Chapter Four
Lily was really struggling to hold it together, with Gabe looking apologetic and Rika discreetly edging a box of facial tissues towards her.
“So it’s not an easy fix, or even something we can handle on site. It’ll cost at least a few thou. I don’t know what the actual repair shop will charge, but the parts alone won’t be cheap.”
Rika’s face was grave, while inwardly Lily’s panic was threatening to overwhelm her, as it had when Gabe first used the wordthousandsout in the parking lot. Lily wasn’t even sure if she hadhundredsin the crumpled bills that Lucie had stuffed into her shabby canvas purse. She didn’t even have the change that she had collected to do laundry with, as if the eight bucks in quarters was going to help.
Thousands.
Gabe’s radio squawked.
“Shit!—uh, excuse me.” Gabe flushed with embarrassment. Rika smiled. “It’s ok, Gabe, go do what you have to do. Thank you for looking at the car.”
“Yes, thank you, Gabe.” Lily said. She might be up shit creek without a paddle, but damn if she would forget her manners. That was something she tried to teach her preschoolers. Minus the reference to excrement.
“I have an idea.” Rika said. Lily looked at the HR director. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’re totally short-staffed and we have tons of open positions available. We even have housing for those that work really long hours or agree to be on call around the clock, like our Ops Staff.”
She had learned from Gabe that Ops was short for Operations, and they handled almost all of the day-to-day running of the Faire. They were like Roadies, for a massive band in an even larger venue.
“Thank you, but I’m afraid I can’t,” Lily said, surprising the older woman. The thoughts raced through her head—I’ve got to be on my way, I’ve got to put more distance between myself and Rey before he realizes I’m gone, if he hasn’t already.
“What will you do, Lucie?” There was genuine concern in Rika’s eyes, and Lily felt a momentary guilt at giving her a false name. She hated lying. What a shining example she was being for her preschoolers!
“I’ll just sleep in the car overnight, if I can keep it here, and either get a second opinion on the car in the morning, or get a bus or a train — as far as I can get for under two hundred bucks.”
“The bus would be your best option for that amount of money,” Rika said matter-of-factly. “What will you do about your car, though? You can’t just leave it here, it’s going to need to be towed, and that costs money.”
There wasn’t any judgment in Rika’s tone, which Lily was thankful for as she quietly melted down inside. There was no way to get out, then.
And maybe it was because the HR Director was so rational, so focused on problem-solving, that Lily saw the flip side of her predicament. It was hard to get out, true, but unless Rey specifically knew to come here to look for her, it would be equally hard to find her.
Fate seemed to want her to stay here at the Faire.
Just then, the door swung open, and a short, stout woman in full medieval dress including a corset that was at least three sizes too small, burst in, preceded by her booming voice.
“That girl’s just about to go home again with another allergic reaction!”
The woman paid no notice to Lily, her mottled face squarely trained on the HR Director.
“TraceyAnn, I take it you mean Luna? What happened?” Rika’s voice was evenly modulated. Lily recognized that technique. She used it every time her preschoolers tantrummed, and this TraceyAnn was definitely in the throes of an adult-sized throw down.
“If it’s not her tripping over her own feet, she’s allergic to everything under the sun. She’s probably allergic to the sun, too! She’s left me totally without anyone again, and we’ve got about two dozen kids right now, which isn’t a great ratio even when Luna is there.”
Lily perked up. Kids? TraceyAnn continued at high volume, seemingly without a need to take a breath. Not that Rika was even going to try to get a word in there.
“And Mallory’s taking off on maternity leave soon — honestly how can you expect me to run the Staff Childcare center by myself? I need more staffing. I need people like yesterday. Get me people, Rika,stat!”
Before Lily could stop herself, she blurted, “I have a Certification Letter for Early Childhood Education.”Drat!It was in her real name.
Her face flushed, just as TraceyAnn swung around to face her, her eyes sweeping Lily up and down quickly before her voice boomed.
“Are you here for a job? I’ll take you!”
As TraceyAnn swept out, she called to the HR Director over her shoulder, “Make it happen, Rika! I have to rush back and let Luna go home. And who knows what the Terror Twins have done in the meantime, left alone with Luna!”
The door slammed shut behind her, the office feeling like the aftermath of a twister.
“Terror Twins?” Lily was the first to break the silence.
