Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 105398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 527(@200wpm)___ 422(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 527(@200wpm)___ 422(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
We got up to the checkout and while they were going through the buggies, I started pulling out the coupons, pulling up my Cartwheel app, and bring up my mobile coupons. There was a line behind us, and they were all gawking at the price and the mass amount of shit we got. Cheyenne walked off, because she hated to be with me when I started arguing with the cashiers.
The total rang up to nearly three thousand, and then I handed her the coupons. One and two dollar coupons don’t seem like they would add up, but they most certainly do. Especially when you combine them with store coupons. The total went down nearly two hundred bucks. Then I went to the mobile coupons, which brought it down another thirty dollars. By this time, we had a crowd watching to see how much I could bring it down.
Gabe stood by fascinated. Once all the manufacturer and store coupons and Cartwheel coupons were subtracted, the total was brought down to nearly five hundred dollars. Now tell me again, why does everyone bitch and complain when I just saved five hundred bucks just by being a couponer?
There were a shit load of people behind us watching though, and they even clapped as we left. It was wonderful to have someone be aware of my awesomeness.
“That was pretty fuckin’ awesome. Do you do that all the time?” Gabe asked as we made our way out to his truck. Cheyenne was knocked back in the front seat reading on her phone. We started loading the junk into the truck, and just loaded the last box of diapers when a Blue older model Chevy turned slowly into the parking lot. The bass on the truck was thumping so hard the entire car was shaking. It sounded awful, and I would have loved to make a comment to them but I was sure Gabe wouldn’t like that too much.
It was when I was getting into the truck that Gabe’s body covered my own. He’d stepped in front of me and backed me up hard against the truck. The car passed us though without incident. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it was going to pop out of my chest. Gabe herded me to the backseat and got me in without any further ado. He took off out of the parking lot and we were on the highway in no time.
Gabe clenched the steering wheel with one fist. His knuckles were white; the veins pulsed on his arm and neck. He was severely pissed, but I didn’t really understand why. Nothing happened, and it seemed like a coincidence that they were even in the same parking lot as us.
“Gabe, what’s the big deal?” I asked.
He ignored me, so I tried again.
“They didn’t even see me. Nothing happened.”
Still no answer, so I shut up.
We drove home in silence. Cheyenne must have sensed the tension in the air, because she didn’t say a word either. Gabe stopped in front of Cheyenne’s door and helped her out, walking her to the front door. I decided to go drop in on Max. I was thinking that Gabe needed a minute, so I’d let him unload all the shit since he decided to ignore me the entire way home.
Walking in Max’s front door, I closed it with a bang, not looking back to see if Gabe noticed or not. Max was on the floor, back up against the couch. He had the remote in one hand and a beer in the other. In front of him on the coffee table was a slice of cake. My mouth watered, and I looked at him. He didn’t acknowledge me, but he knew who it was. Plopping down next to him, I grabbed the fork and ate half of his cake.
I longed for the other half, but I wasn’t going to eat all of his cake. I knew how much he loved his sweets.
“What’s wrong, babydoll?” Max said finally.
“Gabe’s mad about seeing a skull in the parking lot of Target. He ignored me all the way home, so I’m gonna ignore him for a while. I’m letting him unload the truck while I sit here and ignore him.”
Giving me a sideways glance he said, “Sounds like a solid plan. Let me know how it works out for you.”
It ended up working out better than I anticipated. I sat there for three hours before falling asleep at one in the morning. Max covered me up at some point, and I slept the rest of the night on the couch before waking up somewhere around five in the morning with a bladder that was about to burst. Once taking care of the awkward morning moments, I walked out into the cool morning air and headed to Gabe’s place.
Something must be really wrong for him to not even come get me. I twisted the front knob and opened the door. I found him sitting on the couch. He was staring at the dark flat screen that hung on the wall. His head turned and watched me cross the floor until I took up a seat across from him. He stared into my eyes for long moments before he spoke.
“This isn’t going to work. How do I do this with my little girl? How do I put her into danger? There’s no way to protect her with all this shit swirling around her. Something’s got to give.” He said quietly.
My stomach sank as his meaning filtered through my brain. He wanted me to leave.
“I understand. You do what you have to do.” My voice quivered.
He stood and stared down at me for a few long moments.
Walking towards the door he said, “I will. I’m going for a ride to clear my head. I’ll see you when I get back.”
He didn’t even give me a kiss.
The roar of his bike broke the silence of the morning. He rode out of the back lot, and then around to the front. I could track him in my mind. I saw him turn the of the garage. Stop at the front gate to put the code in. Then he roared off down the street, taking my heart with him.