“You know what Christine always chants…” Molly said back. “Bad weather and bad news makes business boom.” Then she shrugged. “I mean, it affected me too.
I didn’t even go to school today. I heard a lot of other students skipped. Like hundreds.”
“Oh, really?” Peter turned to her. “I didn’t know that. You should have told me. I would have covered you.”
“It’s fine.” Molly shook her head. “Seriously. It’s better that I stay busy. I spent the whole morning at home with my mom. It drove me crazy. Plus, there’s no way you could have handled this shift on your own.”
“Were you and Amy friends? Did you actually know her or was she just a girl from school?”
Molly let out a breath, contemplating her answer. “Um, not too close. We were friends. But I hadn’t hung out with her outside of school too much. Except for last Saturday night…”
Peter sat up.
“Wait. You were with her last Saturday?”
Molly stopped herself. Tears developed in her eyes. Peter waited for her to elaborate.
She didn’t.
5
Staying later
Friday, December 17 - 8:02 P.M.
“Excuse me?” a customer interrupted, unaware and uninterested in Molly’s obvious emotions. She was a short, elderly lady, grasping one of the few remaining VHS tapes left in the store – a dusty copy of The Way We Were.
“Yes, ma’am?” Peter responded for Molly. “How can I help?”
“I’m looking for The Way We Were.”
Peter looked down at her copy of the tape that she had in hand. At first, he thought she was messing with him. Then he remembered that little old ladies hardly do such things. After he didn’t say anything, she continued. “…but I can only find it on tape. Don’t you have it on anything newer? My VCR is somewhere in the garage. I would have to call my son Thomas to come and hook it up for me. He’s very good with technology, but his wife just had a baby. My grandson. His name is Oliver James. Do you understand?”
Peter nodded. “We do have it on DVD, ma’am.” He swung around the counter and started to lead her to the romance section. “Let me show you where it is…”
Molly wiped away her remaining tears and let out a grunt of frustration. “I’m a mess.” She turned her back to the counter and pretended to sort the movie returns while she collected her thoughts. The window had a beautiful backdrop of falling snow. It had already snowed more in the past two weeks in Pecos than that past year’s December in total. The quiet flurries served as perfect contrast to her collision of scattered thoughts…
What happened to Amy?
Why would anyone do this?
Maybe it was an accident.
How come Vanderbilt hasn’t gotten back to me?
Or Duke?
What if I have to work here forever?
Molly pulled out her phone. No new college acceptance emails since the last time she checked twenty minutes earlier. Though, why would there be on a Friday night?
“Is this register open?” a voice said from behind her.
Molly turned around to see Alex standing there with a movie sitting in front of him. His smile reassured her.
“Hey, Alex.” She tried to hide her tears, which just ended up highlighting them instead.
“You okay?” he asked.
“It’s been a hard day. A long day. ”
“Absolutely,” he said as he swung around the counter. “It’s been hard for the whole town.” Alex camped out on the counter, Ken’s usual spot. “School was weird today. Everyone was wondering why we didn’t just cancel it. A lot of parents were pretty mad.”
Before she could respond, Peter came back up with the customer and began to ring her up. “…and could I interest you in any of our previously viewed films to take home with you today? You get to keep it forever!” Peter said with a raised index finger. His weak attempt at an upsell.
“…huh?” The old lady looked up from her purse. “Hold on. What do I have to do?”
“Oh. I’m just asking if you wanted to purchase any of our wonderful previously viewed films.” Peter extended his hand out to the tables behind her. “Many of them are on sale right now. And it’s always better to buy than to rent!”
The old lady turned around and looked back at him. Clearly confused. Almost offended.
“I have to buy this movie? I just wanted to rent it. Young man, this is too much for me to handle…”
“Oh, no ma’am. You don’t have to buy this. I meant…nevermind.” Peter rang up the movie and handed it to her on the other side of the sensor. “Have a great evening!”
She moaned on her way out.
“Wow,” Alex said to him. “Solid sales effort there, bro.”
Peter shook his head. “I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I’m not good at that stuff. I feel like I need to do it as the Assistant Manager. But I feel bad. You know?”
Alex laughed. “I’m not sure that lady was your best target audience. You just confused her. She probably thinks she just bought that…”
“Wait. Really?” Peter looked out the window at her. Molly laughed out loud. The first time all day.
“I guess we’ll find out in five days…” Alex smirked. “If it’s not back by Wednesday, we might not ever see it again.”
“Alex.” He turned around to see Christine sitting there with her arms crossed, not happy.
“What did I tell you about getting behind the counter when you’re not on duty?” Christine was clearly not in the same mood as the customers around her. Though someone had to keep all these young staff members in line.
“Oh,” Alex said as he backed up and leaned against the soda cooler. “Sorry. Forgot.”
Christine glared at him. No, you didn’t.
“Molly.” Christine’s stare was as sharp as a blade. “Since Ken isn’t here, I need you to stay on a little later tonight. At least until the night rush is completely clear. Probably around nine or so.”
Molly looked over at Alex, who shrugged. The last person to tell Christine ‘no’ was Ted. He got fired the next day. On Thanksgiving, none the less. They’d been short-staffed since then and the whole team was feeling it.
Molly smiled and nodded.
“Good girl.” Christine half-smiled. “Once we have some more team members here, there won’t be so much on all of us. We just need to pull our extra weight in the meantime. Appreciate it, team.”
“Why aren’t you working?” Christine asked to Alex.
“I wasn’t on the schedule.” Alex pointed to the back break room where the weekly schedule was always posted. “It was Ken tonight. Where is he?”
Christine ignored the question, staring down at her clipboard and jotting down numbers as she looked inside the soda cooler.
“Say, Christine,” Peter spoke up. “Do you really think Molly needs to stick around? I mean, it’s starting to die down a bit. I bet you and I can handle it.” Peter paused as she just stared at him. “I can manage the front of the store without her.” He gave Alex a nod, trying to help.