GB96 s2 - Onlooker

You don’t know which scares you more: that Stef somehow has more confidence than you do, or if you are the one who inadvertently gave it to her. Of course, none of that is as pressing as the feeling in your temples and your throat as you watch this happening.

The blonde looks up as Stef reaches her booth. You tear your eyes away from the back of Stef’s sweat-stained top and focus on your food, numb and with an empty mind. What is happening? Is this a dream? Are you doing to wake up? No. You’re just going to throw up the five French fries and two bites of sandwich that you ate. You take a drink of sweet tea and clench your fist. It feels like hours. It’s probably more like two minutes.

Stef slides back onto her stool and helps herself to a quarter of your club.

“Her name’s Jessica,” she reports with her mouth full. “She’s a student.”

You might’ve guessed that. She’s not from Gurlberg, obviously.

“That’s it?” you say.

“What do you mean?”

There’s no way that’s all they talked about, but you let it go.

When you climb into Stef’s truck, she sits there for a moment without starting the engine. She’s looking through the window at Jessica, who is deep in her book. So she’s hot and smart? Stef has no chance with a girl like that. You need to chill. Stef is just going to embarrass herself.

Feeling a little better, you head back to work. On the way, you pass an ambulance hauling ass. You twist in your seat, frowning, watching it go.

“Stef,” you say.

“Huh?” Stef is driving, but she’s in another world. You pull into the gravel parking lot of the shop, finding everything looking the way that you left it. You climb down from the truck, suddenly wishing that you’d eaten more of your meal. It will be a while until dinner and you have no snacks.

You head into the office as Stef stretches her arms over her head, yawning. She vanishes into the shop.

You take your seat at the desk and turn on your fan. Barely a minute later, Stef sticks her head in.

“Hey,” she says. “Where’s Dad?”

“Huh?”

“Is he in the bathroom?”

You look at the bathroom door, which is standing open. You shake your head. Frowning, you stand up and go to the front door. Mr. Gibson’s truck is out front. You and Stef exchange a look, then wordlessly head outside, moving around to check behind the shop. There’s no reason for him to be back there, but you check anyway. If he’d gone somewhere, he would’ve closed up the shop and left a note. He knew you were coming back.

Something’s gone, though. That motorcycle. Mr. Gibson fixed it yesterday. It’s not here anymore. You remember the ambulance.

“Stef, he might’ve been in that ambulance,” you say worriedly.

“What ambulance?”

“Did you not see it?” No. She was thinking about Jessica. “Close up. We have to get to the hospital.”

That sinks in. She stares at you.

“Oh shit,” she says.

“Stef! Keys!”