Chapter 2 - The Service Exit
Elena did not wait for Julian's command. She pivoted on her heel, shielding the child’s head against her neck, and bolted through the double swinging doors into the commercial kitchen. The heat of industrial fryers and the scent of roasted garlic struck her immediately.
""Elena, what are you doing?"" Chef Marco yelled over the roar of the ventilation hoods, holding a sauté pan mid-air. ""You’ve got two tables waiting on entrees!""
""Family emergency, Marco. I'm sorry,"" she breathed, dodging a busser carrying a tray of dirty plates.
Behind her, the kitchen doors burst open with a violent crash. Julian was right behind her, using his body to block the narrow corridor between the stainless steel prep tables. ""Keep moving, El! Don't look back!""
She reached the back exit, pushing through the heavy fire bar. The cold autumn night air slapped her cheeks, instantly chilling the sweat on her forehead. The alleyway was narrow, illuminated only by a buzzing sodium-vapor lamp mounted above the dumpster. She pulled the baby’s vest tighter around his small body, sheltering him from the wind.
Footsteps clattered on the metal grating behind her. Julian tumbled through the exit, his breathing ragged. He shoved a heavy wooden pallet against the door frame, buying them seconds.
""My car is parked three blocks down, on Elm,"" Julian gasped, grabbing her elbow to steady her. ""We have to run.""
""I can't run with Leo in the dark, Julian! He's six months old!"" Elena cried, tears finally stinging her eyes.
""I won't let him take our son, Elena. But if they catch us together, they'll use their legal guardianship order.""
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Elena stopped dead in the wet leaves of the alley. ""What guardianship order? Julian, what did Arthur do?""
Julian’s face tightened into an expression of raw defeat. ""My father convinced a probate judge that you abandoned Leo, and that I'm mentally unfit. A squad car just pulled up at the end of the alley.""
