Chapter Two

“It was refreshing to know someone had taught Angel something good for once. And hey, if that someone is me, then so be it.” Shawn was sitting across Amerson for a midnight cup of coffee in the Donut and Desert Diner.
“Why do you care so much?” Amerson asked, clutching the mug close to his blue and white striped polo.
“If someone doesn’t...who will?”
“I don’t think thats the point, Shawn. You’re so distant from yourself that you're only taking care of her.”
Shawn got up from the booth and walked towards the ladies room, not even excusing herself from the table. She lethargically took her heels off, splashed herself with some water from the sink, and took a deep breath. Her endless changing shifts made her sleep schedule all whack and it was taking its toll on her. She leaned awkwardly up against the sink as she put her heels back on and returned to Amerson, now on his phone and sliding out of the seat to head out front. Shaw threw her hands up in the air, trying to get Amerson’s attention. She had no money to pay the bill, regardless of the cost and was thankful to approach a receipt Amerson had taken care of. Amerson finally signaled back his index finger for needing a moment. She began tapping her fingernails against the table impatiently, looking around at her surroundings. The sound of coffee pots clanking with teaspoons and other silverware came to the conclusion that someone was scrubbing away for their pay. There was a neon light flashing “OPEN” that caught her short spanned attention.
In the distance by his Toyota Camry, Amerson was taking a call. Shawn grew too impatient, for she was the one who liked to be waited for, not waited on. She picked up her keys out of her purse and silently thanked herself for parking on the opposite side of Amerson that night.
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After the Halloween letdown, Shawn still had to figure out how to convince the Randall’s to let her keep her stay the the Janzen RV Park. Especially after the way she responded to Leah’s comments, Shawn lost hope in the chances. Nevertheless, Shawn called to set up an appointment, since the Randall’s were constantly busy with those incoming or exiting the premises. It was set for a specific date that she had already made plans with Angel, but Shawn forgotten to let Angel know she wouldn’t be following through.
On that particular afternoon, Angel walked in Shawn’s motor home like she normally did. Since Shawn “never had time to eat”, Angel thought it would be nice to take care of Shawn for once. She rummaged the ice box for something, but there was only the half empty gallon of milk Amerson had gulped down prior. Angel went to the pantry next and found some soup she could put together. She tended to warming it up, until a knock interrupted. It was one of the solicitors that weren’t banned yet due to the Randall’s busy schedule. Angel didn’t say anything so the solicitors continued to talk. After a while, Angel began to ask a few questions, stuttering and taking her time while doing so. They were so lost in the conversation that it made Angel forget about the pot on the stove, boiling over now.
Shawn had not known that Bentley had been anyway involved with Angel other than the few times she had brought her along for bowling or the occasional movie. Shawn and Bentley were inseparable, yet the way Bentley had been mistreating Angel was yet to be revealed.
“So? How’d it go?” Shawn jumped headfirst towards the seat of Bentley’s vehicle, and began hitting the seat with her hands as her legs remained standing on the curb. She began uncontrollably laughing. When she caught her breath she then continued.
“All went well, I think. Now let’s celebrate!” She swung herself up with the handle above her seat, bucked up as he put his truck in drive.
“Hey Shawn, proud of you.” He leaned to kiss her cheek, but she was biting her lip, the familiar expression that screamed anxiety so well from her. They drove into town, passing the streets they had memorized like the back of their hands.
“Amerson and I had a talk last night...” Her voice trailed off. Bentley put his foot on the gas even more so than it already was, their speed accelerating. He turned up the radio dial and began to make jerky turns to their destination.
“Hey! Hey babe, listen to this!” Shawn didn’t even like the song playing and by him pulling this string, Shawn reacted with vigorous honking on his horn. Bentley pulled into a gas station with the most harsh turn yet. He put the truck in park, its rumbling of the engine representing the tension that was rumbling underneath their souls.
“I think it is time you pull yourself together and quit that s**t!” He slammed his fists against the dashboard. She jumped in fright of the sudden pounding.
“It’s just...” Shawn began shaking her head in exasperation, looking out at the people in the gas station’s windows.
“It’s just what?” He took his keys out of the ignition.
“If I didn’t have to be here, I wouldn’t.” Shawn stared at the stream of cars entering to fill up their tank. It was interesting to see how many people just strolled through, while Shawn felt stuck.
“What do you mean? Once you had had that talk with Pushover Randall, we can have our friends over, they always make this s**t town better babe.”
Shawn laughed in response. “Can have our friends over? I think you mean you can have your junkies to party with.”
Bentley shrugged. “Hey, not all of them are my type, but Amerson does bring ‘em over for some umph.”
“Some umph? Oh this, this? This is what you care about?”
“Damn Shawn, you act like you’ve been living under a rock.”
“I’ve heard some rumours that someone was partying over at Angel’s. Who, may I remind you, is not even a teenager! Now, I didn’t ask her if that was true, but I swear if it was-”
“For F**k’s sake, the girl doesn’t even talk. How exactly do you plan on getting a response?” Bentley opened the door to his truck, shut it and began mouthing “I can’t hear you”, while Shawn was yelling at him through the truck window. She got out and ran to his side, took his keys out of hand and walked angrily away.
“So you want to act like some victim. Just wait! There’s always a crime with the story and it’ll be here soon!” Bentley waved towards her back and spat some of his tobacco chew on the ground before pulling out a backup set of keys and pulling out of the gas station.
It was sunset when Shawn had left Bentley at the gas station. It was dark now and the weather had a bitter chill to it. Luckily, one of Shawn’s coworkers saw her walking and offered her to tag along. Shawn got in and starting to warm her hands by the air vent.
“So, where? I have everything back at-”
“Don’t worry!”
Shawn lifted her hands in protest.
“Why not?” Her co worker smiled at her. Shawn nodded her head in response as they raced towards the night.