PATCHES TO PATCHES… PLANS SKEWED, FOILED TO DUST !
The next morning, May Belle dressed with care, picking a sundress with a cheerful pattern, the kind that made her look like the perfect small-town girl. She ate a quick breakfast, exchanging light words with Elaine about "prepping for the Town Bake Sale ," and headed out.
The air was crisp and cool as she walked through the quiet streets of Lake Creek District, the sun just climbing over the rooftops. She rehearsed her approach—casual, friendly, no hint of desperation.
May Belle stopped in front of Trenton's Diner, the same place she'd stormed out of yesterday. She took a breath and pushed the door open, the bell above it jolling as she stepped inside.
Johanna was behind the counter, pouring coffee for a pair of early customers. Her eyes met May Belle's, and for a moment, the air froze. Then Johanna smiled, cool and polite.
"May Belle. What can I get you?"
May Belle slid onto a stool, returning the smile. "Just a coffee, please. Black."
As Johanna poured, May Belle leaned in, voice low. "About yesterday... I'm sorry it escalated.Do you...have any idea where Patches is?”
Johanna’s expression didn't flicker, but her hands paused for a beat. "Sorry, May Belle. I don't know where Patches is. You know how rabbits are—probably off exploring."
The words were a gentle dismissal. May Belle's smile didn't waver, but her mind spun. Leonie was hiding him. Definitely.
"Thanks, Jo."May Belle said lightly, taking her coffee.
****
The next morning, not one to be deterred May Belle dressed with a singular focus, her jumpsuit a careless choice, her mind entirely on Patches. She ate a silent breakfast, ignoring Elaine's concerned glance, and plunged back into the hunt.
First stop: Trenton's Diner, where Leonie served her a polite smile and a firm "I don't know where Patches is." with a garnish of annoyance.
May Belle left with a scalding coffee, feeling like she'd been slapped again. "You're lying," she muttered under her breath, the words lost to the street.
Next, she swung by the local pet store, hoping for a lead. The owner, Mr. Jenkins, shook his head, oblivious. "Haven't seen a rabbit matching Patches' description, sorry, May Belle." She cut him off mid-sorry, already out the door.
The park, where she'd hoped to catch a glimpse? Just kids playing, no sign of fluffy grey fur.
Every door led to a wall. Every question got a shrink-wrapped "I don't know." Frustration simmered into anger as the sun climbed higher, baking the sidewalk. May Belle kicked a pebble down the street, feeling the ache in her chest spread.
Frustration curdled into obsession as the sun climbed higher. As she sipped the bitter brew, an idea sparked. The old abandoned greenhouse on the edge of town. A place where someone might hide a rabbit. May Belle with purposeful steps, plunged into a search for Patches.
She ended up at the old abandoned greenhouse on the edge of town, weeds curling through cracked glass. It was a long shot, but maybe...maybe.
She pushed open the creaky door, stepping into the damp, green-scented air. Silence. Shadows played tricks on her. No Patches. May Belle spun around, slapping a dusty crate in frustration. The sound echoed, hollow. No leads. No rabbit. No soup. No victory at the Bake Sale. Just Leonie's smug face, burned into her mind.
Leaning against a crumbling wall, May Belle felt her breath catch. The edges of her vision blurred. Where is he?
May Belle slid down to the cool dirt, her back against the crumbling wall of the abandoned greenhouse, the scent of damp earth and decay filling her lungs.
The anger simmered, a tight knot in her chest, as she stared blankly at the shadows dancing across the broken panes. Leonie had Patches. She was sure of it now. The certainty fueled a fire that burned away the hurt and the doubt.
The greenhouse seemed to darken around her, shadows creeping in like accomplices. May Belle stood, brushing off her dress, a plan forming in the raw part of her mind. She slipped out of the greenhouse, the late afternoon sun a weak glare after the dim interior.
*****
May Belle headed straight to Trenton's, the neon sign buzzing to life as she pushed the door open. The diner was mid-evening quiet, a few patrons lingering over coffee. Johanna was behind the counter, pouring a refill for a customer, and looked up with a hint of annoyance as May Belle slid onto a stool.
"Hey, May Belle. Want something to eat?"
May Belle offered a tight smile. "Just a coffee, please. Black." As Johanna poured, May Belle leaned in, voice low. "Is Leonie around? I need to talk to her."
Johanna's expression turned cautious. "I think she's at home. Why?"
May Belle's grip on her coffee cup tightened. "Just needed to ask her something about Patches. Do you...think she'd mind if I swung by?"
Johanna hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. "Uh, I don't know. She was pretty upset yesterday."
May Belle's smile stayed polite, but her mind spun. A direct visit, maybe push a little harder. "Thanks, Jo. I'll catch her then."
Johanna nodded, handing over the coffee, and May Belle took a sip, the bitterness matching her mood. She paid and left, the night air cool on her face as she headed toward Rosemonte Greene. Show up unannounced, maybe catch Leonie off guard.
As she walked, the streets grew darker, streetlights casting long shadows. May Belle felt a pulse of anticipation mixed with nerves. This was getting personal. And she didn't care.
She’d tried everywhere, asked everyone, and no one would budge. No one cooperated. The weight of it settled heavy on her, like a shroud.
May Belle stood outside the house, the porch light casting a cold glow on the dark lawn. Leonie didn't seem to be home. Rattling the doorknob in a fit, she stomped down the porch steps. The door had swung shut on her last hope.
She kicked a pebble off the step, the small clatter lost in the night. Her shoulders slumped, then suddenly tensed as she jammed her hands into her pockets, bunching her sundress.
"No one cooperates," she muttered, the words a growl. "No one cares.”
Blinded by rage, she furiously uprooted a bed of freshly planted Crocus, mangling the dainty purple petals until they were mush in her palms. Trampling on the bright green stems, she dug her heels into them with a vengeance the mess she created thrilling her to bits.
Contented, May Belle turned away, footsteps slow as she trudged toward the park. The sky was dark now, stars–pinpricks of indifference. She dropped onto a bench,and let her gaze fall to the gravel.
Patches was gone. And she couldn’t do anything.No leads. Just her, and this dead end.
For a moment, the urge to cry hit hard, but May Belle pushed it down. No tears. Not here. Not now.
She opened her notes, looked at the soup recipe she'd been perfecting. And crossed it out– the sharp red line a gash across the paper. It was stupid. Patches was stupid. The Bake Sale was stupid.
May Belle leaned back, staring up at the sky. No fight left. Just exhaustion. Maybe she'd just go home, pretend it never happened.
The silence of the park crept in, broken only by a faint rustle in the bushes. A small, scurry-footed shape darted out—a gopher twitching its nose as it watched her.
May Belle looked at it, a hollow spark.
She stood up, slow. "Guess I’m not the only one who doesn’t get what they want," she said to the uninterested burrowing gopher. She started walking home, the night swallowing her steps.
Stopped below a line of trees, chest heaving, she slammed a fist into an oak's trunk. The thud hurt, but it was nothing compared to the sting of failure. And Patches' betrayal
She leaned her forehead against the rough bark, breathing hard, anger vibrating through her.
When she finally pushed off the tree, she spun on her heel, her steps heavy and uneven as she cut through the silent neighborhood.
Patches was gone…
And she was just…nothing.
To Be Continued...
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