Page 66 of With Us

My mind.

Smiling sweetly, I spoke loud and clear. “I’m sorry you’re upset by the size of the eggplants. Is it jealousy? Maybe your dick wouldn’t be so small if three quarters of it hadn’t gone to your personality.”

Speechless. The entire area fell into a somehow deafening silence. Jerk Bill’s mouth opened and closed like a fish, his face growing even redder and the vein in his head looking close to bursting.

“Dahlia, that eggplant sale was incredible,” I heard Jerry say behind me, his words breaking the silence and starting a rush of whispered conversation. “The gentleman said he’d be in more often, and gave me a list of…” His words trailed off as he looked around. “What’s going on?”

I turned and took off my apron. “I quit.”

Bill snapped out of his stunned silence. “You don’t get to speak to me—”

“You had no reason to talk to her like that,” someone else said.

“Excuse me, sir,” a random customer started saying to Jerry, pointing toward Bill. “He was creating a scene, and…”

Chaos erupted as Bill started huffing his argument, some shoppers and employees adding their input. Turning away from the problem that was no longer mine, I walked to the back and grabbed my stuff out of the locker. Not wanting to deal with the T or flagging down a cab, I opened the Uber app. I was relieved to see it would be there within minutes. Ducking out the door stockroom employees left wedged open for smoke breaks, I stepped outside and took a breath.

A deep one.

Filling my lungs, it felt like it was the first time in a while I’d been able to take a full breath.

My Uber was already at the curb by the time I made it through the parking lot. I got in, ignoring the voices calling my name.

“Where to, Miss?” the man asked, offering me a bottle of water.

“Amaric. It’s—”

“No problem, I know where it is.” He turned and began driving.

My legs bounced, my smile growing as I watched the blocks pass.

“There are some bags of chips, chocolate chip cookies, and gum back there,” the man said, pointing behind the seat. “I have soda up here in a cooler, if you’d prefer.”

I looked around at his impressive offerings. Even if I wanted to, I doubted my excited stomach would’ve been able to handle anything. “I’m all set, thank you though. You must be popular with the late-night crowd.”

“Oh yeah,” he said with a nod. “I do my best business then. But my little girl has a ballet recital tonight, so you’re my last fare and then I’m taking the whole night off.”

“That sounds like a good night,” I said.

“Any big plans for you?”

“Dinner, I hope.”

“Ah, young love. Most people I drive have their heads in their phone. Well, most are drunk, and I spend the drive hoping I won’t have to add a cleaning fee. But even some of the drunk ones have their heads in their phone. They’re missing the world passing them by. You’re watching, grinning bigger and bigger the closer we get. You’ve got your eyes open,seeingthe world.”

Open your eyes.

Just as vivid as the night I’d had it, the dream popped into my head. Only instead of feeling fear and regret, I felt confident. Happy.

And telling Jerk Bill where he could stick those eggplants went right along with it.

As we neared Amaric, I took out my phone and quickly typed out a glowing five-star review before getting out of the car. “Have fun tonight!”

“You, too!” he called out the window as he pulled away.

Dodging people on the sidewalk, I ignored all the messages from people at Weggies. But I opened one from Wendy, the owner of Java Brew.

Wendy:Painters found issues, will be closed until at least Monday. Can you come in Sunday afternoon and help me prepare for opening?

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