SNOW GLOBE (3 page)

“I want her ass fired,” the mother said. “I’m never shopping here again. Come on.” She grabbed the child’s arm and dragged her behind her. The poor kid had to run to keep up, but she stared at Aja as she was pulled along.

The manager followed her out. “I’m terribly sorry ma’am, let me give you a shopping pass for your next visit.”

The woman kept walking. “Yeah, you better.”

“Why is she getting freebies after beating her kid?” Aja yelled after them. A small group of people had gathered but no one said anything.

Aja angrily picked up the clothes she’d dropped. Her manager stormed into the dressing room.

“That’s the last straw, Aja. I’m going to have to let you go.”

“What? Why?”

“You can’t talk to a customer like that.”

“She was beating her kid.”

“That wasn’t your business.”

“Then whose business is it? If she’s smacking her kid in public, what do you think she does at home? We should report her.” Aja held the clothes to her chest.

“It’s not just that. You’re always late, and you don’t come to work dressed properly.” He put his hands on his hips. “You’re a liability. What if that woman sues?”

“For what? Beating her kid?’

“Aja, I’m sorry, you’re fired.”

Aja tossed her armload of clothes to the floor and made sure to step on them as she stormed off.

Chapter 4

Aja wandered around the mall. She needed to call her mom. She hated that she left her cell phone in her race to escape. She would not go back to Abercrombie to use their phone. Pay phones were scarce so she looked around for a friendly face, someone who might be willing to let her make a call. She found an empty table at the food court and sat sulking about being fired. She scanned the crowd, hoping to find that mother so she could give her a real piece of her mind.

“Hey, Aja. Are you on break?”

Aja looked up to see Javier, one of the workers at Sonic in the food court and a student at her school. He was also Taylor’s boyfriend.

“No, I just got fired.”

“Bummer. What happened?”

Aja filled him in on what happened. “Plus my car is so unreliable that I’m always late anyway.”

“Good luck finding another job.” Javier sipped on a drink. “Most of my friends can’t find any work, and if they do, they’re only given about eight hours a week. Not enough to even put gas in your car.” He offered her a French fry. “Cool skirt, you just get that?”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“The price tag is still hanging off it. Not that I’m checking you out or anything.”

“I should smear French fry grease on it and take it back,” Aja smiled.

“Hey, you did the right thing.”

“Thanks.” Aja took a fry and ate it. “Can I borrow your phone? I need to call my mom for a ride.”

“Sure.” Javier fished his cell phone from his pocket. “I’d offer to take you home when I get off, but Taylor would probably freak out.”

“Yeah, she’s modeling the clothes tonight at Abercrombie.”

Javier nodded. “Good. She was thinking you were going to get to do it.”

“Me?” Aja dialed the phone and waited for her mom to pick up.

“You give her a run, since you’re pretty hot.” He held the French fry bag out.

“Thanks,” Aja said, grabbing another greasy fry. People often told her she was “so pretty,” but she never made any popular lists. Aja tried her mom’s cell; it went right to voice mail. Some nights her mom sang with a folk group. Aja couldn’t remember if her mom said she had a gig tonight or was she at one of her human right’s protest? Aja didn’t want to walk home in the dark and in uncomfortable shoes. She opened her purse and took Walker’s phone number from her purse and debated calling him.

“Hey, don’t use all my minutes,” Javier scolded. “My parents are already on me for using it too much.”

“I’ll be quick,” Aja said, and dialed Walker’s number.

He picked up on the first ring.

“Walker, hey, this is Aja.”

“I was hoping you’d call.”

“I hate to ask you this, but is your offer still good for a ride home?”

“You’re already off work?”

“It’s a long story, but yeah.”

“You seem to have a lot of long stories. I can be there in fifteen minutes. Same place I dropped you off?”

“Sure, thanks.”

Aja handed the phone to Javier. “I owe you, thanks.”

“No problemo. I’m gonna run to see if Taylor is modeling.” He looked at the clock on his phone. “My break’s almost over, and I may have to crack a few heads if I find any guys going gaga over her.” He tossed his almost-f order of fries in the trash as he stood.

Aja licked her lips. Dang, she was starving and seriously considered Dumpster diving for the trashed food. She stood to leave and saw a uniformed police officer ascending the escalator. She froze. He looked very much like the Freddy Krueger cop. She couldn’t imagine them trying to track her at the mall. It was only forty stupid dollars, now less the fifteen bucks she had to spend on the skirt.

The officer turned toward her. It wasn’t him, but Aja still felt like a wanted criminal. Am I going to have to duck and run every time I see a uniform? She sorely wished she hadn’t taken the money. She did not want to go to jail—again.

She took a deep breath and headed to the mall exit to wait for Walker, a guy she’d only met today, didn’t know his last name, and had already seen naked.

My life is too weird
.

Chapter 5

Aja hid in the shadows near the entrance of the mall until she saw Walker’s sky blue Buick pull to the curb.

“Thanks for coming to get me,” Aja said, as she slid into the car.

“Dinner was over and I really didn’t want to stay for dessert bingo anyway,” Walker said, flashing a big grin.

“I don’t know how you deal with all those old people. Don’t they creep you out?”

“No. I really get into talking to them. They’re interesting. I mean, it’s like having a personal history book.” Walker went on. “And I can’t help feeling sorry for some. Their families hardly ever visit.”

“So you really are a nice guy,” Aja said, leaning back in the car seat to look at him.

Walker nodded, laughing. “Yeah, but don’t tell too many people. It’ll ruin my incredibly cool image. Like driving my grandparent’s Buick. Way cool.” He stopped at a light. “What happened at work? You weren’t there more than two hours.”

“I got fired.” Aja tugged at her skirt.

“Long story?”

