SNOW GLOBE Read Online Free PDF Page A

took a seat next to Aja. “Did she tell you why she got fired from Abercrombie?”
    Edna’s blush cooled. “Fired?”
    Walker nodded. “Yeah, she’s a real hero. Some lady was smacking her kid around, and Aja told her to stop.”
    Edna looked over her reading glasses at Aja. “Now why would you get fired for that?”
    Aja glanced at Walker. His energy radiated throughout the room. “I guess because I yelled at her.”
    “Did you hit her?”
    “No! Of course not.”
    “Good.” Edna made a few notes. “We can’t have anyone here with a short temper.”
    Walker laughed. “She fights for the underdog. She’ll be perfect here.” He squeezed Aja’s arm.
    “Do you have any experience working with the elderly?”
    “No, ma’am.”
    “One must have a great deal of patience,” Edna said. “Our residents need someone to keep up with their pace. Usually slower than what you may be used to.”
    “You’ll get to know everybody here. They’ll love you,” Walker said, standing to leave. “Call me when you’re done. I’ll show you around.” He turned to Edna. “I’ll introduce her to everybody. You’re a doll for hiring her.”
    Edna blushed again. “I still need to do a background check. But if you recommend her, she must be special.” Edna giggled.
    “I highly recommend her.” Walker put his right hand over his heart.
    Aja smiled nervously at the mention of a background check and glanced at Walker. He had only met her a few days ago, picked her up as she was running from the law and gave her a ride after she’d been fired from a job. Maybe he wasn’t such a good judge of character. But at least he was cute.
    She considered asking Edna if she was interested in taking a drawing class. That poor woman would have died and gone to heaven had she been in her mom’s studio.

    “It’s not that hard,” Janie, the woman training Aja in the kitchen said. Janie was probably in her early thirties, had short thick hair, and a warm energy that Aja could practically feel. Her aura was green-hued, nurturing and comforting; filled with hugs. “You ask if they want soup or salad, what kind of dressing, and what they want to eat. Two dinner choices: beef, chicken, or occasionally fish. Sometimes we’ll have pork chops, but when we do most of the residents need them blended to mush. Then you take it to their table.”
    Aja tied the apron over her white shirt and black pants she had to use the rest of the stolen money on. The ugly orthopedic-looking shoes she’d found at Payless for under ten bucks were already hurting her feet. She’d better start making some money soon, or she was afraid she’d be looking at the world from behind bars. Her mother would not help pay back the loot. “Karma,” she’d said. “ You need to make it right.”
    “Drinks are easy,” Janie went on. “Water, juice, coffee, tea. Have you ever been a server?”
    “No, this is my first time. I was a hostess at a steak restaurant once.”
    “Just don’t drop anything, especially on one of the residents.”
    “Okay.”
    “This place is like a soap opera. It’s hilarious to see who’s eating with who. It’s worse than high school—they have the popular table and the nerd table.” Janie hoisted a tray of water pitchers. “And everybody gets dressed up for dinner.” She shook her head. “I can barely get dressed up for a date. Come, follow and learn.”
    “What did you mean when you said you blend stuff to mush?” Aja asked, trying to keep up with Janie, who was a head shorter than Aja but moved with quick efficiency.
    “A lot of the people here can’t chew their food, so Gabe, the cook, blends it down. Tastes the same, but looks gross.” Janie handed a water pitcher to Aja. “Go fill the water glasses on the tables. Hurry, the line is starting.” Janie nodded to the entrance, where a few people hovered over walkers or on motorized scooters.
    Aja took the pitcher and started filling. The dining area was big; tables had