a form of payment. I'm sorry, but your penny has been rejected. Your meal is $29.99.”

For a moment, he looked confused. “You mean to say that I will pay again? With what?”

I reached into the pocket of my apron and pulled out a dollar. “This. A dollar, but more of it.”

He held out a hand. I wasn't sure why it felt normal that someone didn't know what a dollar was or never saw it before, but I let him have it. Whilst he inspected the money, I inspected him. He wore a blue shirt with the picture of a fat dolphin doing a peace sign and surrounded by bubbles, and a dark blue hoodie jacket. Nothing about him seemed off or out of the ordinary, except for his blond hair. There was not a single trace of black or brown in it. I'd seen natural blondes before, but his was so impressive and proper that I caught myself wondering if it would move when I touched it.

His tired exhale brought me back to reality. He held the dollar out and muttered in a grumbly tone. “Arthur didn't mention this part.”

He looked up at me again and made a face, as if I had no business standing next to him then the expression melted. “Will I be jailed or punished for eating without payment?”

The statement drew an instant laugh out of me, but I composed myself following the look of surprise on handsome. “No, no that's not a crime, but you will have to pay somehow. Meals aren't free.”

His sudden exasperation concerned me to an unnatural extent.

“Look,” I intervened. “You gotta be new around here, so how about I pay for your meal?”

Again, surprise came over him. “You would do that? You don't even know me.”

I shrugged. He was right. Here I was offering to pay for a $29 dollar meal when I owed another man $25 for his truck. It didn't add up, but Bill was a straight up absolute rat-bastard. The blond customer, on the other hand. . . I liked the way he smelled. Like sea salt.

“Yes.” I nodded. “Just make sure you have a few bucks with you the next time you're hungry. It'll keep you out of trouble.”

With his eyes fixed on me, he slowly rose to his feet, and I felt my breath catch inside my chest. It was like I stood in front of a leaning tower, but instead of fear, I felt safe.

“Who knew surface dwellers could be so kind?!” He mumbled, assessing my face.

“Um. . .” My cheeks heated and my tongue went limp.

“What the hell?!” Locknell’s voice streamed into my ears. Then he called clearly. “Rosy? Inside, now!”

I stepped back, tucking the coin into my back pocket. “Uh, hav-have a nice day!"

Inside, Locknell put me on the grill and roasted me alive for the things Bill Woody said to him. I listened with my head down as spit flew in every direction with every word he yelled. By the end of it all, I figured I'd turned into ice. I could barely lift my head and kept it down until my shift ended.

My trip to the liaison proved fruitless because the potbellied chimpanzee was out of town.

I drove back to The Wipeout feeling disheartened and anxious. It seemed as if Milton purposefully made himself unavailable so I could have little time to talk to him about the house. Since I wasn't doling out cash to bribe him, he cared nil for what I would say.

As I made to climb out of the truck, I caught sight of Bill and his crew in the rearview. They seemed like bulls on stampede. I shut my eyes, trying to calm my nerves.

“You think you're smart, Rosy?” I couldn't explain how quickly Bill had pinned me to the truck door, his hand fisting my hair in a painful grip.

“You're hurting me, Bill.” I cried out, reaching for his hand, but he tightened his fist. My scalp felt like it was pulling free.

“That's exactly how it feels when you make me look like a fool.” He scowled then closed his other hand around my throat. I choked. “I asked for my money and you called Locknell. You think you're so smart, huhn? Well, you're gonna pay – for what you did, and for the truck. And I'm gonna take it away after.”

With how crowded the parking space was, I doubted any one would see a lady being harassed and it broke my soul. I had no idea the kind of person Bill was – the horrible things he could do to me. I had no strength to fight him off. I barely even had breakfast yet.

“We can work something out!” I managed through the building heat and itchiness in my throat.

“Time’s up, waitress.” He taunted.

“Get away from the lady.” A very casual voice interrupted.

Bill let go of me and turned around. I crumpled to my knees, coughing and retching. His hand had felt like an oven. I looked up and glimpsed the unlikely intervention. The blond customer. I could barely see him in between Bill's jeans and his mate's dangling flannel. Until then, I didn't even realize there were six of his goons.

“This ain't none of your business, Ken.” A goon mocked. “Go back to Barbie.”

They laughed in unison.

“I suggest you show some self-respect and settle this like reasonable life forms otherwise—”

“Otherwise what, big mouth?” Bill threatened. He moved just then, and I finally saw the blond. He was staring with a sort of regal composure. “Why don't you run along and mind your own business like your mama taught you?”

Blondie approached, the tiniest smirk lifting his face. “What my mama taught me is that people like you are equal to seaweed. It's either you let the lady be, or I do to you what I'd do to seaweed.”

Bill tutted in indifference. “Rough this player.”

Whether it was because my eyesight was blurry from starving so long or someone pressed fast forward on the scenario in front of me, I couldn't decide, but before I could stand to my feet, the blond man had smashed heads and broken bones all over the place. Bill lay groaning in pain at the base of a car into which blondie had slammed him three consecutive times, creating an alarming dent in the vehicle. His goons were spread out in heaps of moans as well.

Blondie strolled toward me and helped me stand. I felt shaky and not just from hunger.

“Are you alright?”

I managed to nod a few times. “Y-Yes, thank you.”

He fumbled with the truck door. “You may return home now.”

By then, he was so close I could feel my nose being assaulted by the smell of the sea. To think, I hadn't appreciated it through all those months of working right next to it. Blondie's eyes held me spellbound.

“I, uh, I have to uh. . .” I stuttered, trying to look away.

Then, he stepped back and turned to point at Bill. “That one. He may come back to finish what he started if you stay.” He turned to me with a look of urgency. “You have to go home. It's not safe.”

Like an aimless pup, I nodded in agreement and slid into the driver's seat. Halfway in, I halted. Thankfully, Blondie hadn't walked away yet. It was oddly satisfying to see him stand there as if on guard, waiting for me to drive away before he took his leave. The idea made me tingle.

“My name is Mary-Rose.” I introduced, unsure of why I said it when he didn't even ask.

His piercing gaze always gave him a sort of emotionless look, but they softened when he nodded once. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mary-Rose. I am Orm.”