glory

Javier smiled as he listened intently. “If by my girl you mean this little one,” He bounced the girl on his hip lightly who giggled in return. “Whose name is Olivia. Then no, less a fight, and more her being a very curious little girl. I almost passed this place up but she said something about flowers and I thought we both needed a bit of a break from the drive. So I decided to stop in. I’m Javier by the way. I’m sorry, I should have introduced myself earlier. Just so much on my mind, you know. Sometimes I forget my manners.” Olivia who’d spent most of the time pretty quiet squirmed in his arms. Javier set her down, taking her hand in his to keep her by his side. He sure as heck didn’t need her destroying any flower arrangement or breaking any vase he couldn’t pay for. He could tell she was getting a bit restless and he needed to get them food soon anyway. “I uh…I should probably let you go anyway, you’ve got paying customers who need assistance I’m sure.”

Leaning her forearms on the counter between them, Greer beamed at the pair. The light in the man’s eyes contrasting with the dark bags under his eyes were such a sharp juxtaposition that showed exactly how much he loved that little girl. “Pleasure to meet you both! –– Nah, I’m the one been talking so much you couldn’t get a word in.” Greer leaned back, standing up straight and pressing her palms down on the counter with a soft smack. “Right.” She nodded to herself before turning around and pulling an under-grown bloom from a bucket and passing it back over the counter. It was a runty blossom and wouldn’t be missed much anyways. “There you go. Officially a paying customer, thanks for your patronage. Now I have an excuse for having spent all day chit-chattin’.” She had to admit she’d at least be a little disappointed to see the pair go. It was nice to have someone new to chat with other than the boys that forgot their mothers’ birthdays or the picky future bridezillas. Even if the conversation was brief it was still nice to have one at all. “Now, seriously, don’t hesitate to call if you need anything. –– But if I don’t catch ya before you get back on the road it was real nice meetin’ the two of you. Hope you find where you’re lookin’ for soon!”

Javier’s smile grew wider at the woman’s giggle. It’d been so long since he’d been able to actually have a decent and even a little playful conversation with someone other than his daughter. Lately, his conversations were usually with shady motel guests and rude employers that didn’t want to hire a man that looked like him let alone one that didn’t have a permanent residence and a kid. He’d even started to forget how simple decency felt so encountering the woman who seemed more than willing to engage with him felt good. “Alright listen I know I said I was trying to seem scary but I didn’t mean like murder-y scary you know? So teardrop? Definitely not an option. But thanks for the suggestion.” Javier chuckled, then sighed, not yet ready to leave. He looked around for a bit, taking in the mixed smells, colors and the array of displays, he’d never been in a place like this before. It was definitely a slight shock to his system. “So you do you own this place or…?”

“Alright fine, nix the teardrop. What about one of those hearts with, like, mom in it or something? Thought that was kinda like a tough guy staple.” Greer considered for a moment just how opposite his personality (at least what she’d seen of it so far) was from his appearance. Add in the toddler on his hip and you were looking at one big ne’er-do-well. That was until he opened his mouth. He seemed nice enough, and Greer wondered exactly why he was so pressed for cash and staying in motels. Couldn’t be that hard to find a job with that kind of personality, could it? “Me? God no,” she responded eyes wide before shaking her head. “Just the manager. I mean -- I wish. But no. Just started working here in high school and never stopped. Pretty sure to be a business owner you have to have a college degree or somethin’. Hey, maybe one day.” The blonde sighed introspectively, eyes wandering around the shop for a moment. This place was practically a second home, despite the slightly shitty pay and extreme overtime. “S’nice isn’t it though? -- Why’d you decide to pop in anyways? Get in a fight with your girl?” she teased, a pointed look at the little girl. “I won’t judge, that’s like, ninety percent of our clientele.”

“I’m not going to kill you, pinky promise,” Javier smirked. “You’re right. And I really do appreciate what you’ve done so far. You’ve been too kind. Not many people so willing to help me or my baby girl let alone go as far as giving me their name and number.”

“Crap. Are you sure?” He feigned confusion the snapped his fingers as if it was all coming to him. “Its the kid isn’t it?” He joked, motioning to Olivia with his head. “I’ve been saying she’s going to cramp my style and I’m starting to see it. Listen. Just don’t tell anyone okay? I’ve got an image to uphold here. ” He then paused, looking down at himself. “ Maybe I could use more tats. That usually does the job.”

“Well then, pony up. I don’t know you well enough to just take you on your word.” Greer propped her elbow up on the counter, holding out her hand, pinky extended, as if ready to arm wrestle. After his next words, she waved him off, palm swatting at the air. “All I did was give you a coupl’a addresses. A stranger giving you addresses ain’t kindness, just normal.”

