The waitress returned, and both ordered. The cold glare given to Red made Nova do a double take at the woman, then push back her chair.
“I need to use the bathroom,” Nova said as she made her way to the small two stall bathroom at the back of the shack. When she came out of the stall, her waitress was standing by the sink.
“I can help you,” she explained while Nova began washing her hands.
“After all these years, I’ve mastered the task,” Nova joked but saw no joy staring back at her. Reading her nametag, Nova decided to find out what this woman was up to. “Marcy?”
“Yes, look, I’m taking a huge risk talking to you, normally I get involved when the woman asks for help, but lady, you need help.” “Why do you think that?”
“Your face,” she stated plainly and held out a card. “Those aren’t fresh bruises, but please don’t insult me and pretend they didn’t come from a fist.”
Nova stared at herself in the mirror as she dried her hands. She’d forgotten about the bruised eye, now a deep green and yellow. Her eye drooped a bit from the broken orbit bone that hadn’t quite healed. Even if it did, without surgery there would still be a disfiguration. The split lip had healed at least.
“I’m pretty sure it came from a fist.” Nova’s voice felt disassociated from her body. “Maybe a gun. It’s all still blurry.”
“There’s a network—” Marcy began.
“Red saved me,” Nova interjected. “He found me, fixed me, and is now taking me to a safe house.” “He is?” Marcy blanched. “I know he looks rough, but he’s gentle, kind, and an amazing surgeon.”
“So, he’s not your abusive boyfriend?” “Not even close. My first memory of him was as an angel carrying me to Heaven. Really, he rescued me from the side of the road where I’d been dumped.”
The color disappeared from the young girl’s face. “I’m so sorry, I’ll apologize to him right now.”
“Did I miss something?”
“I’ve been so rude.” Marcy began to tuck her card back into her apron, but Nova put her hand out for the card.
“If he’s not your abuser why do you need it?”
“Come with me,” Nova said, and they made their way back to the table.
Red’s eyes cut up to Marcy as she stood with her hands behind her back and eyes turned down. Sliding the card across the table to Red, Nova bit on her bottom lip.
“Marcy helps women,” she said. “One thing Amber told me was that the Prez’s ol’ lady can help set up a community project.” “There isn’t much community in Turnabout Creek.”
“That makes it perfect, especially when trying to hide these women who might need medical attention.” Red stayed silent but didn’t dismiss her completely. Two dings came from the kitchen and Marcy jumped.
“That’s probably your breakfast.” Marcy scurried away.
Taking the card from the table, Red tucked it inside a pocket sewn into his cut
“I need to use the bathroom,” Nova said as she made her way to the small two stall bathroom at the back of the shack. When she came out of the stall, her waitress was standing by the sink.
“I can help you,” she explained while Nova began washing her hands.
“After all these years, I’ve mastered the task,” Nova joked but saw no joy staring back at her. Reading her nametag, Nova decided to find out what this woman was up to. “Marcy?”
“Yes, look, I’m taking a huge risk talking to you, normally I get involved when the woman asks for help, but lady, you need help.” “Why do you think that?”
“Your face,” she stated plainly and held out a card. “Those aren’t fresh bruises, but please don’t insult me and pretend they didn’t come from a fist.”
Nova stared at herself in the mirror as she dried her hands. She’d forgotten about the bruised eye, now a deep green and yellow. Her eye drooped a bit from the broken orbit bone that hadn’t quite healed. Even if it did, without surgery there would still be a disfiguration. The split lip had healed at least.
“I’m pretty sure it came from a fist.” Nova’s voice felt disassociated from her body. “Maybe a gun. It’s all still blurry.”
“There’s a network—” Marcy began.
“Red saved me,” Nova interjected. “He found me, fixed me, and is now taking me to a safe house.” “He is?” Marcy blanched. “I know he looks rough, but he’s gentle, kind, and an amazing surgeon.”
“So, he’s not your abusive boyfriend?” “Not even close. My first memory of him was as an angel carrying me to Heaven. Really, he rescued me from the side of the road where I’d been dumped.”
The color disappeared from the young girl’s face. “I’m so sorry, I’ll apologize to him right now.”
“Did I miss something?”
“I’ve been so rude.” Marcy began to tuck her card back into her apron, but Nova put her hand out for the card.
“If he’s not your abuser why do you need it?”
“Come with me,” Nova said, and they made their way back to the table.
Red’s eyes cut up to Marcy as she stood with her hands behind her back and eyes turned down. Sliding the card across the table to Red, Nova bit on her bottom lip.
“Marcy helps women,” she said. “One thing Amber told me was that the Prez’s ol’ lady can help set up a community project.” “There isn’t much community in Turnabout Creek.”
“That makes it perfect, especially when trying to hide these women who might need medical attention.” Red stayed silent but didn’t dismiss her completely. Two dings came from the kitchen and Marcy jumped.
“That’s probably your breakfast.” Marcy scurried away.
Taking the card from the table, Red tucked it inside a pocket sewn into his cut
