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For the rest of the afternoon I sat with Marv as Alex, Shanavia, and a few other part-timers worked. Every so often, Marv would allow me a brief break and I would talk to Shanavia when she wasn't too busy. She agreed to work my Sunday shift because Joanna was already working. I picked at the fries Alex had brought out and drank my water. When Shanavia's shift ended and she waved goodbye, Marv closed my History textbook and quizzedme.
"I think you've got most of it covered. We've gone over alot."
"I still need to write my English paper, but I won't be able to get to that until Monday when I can use one of the library computers to type it up." I sighed, rotating my stiff shoulders. Hunching over the counter while writing out equations for my geometry exam had made my whole backstiff.
"Actually, I have something for you." He produced a slim, silver laptop from the messenger bag I hadn't noticed hanging from the back of his stool, and I nearly fainted. He passed it over and I gripped it, afraid it would slip from my fingers and crash to the tiled floor. I stared at it, and traced the circular logo on thecase.
"I can't take this." I had never had a computer before. I wouldn't know how to use it or take care of it. Didn't laptops need cases and antivirus systems? Those would cost even more money. Libraries only had the big box computers. Sometimes they would get the newer desktop computers with flat-screens, but even those were attached to some kind of hard drive with wires and cords and..."I can't take this," Irepeated.
"Yes, you can." He sipped hiscoffee.
Gently, so as not to scratch the surface, I set the laptop down on the counter. "No." I shook myhead.
Marv tapped the top of the counter with those refined hands of his. "Don't be difficult about this,Harlow."
I pouted, looking longingly at the laptop. He only called me by my name, I realized, when he wanted me to do something. In this case, it was accepting an elaborategift.
"I don't want the damn computer," I lied, crossing myarms.
He rolled his eyes, but before he could reply his cell vibrated. We were sitting so close on the stools, I could feel the resonance. He retrieved the phone and held up onefinger.
"We're not done. You're keeping the laptop. You need it forschool."
"School's almost–" I started to protest. He answered the phone and I stifled a frustratedgrowl.
"This is Marv," he answered. I glared. "Yea." He smirked my way before whoever was on the other side said something that immediately had his full attention. His hands fell away from the counter, his back straightening. "Now? You're sure?" He paused as he listened to the other person. "I can be there in..." The phone switched hands as he checked his Rolex. "Twenty minutes, give or take. I've gotta take Harlowhome."
I shook my head and whispered to keep from interrupting his conversation, but still loud enough for him to hear. "I can walk home. It's not a big deal." Those sparkling, gray eyes of his rolled once again and he ignored mystatement.
"Yea, we're leavingnow."
I began gathering oursupplies.
Alex came out from the back, wiping his hands on a dishtowel.
"We have to go," Isaid.
He nodded and waved us away. Marv threw a few twenties on the counter, much more than necessary, but I didn't comment. I followed Marv outside and scrambled to get into the seat the moment he opened my door, with his other hand still holding the phone to hisear.
"Alright, I'll be there." He said his goodbyes and hung up, slamming my door shut behindme.
I left my seat belt unbuckled since we were only five minutes or so away from my house, something that made Marv frown. When he pulled up to the curb, I reached for the doorhandle.
"What are you doing?" he snapped. "I got it." Before I could assure him that it was fine, I could open my own door and had for the first eighteen years of my life, he was out of his seat and striding around the front end of theBMW.
"It's fine, I can open my door," I argued when he pulled itopen.
Marv scowled down at me as I stepped out. "What would my Mother think? She raised me to always open doors for the elderly and beautiful women." My feet refused to move, and I stood on the sidewalk like an idiot, blinking up at him until he ushered me to the house. "Go on, I'll see you later." Before I could turn and follow his orders, he reached into the car and pulled the laptop out, putting it in my hands. "Takethat."
"Wait!” I called, clutching my bag and the laptop as he rushed around the car back to the driver'sseat.
"No more arguing!" he yelledback.
I watched him drive off, glancing down at my overflowing arms before turning and heading inside. The front door slammed behind me and I flinched, pausing to listen for my mom. I sighed when there was no responding call. Cleo meowed from the living room, drawing my attention, and I made my way to her for a quick pet. She purred and slid her small, furry body in circles around my ankles for a few minutes until I finally managed to pry myself away from her. I slipped into the back hallway, and peeked into my mom's room to make sure she was asleep. The pills I had measured out for her that morning were still there and I huffed in frustration, but I couldn't force them down her throat. At least the sandwich I had put next to them wasgone.
Cleo brushed against my feet and ankles as I managed to make it to my room without creating any more thunderous noises. I cracked the bedroom door in case my mom called for me and sat down, opening the screen of the brand-new laptop. The monitor lit up with a beautiful picture of the ocean. The white sands and the clear water resembled something I had seen in brochures to the Caribbean and not the actual beach that I had spent the night on with Erika only a weekbefore.
"Boys are crazy, Cleo." I sighed, rubbing one hand over her soft back as I opened the word processor and began typing an outline for my Englishpaper.
