Far Away (Gypsy Fairy Tale Book Two) Read Free Page A

life was and what it could have been. What was I supposed to do now?
    When customers came into the store, I could feel them staring at me with odd questioning looks. It seemed that everyone could sense that something happened to me, but they all seemed unsure of exactly what it was.
    Stop staring at me...Do I come and stare at all of you when your lives fall apart...
    Of course I should have known Mrs. Allen would somehow know the truth and wouldn’t be able to resist the opportunity to rub my nose in it.
    “So,” she said with a condescending smile. “Did you notice that all the gypsies left?”
    I could almost see the light bulbs appear over the other customers’ heads as they made the connection. They all turned and looked at me again. Their expressions quickly changing to looks of pity as they did.
    I turned away from the many pairs of sympathetic eyes and walked back to the counter.
    Just keep breathing...One foot in front of the other...Just keep breathing...
    “Of course I noticed,” I said as casually as possible while shuffling receipts as if I was too busy to care.
    “Well, good riddance I say,” Mrs. Allen said as she followed me. “Oh, I’m sorry Harmony.”
    I could hear the fake sincerity in her voice; it was just like poison dripping from her tongue.
    “Why are you apologizing to me?” I snapped as I pulled out the sale sheets. I didn’t look up, afraid that if I saw her gloating expression that I would slap her face.
    “Well,” she said as she leaned up against the counter. “I know there was some sort of thing between you and the magician, and I hate that for you, but we’re all better off now that they’ve moved on.”
    I did my best to stay calm; focusing on writing out a delivery order, but the page grew blurry as my eyes filled with unshed tears.
    I will not cry...  I will not cry...
    “Are you okay dear?” She asked in a syrupy sweet voice.
    The vision of me stabbing her in the eye with my pen crossed my mind, but I pushed the idea aside.
    “I’m fine,” I choked out.
    “She’d be fine if all the busybodies would shut the hell up,” a gravelly voice barked from the front of the store.
    I looked up just as the crowd parted so that Alec’s grandfather could make his way up to the counter.
    Oh my God...Oh my God...
    I didn’t want to see him! How could I face him? The poor old man thought his son and grandsons were laying low on their way back to Ireland, but I knew the truth. Because of me they were dead and gone, their bodies hidden or buried where no one would ever find them. How could I look him in the eye and pretend none of it happened?
    He stepped up to the counter, eying Mrs. Allen harshly until she backed away, and then he turned those icy blue eyes back on me.
    “You have my duck feed?” He asked with a soft smile
    “S-S-Sure,” I stammered. I could feel my legs trembling as I stepped away into the back to get his feed.
    Please don’t hate me...Please don’t hate me...
    Out of everyone’s sight, I clutched at the shelf and gasped for air. He had the sense it... In some way he had to know that they were dead and that I was responsible.
    I wished I could just slip out the back door and go back home. I wished I could just hide under my bed covers and wait for all of this to go away, but I was stuck in the world of adult responsibility. All that could do was grab the little bag of feed, force a smile on my face, and go back out there.
    My hand shook as I handed him the back, “Just like grandma used to make it.”
    He tried to hand me his money, but I waved it away. How could I take his money after what I did to his family?
    “Don’t worry about it,” I said, hoping he would just take the bag and leave.
    He reached over and patted my hand, “Things will be fine now. You know, back to normal like they should be.”
    I bit my lip, knowing he would hate me forever if he knew the truth. I could just look back at him stupidly as he turned to go.
    Please don’t hate