This test could detect marijuana, cocaine, opiates, ecstasy, oxys, meth, benzos, barbis, PCP and I’m sure some other drugs I couldn’t think of. I wasn’t worried. If eating loads of candy made a drug test positive than I would fail. But, I knew that wouldn’t happen. Kat forced all kinds of sugary treats and me and I was happy to take them.
I used the silent waiting time to replay everything that happened earlier in the day. I made her laugh. I made her smile. I cleaned the shelves. I took the ladder back into the basement. I learned everything she taught me. I had an impeccable memory when I was sober.
Christ, I hope I can stay sober. I really wanted to be sober. I didn’t know any drug dealers in Galena and my identification card had my real age on it. The grocery probably wouldn’t sell me any booze.
“You tested negative,” David said to jar me back into the present.
“Yea, I’m clean.” I shrugged.
“We have rules.”
“I know you do and I’m not trying to break them. I rode into town and there was a sign in the window for a job. I walked into this shop and got the job. I got hired on the spot. I started today, right away. I was excited. I lost track of time. I never had a job before, a normal job.” I stopped to catch my breath. “Regular, common people came into the store. It was different. Nothing like I’ve experienced before.”
“Jagger, you’re supposed to run everything by us first.”
“Yes, I know. But this was just a chance occurrence. I didn’t think I would get the job.”
They both looked at each other then back at me. “A job, I don’t know. I don’t know if you can handle that pressure.”
“It’s easy. No pressure at all.” I shrugged.
“You’re trying to keep a low profile.”
“I am but no one knows me in this town. The lady that owns the shop didn’t recognize me.”
“What lady? What shop?”
“Her name is Katrina Sweet. She hired me. She owns the candy shop on Main Street. It’s called Sweet Treats.”
“Sweet Treats?” David asked or repeated.
“Have you been there?”
“I know the place,” Fiona spoke up for me. “It’s a few doors down from the nail salon.”
David gazed across the table at me. “Working there just seems too risky. You’re in my care.” David concluded what was absolutely true.
“It’s not dangerous at all. I used my American accent the entire day. She didn’t know I was British and none of the customers realized my true identity.”
“I don’t know about this.” David worried too fucking much.
“Working is apart of my rehabilitation. David, please mate, this is honest work. Plus, I get to practice my American accent. I’m constantly offered Hollywood scripts. This will bloody help me be a better actor. I’ll be offered better roles. I have a Grammy. I would like an Oscar one day.”
“You can’t win an Oscar if you die of a drug overdose first.”
What a punch in the gut. Clearly that was true but stating it seemed a bit rude. “I need this method training with everyday random American people so I can pick up a proper Midwest accent.”
“How long do you think you can keep this up, this accent?”
“I’ve been acting since primary school. This,” I spread my arms wide for dramatic purposes. “It’s just another extension of that. You can come by the shop and check it out. I told the owner I live with my aunt and uncle. It’s a candy shop, literally nothing nefarious. The owner, she’s older and a respectable business owner. This is a good thing for me. Plus, I’ve never heard of anyone dying of a sugar overdose.”
My joke didn’t go over well with him. I could see it in his stony grimace. Although David was American he had an old English flair about him.
“I don’t know.” David was being difficult. I believe that was a big part of his job. So I couldn’t hold it against him.
“I don’t know either. Maybe it’s a good idea if he gets some honest work in his system.” Fiona always spoke when the time was right. She was soft-spoken and rational. She was in my corner or at least it appeared that way.
“Yes, I agree.” I eagerly shook my head up and down a few times.
“What kinds of things did you do at this candy store?” Fiona asked.
“Today, I scrubbed the shelves clean. I sweep the floors. Unpacked a few boxes and I learned to work the cash register. After a few weeks, I could probably buy a place and run it myself. I’m getting a lot of hands-on training.”
“In the morning, I need to run this job by your manager.”
“Glynn, I’m sure he’ll be okay with it.” I hoped.
“We’ll see.”
“The owner, she told me I have to fill out some forms and bring my identification in tomorrow.”
“Wait a minute. You can’t miss any of our sessions.”
“I won’t miss any sessions. They’re every morning at eight. I need to be at the shop at ten. Everything works out impeccably.”
“Jagger, you’ve only been here for a few days. I don’t want to pile too many responsibilities on you all at once.”
“I know you think I’m moving too fast. But look where I am. I just need something other than music and therapy to occupy my time. I’ve been clean for two weeks. I absolutely want to stay clean and sober. My mates are depending on me.”
“Don’t think about their well-being. You need to think about getting clean and staying clean for yourself.”
“Of course.”
“I will see you on time at 8 AM?” I was being dismissed.
“I will be there early.”
“Jagger, try to come to breakfast also,” Fiona ordered. “I’ll make you a hearty English breakfast.”
“Sure, breakfast sounds lovely.” They were both staring at me. That disappointed look was replaced with thoughtfulness. “I’m feeling really inspired.
