Текст книги "Indisputable"

Chapter One

Jaded Hollow, OH – 6 miles ahead

I release a sigh, exhausted and nervous about my next stop on my long and tedious journey.

I’ve been driving since eight this morning, with a couple of stops in-between for restroom breaks and gas stops. It’s coming up on nine at night. I need to keep moving. I don’t want to give him the opportunity to find me. Him, being Steven, my worse nightmare, my worse fear, my husband. Unfortunately, I don’t have a choice in the matter because my gas tank is running on fumes and my pocket book is getting low. I need to find a way to make a little cash before I move on.

My arms hurt from holding onto the steering wheel for so long and my legs are cramping from the constant push of the gas pedal. I’m so hungry I fear my internal organs will dry up and turn to dust due to lack of nourishment. I’m exhausted to the point where my eyes have that sandy, papery, gritty feel and I’m worried I might dose off behind the wheel.

Needless to say I’m ready to get out of my cramped, beat up old car that I bought for five hundred dollars at the beginning of my unplanned but wanted trip. All I want to do is get a quick bite to eat, fall into bed, sleep like the dead, and not get up for a week. I know finding a place to eat won’t be a problem. I’ve seen signs for Maggie's Diner up ahead in Jaded Hollow, which state it is an All-night diner. It’s finding a place to crash that will be an issue.

With about fifty dollars to my name I can’t even afford to rent a hotel for the night. Sleeping in my cramped car is definitely not appealing, but I have done it before and am prepared to do it again. I just hope I can find work in this middle of nowhere town that is to be my home for a short amount of time. Sleeping in my car for a few nights I can deal with, but I really don't want to wake up with a crick in my neck and cramps in my legs every day for weeks at a time until I can afford a place to stay.

It is dark out so I can't really see the landscape around me. From what I can see from the light of the moon and the shine of my headlights I am surrounded by woods. The road is curvy and there are a few small hills.

I slow my car when I reach a wooden sign that welcomes me to Jaded Hollow, OH. It looks old and the scene on it represents the country town I’m about to enter; a farmhouse with silos sitting behind it and a field of corn.

I speed back up, anxious to reach my destination. About a mile past the welcome sign I start taking notice of my surroundings. It’s important to familiarize myself with where I’ll be staying just in case I need to flee again. He may come for me and I need to know where I’ll be safe.

Large houses start appearing. The only reason I can see them is because their porch lights illuminate the front stoops. Many of the houses are at least a couple hundred feet from the road and sit on large amounts of land.

Further down the road bright orange street lights dot both sides of the road. Smaller houses start popping up on either side of the road, along with businesses thrown in here and there. There’s a post office on one side and an outdoor shop on the other.

There’s also the Jaded Hollow Public Library, a red brick building with a large, colorful brick book that sits right out front. There is a gazebo that’s off to the left and a small swing set and slide right beside it. I can picture a mother sitting in the gazebo reading her book as a little girl swings close by. With the image in my head, my stomach cramps and my eyes sting. I immediately push the image away before it has the chance to cripple me.

As I slow down to a stop at what appears to be the only red light in town, I notice a building that houses three motorcycles and five cars. The building sits on the corner of County Road 14 and Big Bulge Road. There are several lit advertisement signs on the windows and front of the white building, most of which are advertising different types of beer. The largest lit sign reads ‘Jaxon's Pub’.

The light turns green and I creep along. Up ahead on the left a simple red sign shows that I have finally arrived at Maggie's Diner. There are several cars parked in front of the light blue building.

I park my car next to an old red pick-up truck, pull the key out of the ignition and lay my head back on the headrest. Not only is my car running on empty, but I am as well. With a deep breath I force myself to grab my purse and drop my keys inside. The air is nippy when I step out of my car so I grab my gray hooded sweatshirt that shows the Cookie Monster chomping on cookies, and slip it on.

As I approach the entrance a man appears out of nowhere and startles me. I automatically allow my russet brown hair to fall in front of my face on the right side. This is born out of habit from trying to hide the hideous scar that runs from the corner of my right eye to my ear. People tend to stare, which makes encounters uncomfortable. So, to avoid any tense moments I learned real quick to hide behind a wall of hair anytime I am in the vicinity of people.

