It was sweet of Soph to drive Kat in for her first shift. She would be meeting a lot of new people, and having her aunt with her made it feel more approachable. Like she wasn’t alone in all this. It didn’t hurt to have the boss on your side, either.

Then again, what if they assumed she was going to be the new favorite? Was she the favorite? Would they all hate her?

Sophie leaned over towards her niece. Their shoulders met over the center console.

“You’re going to do great, Kat. They’re good people, and you’re great people.”

Kat smiled to herself. The ghost of her first day at school lingering in her heart.

“Thanks, Soph. I was snowballing.”

Sophie laughed.

“Oh, I know. I could feel you fidgeting from here.”

Kat looked down to see her foot tapping a hole in the floor.

As they arrived, Kat was reminded of how big the place actually was. It wasn’t your average gas station/convenience store. There were multiple pumps outfitted with big rigs in mind. It had a pizza place and a store that was just shy of a small market. Like Bradley said in his email, they really were at the center of commerce in the community.

When she looked at Sophie’s quiet, contemplative face, she wondered if that’s how her aunt saw it. Was it a service she provided a small community or just another extension of her growing business empire?

“All right, Kat,” Sophie said, locking arms with her niece, “it’s time for you to meet the crew.”

The sun was low in the sky, and Kat knew she was early for her training shift. But she thought it was important that she got to spend some extra time with the evening crew, who tuned over the place for the night attendant.

If this were going to be a mid to long-term gig, she had to show she cared.

Striding in alongside her aunt, Kat wondered at the brightness of the place. There was an unnatural white to the paint, made starker by the harsh lighting. It didn’t so much make the room bright as emphasize every shadowed recess.

That had to be bad for the eyes, but Kat was sure she’d get used to it.

“Good evening, everyone,” Sophie called to the surrounding space. “I’d like to introduce your new co-worker.”

Kat looked around and saw a pleasant, old lady with rosy cheeks and lightly curled grey hair, making her way toward her from the counter to her far left. Shortly after, a teenage girl appeared from the employee’s only door in the back. She was maybe a couple of years younger than Kat and had a kind of goth look about her. The kind of person her mother used to derisively call ‘bad girls’…. or worse.

But I was bad, too.

Kat shook the thought from her head and tried to stay in the moment. She had a smile to maintain. She focused on her surroundings – that bright yet pale lighting, the smell of gasoline and cheap hotdogs. The potential of new friends.

“Hello, I’m Daisy,” the woman said, shaking Kat’s hand. “I run the Pizza Stack.”

Kat smiled at her.

“I’m Kat, Sophie’s niece.”

“Ooo, royalty,” the teen said with a smirk. “I’m Lucy. I’ll be the one cleaning the place up before you get here. At least, as much as I can.”

She didn’t offer her hand and instead gave Kat a polite nod. Although Lucy was smiling, her eyes were suspicious, accented by her heavy eyeshadow and surprising lack of tan. Kat imagined Lucy walking down Main Street in Hermit’s Rest in the summer with a black umbrella over her head.

“Nice to meet you both. I’m looking forward to learning a lot from you.”

Lucy snickered before shooting Sophie an apologetic look.

Sophie folded her arms, puffing up her shoulder pads.

“No laughing, I’m sure Kat will learn loads,” she said, giving Kat a playful little push. “Just not all tonight. Focus on getting used to how quiet it gets at night. I can’t have our newest employee getting spooked when she’s all alone.”

Daisy waved a dismissive hand.

“It’s not bad, dear, just quiet. If the place is cleaned up, it’ll give you some time to catch up on your reading.”

Lucy shrugged.

“Yeah, most of the time it’s just the odd trucker through the night, and they pay at the pumps. Most of the time…”

“No ghost stories,” Sophie interjected, rubbing her neck as if the topic itself would give her a tension headache. “At least not while I’m here. Is Tom in yet?”

“No,” Lucy said. She was a bit wide-eyed like she was trying to think of a response. “Assuming he’s not in the back.”

Sophie checked her watch and then looked at Lucy.

“Weren’t you just in the back?”

“I must have missed him,” she said quickly. “He’s probably getting a uniform for his new co-worker.”

Sophie shook her head, but she had a faint smile. She hadn’t gotten to where she was by being a hardass. On some level, Kat always thought she was even a bit too easy on her employees.

“I forgot your polo in the car, Kat. I’ll just go grab it…giving Tom a bit more time to appear.”

Sophie walked out of the store to an electronic jingle.

Lucy looked at Daisy.

“He’s been late all week. Bradley doesn’t seem to care, but he’d be pretty embarrassed to do it in front of the big boss.”

Daisy scrunched up her nose.

“Is his car in the lot?”

Lucy walked over to the window and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Yeah, so long as he hurries his ass—”

“Why do I need to hurry?”

Kat turned to see a young man in the doorway of the back room. A tingle went down her spine as his dark eyes met hers. He was about her age, athletic, and had that kind of molded messy hair she liked.

Yeah, she admitted to herself. He’s pretty cute.

“Oh, hi,” he said, walking over and leaning up against the nearby counter. “I’m Tom. You must be Kat.”

He extended his hand. Kat shook it, but she was completely flustered.

His hand was so soft and warm.

Then the panic set in. What should she say? Oh god, she hadn’t even said hello yet.

As the moment seemed to extend into eternity, the only voice in her head wasn’t a plan. But more doubt.

What could I ever say to someone like that? He’s already seen you staring at him gormless and pathetic. Holy fuck, you’re still holding his hand.

Before things could get any worse, Lucy piped up.

“Tom, go to the back and get Kat a polo. Quick!”

Tom looked confused, but he reacted fast, hurrying to the back.

Sophie returned to another jiggle of the chimes.

“Here you go, Kat. This won’t be as cute as that blouse but it should fit.”

Moments later, Tom came in holding another polo. Sophie looked up at him with a suspicious smile and a twinkle in her eye.

“Oh, so you were here all along, eh?”

Tom nodded and held up the polo.

“Yeah, sorry, took me a second to find this,” he said, letting the folded garment unfurl in front of him like a great sail.

Sophie laughed.

“And what size do you think that is?” Sophie asked.

Tom sighed.

“An XL.”

“Right,” Sophie said, “I’m going to leave you to it, Kat.”

She hugged her niece tight, harder and longer than Kat expected. When she let go, Sophie seemed a little sad. She shook it off quickly, and the mask returned as she glanced at Tom who was holding the massive shirt.

“This genius is going to show you the ropes. Have a good night, all of you.”

As the collected group said their goodnights, Soph turned to walk away. At the door, she paused.

Looking back to the team, she narrowed her eyes.

"No ghost stories, I mean it," she said, glancing suspiciously at Lucy, as she departed.

Kat watched as her aunt disappeared from view. When she turned back, Lucy was smiling ear to ear.

“Have you ever heard the story of Charity on Highway 525?”