a slow boat to nowhere

 "What do you mean?" Pixie thought she might pass out when she heard Roman's very words. "You're leaving the coffee shop?"

She did feel faint. He was her compass. Who would she have to talk to ..about Cyrus? She choked on a cough then and Roman brought her something to drink. Of course, it was something milky and sweet. Probably something her stomach would regret later. It was true she was neglecting herself again.

Pixie heaved a wince as if she knew she'd been too childish, but then again she'd had more troubles than she ever mentioned.

"I don't want you to go."

"I don't want to go either, but I got on at the hospital..and..and my Aunt said I should take it before it gets filled." He nodded as if he didn't decide anything for himself lately.

Honestly, Pixie felt so sorry for him. Suddenly, she saw herself in his gaze and she hugged him quickly while no one was around at the coffee shop. They were in the back near the storage area. Naturally, when she moved away she noticed the wet spot she left.

"I've been in jail, you know." She thought he should admit it. She just hadn't got around to telling him.

"Recently?" He made a face of horror as if maybe she was a crazy woman.

"Well, kind of." She sniffed back tears. She'd spent most of the pandemic in incarceration. "I didn't do it." She could barely say. All this time no one wanted to hear the truth. She was not to speak of what had happened.

"I..I was in a group home."

"Really?" Now she'd gotten Roman's attention.

"I was a caregiver." She pressed her lips tight. Pix knew she was making Roman's skin crawl as he jumped back. "It was ..well I was alone in a house full of males." She told him they were all over twenty-one. "I know I shouldn't have been there..and well, this..this guy didn't like me for some reason..so.." She didn't want to say anymore.

"How long were you there?" She thought he meant jail.

"It was months."

"You were at the group home for months? Why didn't you report how neglectful they were. You should have sued them."

Pixie sighed. She was sure she should have done a lot of things, but her parents still didn't believe her, besides they had to pay off her car, her phone bill, and her apartment. Nothing was the same after that incident even if all the charges were dropped.