Javier shook his head. He didn’t need anyone taking care of him. He shouldn’t have to depend on anyone. Not even in the slightest. “Don’t worry about it, Miss. I can do it, I can take care of it myself.” Honestly Javier wasn’t sure if he was saying this to convince himself or the woman in front of him. Was he really taking care of himself? Taking care of his daughter? Life hadn’t been easy for either of them. They’d been from city to city, motel to motel every since Olivia was born. He tried his hardest to make things work for them but it seemed he was destined for doom. Was he really fairing off by himself as well as he thought.

Javier watched curiously as the blonde again scribbled some things on the back of the card. He took it back and was just as equally confused and intrigued when she revealed that it was her name and number. “Greer.” He read aloud, raising his eyes back up to her he continued, “Anything at all? And why would you do this?” Javier waved the card gently. “You don’t know me. I could be…dangerous.” He half-joked, raising a brow.

For a moment Greer thought she might’ve overstepped. It wasn’t like the man snapped at her or anything but it was very clear that he did not want or need her assistance. Or at least, that was what he insisted. So instead of continuing to push, as she would nine out of ten times, the blonde let the subject drop.

Quickly affixing her trademark grin back to her face, she nodded, “That would be me, yes.” Greer softly snorted at his last words and once more took another look at the man and the little girl settled on his hip. “Well, don’t call me if you’re gonna kill me or anything, then,” she teased. “I’m just thinking I know this town a lot better than you. Nothing wrong with trying to be helpful is there?” She paused for a short moment before shrugging. “Just being hospitable. ‘Sides, you don’t seem all that scary to me.”

Javier had honestly seen it all when it came to run down, cheap motels. From suspicious looking people, suspicious activity, to suspicious looking…stains on the sheets of the bed. Nothing fazed him at this point. The young father had been living on his on, roaming the streets since he was about 15 years old. He just had to get used to it and adapt.

Honestly he’d much rather sleep in his car again -at least then he knew it was a somewhat clean place for him and his baby girl to rest-, but he hadn’t had the luxury of sleeping in an actual bed in weeks and the temperature outside was starting to drop which meant some awfully cold nights. Despite not having much money left he figured sparing just a few bucks couldn’t hurt…too much.

Picking up his daughter into his arms, Javier slowly followed behind the blonde woman. “Like I said…uh…not sure yet.” The stares here and there as he walked past people didn’t go noticed by him. “Thought me and my baby girl needed a new start, I haven’t quite found a place worth settling in. Who knows, this could be it.” He shrugged, shifting Olivia higher up on his hip.

Despite his slight reluctance, Javier slowly took the card; peering down at the young woman’s handwritten note. “I only plan to stay a night or two if things don’t pan out,” He responded in a sigh, slightly shaking his head, Javier then leaned closer, “listen…I appreciate the suggestion…but I could really use the name and address of that motel.” He looked down briefly. “I…uhm…I just can’t…afford a hotel…ri-right now.” He pleaded softly, hoping the young woman wouldn’t pry much. He hated telling people about his situation, they always seemed to treat him differently as if they thought he’d start begging them for money. Javier was not a begger. He was an honest man. He’d work for his money. “Money’s just a bit tight until I can find some work.”

“I think you’d be hard pressed to find a better place. Maybe I’m biased, growing up here and all, though.” Greer paused briefly to take a short phone call while the man looked over the card she’d handed him, jotting down a note or two and setting up an appointment in the computer before looking back up, puzzled at the man’s face. She could see something was not quite right in his expression and her brow furrowed as he spoke again.

If she’d paid the man more attention, she could’ve seen this reaction from a mile away. The old clothes, the slight twinge of guardedness. Everything about him added up to a big red x and she could’ve seen that perhaps the motel was a better fit if she’d stopped for a moment. It wasn’t as if it was written all over his face I’m poor or anything. But anyone with eyes could’ve noticed that perhaps he wasn’t quite so well off. In fact, Greer noticed a few side-eyed glances coming from the clientele inside of the small shop.

Bouncing back quickly and reshaping her face into its usual bright eyed and rosy cheeked expression, she quickly slapped a smile right back on. “’Course!” The blonde scribbled down an address, name, and telephone number for the motel after a quick google search. “D’you want me to give them a ring? They pretty much always have vacancies, but it’s better to be safe than sorry!”

