Thirty percent

"It's him. My baby Tusky come here"

I kneeled down so he could see me under the strangers arm. My baby was alive and safe and I was so ecstatic to see him, but not with a stranger. I walked over to the guy who had already turned around to meet eyes with me. He seemed very unhappy and I didn't know why, well no duh Julian we don't know the guy.

"Hey sir, thank you for finding my baby." He was silent and he turned his head forward and I got no response from him. Well dang, I was just saying thank you, maybe he got offended. I could tell by his slump posture and the pale look on his face made him seem miserable. Did he go through a break up? Should I ask? I believe that would be rude to ask, but I'm curious. His jacket was soaked so I'm guessing he got caught up in the storm and Dave and Tasha's was the nearest location. I sat in the chair in front of him and he held his head down while looking at the brown, slick table.

My sweet personality just wanted to hug him and tell him everything was gonna be ok. People go through stuff and not everyone may notice it and they may even overlook it. The signals could be there, they just might no be strong enough to send a fire flame into the sky. His eyes looked very gray and blurry; I could tell that tears might just fall down in an instant. I grabbed his hand which was laying on top of the table and I brushed my fingers on his for a little.

"what are you doing?" he said.

I smiled at him and said, "You'll be ok, and if you need any help I'll help you." I let go of his hand so he wouldn't think I'm so weird. I understood pain and I felt it well enough to know when someone else is feeling it too. Losing your mother is the toughest thing anyone has to go through (or any family member). I lost her to a serial killer who was just going around committing crime. He stabbed her one-hundred and six times, and when the police told me that I felt those stab wounds in my heart. The way she suffered wasn't right at all; she didn't deserve it, no one ever does. The man was on the run and he broke into her house to stay hidden. If she didn't come downstairs that night to get a drink of water, there was a thirty percent chance she would have lived. Just thirty percent. Thirty percent to me now seems like a big number, knowing that it was a chance that she would still be here with me. But in the moment of living, the number thirty is so small and neglected that the world sees it too small enough to care.

I only got thirty dollars; just thirty points taken off so I still passed the quiz. Only thirty pieces of candy; thirty more miles to go. But only thirty percent that you could still be beside me, hugging me, holding my hand down the aisle. I have no one else to do that for me, but you, and now she's gone and the thirty percent chance still rings in my ear like a loud siren telling me to move out the way. The thirty percent that tells me to move on because the percent doesn't exist anymore since you're gone.

"do you need something?" he said in a very sorrowful voice.

"That's my baby you're holding right there." his palms were wrapped around Tusky as if he needed his comfort more than mine, which was understood.

"i'm sorry. can I hold him for a little longer?"

"Sure, take your time." I got up and went to the register to see the different foods they had. The sugar cookies with sprinkles looked delicious to me and a glass of milk would go perfect with it.

"Hey Dave, can I get two sugar cookies with glasses of milk to go with each?"

"Yes you can. That'll be four dollars and twenty-seven cents." I gave him the money and he went to the kitchen to grab the glasses of milk. I turned around to see the stranger rubbing Tusky and it was so sad. What happened to him to make him so sad and hurt? I want to help him like any kind-hearted person would. I just need to understand why this situation got him so down. It had to be something serious to make him wanna cry, well almost cry.

"Here ya go, your two glasses of milk mam." He went under the counter and slid the glass door and got two sugar cookies. He then wrapped them in napkins and gave them to me.

"Thank you Dave"

"My pleasure Julian." I walked over to the stranger with the dark presence around him and Tusky.

"Here's a cookie and a glass of milk for you."

His head popped up and then he looked at me, "thank you."

"No problem. Just something to brighten up your mood."

He took small bites of the cookie like he was too nervous to eat around me. I get nervous too sometimes when eating in front of someone I didn't know.

"Feeling any better?" I said as he drunk some of the milk.

"Yeah, a little. Thank you again."

"You're welcome."

Tusky rubbed himself against the strangers jacket and purred so softly that it warmed my heart. Even Tusky wanted the guy to cheer up; I taught him well I guess.

"Oh, you can take your cat."

"No, no. Not right now. He's comforting you; just enjoy the feeling."

"Well ok." This man was so stood back and timid that I just wanted to know more about him. He was well kept and clean so not homeless at all. The storm brings people's mood down and that's all it was. Just a cloudy day and a sad mood.