Top Dog

“Beetles and no freaky shit? I kicked his ass to the curb.”

“I take it back. That story was totally worth it.”

“Told you it would be. Now, I don’t have much work for you to do today. There are some new things that got dropped off yesterday that need to be unpacked and cleaned. That alone should take you up until Lily’s out of school. I’ll get them on the shelves before I leave, and tomorrow, you can run inventory. Sound good my dear?”

“Sounds good. I’ll get to work.”

The hours flew by much quicker than I thought they would, and I was ready to go get Lily. I wanted to hear all about her teacher and her first day of school. I hoped she made friends and wasn’t too abrasive for them. She had an attitude on her sometimes and could get really sassy if she wanted. I wanted her to have a good time in school, to enjoy herself and make memories and forge friendships she’d have for a lifetime.

Like the friendship I had with Nicole.

“Mommy! Mommy! Look at what I did!”

Lily came running into my arms with a painting clutched in her tiny little hand.

“Oh, did you paint something? Let me see,” I said.

“It’s a turtle,” she said. “We have a turtle in class.”

“That’s so awesome. But why’s the turtle red?”

“Because he should be red. Green’s boring. Red’s funner.”

“More fun,” I corrected. “Well, let’s go celebrate your first day of school.”

“With ice cream?” she asked.

“All the toppings.”

“Yay!”

I piled us both into the car, and Lily kept kicking the back of my seat from excitement. I tried to get her to stop as I put the car in reverse, but the more I asked, the harder she kicked. I checked all my mirrors before I started backing out the car, making sure no one was in my way.

But a strong kick to the middle of the seat startled me, forcing my foot down on the gas.

“Lily!”

I heard a deafening crunch as Lily began to whimper. I was shaking I whipped my head around. Lily seemed to be okay, but I had plowed into someone’s truck behind me.

Did they not see me pulling out?

I got out of my car and pulled Lily’s door open. She had tears streaming down her cheeks, and I leaned in to kiss them away. I wiped away her tears and checked her body, making sure there really was nothing wrong with her.

But not before I heard a rumbling voice behind me.

“Really?” he asked.

I stood up from my car and studied the man in front of me. I recognized him from the brief times I’d seen him outside of his place. It was my neighbor that the town couldn’t shut up about.

I watched his eyes study his truck. His hand ran lightly over the dent I’d created with my taillight. I saw his jaw clenching with anger, but he wasn’t turning his anger on me.

What was with this guy?

His eyes were filled with a familiar sense of emotion, a type of hurt mixed with anger I’d seen in my own eyes every time I looked in the mirror. His fingers drifted over his truck, almost like he was comforting it during its time of need.

The truck must’ve meant something to him, and it made me feel even more like crap for hitting it.

“I’m so sorry,” I said.