SNOW GLOBE by Jeanne Skartsiaris Page A

had to drive him to the hospital.” She grabbed a broom and began sweeping. “I’m sorry. I should’ve come by here first.”
    “That’s okay.” Aja sighed. “You did the right thing.” She wearily leaned against a counter. “But I’m probably going to be fired after this.”
    “Let me talk to them. It’s my fault.”
    “Well, don’t get yourself fired. This place would fall apart without you.”
    “I’ve worked here so long.” Janie shook her head. “I can’t help but get attached to the residents. It never gets easy when we lose somebody.” She swept the pile of broken plates and food together.
    “How is Mrs. Jensen?” Aja asked.
    “Not good. I hope she rallies, but I could see that her pee bag was empty. I’m sure her kidneys are shutting down. And then her breathing was ragged.” She bent and scooped the mess onto a duster. “The Jensens are people you want to see go together. He’ll be lost without her.”
    Then Aja felt it. Sorrow. Deep endless pain. “She’s not going to make it,” Aja whispered.
    “Don’t be so negative.” Janie looked at her strangely.
    “I…when I saw her the other night, she looked so sick.” Aja grabbed a mop and began cleaning the food spills. She’d always kept her mouth shut about her psychic abilities, hating to be thought of as a freak. The feelings she got didn’t happen all the time and they didn’t always come true. But sometimes she just knew things were going to happen before they did or she could envision scenes from a person’s past. Like a puzzle, but she never knew how to put it together.
    Aja heard voices in the dining room.
    “Don’t go in there. Are you training to be a bus boy?”
    “Kendall, stop. It wouldn’t kill you to help out a little.”
    “Eww, like I’d actually work in a kitchen?”
    The door opened and Walker came in, Kendall trailing him. He’d changed into a fresh shirt. “I thought you could use a hand here.”
    Janie, carrying a stack of dirty plates, laughed. “Walker, I wish everybody in the world was like you. But we’re good. Thanks, anyway.” She turned her smile to Aja. “Since you busted your butt tonight, why don’t you take off. I can get this place cleaned up in no time.”
    Gabe, standing by the sink, wiped his hands on his stained apron. “So I can leave too?”
    Janie’s smile faded. “Well…”
    Gabe waved his hand at Janie and kept rinsing the dishes.
    “Good.” Kendall pulled Walker’s arm. “Let’s get out of here. Now.” She looked with contempt at Aja, scrutinizing every stain and glob of food stuck to her. “How can you stand yourself?”
    “Kendall!” Walker said. “That was rude.”
    “Oh, it’s fine,” Aja said lightly, while seething inside. “Here, give me a big hug; we should all learn to get along.” Sarcasm laced her voice. She walked toward Kendall, arms outstretched.
    “Gross,” Kendall shrieked, and backed away out of the kitchen.
    “I’m sorry,” Walker said. “Now you know the reason I left Chicago.”
    Aja looked at Walker, all polished and handsome. She’d never felt so dirty or grimy in her life, especially with the stain of Freddy Kruger’s touch on her.
    In the parking lot, Aja saw Freddy’s car. Should she just confront the jerk? No, he’s a police officer. It’d be her word against his, plus he had a gun. The chill she felt when she looked at his silhouette in the car was profound. He was not one to mess with.
    It took a few tries, but her car finally started. As she pulled out, she noticed Freddy Kruger’s headlights come on and he followed behind her. She fought down nausea and a deep paralyzing fear. What if her car broke down? She chugged out of the lot and onto the main road, watching him in her rearview mirror. She nervously felt for the guardian angel coin in her pocket. Silly, she knew, but sometimes rubbing the etching gave her a minute to think.
    On impulse, as she drove by the hospital, she turned in quickly. Too quick for him to