“Niam,” I said, not bothering with the fake name I’d come up with. It seemed so dumb now that I thought back on it. I had this idea that I would need to change everything I was to be accepted here, but I was aching to just be myself and be good enough. I didn’t think Betty deserved the fake me. She hadn’t killed me,yet.So, I believed she deserved the real version.
She nodded. “I’m glad I found you, Niam. Bears often stay clear of people, but many mama bears are with cubs, and they don’t deal well with anyone who gets too close.” I swallowed. They’d dumped me in a bear infested forest. I must’ve done something right to survive the hours of trekking I’d done without spotting any.
Five minutes later we arrived at a gas station. There was forest on both sides, making the big parking lot secluded. Betty rolled up just in front of the store and honked the horn three times, then got out. I quickly followed, thinking that would be my best option right now.
A tall man came out, shaking his head. “Ma, again?” He wore a plaid shirt and worn jeans. His facial hair was a mixture of brown and grey, his hair mostly brown with a few greys in between.
“Don’t you Ma me! It’s leaking, I’m tellin’ you. Stupid thing,” she muttered.
He shook his head again, his shoulders slumped in defeat. “I’ll look at it,” he sighed. I came into view then, not wanting to hide on the other side of the van. “Oh,” he said, looking between his mom and me.
“I’m Niam,” I said, quickly offering my hand in greeting.
“Jerry,” he replied, shaking my hand. He looked towards his mom with a questionable look.
She waved her hand. “Niam was dumped and left on the side of the road. He’s not from around here and I offered to take him into town.”
“I see,” Jerry said. “Would you mind watching the van while we grab my tools?” I had no idea why I should watch over it, or why it took two people to grab his tools, but I just nodded, grateful that I hadn’t been killed.
They went inside together, and I leaned against the van, looking around the empty parking lot, begging silently for the bears not to see me. I could hear their voices, and if I really focused, I would be able to hear clearly what they were saying. I listened in, not able to stop myself.
“He said it was his boyfriend,” Betty said, her voice filled with sympathy for my cover story. I should’ve felt guilty, but I really couldn’t tell her the truth.
“And he came from where?” Jerry questioned.
“I don’t know, just that they’d been seeing each other long distance. He’d moved here but was left on the road side.”
“So, the boy has nowhere to go?”
“I was going to drive him into town. Hopefully he can get a room at the motel and return home in the morning.”
The rest was too muddled as they moved further away. They returned a few minutes later, both giving me kind smiles. I took that as Jerry’s approval of my fake story, too.
“So, where’re ya from?” Jerry asked as he opened the front of the van. I froze, not knowing their countries or anything. I decided to give the real town I had been from at home and hoped it would be answer enough.
“Prenins,” I said, grateful to finally tell something that wasn’t a lie. “So, I’m really far from home,” I tacked on, hoping they wouldn’t ask more questions about it.
They looked at one another but seemed to think it wasn’t worth asking more questions about it. “Does your family know you were left here alone?” Betty asked, still with a sympathetic look.
“My family disowned me,” I said, feeling a lump in my throat overthattruth.
“Oh,” she said. “So, you have no one to return home to?” I knew she was asking because she was a good person and truly cared, but I’d been on my own for so long it was hard thinking anyone would care about me now, especially a stranger.
“No, I sold everything to come here,” I said, still feeling like that was the truth. Everything I owned back in the Realm of Mages had been sold. I had even asked my father if the money I got could be changed to the currency they used here, but he’d said that would be for my mother and him to use, having spent a lot of money raising me, only for me to amount to nothing in the end. I hadn’t wanted to disagree, silently nodding and leaving my money behind.
“Oh, honey,” she said, holding her hand over her heart. Then she looked to her son, speaking with him with just a look shared between them. Something only people who truly loved and understood each other could do. Something I’d never had.
“I need an extra person helping me out here, if you’re looking for work,” Jerry offered, giving me a smile.
“I could work…. Here?” I asked, a little stunned. I had accomplished the first thing on my list! And it hadn’t even turned dark outside yet. He nodded with a smile.
“I would love that!” I answered happily. “Thank you!”
He laughed, “don’t thank me yet, I can be a strict boss.” I could tell from the gleam in his eyes that he was teasing me. It felt nice. They were nice. Tome. “About your living arrangements,” he continued, and I felt the rush of getting a job take a back seat as the reality of not having a roof over my head hit. “I’ll figure something out for tonight, so no need to worry about that right now.” I breathed easier after hearing that. Ididneed a place to stay, but for now I had a job.
I chatted with Betty as Jerry worked. He swore and it sounded like he hit the car from where he was working. I had no idea how to fix cars, but it didn’t seem like it was going too well.
“Ma,” Jerry sighed and moved away from the van. “I think it’s done.”
