Middle

Chapter 5

My watch's alarm rang quietly, rousing me from a light sleep. I turned it off as I swung my legs out of my sleeping nook. It was six AM on Saturday, which normally would be a bad thing, but for me was one of the best things to happen to me since last week, when I did the exact same thing. Today I helped the community. I got up and dressed in the near pitch black, using the light from my watch whenever I needed to. I didn't bother with breakfast, planning on grabbing something quick from the coffee shop that was en route to my first stop of the day: Gladys Wiggins' home.

I'd begun helping Gladys out after she and her husband ran into me, literally, with their car as I was crossing the street. She'd invited me back to their place and I hesitantly went along, thinking that perhaps they were some sort of murderous, insane couple who had chosen me as their next victim. I was extraordinarily grateful when they asked me to help them after visiting them for a week. I'd fallen into the rhythm of helping them around the house and with little chores. When her husband, Lennie, died in his sleep at the hospital, I had taken it upon myself to look after Gladys, taking her on weekly trips to the grocery store on Saturdays. I slipped shoes on my feet and left after quietly closing the door behind me. I sighed with relief as I trotted down the street in the pre-dawn hours. I paused briefly on the bridge to watch the sunrise. I closed my eyes and made a wish, as I always did, and smiled as the sun began to warm my face, tiny increments of the light bathing my face as it rose. I waited until it was past my shoulders before I turned and continued walking, opening my eyes as I did so. I shivered as a brisk wind blew past me. I had the vaguest feeling of being followed, but when I looked around I saw a large crowd of people, so I shrugged and continued. Gladys lived three blocks north of the bridge in an old Victorian-era house. I unlocked the gate and entered the small, tidy yard. I followed the winding grey stone pathway up to the door where I rang the bell and stepped back politely.

Gladys opened the door after a moment. "Oh! Hello, Sakura, I wasn't expecting you so early," she said with a warm, welcoming smile. "Is that a friend of yours?" I looked to where she was pointing and spotted Tadashi trying to read a newspaper while spying on me. He saw me looking and nodded before getting on his scooter and speeding away.

"That was my older brother, but he's busy today, so I wouldn't worry about him," I said dismissively. Inside my stomach was in knots, and I was at risk of losing my breakfast sandwich of an egg, five pieces of bacon, with humus and mayo on a gluten-free rice bagel. I had my satchel slung casually over my shoulder and around my neck as per my usual. She stepped aside and invited me in. As soon as I passed the threshold I was surrounded in a warm, comforting scent that immediately settled my stomach. I took my shoes off and put a pair of slippers on. I followed her to the kitchen where a batch of rolls was sitting on the island, ready to go. Their golden brown tops had the slightest hint of being freshly buttered, and in spite of the fact that I'd already eaten, my mouth watered.

Gladys was puttering around getting ready for our day at the farmers market. She always baked a dozen batches of her rolls, and they sold like wildfire. Everyone knew her baking, and always wanted a piece of it. I recalled once Allistair Krei asking for her recipe, which she politely declined to answer. She then proceeded to inform him that she would never sell her recipe as it had been in her family for generations, and wasn't meant to be outside the family. She had, however, given me the recipe, on a card, which, after memorizing it, I destroyed. I'd made some rolls with Aunt Cass using the recipe Gladys had given me, then adding a pinch of cinnamon to enhance the flavor. After giving Aunt Cass the recipe, claiming I had come up with it myself, I left her to her own devices, and now the rolls were one of the best sellers.

"Ready to go?" she asked me, startling me from my thoughts. I nodded and helped her into her shoes, then got mine on and we headed out the door. We got into her car and she let me drive with the rolls in the back and a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies in her lap. We pulled into her designated parking spot and parked. This was our weekly ritual: I spend half the day with her, and she gives me a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies as payment.

As I helped Gladys with the stall I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. I thought I spied Tadashi in the crowd multiple times, but each time a second glance caused him to disappear. That is, except for one time when he bought a dozen rolls from Gladys' stall. He stopped in front of me and I served him. He watched me the whole time with a gaze that was intense enough to be nerve-wracking. When I gave him his order, he paid and made me look at him as I took the money, with some difficulty as he held onto the money briefly before letting it go. After that I noticed the occasional flashing, as though from a camera.

An hour later, Gladys had sold out. She put the sign up and, after gathering our belongings, we left. As we drove home, she instructed me to pull into a drive-thru. We waited at some lights before we turned in, and a transport truck pulled up next to us. Instantly I began to feel nervous. That nervousness only increased when a second truck pulled up on the other side of us. I put my blinker on to indicate my turn, and when the light turned, I did too, keeping a safe distance from the truck. We grabbed an ice cream each and parked while we enjoyed them.

"You did good with your discomfort around those trucks," she commented to me as we licked our rapidly melting dairy delights.

"Thanks, Gladys. I tried to keep my focus on the road ahead of me," I said. between licks. I spotted Tadashi and his scooter not far from us. He nodded to me and I acknowledged his presence using the same gesture. Then he revved his engine and sped off.