Chapter Seven

"Long night?" My wife asks me. 

I nod. I know the times she wasn't just asking because of the labor. This job is mentally draining.  

I lay in bed, letting my head sink deeper into the pillow. I have a few hours before I need to get up and get ready for the classroom. 

"Our account is negative again." I hear my wife say, entering the room.

I open one eye. 

"How?" 

"Well, Addy's dance tuition came out, and then she needed new ballet shoes. "

I feel the breath escaping my lips. Addy is my oldest daughter, and it would be a lie to not say her hobbies cost more than any other kid. 

"You may need to cut back her classes, Karen."

She puts her hands on her hip. "You know that would break her heart.

I pull the blankets over my face. It doesn't really matter what I say or how these arguments will go, she won't be pulled from any classes. 

"I guess it's better for our bank account to be broken than her heart." 

Just like magic, it was time to wake up for my second job. I drag my feet into the kitchen and smell bacon. All my kids around the table. 

I walk over to the stove and grab one off the fryer and pop it in my mouth. 

My wife was quiet. I know she's upset from the conversation earlier and my absurd suggestion. 

Walking over to the door, grab my car keys. 

"You're leaving early." 

"Yeah baby, I have to copy worksheets, and still pencil in a few assignments on the lesson plan." 

She nods. My feet move toward her, and once in front of her, I bring my lips to her forehead. 

She looks at me and smiles. I gently rubbed my finger on her cheek. 

"Everything will work out just fine, it always does."

Several minutes later, I push open the classroom door. I make my way over to the desk and sit down. My eyes glands over my plans for the week, and it should be a fairly easy week. 

Opening my desk, I grab an energy drink. I secretly store them at school, because my wife hated I drink them, but I have no choice. I need something to restore the energy that's drained from me.

Hearing my phone ring, I looked down and I feel shocked that it is the restaurant calling me. They know not to call me during the day, because I can't take any unwelcome shifts. 

"Phillip", I hear Mallory's voice. Mallory is district manager over all McDonald's, and I know if she is calling me something serious happened. I hardly ever talk to her, I have a handful of times, and there's rarely ever an instance that she handles that Kim doesn't. 

"Is everything okay?" I feel my hand start shaking. 

"It's Kim, she passed away." I hear the sadness in her voice. 

"At the restaurant?" 

"Yes." 

I swallow hard. "Another murder victim."

"They're not sure what happened, but somehow her face ended up in the french fry fryer and she was burned from hot grease." 

I feel the phone dropping from my hand. What an absolute horrible way to die.