He hears Caroline through the door. Derrick? Everything okay in there?
He imagines Caroline twirling her hair with her skinny fingers. She does this when she’s nervous, looking at the shelves and realizing the Rice-A-Roni isn’t where it's supposed to be.
Derrick shouts that he’s fine, he’ll be right out.
One last look in the mirror. His face looks weathered, some conch shell that’s been brought back and forth for years, knocked around, picked up, stepped on and broken. He splashes cold water on his face. His pores open and sting. Derrick steps out of the bathroom. His tongue catches the falling water that drips down to his lips. It tastes fresh. It gives him the tiniest bit of something other than humiliation.
And there’s Caroline. She stares, but steps aside, lets him walk past her so he …show more content…
She has a lollipop stuck in her mouth and hums along with a pop song that’s playing. Derrick watches her, her joy from the sugar, from the music. So simple, yet, something he should learn from. She turns, catches him staring, but he doesn't look away. Caroline takes the candy out of her mouth. The pop is red, but he sees pink bubble gum hidden in the middle. Today is the first time she hasn't told one of her stories or followed him around.
Why don’t you head home Derrick, she says. I can finish cleaning and lock up.
He nods, signs out of the register. He thinks about thanking her for being her, but instead he tells her to have a good night. It’s Saturday. He rarely sees her at Cleary’s or The Harp and he's intrigued then, with Caroline and everyone like Caroline. What do they do? What makes them feel good and worthy?
He's back on the road. He walks slow. Uncertain.
He knows the boys are probably back at Tim’s, expecting him to show up at any minute. He wonders what to do. Home or Tim’s. Home or Tim’s. His heart beats faster when he comes to the end of Main Street. Take a right, head to Tim’s. Take a left, just go
He imagines Caroline twirling her hair with her skinny fingers. She does this when she’s nervous, looking at the shelves and realizing the Rice-A-Roni isn’t where it's supposed to be.
Derrick shouts that he’s fine, he’ll be right out.
One last look in the mirror. His face looks weathered, some conch shell that’s been brought back and forth for years, knocked around, picked up, stepped on and broken. He splashes cold water on his face. His pores open and sting. Derrick steps out of the bathroom. His tongue catches the falling water that drips down to his lips. It tastes fresh. It gives him the tiniest bit of something other than humiliation.
And there’s Caroline. She stares, but steps aside, lets him walk past her so he …show more content…
She has a lollipop stuck in her mouth and hums along with a pop song that’s playing. Derrick watches her, her joy from the sugar, from the music. So simple, yet, something he should learn from. She turns, catches him staring, but he doesn't look away. Caroline takes the candy out of her mouth. The pop is red, but he sees pink bubble gum hidden in the middle. Today is the first time she hasn't told one of her stories or followed him around.
Why don’t you head home Derrick, she says. I can finish cleaning and lock up.
He nods, signs out of the register. He thinks about thanking her for being her, but instead he tells her to have a good night. It’s Saturday. He rarely sees her at Cleary’s or The Harp and he's intrigued then, with Caroline and everyone like Caroline. What do they do? What makes them feel good and worthy?
He's back on the road. He walks slow. Uncertain.
He knows the boys are probably back at Tim’s, expecting him to show up at any minute. He wonders what to do. Home or Tim’s. Home or Tim’s. His heart beats faster when he comes to the end of Main Street. Take a right, head to Tim’s. Take a left, just go