Proceed With Caution

The bell rings when I enter the store. As I passed the front counter, Mil was heading towards me with her bag over her shoulder. She was already in her street clothes.

"You heading out?" I asked.

"Yep. Did my time." She chuckled.

"Well, good work today then."

"She earned her keep today," Ronnie inserted.

"Yeah, Ronnie showed me a bunch of stuff."

"That is actually terrifying. Please tell me you didn't teach her anything strange." Concern filled my face.

"Ease up, dad. Those lessons are for her next shift." Ronnie winked.

"It was nothing exciting, honestly!" Mil waved off my worry with her usual panicked energy.

"Oh and I told her how to pick up guys."

"Ronnie!" "No you didn't!" We yelled simultaneously.

"You guys are adorable." Ronnie took a sip of her water, giving a smug glance as she did.

"Run Mil, while you have a chance. I'll distract her!"

"Ken! But she's too powerful!"

I pushed Mil towards the door.

"Now, hurry!"

"No, Ken!" the door closed behind her.

"Don't let my sacrifice be for nothing." I reached towards the door.

Mil reached back.

The door fully closed.

Mil straightened herself up and walked away.

"Okay, what the heck was that?" asked Ronnie, baffled by the scene unfolding before her.

Mil came barging back through the door.

"Oh, I almost forgot."

I gave her a look, an eyebrow raised.

"Ken, will you go shopping with me on our next day off?"

"Me? Why?"

"I want to buy some stuff to make coffee. And figured you're the guy to ask."

"Uh, sure. Yeah I can help with that, I guess."

"Only if it's no trouble!"

"I'll have you know, my methods are quite harsh. Learning the ways of proper brewing will push your very limits. Do you accept these terms?"

"Yes master!" Mil bowed, then saluted. She then ran out the door with a skip in her step.

"Hey Ken..." said Ronnie.

I turned to face her.

"What's up?"

"I know you guys have this great work relationship. And you know I am all about how you help her out."

"Yeah, she's a good kid."

"Right… Listen. Given everything going on with her. It's probably a good idea for you to not get too close to her."

I was caught off guard by Ronnie's words.

"She relies on you, like, a lot."

"I don't think it's that much."

"She barely said anything that didn't contain the word, Ken. 'Ken said this,' or 'Ken showed me this.' On and on. Made me want to slug you, and you weren't even here yet."

"I'm just trying to make sure she has an easy start."

"Is that it, though?" Ronnie pried. 

"What do you mean?" I replied defensively.

"Look man. You and I both know what happened with Li–"

"Don't."

"Okay, I just want to make sure that neither of you are setting yourselves up for disaster."

"I'm staying in my lane."

"Ken, as your friend, strictly, as your friend. I really hope so."

"So what, I shouldn't go shopping with her?"

"No, you promised, and it would be messed up if you just bailed on her. Just, be mindful of what you say and do. Realize she is a young girl in a shitty situation. And you're still healing, yourself." She put down her drink and rubbed her forehead. "Is what I'm saying getting across? Look, you can't fix her problems. You don't even have a handle on your own."

I froze. She wasn't wrong. But no one had even attempted to be this straight with me. Maybe I needed to hear it.

"I need to go punch in. Thanks, Ronnie." I escaped to the back office. I leaned against the lockers. My chest was pounding. 

Why is it so hard to breathe?

I grabbed a cup of water and chugged it. Washed my face and tried to calm myself down. 

There is a whole shift ahead of us Ken. Gotta keep it together.

I slapped my cheeks to bring me back to reality.

"Okay Ken. Let's do this."

I walked back to the sales floor.

"Ken, I-" Ronnie started.

The bell rang as a customer entered.

"Don't worry about it. Thanks for always looking out for me Ronnie. I mean it." I overcompensated with a big smile.

"Alright, if you say so…"

"Ken, this is your Unit Mart?" That handsome burly voice cut through our conversation.

"Clark."

