very scared of this world

Gordy thought if he could close his eyes for a second, it would be a ten minute nap, tops. But he caught himself from snoozing by looking up at the lights at Walgreens.

He wasn't so sure how much more of this job he could take. Of course, it was nice that Delia decided to work the hours with him. He guessed. At least he wasn't alone.

Of course, she'd brought him a hoagie sandwich too. Hence the wanting to sleep part. But she was giving him the eye. The sort of eye that said, "We could do anything you want to do, if you like."

Maybe he was wrong about the look, but probably not. He half grinned back, but he didn't want anything to end, badly. He wasn't so much worried a customer catching them together in the store, but the thought of other horrible things happening.

He clinched his jaw slightly now, wishing he hadn't told Emily his greatest fears about working at Walgreens. The slight chance of a hold up made his stomach tense. At this rate, they would give him something for high blood pressure. He did his best to keep calm.

Just then the entrance door slid open. It was Rosco. It was two in the morning. He came in to pick him up some tums and an energy drink. He strolled down the magazine isle for a bit then ended up getting some more minutes for his cell phone.

"Hey, how you been?" Gordy made small talk. Of course, he felt like he was talking to himself.

"Lousy," Rosco said. "Hadn't heard from my brother in a while."

"Really." Gordy sighed thinking of Bella with Kal. "You think he's all right?"

"Dunno." He shrugged.

"Maybe you should check with Emily, I bet she knows something." Gordy nodded.

Rosco stared at Gordy in silence as if he shouldn't have said her name.

Just then the doors slid open again. This time it was Gordy's mother with Jane.

She started to speak, but stopped. She looked at Rosco which Gordy thought was a little strange. She just couldn't stop staring.

Gordy rang Rosco up. "Hope you get a call from that brother of yours, soon." Gordy handed him some change.

"Mom, whats wrong?" Gordy looked at Jane who was sleeping in his mother's arms.

"She's sick, Gordon." She said sleepily. "Throwing up. Everything. Even a fever."

"OK, I see." He came around from the counter and put his hand on her back. Her nose was runny.

"Can you take her?" His mother looked exhausted. She was postal worker as it was, and she never called in sick.

"I-I need to get this shift over, Mom. I'll call for an appointment." He told her hoping that would be enough. It wasn't.

"I can't take it anymore. I need to sleep."

"But-"

Delia came around from the cosmetic counter.

"Let me take her," Delia told him. "You come over right after your shift. We'll get it all sorted then." She took the baby from her.

"But you don't even have a carseat." Gordy reminded her.

"How about I take your car. You can take mine." She shrugged.

Gordy just looked at his mother as she walked out. There were no words to describe how he felt at the moment. Some help she was in a crisis. None at all, evidently.

He dug in his pant pockets and found his key.

"Thanks, I really can't tell you-"

"Its all right, Gordy." She smiled. "I'll make breakfast for you."

"You don't have too." He told her wishing he wasn't alone.

"I'll see you in a couple of hours." She gave him her keys, took his and went home with Jane.