Chapter 1
Bea and her best friend Maxine were volunteering at the local women's shelter they were cooking dinner Bea volunteers a few days out of the week she like to be able to help other women she understands what they are going through she went through it to she didn't want to think about her past so Bea continued cooking trying to put her mind on something else it usually takes them a few hours to cook they have to make a lot of food a lot of women to feed she was pulled out of her thoughts by Maxine
"How are you today Bea" Maxine asks this everyday she receives the same response
"I'm ok maxi" Bea said even though they both know she isn't ok she still struggles with her past
"Did you get settled into the new place"
"Not yet I still have boxes all over the apartment to unpack" she didn't bother unpacking at all she will start tonight maybe
"I can always help you if you need it I'm here if you need me"
"Thanks but I got it maxi"
they finished making dinner then they took the food out and sat it on the table when they finished putting the water out it was time to serve food people started creating a line to get their meal almost forty minutes later the line died down ever one eating
"I'm going to grab more water from the kitchen" Maxine said then went to the kitchen
Bea looked up to see a woman with the hood of her sweat shirt over her head she walked up to Bea
"Hey let me make you a plate" Bea said looking at the woman
"Ok" the woman said
Bea noticed she had blonde hair but her eyes were very dilated her pupils huge you could still see the blue in them though she had dark circles under them her nose slightly red bea has seen this before her ex-husband did drugs she knew the woman was on drugs she handed her the plate
"Thank you" the woman said she then went and sat down to eat she sat facing towards bea
Bea couldn't help but to look at her again the blonde finally took her hood off her head Bea noticed the beauty mark above her lip
"Hey let's start cleaning up" Maxine said pulling Bea out of her thoughts Maxine looked at the woman Bea was staring at
Maxine was in the kitchen washing the dishes while Bea swept the floor she was now wiping down the tables the blonde was still sitting there Bea felt like someone was watching her she looked up to see the blonde looking at her deep in thought Bea smiled at her pulling the blonde out of her trance she gave Bea a smile
"You volunteer here" the blonde asked
"Yeah I come in on my days off and sometimes after work" Bea wiping down the table Allie was at it was her last one
"How many days would you say you are here"
"3 or 4 days" Bea sat down across from her
"You are here often"
"yeah I guess I am have you been here before I don't think I've seen you before"
"No first time here"
"Did you like the food"
"Yeah it was really good did you make it"
"Yeah me and my friend Maxine did" the woman didn't get to respond Maxine walked back in
"Did you finish Bea I'm all done"
"Yeah I finished"
"I should head out bye Bea" the woman walked out before Bea could ask her name
"Who is she" Maxine asked
"I don't know I didn't get her name"
"Oh ok well Let's get going"
Maxine drove Bea home since they drove to the shelter together
"I'll see you tomorrow at work" Maxine said
"Bye see you tomorrow"
Bea got out and made her way into her apartment she set her keys down on the table she went to her room and starting unpacking boxes putting her clothes where they belonged she opened another box and it was photos she carried the box to the living room to hang them up she found her tool box for her hammer and nails she pulled out the first picture and it was of her and her daughter Debbie most of her picture were of Debbie or the both of them she finished all the boxes and decided to call it a night she showered and made it to bed
The next morning Bea woke up and got ready for work she grabbed an apple on the way out the door
"Morning Bea" Maxine said as Bea walked in the hair shop to her station
"Morning" she smiled at Maxine saying hello to her coworkers
"Hey red hi Maxine" there friend Franky said coming in
"Hey Franky you ready for a cut"
Bea met Franky at the women's shelter almost a year ago Franky was staying there when she got out of prison now she has a job and her own place they became good friends Franky even helps out at the shelter once a week
"Yes please"
"How's work going"
"Great I got a promotion I'm head chef"
"God job Franky" Maxine said
"I'm proud of you" bea said
"Thanks red are you going to work the shelter tonight" Beas mind went to the blonde woman from last night there was something about the woman Bea couldn't place her finger on it though
"Yeah I am I'll be there around 3"
"Are you going Maxine"
"Not tonight"
"Just me and you today red"
"What time are you going over" Bea asked
"after this I'm going to go start cooking"
Ten minutes later and Bea was done
"There you go all done"
"Thanks red I'll see you later bye Maxine"
Bea went on with her day finishing all her client's hair once she was done she headed over to the shelter
"Hey Franky" Bea said walking in
"Hey red come stir this"
Bea walked over to stir what Franky was cooking
"It smells great in here"
"Thanks"
An hour and a half later they were setting up to food to serve
"Hey Liz how's it going" Bea asked Liz has been staying at the shelter for a few months
"Good I had a job interview today hopefully I got it"
"I hope so"
She handed her the food Liz walking away Bea couldn't help to keep looking towards the door wondering if the blonde was coming in
Bea and Franky served everyone when they were about to start cleaning up when the blonde walked in and up to the table
Bea looked at her she looked worse than yesterday a bruise on her cheek the woman looked kind of familiar she was pulled out of her thoughts by Franky
"Novak" Franky said surprised the blonde looking up at Franky a small smile
"Hey Franky"
"I haven't seen you in what two years"
Bea was surprised they knew each other the name Novak she knew some Novak's before
"Yeah It's been awhile"
"Are you good did you need to stay here tonight" Franky asked knowing she wasn't good at all
"No I just came for some food thank you though" she looked at Bea
"Hey bea" she smirked
"Hey"
She walked and sat in the same spot as the day before they started to clean Bea sweeping and wiping done tables again the blonde still sitting there so she saved that table for last she walked over to wipe it down
"You look nice today Bea"
"Thank you"
"Who does your hair it looks good"
"I do it myself" Bea said sitting down
"Your good at it"
"Yeah I do it for a living I do hair here for free for the women if you ever want yours done just let me know"
"Thanks I might take you up on the offer"
Franky walked out seeing the two talking
"I'm all done red let's call it a night" Franky said Bea nodded
"I didn't get your name" bea asked before leaving
"Allie Novak" Bea looked surprised when she heard it she knows that name
"Bye Franky bye Bea" Allie said and then she was gone
No it couldn't be her bea thought she used to baby sit an Allie Novak when she was 17 they were neighbors then bea moved when she was 19 her mum passed away and she ended up getting married to her boyfriend that was the last time she saw the girl was this the same Novak bea wondered she needed to go through her mums old photobooks there is a picture of her and allie she spent a few holidays with bea and beas mother bea headed home with a mission to find the picture
