I am sitting on our worn out sofa, flipping through channels mindlessly, when Katy decided to interrupt by dropping a box right at my feet. She looks at me with her arms crossed and her hip popped to the side like a disapproving mother.

I look at her with expectancy, clearly annoyed that my TV time is being so rudely interrupted. "Can I help you?" I am really not in the mood for her to become miss I'm-the-boss right now. Especially after my break down in the shower. My hair is still damp from the episode and all I want is to drown my mind in cartoons or a good movie. Something to distract myself.

I guess that's too much to ask...

"Are you really going to sit there and watch TV while I unpack all these boxes?" she shifts her hip to the other side while uncrossing her arm and placing one hand on her hip. She can't be serious.

"Umm... yeah, I kinda was." Now I'm crossing my arms and looking at her expectantly, "I figured you'd get one of your buff pig friends to help out since this was all of their idea anyways."

She rolls her eyes, "look, I don't like this anymore than you do, but there is nothing either one of us can do to change it. How about you help me unpack and when we are done we can go check out the town." Her eyes soften and her demeanor changes.

I know she doesn't want to be here either, but that doesn't change the fact that she is. I know she is trying. She will learn eventually that she is just wasting her time trying to get me to like the situation.

"Yeah, that's not happening. You see, we," i gesture to the two of us, "are not friends. We will never be friends. I'm not gonna go to town and take a stroll with you like we have known each other our whole lives. I'm not gonna break bread with you at the table and pretend all of this is all fine and dandy." I cross my legs and look past her, deciding the conversation is over. I start flipping through channels again even though her legs are blocking half of the screen.

I'm starting to think she will get the hint, until she snatches to remote from my hand, "hey!" she is making a big mistake.

"Listen here you little brat, in case you forgot, you are the one who signed the deal. You are the one that caused this whole chain reaction in the first place. I don't want to be here with you either, but here we are. Now it's time to reap what you sow. get off your ass and help me unpack, now."

I stand up in a flash and get right up to your face, "you wanna say that again?"

"You don't scare me," she snickers. She confidently gets even closer so we are but inches from each other. "In fact, I pity you. You like to put on this tough girl act, but we all know you are nothing but a coward."

I start to see red and with one flick of my jaw all of the cabinets go flying open, making loud banging noises as the doors swing. The boxes then pop open and all the packing peanuts go flying everywhere. The windows fly open, and the wind starts to swirl the peanuts around the room just with the slight raise of my hand. All this time i maintain eye contact with the calm ginger in front of me, "You sure you're not scared, Katy?" I basically growl at her.

But she doesn't cower away, she doesn't beg for my forgiveness. No, she actually smirks.

The fucking nerve.

"yes, Adeline. I'm not scared of you because if you were really as tough as you think you are, you would turn your little trick off and face me like a real women." She then takes a step back and looks around her at the ciaos I have started. She then scoffs, almost like she is laughing at what she sees, "Only a coward would bring a knife to a fist fight."

I look at her with such red in my eyes I think they might have actually changed color. I feel the darkness taking over. She knows I cant hurt her and that angers me to no end. She knows that if I lay a hand on her this whole deal goes out the window. With that in mind I close my eyes tight and lower my hand. With a big breath to get out all the evil, I feel everything around me fall and become still.

Still trying to remain calm, I open my eyes once I hear footsteps walking away. I see Katy walk towards the bathroom like nothing happened. "I'm taking a shower. I expect you to have a better attitude when I get out." She then walks right through the door and closes it without another word.

I look around at the mess of packing peanuts and boxes everywhere.

Fuck this...

I grab the key to the apartment and the new phone I was given before I left the hospital and headed to the door.

Don't worry Katy, me and my attitude will be back eventually. 

~*~*~*~*

I start my walk to the town since it did not seem far enough to take the car. I also wanted to clear my head, and driving didn't seem the best way to do that. Especially since I can't promise I wont stop driving if I get behind the wheel.

I walk for a good 10 minutes before I find the street I saw earlier with the shops. There is a hardware store, a few restaurants, a market, and I think I even see a little movie theater. I find myself gravitating towards the bakery I saw earlier with the old women. It is a sweet little shop with pink and blue colors around the sign that reads Gram's Cookies. I can smell fresh bread from the sidewalk and decide to walk in.