"Oh, hello~ Are you a friend of Ken's?" Ronnie looked at Clark like a dog looks at a slab of meat.

Clark approached the counter, a couple of his go-to brand of energy drinks in hand.

"Yeah we go way back. Practically brothers."

"You're definitely the older, hotter one," Ronnie leaned on the counter to show off her assets.

"Oh, because of the jacket? I'm actually pretty comfy."

"That's not what she means man." I pat Clark on the shoulder.

"Oh, Kenny bear. I can't believe you've never introduced us."

"Clark this is Ronnie, Ronnie this is Clark, who I am sure has so many places better to be right now."

"Thanks for taking care of Ken." Clark just talked around me.

"Any time. I'm always down to take care of people," Ronnie added, her gaze fixated at the lone button of Clark's shirt that was holding on for dear life against the power of his pectoral muscles.

"Well that's awfully nice of you, are you like a nurse when you aren't working here?"

Ronnie reached out and pressed her index finger into Clark's chest.

That's gotta be harassment.

"I can be a nurse if that's what you're into~."

"I feel fine actually. Thanks though." His attention turned to me. "So, Ken. About those dinner plans."

"Oh, yeah. We did talk about that, didn't we?"

"When is your next day off? I'm holding you to it."

Ronnie sighs at the impenetrable barrier of friendship. Defeated, she walked into the back office.

"I should be free Saturday night."

May as well get it out of the way, avoiding him isn't going to happen.

"Awesome, me too. That works great."

I finished ringing up Clark's drinks.

"Here you go."

"Thanks. Alright Ken, I'll text you the info. And don't worry about… anything, really. It's my treat."

"I know better than to argue with you about that."

Clark waves and turns to leave.

Ronnie emerges from the back with freshly applied make-up and renewed vigor.

"Thanks for coming by Clark!"

He turns back.

"It was good to meet you Ronnie."

"Yeah, like whenever you want to come by for a drink, food, me… Whatever! Don't be a stranger!"

"Alright, sounds good."

Clark left.

Ronnie leapt over the counter, caging me against the wall. Her eyes feral, she was panting heavily.

"You need to hook me up with Clark. He is the most beautiful thing I have ever laid eyes on."

"You would, absolutely, not hit it off."

"Why would you say such blasphemy?"

"He's a homebody, you are a party animal. He likes quiet nights in and catching movies. You… Do whatever you do when you aren't here."

"First of all, I can totally do the whole quiet homebody thing for that chiseled Greek god!"

"Even if I wanted to set you two up. You'd have your work cut out for you. He's super oblivious."

"Yeah… I may have noticed that. I was doing everything besides stripping out there, and it just bounced right off him."

"Like bullets on Superman."

She thought for a moment, twirling her golden locks into a curl.

"Would stripping have worked?"

"He would have given you his shirt, brewed you some cocoa, and then sat you down and made sure everything was alright."

"He's so pure."

"The purest."

Ronnie rallied herself up as she walked to the register.

"I will not be beaten by this!"

"Oh god, here we go."

"I vow here and now that–"

"I will absolutely marry this man, he is my one true love and the stars have just deemed it the right time that we are brought together… Right?" I laughed.

"I really hate how you quoted that word for word, Ken."

"You say it every time you meet someone you find attractive."

"I never said that about you."

"And that is something we can both breathe easier knowing."

I glanced at the candy aisle.

"Oh, let me restock that. You're good on the register right?"

"Yup. Sure am."

I headed towards the back.

"Clark isn't the only guy who's clueless, ya moron." Ronnie whispered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Thanks for grabbing the candy."

"You got it."

Ronnie leaned on the counter and let out a sigh.

The hours went by, and the shift had ended.

Ronnie and I had just locked up and were walking out the door.

"Hey, Ken," said Ronnie.

I turned to her.

"You're allowed to be happy. Don't forget that."

"Where is this coming from?"

"Goodnight, Ken."

Ronnie waved and walked away.

"Goodnight… I guess."