At the Bottom of the Bay

Chapter Seventeen

When Miriam returned twenty minutes later, she had a smug look on her face. "I can hear the water running upstairs."

"Okay." Sofia pretended she didn't care.

"Don't see why you tried to sneak her in." Miriam started packing her pipe. "I know what you two get up to."

"Why do you care?" Sofia snapped. Attempt at nonchalance: failed.

Miriam patted herself down for her lighter, finding it in the front pocket of her dungarees (because that's where it always was) and lit the pipe. The smell was stronger though less abrasive than the Pall Malls, so Sofia didn't hate it. "Kid, I've made no secret of my dislike of that girl."

"I know," Sofia said, hands wringing out a dish towel, unable to still. "She stiffed you. I've offered to pay you back, or have her pay you back, but you decline. So, what is it then? You never give a real answer; just say a bunch of weird shit and walk off mysteriously."

The bell dinged at the door as people started filtering in for a drink on their way home from work.

Miriam cleared her throat, spat into the sink. "I think she's dangerous. Is that straight enough for you?"

Sofia shook her head. "Dangerous to who? She's, like, five feet tall."

"Don't play dumb, kid. It doesn't suit you." Miriam walked off to serve two patrons sidling up to the bar.

Later, Sofia got another moment with her, between clearing a table and loading the dishwasher. "Do you think she did it?" she asked in a rushed whisper, terrified of Miriam's answer.

But now it was Miriam's turn to play dumb. "Do I think who did what?"

"Kelsey. I know people think she killed those kids." Sofia kept her gaze on the glasses, arranging them in the plastic tub balanced on her hip.

"Those kids?" Miriam snorted. "You mean your classmates and friends?"

Sofia's voice came out harsh when she said, "They weren't my friends."

"I guess that makes it okay then," Miriam said, and walked away again.

Sofia gave up trying to have this conversation; her position was clear anyway.

And she had a bigger problem for the moment. She spotted Kelsey through the window, holding the hood of her gaudy windbreaker over her head as she marched down the boardwalk.

Fuck.

Sofia glanced at Miriam, back to Kelsey, then back at Miriam. "Um, can you get another case of Pilsner from the back?" she squeaked.

"You got two hands and a heartbeat. Do it yourself," came Miriam's surly reply, but just as quickly, she sighed, brushing past Sofia. "I'll do it."

Sofia had dropped enough cases in the summer that Miriam figured out any heavy lifted needed to be done herself. Sofia waited for her to disappear, then greeted Kelsey at the door.

"Hey, hi," she tripped over her words, pulling Kelsey through the room, all too aware of eyes watching them. Different than how it usually felt, always different when the eyes belonged to actual people, and especially when Kelse was with her.

"Hi, Sofia!" Kelsey seemed all too pleased by the warm welcome. "Are you coming up now or..."

Sofia shook her head, dropping Kelsey's arm quickly. "No, I'm not– this isn't about sex."