I peek at him from under my eyelashes. He looks to be in his early 30's. He wears a black hat that he turned backwards. His hair is dark and I can tell that he keeps his hair short by the stubble that peaks out from just below the hat by his ears. I can’t really see from the lack of light, but it appears he has dark eyes.  Although he sports a five o'clock shadow you can see that he keeps his face clean-shaven. He has on a dark gray t-shirt with a black thermal shirt underneath that covers bulging muscles. He also has on a pair of worn form-fitting blue jeans and a pair of tan work boots. Overall, he is a very good looking man. At another time and place I would really appreciate his looks. But not now, I never want anything to do with a man again.

When I glance at him, he smiles and says, “Hey, sorry if I startled you.” His voice is rough, but still holds a smooth edge to it.

I duck my head a little and reply. “That's okay, I'm just a little jumpy.”

He grabs the handle to the door, opens it, and gestures for me to enter. “Ladies first.”

I notice the hand that holds the handle has a black and blue web tattoo. It starts at the center of the back of his hand and extends all the way to his fingers. I can’t see his palm, but I’m pretty sure that the tattoo continues to wrap around to the front of his hand. The webbing also wraps around each of his fingers. I briefly wonder what the significance is but then shake my head. It’s none of my business.

When I walk inside the diner I notice that it looks like a traditional diner that you see in movies and TV shows. It has a long white counter that has attached red vinyl stools right in front of it. Behind the counter is all the kitchen equipment a business needs to serve food and drinks; industrial stove and oven, microwave, racks of dishes, silverware, and all the food prep. There are two waitresses wearing red aprons standing behind the counter. One has to be in her mid 20's while the other in her late 50's to early 60's. She has a very grandmotherly look to her. A middle aged man and woman are sitting at the counter.

Along the front and side walls there are white tables with red vinyl booths. Salt and pepper shakers, a napkin holder, and two menus sit on each table. Several of the booths are occupied by a variety of people. One holds a young teenage couple, another a couple of older men, and the third a lone female drinking a cup of coffee.

The walls are littered with various pictures of people in their everyday life. One is of a couple of kids on a swing set. Another is a black and white photo of a man and a woman swinging on a hammock wrapped in each other’s arms. There is also an old picture of a man and a woman standing in front of a building that looks like Maggie's Diner a 100 years ago.

The man that startled me walks in and the bell on the door rings when it shuts. He starts walking towards the end of the counter where a portion of it lifts up, allowing people to move back and forth from behind the counter. The younger waitress runs from behind the counter and literally jumps on the guy once she reaches him. She wraps her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist and plasters an enormous smile on her face. Holding her up with one hand on her ass, he grabs a hand full of hair and slams his mouth down on hers.

I hear some chuckles from some of the patrons. The grandmotherly waitress behind the counter has a twinkle in her eye when she says, “Alright you two, break it up. Anna, you get back to work and you,” she says, pointing to the man, “go have a seat and I'll bring you a nice steaming cup of coffee.”

After another minute of tongue action the couple reluctantly break apart. They stand there staring into each other’s eyes when the man smiles hugely. “Hey, Anna Banana.”

“Hi, Nick,” the waitress replies in a breathy voice, her smile just as big as before. I think the nickname he gave her is corny and sweet at the same time. You can tell these two people are irrevocably in love. For a few seconds it makes me wish that I could find that kind of love, but I know that kind of love is rare and not meant for me.

I move away from the couple and make my way over to one of the booths in the corner. I drop my purse on the seat, sit down, and grab the plastic menu. I’m not real picky on what I eat, as long as it doesn’t taste like sawdust or have a beating heart. I’m pretty desperate for any food at this point.

Most of the foods are the same as any diner you come across. They have a large variety of breakfast dishes, the usual hamburger and fries, several different kinds of melts, and a select few dinner dishes, which included a roll, two veggies, and a salad. Nothing special or out of the ordinary. They offer coffee, sweet tea, coke, diet coke, fresh lemonade, milk, and water.

I close the first menu and pick up the second one. This menu is different than the first. It isn’t plastic and looks like it is just a thick sheet of paper that has pictures of desserts printed on it. To not be laminated and around food and liquids all day the menu is in perfect shape. There are pictures showing Kristen's Supreme Banana Pudding, Jay's Chocolate Crinkles, Barb's Coconut Cream Swirl, Brenda's Chocolate Cake Surprise, and Grandma Rosy's Pecan Pie.

