AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No, I mean just for the weekend. Take some time together.”
“We’re together now.” Her eyes twinkled with teasing. “I know what you mean. Maybe in a little while? I’ve been feeling kind of run down lately.”
“Oh?” He took her hand and rubbed the back of it with his thumb. “How so?”
“It’s not a big thing. It’s just an accumulation of stresses. Getting more sleep should help.” April shrugged. “Where were you thinking of going? Or did you want it to be a surprise?”
“I was thinking of visiting San Antonio for the River Walk.” Samson nodded to the waiter as he brought their dinners by. “Or New Orleans. They have both architecture and a great night life.”
“Oohh. New Orleans, please.”
“Excellent. When you’re feeling up to it, we can go.” He squeezed her fingers and then let go of her hand so that she could eat. She seemed to have lost a bit of weight recently, and he was fond of her figure just as it was. “What is it that’s causing you so much stress?”
April looked down at her creamy pecan and sundried tomato sauce over linguini and sautéed shrimp. Her forehead was lined, and her voice sounded a bit weary as she explained the situation with her former apartment. He’d heard a bit of the problem from Lana before he hired April, but he hadn’t realized it was a continuing issue.
“I can fight it. I mean, I think I can. But I’m not sure I want to. Financially, it might work out the same if I just give them the money, rather than hire a lawyer, which will cost more,” April explained.
“You don’t have to go to court to get what you want. Often, you just have to show these people that you are willing to see it through. If you can outlast them before it becomes too much trouble, they’ll give up.”
“I think landlords like this know that anyone who rents from them doesn’t have the time or the money to devote to really taking them down.” April swirled her pasta onto her fork and left it there. “I just feel stupid, you know? I should have known that things would turn out so badly. I shouldn’t have trusted the managers to do the right thing.”
“You can’t scold yourself for making bad decisions when your choices are so severely limited,” Samson said. “Let me come down there with you. I cost nothing, and I’m certain that if they can be intimidated, I will do so.”
“I bet you will.” April’s lips curved to the side.
“That’s a yes?”
“If you really want to waste a day arguing with a brick wall. Be my guest.”
***
Samson had once heard of a social theory that one could physically feel out of place somewhere that contrasted too sharply with one’s upbringing. Walking into the front gate of April’s old apartment complex on a Thursday afternoon made Samson wonder if that theory were true. He’d never been in a space that was so clearly not for him. He wasn’t sure that it was for anybody.
“Try to look more uncomfortable. I think that will keep people from robbing you,” April drawled.
“Stop, you. We have a few minutes. Show me around.”
“Yes, sir.” April led the way. “Over here is the lovely green chlorinated pool that you swim in if you would like to get a yeast infection.”
“I—What?”
“Right behind the main office, that’s where all of the mail for everyone is located.”
“That seems inconvenient for such a large complex.”
“The postman is as freaked out by this place as you are.”
Samson slipped his hands into his pockets and scanned around the complex. The grass had looked nice from the front, but as he walked through, he could see it browning and dying, which was a pity because the large, shady trees and the space for greenery would have been a high point off this complex. He could see cracked, impassible sidewalks between the buildings. Rain gutters were bent. The fence was almost halfway to the ground on one side.
“What happened there?” Samson pointed to the fence.
“People jump it. Mostly tenants, honestly, since otherwise, they have to walk all the way around to the entrance.”
“Why walk? Can’t they drive in?”
“They could, if they owned cars. Not everyone in this neighborhood owns one.”
Samson scowled. “Then they should design the gate so people can come in at different points.”
