caffeine motivated her. Later,
she’d grab a cup.
Olivia hiked the
duffel higher on her shoulder and started toward the restroom. They’d begin the
search there and make their way to the front. If it wasn’t out front, she’d
make the call to see if Shane would check his backseat.
The ladies restroom
looked the same. It smelled as rank and dismal as it had when they’d come in
earlier. Scattered newspapers crinkled beneath their shoes. Olivia checked the
stalls, glancing back at Chloe who stuck her hands in and out of the hand dryer
to feel the heat on her hands. No bear. For good measure, Olivia checked the
last two of the four stalls though she and Chloe hadn’t gone in them. Still no
Mr. Snuffles. She leaned against the faded blue paint of the stall door for a
brief second and tried to block out the sensation of defeat.
A part of her wished
the bear had been left on the floor. The mother in her would have frowned at
the potential for unlimited germs from the dirty floor but Chloe would have
been happy. The other part of her was glad it hadn’t been found. Glad because
it meant she’d have an excuse to call Shane. The thought of getting on the bus
to North Carolina frightened her. Not like the fear she’d felt when getting in
the car with a stranger but similar to the fear she’d felt when Brian
threatened her. Or when he’d sent those suspicious looking men to talk to her
at the hotel.
“Mommy?” Chloe’s
fascination with the hand dryer wore off and now she stared at Olivia
curiously.
Deep breath. She
pasted a smile on her face and approached her daughter. “Well the good news is
we didn’t leave him in this yucky bathroom.” The small giggle rewarded her.
“You call mean man?”
Three going on
twenty. “He’s not a mean man. Mr. Mitchell’s been very nice to us. Mr. Snuffles
probably snuck in the car for a ride back to his amazing house.”
Chloe looked doubtful
and Olivia didn’t blame her. Lie number five or six. Keeping track served no
purpose other than giving her an idea on how far she’d stretched herself in the
last couple of days. Now or never. Olivia reached into her pocket and pulled
out the wad of cash she’d never checked when she purchased their tickets.
The bills and his
tan business card fluttered to the floor in her haste to separate it. “Damn
it.”
“Bad word, Mommy.”
“Yes, it is, my dear
girl. Don’t use it.” The warning fell on deaf ears and she knew from past
experience Chloe would practice it at the most inopportune time.
Gathering the bills,
Olivia realized it was way more than the estimated ticket cost. He’d given her
five hundred dollars. Her throat clenched and her eyes closed. Damn him. This
time she cursed silently before neatly folding the money and placing it back in
her pocket. Her eyes opened with renewed vigor.
Olivia gathered
Shane’s card and studied it. There was a company logo and name on the front
with a number. On the back he’d printed two numbers beneath his name and a
handwritten word. Princess with a dash and the word code. The block letters fit
what she’d expect from his masculine hand.
She wasn’t certain
what the added words meant but was sure it had to do with his annoying nickname
for her. An older lady coming in the restroom interrupted any further thought
on the matter. By the strained expression on her face they needed to leave
immediately. “Ok, let’s get out of here and find Mr. Snuffles for you.”
Chloe obediently
followed. Outside, Olivia huddled near a wall and a newsstand. She entered the
home number on her cell. After a few rings, she hung up. He wouldn’t be home
this quickly. She started to enter his cell but didn’t want him to talk and
drive. Maybe if she called the office number on the front. An answering service
would get a message to him right away. A check at her watch showed they only
had another fifteen before their bus left.
If the bear was in
his car, he’d never get back to them in time.
she’d grab a cup.
Olivia hiked the
duffel higher on her shoulder and started toward the restroom. They’d begin the
search there and make their way to the front. If it wasn’t out front, she’d
make the call to see if Shane would check his backseat.
The ladies restroom
looked the same. It smelled as rank and dismal as it had when they’d come in
earlier. Scattered newspapers crinkled beneath their shoes. Olivia checked the
stalls, glancing back at Chloe who stuck her hands in and out of the hand dryer
to feel the heat on her hands. No bear. For good measure, Olivia checked the
last two of the four stalls though she and Chloe hadn’t gone in them. Still no
Mr. Snuffles. She leaned against the faded blue paint of the stall door for a
brief second and tried to block out the sensation of defeat.
A part of her wished
the bear had been left on the floor. The mother in her would have frowned at
the potential for unlimited germs from the dirty floor but Chloe would have
been happy. The other part of her was glad it hadn’t been found. Glad because
it meant she’d have an excuse to call Shane. The thought of getting on the bus
to North Carolina frightened her. Not like the fear she’d felt when getting in
the car with a stranger but similar to the fear she’d felt when Brian
threatened her. Or when he’d sent those suspicious looking men to talk to her
at the hotel.
“Mommy?” Chloe’s
fascination with the hand dryer wore off and now she stared at Olivia
curiously.
Deep breath. She
pasted a smile on her face and approached her daughter. “Well the good news is
we didn’t leave him in this yucky bathroom.” The small giggle rewarded her.
“You call mean man?”
Three going on
twenty. “He’s not a mean man. Mr. Mitchell’s been very nice to us. Mr. Snuffles
probably snuck in the car for a ride back to his amazing house.”
Chloe looked doubtful
and Olivia didn’t blame her. Lie number five or six. Keeping track served no
purpose other than giving her an idea on how far she’d stretched herself in the
last couple of days. Now or never. Olivia reached into her pocket and pulled
out the wad of cash she’d never checked when she purchased their tickets.
The bills and his
tan business card fluttered to the floor in her haste to separate it. “Damn
it.”
“Bad word, Mommy.”
“Yes, it is, my dear
girl. Don’t use it.” The warning fell on deaf ears and she knew from past
experience Chloe would practice it at the most inopportune time.
Gathering the bills,
Olivia realized it was way more than the estimated ticket cost. He’d given her
five hundred dollars. Her throat clenched and her eyes closed. Damn him. This
time she cursed silently before neatly folding the money and placing it back in
her pocket. Her eyes opened with renewed vigor.
Olivia gathered
Shane’s card and studied it. There was a company logo and name on the front
with a number. On the back he’d printed two numbers beneath his name and a
handwritten word. Princess with a dash and the word code. The block letters fit
what she’d expect from his masculine hand.
She wasn’t certain
what the added words meant but was sure it had to do with his annoying nickname
for her. An older lady coming in the restroom interrupted any further thought
on the matter. By the strained expression on her face they needed to leave
immediately. “Ok, let’s get out of here and find Mr. Snuffles for you.”
Chloe obediently
followed. Outside, Olivia huddled near a wall and a newsstand. She entered the
home number on her cell. After a few rings, she hung up. He wouldn’t be home
this quickly. She started to enter his cell but didn’t want him to talk and
drive. Maybe if she called the office number on the front. An answering service
would get a message to him right away. A check at her watch showed they only
had another fifteen before their bus left.
If the bear was in
his car, he’d never get back to them in time.
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