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Charlie was feeling like her old self again—getting that money and not giving a fuck. She took the initiative to get her shit together. One week at the hotel was a full month’s rent in some neighborhoods. So, early one morning she went out apartment hunting. What Charlie wanted was a place that would rival Melanie’s and Chanel’s. She wanted something to show off. It didn’t take her long to find something in Clinton Hill not too far from Melanie’s place, which was a bold move. It was a one-bedroom within her price range. After Charlie provided her with fraudulent information and a sizable cash down payment, the landlord was happy to hand over the keys to the place.
“Enjoy it,” said the landlord.
Charlie smiled. “Believe me, I will.”
Right away, Charlie started decorating the place with a woman’s touch, wanting so badly to emulate Melanie.
***
Claire was dumbfounded that Charlie had gotten them an apartment, and in the same neighborhood where Melanie lived—or used to live. Whatever she believed.
“Are you serious, Charlie? Here?”
“Why not? I like the area. Besides, we ain’t got shit to hide, right?”
Claire stared at her sister with that continued bewilderment. It looked like she was hesitant to walk into their new apartment.
Charlie was in no mood to deal with her sister’s strange and crazy behavior. “Claire, this is something new for us, so don’t be bringing that crazy shit up in here. Okay? The past is the past, so let it be. I found us this place so we can live in peace. If you not wit’ that, then you ain’t gotta move in wit’ me. Go be on your own.”
Charlie gave her a tour. The apartment would have been perfect except Claire was expected to sleep on the pullout sofa.
“Where’s my room?”
Charlie sucked her teeth. “Claire, don’t start ya shit.”
“How am I starting? You got a room, right? Shouldn’t I have one too? I’m grown, Charlie. I need my personal space.”
“I got what I could afford. Your selfish ass should be happy I’m puttin’ a roof over your head.”
In almost a whisper, Claire said, “I want my own room, Charlie.”
“We all want things, Claire. You get what I give you! And right now I could only afford one bedroom.”
“But I work. I can pay my share.”
“Ugggggh, I can’t anymore. You’re so selfish. I’ve been sacrificing for you, Chanel, Bacardi, and Butch all my life making sure the bills were paid, and this is how you thank me? You whine about something so fuckin’ petty!”
“You actin’ like you raised me! And let’s not pretend that you’d have any of that money if it weren’t for me. I brought you to Melanie. That was me!” Claire hit her own chest with force and had a deranged look in her eyes, which were quickly darting left to right. The murder of her schoolmate was weighing heavily on her. Charlie got spooked for a moment. Her sister seemed like a nut, able to snap at any second. But Charlie knew she couldn’t show fear to loony people.
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“Okay, listen. I’m already locked into this lease for a year. When the lease is up we can get a two-bedroom, and if you ever want to sleep in my room that’s cool.”
Having nowhere else to go, Claire acquiesced to her sister’s compromise.
***
Charlie didn’t give Claire any of the money that she had killed for, and Claire went back to her life of school and work to keep herself busy. She needed to keep herself from going insane. But at school, her classmates were broken up about what had happened to Melanie; the news of her gruesome death had spread like wildfire. While students and staff were heartbroken, Claire remained quiet and aloof.
While Claire was dealing with the grief at her school, Charlie grew angrier each day about her parents not calling her to apologize and to give her back her expensive shit. Bacardi had no right to keep any of her things. And then she heard from an unlikely person.
“Who the fuck is this?”
“Hi, Charlie. This is Landy.”
Charlie smirked. “Landy? What the fuck you want?”
“I was trying to get in contact with Wanda.”