Aja sighed. “It’s pretty stupid, really. Some lady was smacking her kid around and I yelled at her.” Aja told Walker the ugly details. “My manager was looking for an excuse to get rid of me anyway.”

Walker watched Aja as she told her story. A car horn beeped behind them. The light had turned green.

“That’s a great reason to get fired,” Walker said, driving through the intersection. He gave a friendly wave to the driver behind him. “You totally did the right thing.”

“Tell that to my bank account.”

“So let me get this straight. You’re a wanted criminal, a fugitive from the law. You’re a hothead employee who can’t hold down a job. And you have a bunch of long stories to tell.” Walker smiled and kept looking ahead at the road. “Do you want to go get some coffee or something?”

“Sure,” Aja said, warming up to him. “Did you happen to eat all of my coffee cake?”

“If I’m going to have to share the cake with you, then maybe I should just take you home.” Walker grinned.

“I’ll bet if you pose naked again Mrs. Wells will make you another one.”

They decided on a Starbucks and took the foil package of cake in with them.

Sitting at a table sipping tea, Aja asked, “What are you studying?”

Walker leaned back and sighed. “Good question. So far I’m just getting my basics done, but I’m pretty interested in history and art. And I love writing. Let’s just say I have no idea.” He pinched off a buttery chunk of cake and took a bite. “What about you?” he asked with a full mouth.

Aja shrugged. “If I can get out of high school, then I’m thinking about heading to the West Coast.”

“To go to school?”

“Eventually.”

Walker’s phone rang. He looked at caller ID and frowned. He hit the cancel button and put the phone in his pocket.

“Screening your calls?” Aja asked.

“Yeah, sort of.” Walker changed the subject. “What do you mean
if
you get out of high school?”

Aja told Walker about the meeting at school she overheard. “I probably won’t get my diploma, thanks to that jerk of a principal.”

“So you’re living on the edge, huh?” He sipped his coffee. “Most principals are jerks anyway. Part of the job description.”

“I don’t mean to be a problem, but trouble seems to follow me.” Aja looked out the window. “I just want to get the hell out of Dodge, but I don’t have enough money to cross state lines.” Aja stirred her tea. “And now I’m unemployed.”

“You could be a nude model.” Walker smiled.

Aja giggled. “Yeah, in front of my mother and her friends. That’s about the creepiest idea ever.”

He shook his head. “If my mother ever found out…” He let the comment hang.

“Yeah, I doubt most moms would approve of nude modeling.”

He scrunched his face. “She’s too proper and uptight.”

Aja thought of her own mother. Hiring teenage nude models. Didn’t people get arrested for that? “No, she’s probably just normal.” Aja sighed and looked away. Wondered how she’d have turned out if she grew up in a real home with a real family.

Walker changed the subject. “You should apply at the nursing home where my grandparents are. They really need help there. Plus, you’d really love all the residents.”

“I don’t think so. I can’t relate to kids or old people.”

“Sure you can. Didn’t you just rescue a kid today?”

“Not the same thing. I didn’t have to wipe drool and snot off her face.” Aja shook her head. “I don’t have what it takes to change diapers—old or young.” She grimaced. “Yuck.”

“Two waitresses quit, so I know you’d get hired for that. No diapers. Maybe a little drool though. Especially when they put their dentures on the table on soup night.”

“Ugh, no thanks.”

“Think about it. You’d be perfect. The residents would love you.” Walker’s phone rang again. He punched the button without even looking at the caller ID.

“Important call?” Aja asked.

Walker got serious and looked at Aja. He sighed and said, “Long story.”

Aja noticed his mood shifted down-gear after the call. “Thanks again for driving me home. I owe you.”

“Hey, my pleasure. It was fun.” Walker stood and threw their cups away. “Maybe we could do it again sometime.”

Aja nodded, hesitant. She was reluctant to get involved with someone who could waylay her plans.

“And I hope you really consider a job at the retirement center. You’d enjoy it.”

“No way.” Aja shook her head emphatically. “Not in a million years.”

Chapter 6

Two days later, after school, Aja sat in the HR office of the Golden Leaves Retirement Community. The director of the home was reviewing her job application. Frustrated, Aja had not been able to find another job at the mall. Her car was chugging and coughing more than ever. She needed money to get the car fixed, or better yet, buy a newer one. And she had to pay back the stolen money.

Plus, every time she was in the mall applying for jobs, she saw a uniformed officer that she feared was keeping an eye on her.

Principal Carlisle had called her mom, telling her that if Aja didn’t finish her assignments she wouldn’t graduate. They were still considering holding her diploma because of her attendance record and would review her file with the school board. He also said Mrs. Dempsey wanted to press charges but hadn’t yet because the counselor, Mrs. Burnett, had given Dumpster Dempsey the money out of her own pocket. Aja needed to pay her back soon, or
he’d
bring charges against Aja.

Her mom had hung up on Carlisle when he called Aja a bad seed.

Aja could handle the lecture from her mom: “
Stealing is never okay and you reap what you sow. You’ll only create bad karma for yourself.
” Yada, yada. And it was up to Aja to make it right.Her mother insisted Aja take care of it herself. To get out of karma jail.

So, right now she was hoping to get this stupid job with drooly old people. She’d pay back the money, get a car that worked, and be a beach bum. Who needs college anyway?

“And why did you leave your last job?” Edna Jones, the director of the retirement center asked. She was a roly-poly apple of a woman and Aja saw the colors of her aura as a mix of butterscotch yellow and orange. Aja could often see objects in auras if she stared hard enough and if she focused on one object she’d learn what it meant to that person. It was distracting and got her into trouble a lot with teachers thinking she was spacing out in a daydream. Aja shut down the image immediately before any objects came in to focus. “You were only there two months.”