“We have an ever-changing dessert menu,” comes a soft and flowing voice.

I glance up, making sure my hair covers my scar, and see the waitress that was swapping spit with the man a few minutes ago standing by my table. “Excuse me?”

She quirks her lips up into a smile and says, “I noticed you looking at the menu strangely and didn't want you to think we were so cheap we couldn't afford to laminate our dessert menu. The menu changes every month, so there's no sense in spending the money on laminating the menu's when they'll be tossed in the trash soon anyway.”

I glance back down at the menu in my hand and ask, “Why does the menu change every month?”

“We have an ongoing contest to see who makes the best desserts. Anyone in town who wants to enter brings in a dessert sample and we pick five to sell here at the diner for the whole month. They can either choose to give the recipe to us and we can make the desserts ourselves or they can make it themselves and just bring it in when we need it. At the end of the month the whole town votes to see whose dessert was the best. The winner gets one free meal a day for the next month.”

She is a beautiful woman. Her sandy blond hair is swept up on top of her head and has a pen sticking out of the back. It looks like she just grabbed a hair tie on the go and quickly pulled it back. Her face is free of makeup except for maybe a dash of blush and a quick swipe of mascara. She has beautiful blue eyes. They are a deep blue with a hint of a lighter blue around the outside. They kind of remind me of what a blue moon would look like if the moon actually turned blue during its second rare full moon of the month. The shirt she has on is a white button up with pleats running down the sides. On the top left side, right above her breast, is a white name tag that reads 'Anna'. She has on a pair of violet colored skinny jeans. Her shoes are standard white Keds.

She reaches out her hand and says, “Hi, I'm Anna.”

Not wanting to appear rude, I settle my hand in hers. “Bailey.”

“Well, hi Bailey, nice to meet you. What can I get for you tonight?” I can tell that she is an extremely happy and energetic person. She smiled the entire time she talked and bounced on her heels. I can never understand how some people are always happy and on the go. I can never remember a time in my life when I was truly and utterly happy. My childhood was filled with verbal and physical abuse. My one saving grace that kept me sane while I was a child was that I could one day escape it all. Little did I know that I would be jumping from the frying pan and into an inferno. Actually, it was worse than an inferno, I jumped straight into hell. A hell that scarred me, literally and figuratively, for the rest of my life. A hell that I had no means to escape from. A hell that I was still being forced to live in.

I release her hand and decide on something simple and cheap for my dinner. “I'll take the burger and fries, please.”

“And to drink?” She asks while taking out a notepad from her apron and pulling the pen from her hair.

“Water,” I reply, trying to go as cheap as I could. Most restaurants don't charge for water and I’m hoping Maggie's Diner is one of those places.

Anna scribbles on her little notepad, sticks the pen back in her hair and says “I'll have it right out for you.” Still smiling, she turns and flounces away.

A little dazed from my encounter with the exuberant waitress, I glance around at my surroundings. I notice that the young couple seated in a booth a couple of places over from me to the left is staring at each other with stars in their eyes. They can’t be more than 16 or 17 years old, but you can tell they are completely infatuated with each other. When I was just a few years their senior, I too thought that I had found something special and lasting. After college graduation it didn't take long for me to realize my hopes and dreams were all an illusion.

Looking to my right, I find one of the older men has turned around to look at me. He looks to be in his 70's. His hair is as white as salt with just barely there hints of pepper. His skin is wrinkled and sagging and his cheeks have that sunken in look. The arm that he has draped across the back of the booth is skin and bones. He’s wearing a green and gray plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up to just below his elbow.

“Why do you wear your hair in your face like that, little girl?” He asked in a well-used and scratchy voice.

I sit there stunned and speechless at his inquiry. Not many people ask that question of me. I don't know if it’s because they don't notice, they don't care, or they don't want to offend me. This old man threw me for a loop and I don't know how to respond. Luckily, the old buzzard’s equally old friend rescues me from coming up with an answer.

