A closer look and the place appeared more like a two-level house with some pumps in front of it.
Damn. This must be a really tiny town.
I stopped in front of the pumps. A sign at the top announced that I had to go inside to pay.
I blew out a long breath. “Okay, guys. I’m going in the store. Anybody have to go to the bathroom?”
Everyone nodded. I doubted they even had to pee. But, after an episode with Wyatt, they never liked to leave my side.
“Alight. Let’s go.” I got out of the car.
They followed from the back.
We all braved the cold wind and snow. Flakes pelted our face.
Once we made it inside, I realized that the gas store had definitely been a house long ago. There’d been some renovations, but we were clearly standing in what used to be a living room. There were still shelves for chips, water, and other snacks, but no refrigerated areas or other shelves to hold more.
A sign in the back pointed to a male and female bathroom.
“Okay. You all go to the bathroom.” I gestured that way. “When you get back, pick some snacks.”
Kia took charge. “Jalen wait for me after you get out of the bathroom. Don’t just run off.”
Jalen rolled his eyes but kept her pace.
Poppy held onto her sister’s hand.
I turned to the cashier’s desk and noticed the woman sitting there for the first time.
She must’ve been watching us since we’d entered. A small black and white tv sat on her side. I didn’t even know they still made those.
But that wasn’t the most surprising thing. The woman behind the desk was burned. She had scar tissue all the way down one side of her face. Scaly like a snake or lizard.
I swallowed in horror and stepped closer. “I. . .I want to pay for some gas.”
The woman took in my face. “What happened to you?”
I’d been stunned by the question. If anything, I should’ve been asking her what happened to her face.
Still, she had a light voice. “Who hit you?”
“My. . .uh. . .husband. We’re. . .” Discomfort took my words. “I’m just trying to pay for my gas. We’ll be out of here soon.”
“He hit you a lot.” She rose from her seat and gave me a better view of her face.
It was ungodly, but I didn’t want to be disrespectful and look away. On the left side, her face was smooth and beautiful with red hair outlining that side and curling under her chin. On the right, the scaly scars shone, and no hair grew on three inches of the scalp. Rough tufts blended into red hair that fell back and curled. Gray hair teased the scalp suggesting her age, but nothing more.
She studied me and shook her head. “He hit you good.”
I looked down at the floor in embarrassment. “Yeah. We’re trying to get away from him.”
The burned side of her face didn’t move. “That storm won’t let you get away from him tonight.”
“Are there any hotels around here?”
“There’s several past the road, but it’s a good hike.” She pointed to the ceiling. “You could stay with me for a few days, but you got to hide that car in the back. I don’t need any trouble.”
“Oh, no. We’ll be fine. I can make it to the hotels.”
“I hope you can.”
“Thank you. I appreciate the offer.”
I dug my hands in my pocketbook.
She waved. “Save your money. I don’t need it as much as you do.”
I opened my mouth in shock.
“Take as much gas as you need. And let the kids get whatever they want.”
A tear left my eye. I tried my best not to break down, but there it came. I hurried to wipe my tears away. “I’m sorry. I just. . .”
“You’re having a rough time. That’s all.” She sat back down. “That don’t mean that next week or next year will be this bad.”
I rubbed at my hurt eye. “Thank you so much.”
“Just pay it forward, when you have the money.”
“I will.”
“I know you will.”
She gestured toward the bathroom to where the kids had disappeared. “And take care of those babies.”
“I’m trying.”
“You are.” She nodded. “Best thing you can do is run away. If my mama had, maybe I would be a whole lot prettier.”
My eyes burned but I refused to let more tears come. “I’m sorry.”
She grinned. “He’s sorrier now. Thanks to a good friend.”
The kids hurried back, before I could ask what she meant. Thankfully, when they saw her face, no one commented. The woman told them to get what they wanted. Their eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning.
Minutes later, we returned to the car with snacks.
I gassed up and headed away.
When we got five blocks from the gas station, a fork stood in the road.
“Shit,” I muttered.
“What’s wrong?” Kia munched on chips.