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“Mia, that’s not a question that would be comparable to what you would do. I’m okay with stuff like that and shit, you’re talking about Nickoli Giordano. I wouldn’t say no to a man like that. What worries me is who he is. It’s what worries me for you, but like you say you won’t do it. So I guess it’s not a worry then right?” She lifts her shoulder into a sassy shrug.
I’m not doing it and I knew what her answer would be and now I’m thinking I must be crazy. A hundred grand. It’s a hundred grand a year, and fuck, they offer an advance.
I take a deep breath and scan over everything in my mind.
She squeezes my hands again and nods. “I get it Mia. I get it, and hey, maybe I would be the same in thinking I’m selling my body. That’s kind of not what I expected would happen but it does seem that way.” She releases me and reaches into her bag.
I’m shaking my head even before she pulls out the check and holds it out for me to take.
“No, Chloe no.”
She chuckles, takes my hand and shoves it into my palms. “Fucking hell Mia, yes. You’re taking it. You are taking it and you will not give it back to me.”
I glance down at it and see that it’s five grand. Enough to cover two months loan payments to Hector and pay the bills.
Chloe just gave me five grand to keep. A tear pulls at the corners of my eye and runs down my cheek. I get up before she does and move closer to hug her with all the gratitude I could possibly feel.
“Thank you. Thank you so much,” I can’t hold back the tears. They come fast and hard.
She holds me close and pats my back. “You’re welcome Mia. I figured it could buy you some time. A few more months. I wish it was more.”
I move back and shake my head. “No, it’s enough, it’s more than enough and I’m so grateful. Thanks so much.”
When the shit first happened Chloe gave me twenty grand. That was to help pay for Dad’s surgery. I had fifty grand in savings and we were able to get five from a business loan. Dad needed multiple surgeries on his heart and he had to spend five weeks in hospital and two weeks in a rehab center before he could come home. All that time it cost us. It cost us big time with no insurance.
Dad’s health took that turn for the worse just after he’d saved Carter from Hector. I never knew about any of it until it was in full bloom. He’d remortgaged the house to get the bulk of the money, leaving behind a hundred and twenty grand to pay back. It was originally five hundred. The current balance was exactly a hundred grand. Still a shit load of money.
Dad gave all that he had to save Carter’s life and left himself with nothing, not knowing the future would see him with no means to pay anything back with his inability to work and practically close business down. The payments so far to Hector have been made by the remainder of my savings. Basically, what wasn’t spent on hospital bills and bills for the house.
My original plan was to buy a home in L.A. Of course the dire situation was more important than that. It was another dream tossed by the wayside.
My family went through so much, and those who were there for us were friends. No sign of Carter at all. Nope. I haven’t seen him in the last six years. Not hide nor hair.
Prick.
Dad was the only one in touch with him which was fine since I never want to see Carter again.
I’ve written him off.
“It’s going to be okay. It will. You’ll find work and it will be fine.” Chloe nods with determination.
“I hope so.” We might have told each other everything but I’d admittedly held off on telling her that for the last two weeks things were so bad I’d taken to eating bread and butter so Beth and Dad could have the majority of the food in the house. My hot chocolate today was purchased with an old loyalty card I found in my purse.
Some things you just don’t share. I truly do hope things will get better.
Chloe starts telling me about Sal and the change of subject is most welcome. While I might have been stunned by my little adventure at The Dark Odyssey, I didn’t mind hearing about hers. She was there a few nights ago with Sal and apparently they left and decided to go for a movie and dinner near the river. Things sounded like they were definitely getting serious between them.
She tells me more about Sal and what he does for work. He’s an investment banker and handles a lot of the shipping contracts for the Giordanos. I guess that was why his name carried such weight.
Chloe and I talk for close to three hours.
It’s nearly nine when I leave her and venture home. I didn’t mean to stay out so late. I guess I’ll be rearranging my homework schedule with Beth and gardening with Dad.
I get home in fifteen minutes and the minute I see the black Sedan parked outside, I know something’s wrong.
I don’t park in my usual spot, the sight of the car makes me park on the curb, jump out and make a run to the house.
My heart slams inside my chest as I see Dad and Beth kneeling on the floor in the living room while Hector Ramirez holds his gun on both of them.
