Underneath the Triple Tree there is a man who waits for me and should I go or should I stay my fate's the same either way.
"Good morning."
The words faded back into the ether and I awoke with a start. Jimmy Prescott was lounging against the wall near the door, an amused yet disapproving look on his face.
"Shit, sorry Mr. Prescott. I didn't hear you come in."
"You know, I worked here when I was a kid, too. I installed the bell on the door for this very reason. Didn't seem to wake you up, though," he laughed. I mumbled another apology and idly straightened a stack of business cards in front of me.
"Late night?"
"Ah...kinda." Very.
"I hope you weren't out at the bonfires with all the other underage drinkers."
"No, sir." Yep.
"Good. Anyway, I'm just here for my lunch. I'll take a parmesan chicken with avocado on rye."
"Yes, sir." Happy that the conversation was over, I walked over to the sandwich counter and unwound the twisty tie from the rye bread.
Jimmy Prescott stepped back from the counter and idly studied that pictures on the wall, though he'd seen them a thousand times before. More of the photos were of the Prescott family, taken over the last century. I'd always though it odd décor but then, the shop was named after them after all.
"Is Meera here?" Prescott asked as I wrapped up his sandwich.
"She's in the back."
"Ah, I thought she'd still be in St. Louis. Well, when you're finished would you mind getting her for me?"
Shit.
"Yes, sir."
I handed him his sandwich and went to the back to find Meera. She was in the office, furiously punching the keys on her accounting calculator.
"Uh, Meera? Jimmy Prescott is out front. He wants to talk to you."
She turned and gave me a dubious look. "Did he say what about?" I shook my head.
"Okay," she sighed. "You can go home for the day, Sam."
"But...are you sure?" I still had three hours on the clock.
"He's the only customer we've had since we opened. Don't worry, I'll pay you for a whole day, kiddo."
"Thanks, Meera. Um, good luck I guess."
I gave her a sympathetic shrug and she patted my arm. I didn't know how she did it. Meera was perhaps the most burdened and stressed out woman in all of Drisking but she never failed to be unbelievably kind. There was a hopelessness about her, a sadness that she hid very well.
I left the store out the backdoor so I wouldn't have to see Jimmy Prescott again. His weird, yellowed amber eyes always set me on edge. Not to mention he was a total tool.
I hopped in my car and texted Kyle that I was off work. He answered immediately and told me to come meet him. I happily whipped my apron off over my head and threw the car into reverse. Crystal Lake was my favorite place in all of Drisking.
I had to park almost a mile away since the lake was so packed. I eventually found Kyle and Kimber sitting on a rock that jutted out over the beach.
Kimber was sunbathing in a blue, floral bikini and Kyle was wearing his 'no one can tell where my eyes are looking' sunglasses.
"What'd I miss?" I asked, sitting down next to Kimber.
"Not much," she answered, stretching and sitting up. "Just more beer." She dug into the cooler behind her and tried to hand me a Blue Moon.