“Jack, don't ask the girl that, it's none your business,” he scolds his friend. He can't have been more opposite in looks than the first old man named Jack. Where Jack is a bag of bones, his friend has maybe 50 pounds too many. He has thinning hair and it’s solid gray. He has on a pair of old coveralls with a deep blue button up on underneath.

Jack turns and looks at his friend. “What? I just don't understand why a pretty girl like her would want to cover up that face. She should pull her hair back so we can all enjoy her beauty.” He turns back towards me with his eyebrows puckered in concentration.

“Jack! Don't talk to her like that! Can't you see you’re scaring the poor thing?” Says the unknown friend.  Bringing his eyes back to me he continues, “Don't mind him, he's very simple minded and if he comes across something he doesn't understand he lets others know. He's never learned how to curb his tongue.”

“Hey, I take offense to that, you old goat. There's nothin’ wrong with tryin’ to bring the girl out of her shell. It's obvious she's a shy little thing and just needs a little push to get moving.”

Jack's friend looks to the ceiling and rolls his eyes. When he looks back at me he says, “I'm Jake and this here nosy body is Jack.”

I bite my lip, trying not to smile. I really have no inclination to get to know anybody here in this town. I won’t be here long enough to form any type of friendships before I have to move on to another no name place. But these two old men are hard to resist. It’s plain to see that they have been friends for a long time, probably more years than I'd been alive. They both compliment each other. Where Jack is gruff, grouchy, and way too outspoken, the other is kind, considerate, and keeps his manners.

A little smile forms on my lips and I introduce myself. “Hello, I'm Bailey.”

“Very nice to meet you, little lady,” replies Jake.

“Yeah, good to meet ya.” This from Jack, which he follows up with, “What brings you to our little town?”

I’m saved from answering his, once again, nosy question when Anna comes back with my water.

She places my water down on the table in front of me, props her hands on her hips, and turns towards Jack and Jake's table. “Alright Jack, I won't be having you harassing my customers again. Leave this nice lady alone and get back to your dinner.”

Jake winks at me while Jack turns back to his table while grumbling, “I was just trying to make conversation. Can't a body inquire about a new person in town?”

Anna turns back towards me and says, “I apologize about that. He may be a bit overbearing at times but he's completely harmless.”

“That's okay.”

“I could tell by the look on your face that he was making you uncomfortable. Next time, just tell him to put a sock in it.”

Jack grunts.

My lips twitch.

Anna smiles and tells me my food will be out soon and then she walks up to Nick, gives him another quick kiss, and slips back behind the counter.

I grab my purse and pull out the cheap disposable cell phone I bought at the beginning of my trip. I know until Chris hears from me, she will be on pins and needles. I promised her I would call or text her daily just to let her know I was okay and where I was. She’s been my lifeline through this whole mess. I don't know where I would be if it weren’t for her. Hell, I don't even know if I would still be alive if it weren’t for her. We've been friends since third grade and she has saved me more times than I can count. If it weren't for her I would still be stuck with Steven living in my daily dose of hell. She was the one who helped me escape. She is the one that gave me the courage to make a stand and metaphorically say no to Steven. I say metaphorically because there is no way I could ever say no to his face.

I shudder at the thought of the repercussions I would receive from Steven if I ever worked up the courage to stand up to him.

My text to Chris is short, just letting her know I was in Jaded Hollow, Ohio and that I would be staying here for a while. She knows my cash is running low. Between the two of us, we were able to scrounge up a whopping $5,534 for me to travel on. That may sound like a lot to some, but when you’re constantly on the go it disappears fast. Most of the money came from her, which I refused in the beginning because she is a struggling full-time waitress. Unfortunately, due to certain circumstances, she had to put off going to college for a few years. Her waitressing gig is what’s paying her way through college. She kept insisting and I finally realized that I had no choice. It was either take her money and run or end up dead. And I knew one of the times Steven lost it, he would end up killing me.

So, while Steven was at one of his “meetings” I checked myself out of the hospital early. Chris took me to get a cheap car and I loaded it up with as much of my stuff as I could. Just outside of town my first stop was a cell phone store in a strip mall to purchase a cheap non-traceable phone. My next stop was a gas station to fill the gas tank in my car and I vamoosed. I was gone, hoping and praying, into thin air. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Steven caught up with me two weeks after I left.

