on a pale day

Gage was afraid that Macy wasn't going on the trip that he'd been working so hard to prepare for. He just didn't understand. He thought they'd settled this months ago. Didn't she understand that he needed her with him on this trip to meet his son?

He hadn't meant to be so moody. And maybe he said some things he shouldn't have.

Why was it? Words could hurt so much. He didn't want to think about what he'd said. But she was certainly giving him the silent treatment now.

School was out, and he had a chance to put in extra hours while other people were on vacations and graduation trips. Still, it felt like a set back. Maybe he was no better now than he was before he met Macy. Maybe he couldn't change.

But he hunkered down and went that extra step at work. He dug through bags of chips, checking dates to see what needed to be discarded. Some of it, he could pack for the soup kitchen that Ren was still devoted too (at least once a week).

Still he felt bad, like a shadow of some kind was hanging over him, perhaps it would devour him, if he let it.

And then he noticed someone staring at him. He looked up to see the woman, who was rather striking in her tight jeans. Her body was fit as a prom queen teenager, but when he looked into those crystal eyes of hers, he knew she'd had a hard life. Her plush bottom lip was in a pout.

"Could I help you?" He asked.

"Maybe." She was ever so mysterious as she kept staring.

Gage got himself up and put the stray bags of chips in a box. He was taller than her.

"You're Gage Gallager?" She looked at him as if she might have a warrant for his arrest.

"Yeap." Gage nodded.

She sighed as if she really didn't want to make an effort as she studied his features a little more.

"Why do you want to know?" Gage winced thinking he should have said nothing.

"Well, your brother said I could find you here." She hugged herself as if she didn't plan to show any emotion.

"Carson?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "My son Carson."

Her words were so cold and Gage could hardly look her. He went back to the box of chips. He didn't know what to say to her.