There are a few tables with some vintage chairs scattered around, and a large display case at the end with so many colorful and delicious looking goodies. The walls are a soft yellow color, with pink and blue flowers. There is a very old but beautiful chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It is very cozy in this little shop. It is so simple yet so different.

"Hello there darling, can I help you at all?" My head shots up to the gentle voice that just addressed me. Behind the counter is a small old women with curly grey hair and glasses. She is wearing the biggest smile and seems so happy. I step forward a bit to the counter.

"Is this your shop?" she gives me a confused look but never stops smiling.

"Oh dear, you're not from around here, are you?" I stop in my tracks, a little taken back that she can tell that I'm new to town just by a simple question.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Only because everyone in town knows who I am. I get kids walking in here that say hello to me like they have known me their whole life." She then bends down to grab a rag. I don't miss that she struggles to get back up from her position. "What's your name sweetheart?"

I open my mouth to answer but stop myself. I reevaluate my answer before I slip up, then I answer, "Adeline. How about you?"

"Adeline," she repeats, as if to test it on her tongue., "what a beautiful name. My name is Greta, but you can just call me Gram. or GG, whichever you prefer." She starts to wipe down the counter. Every move she makes seems to take a little extra effort from her, even wiping down a table and bending over. "Now, would you like anything, dear?"

I walk over to the case full of pastries to look at the options, "These all look great, but I just came to look around."

She stops wiping the counter and waves me off, "oh nonsense, no one can resist a good chocolate treat!" she basically laughs it off like what I said was so ridiculous it was funny.

"Sorry to take up your time ma'am, but I really did just come to check out the town. I don't even have any money on me." I shrug my shoulders and turn to begin my way back to the streets.

"Adeline, darling," Greta calls to me. I turn slightly to look at the little old women in front of me, waiting for her to continue. "How old are you?" I turn fully so i'm facing her completely.

"I'm 22."

She smiles gently, "Where are you from?"

"Houston, Texas." I say, recalling the file containing all of my new information.

"So you just moved here, you have no money, and I'm assuming no job, and you are just walking around aimlessly around town?" she looks at me as if she is amused by all of this.

"Umm, Yes?" I can't tell if she is suspicious of any of this or not. Not to mention I don't even have a southern accent.

She stands there analyzing me, with a slight smirk on her face. She then looks down and goes to grab something from under the counter. She struggles to get up, but does it quicker than before. She then throws an article of clothing at me. I catch it with ease and go to unfold it, looking at her with confusion and suspicion. What are you up to, Greta?

I finally unfold the piece of clothing to find a... apron? Okay, now I'm really confused. I look up at Greta to find her back to me as she starts to fill the coffee machine on the back counter. She speaks as she works, "Shop opens at 6am for the morning rush. We close at 6pm in time for dinner. You can come in around 1pm to watch the counter while I go bake for the next day."

I look at her stunned. At a lost for words, I just continue to stare at her till she turns back around to look at me. "Close your mouth sweetie, you'll catch flies."

I shut my mouth and seem to find my words again, "I don't understand. I didn't ask for a job."

Greta giggles a bit before wiping her hands on her apron and turn fully to look at me again. "I am aware of that darling, but you need money, and I need some help around here. I'm not sure if you noticed, but I am quite old," she laughs.

I just continue to look at her in confusion, "but you don't even know me." How can she trust a complete stranger who just walked into her store no more than 10 minutes ago? I could be an ex felon, or a murderer. Yet, she trusts me enough to hire me on the spot.

She looks at me fondly, with some kind of emotion in her eyes I haven't seen in so long, "I don't need to know you to know you could use a little good in your life." She walks around the counter to make her way towards me as she speaks, "You haven't smiled not once since you walked through the door, and I can't bare to see someone so young and beautiful hurting."

I look down at my feet, embarrassed with myself. The memory of a little girl with yellow curls come floating in my mind. I close my eyes tight and shake my head gently to create a blank canvas in my mind. With my eyes still shut and my head still down, I just had to ask, "Why?"

I finally look up from my feet at the small 5 foot women in front of me. She gives me a soft smile before replying, "You remind me of my granddaughter." She then looks down a little, as if remembering something. She then turns back to the counter while saying, "I'll see you tomorrow at 1pm, Adeline."