My thoughts are interrupted when my cell pings with an incoming text. I know it was from Chris, she was the only one that has my number.

Chris: Please be careful and keep a close look out. Keep me posted daily. Love you.

Me: I will, I promise. Love you too.

I slip my phone back into my purse just as Anna walks up to the table carrying my food. “Here ya go, sweetie.” She says when she sets my burger and fries in front of me. My stomach rumbles at the sight of it.

I blush and peek up at Anna, who is still standing at the table watching me. When I do, my hair falls away from my face and exposes a small portion of my scar. Although she recovers quickly and tries to conceal it, I hear Anna gasp. This is a typical reaction, so I ignore it.

I lower my head, so my hair falls back into place and slowly raise it back up to glance at her. I decide I might as well start my job search.

Tentatively, I ask, “Do you know of any places around here that are hiring? The only experience I really have is bartending and housekeeping.”

Her expression is troubled. She’s biting her bottom lip while she considers my question. After several seconds her eyes light with excitement and she nearly shouts, “Yes! I know just the place!”

Although I know I need a job I am a little leery at her excitement. I mean, seriously? How can someone become so excited about the prospect of referring someone to a possible job opportunity? Something else is going on here and it makes me nervous and cautious.  I decide right then to watch myself around Anna. She’s sweet and seems like a nice girl and I already like her, but she also seems mischievous.

Once she is done bouncing on her heels in her excitement she looks at me with her eyes dancing merrily and says, “Jaxon's Pub needs a bartender. Do you know where it is?”

Yes, I know where it is. I remember driving right past it on my way into town. It was the bar with the motorcycles out front. My previous experience in bartending was back home at an upscale restaurant called ‘The Bryler.’ There was a bar in the restaurant. It’s independently owned by a local family. I worked there while I was in college to help pay for my education. It was there that I met Steven. He was there for a meeting with a client and I had the misfortune of being the bartender on duty. Working in a high-class restaurant was a lot different than working in a rugged bar. I’m not picky though. I know I need a job and am willing to give just about anything a try.

“Yes, thank you, I know where it is.” I tell her and give a little smile.

She returns my smile with a big one of her own and says, “Just tell Jax I sent you over. And don't let him scare you off. He can be, let's just say, intimidating at times. Underneath it all he's a good guy, though.”

Her words make me nervous. There is no telling what I could be getting myself into working for this Jax character. I've had enough drama in my life to last a lifetime. I definitely do not need or want more; especially now, with my life in shambles.

With a few more words, where she informs me that Jaxon should be on shift soon, she walks off to take care of her other customers. I look at my food and, with a desperation that’s pathetic, dive right in. It is the best burger and fries I’ve ever eaten.

Once I’m finished, which took all of five minutes, I gather my purse and slide out from the booth. As I make my way to the counter to pay for my meal, I notice Anna standing next to Nick. They are whispering and glancing my way. They quickly avert their eyes when they catch me looking.

Behind the counter is the elderly woman that was with Anna when I first walked in. She came to the register that sat behind the counter. Her name tag shows that Maggie's Diner is her restaurant. She has white, gray hair that she wears in a bun at the nape of her neck. Her eyes are a dark chocolate brown. Upon closer inspection, she appears to be nearing her seventies, rather than the fifties or sixties that I had originally thought. She’s wearing a white button-up short-sleeved shirt, a pair of tan slacks, and completing her outfit is a pair of black nursing shoes. Over her outfit she has the same colored apron as Anna.

“Hi, did you enjoy your meal?” She smiles and asks in a warm and friendly voice.

“Yes, ma'am, I did, thank you.” I return.

I pull out my wallet, grab some money, and hand it to her. After ringing up my total and putting the money in the register she hands me my change.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Come back and see us again soon.” She calls as I start walking away.

I slowly turn back to her and hesitantly tip up my lips a little and say, “Okay.”

I make my way to the door and push through it to go back out into the nippy air. The temperature has dropped a few more degrees since I had been inside so I slid my hands into the front of my hoodie and approach my car. After unlocking it, I climb inside, more exhausted than I was before I ate. I relax against the headrest, preparing myself for the task ahead– talking this Jaxon person into hiring me.

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