Clara had wandered into Tops after closing up their shop for the day. The sky was gloomy as they glanced out the small window to their left and idly wondered when it would begin to rain. Their fingers itched to give Natalie a call, but Clara knew they had already bothered the older woman far too often this week. She was young anymore and had a family of her own to deal with - Clara knew they couldn’t be a nuisance. As much as they wanted to be.
( Don’t be ridiculous, you are never a bother to me Clara )
As they took a sip of their beer they noticed someone sit a couple seats over. Clara hesitated before they turned and said, “Don’t think I’ve seen you around here before. You new to town?”
What a lame thing to say. Too late now, the words hung in the air between them and the stranger.