Greer considered the man and, more importantly, the little girl settled on his hip. She gnawed on her lip passively before flipping the new card over and penned another phone number along with her own name before handing it over. “That’s me on the back. Just in case you need anything. Friendly face, bug killer, need to know what drugstore’s open late, sheets if the motel’s too dirty, anything at all.” She thought for a moment about her own father, bringing up herself on his own after her mother died. They’d both been lucky enough for a steady job and a tight-knit community. She’d never really pondered what it could’ve been like if they’d missed even a single block in the precarious Jenga tower of her childhood.

Okay, so he was done. He was exhausted. His legs ached from not being able to get out and stretch them, his stomach growled like crazy, his eyes stung from the strain - he wasn’t even sure when the last time he got more than 3 hours of sleep was, and his baby girl was starting to get fussy. The new city was unfamiliar to him. He low-key regretted deciding to leave his hometown, but there wasn’t much there for him. Not anymore. He was having a hard time finding work after getting fired from his already crappy job. But if missing work meant keeping his daughter out of some cheap, half-assed daycare then so be it. He’d find another job. That part was just a lot harder than he thought hence the reason for his traveling. Javier wouldn’t let that detour him though, he’s faced many hardships in his young life, this was just another hurdle he’d have to get over.

He slowed his beat up, clunker of a car, peering through the window to see if he could find anyone that would be willing to give him some help. To be honest, he had fully intended to continue his ride past the shop until his daughter, Olivia, spoke up, muttering something about flowers. It was barely a whisper, but Javier had quickly learned to decipher and catch the language of his young child. While still young, Olivia hadn’t been much of a talker, most kids her age talked a mile a minute. However not her. At first, this worried Javier but after figuring out and research of his own he had come to the conclusion that their life was causing the young girl a lot of stress. He promised to change that. Just as soon as he found a good place for them to live.

Mostly because of Olivia’s mutterings, Javier stopped parked his car. Why not. If anything they could at least look around a bit, it would make his baby girl happy and he’d get a chance to stretch his legs. He took a few moments to straighten himself. Sighing, he realized there wasn’t much he could do. The slightly worn hoodie, tattered jeans, and scuffed converse shoes weren’t going to get any more presentable than they already were. He’d have to deal and so would the occupants of the shop.

It wasn’t long after they’d entered the shop was he greeted by a woman. A pretty, baby-faced, blonde woman. Instantly her presence was like a ray of light, Javier couldn’t help the slight smile that teased his lips. He appreciated the kindness even if it were for show. “Uh yeah. Just passing through, I think. I don’t quite know yet.” Javier shuffled his weight on his feet, his voice lowering a bit. “Hey, I was wondering if you could tell me where the nearest motel is. Just looking for something cheap to rest in for a day or two… oh a-and maybe a dinner.”

Greer wouldn’t have said she was worried about the man in particular. She just knew what to usually expect after working in customer service for so long. A gruff ‘I’m fine’ or a complete brushoff. Most people reacted like that if they were just coming in to look. Hell, most people reacted like that even if they needed some actual help. She was used to it. She knew what to expect nine times out of ten.

However, to her surprise, the man actually had what some might perceive as a smile on his face. Not a noticeable one by any means, but at least it was better than the eyeroll or grimace she’d usually be afforded. “Just passing through? On your way somewhere else?” she chirped, internally breathing a sigh of relief at the concept of something resembling an actual conversation on a slow day at the shop.

"Motel? Well, uh, there’s one down on Woodridge, probably two miles from here. It’s kind of a dump though. There’s a hotel over on King that’s nice enough, I can write down the address.” Greer paced back over to the counter and grabbed an unmarked card to jot down the address and a couple of restaurants. “If you want I can call and see if they’ve got a room open tonight. How long are you planning on staying in town?”

Perhaps if she’d been a little more perceptive and taken off her rose colored glasses for a minute, she would’ve noticed tattered jeans and worn shoes and maybe even the fact that it seemed as if it had been a couple of days without a shower. Besides, he was toting along a toddler, it’s not like he would be in that bad of a position if he had a kid to take care of. “Where you headed off to anyways?” she asked, handing over the small piece of cardstock.

Even if it hadn’t been her job as manager to be welcoming, Greer had never been one to turn her nose up at anyone at all, even those that didn’t quite fit in. Perhaps it had been growing up in a sheriff’s office or maybe it was simply her disposition. Still, it was her duty to be the welcoming committee to the store, so she attempted to ignore the slightly intimidating ink permeating the man’s skin and put on her best customer service smile.

The woman straightened out her beat up apron and stepped out from behind the counter to approach, attempting to seem nonchalant by straightening arrangements. “Welcome in! Haven’t seen you ‘round before, what can I do for you today?” she questioned, keeping the saccharine service industry grin painted across her lips, waiting for some sort of wave off or grumble so she could go back to her clipping and arranging.