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I sigh heavily. I knew he was going to be difficult about this. “Artem, for fuck’s sake, just do what I say. Okay? If it’s not done by the time I get back, I’ll finish it, but I wouldreallyappreciate it if you could do it.”
He rolls his eyes, another hallmark of his unwarranted insubordination. “Okay, fine. But you need to tell me where you’re going then.”
“No, Artem, I don’t.”
“Fine, just write down the number and I can call it in,” he relents, taking the order papers from me.
“Cool, thanks,” I reply, texting him the number as I leave. “You’re doing me a big favor, man.”
He looks irritated as ever as I walk away, but ultimately, he’s still winning. I’m bringing a woman to the party because he said I should. At the very least, this will be satisfying for him when he meets her. I can only hope he doesn’t make me look like an ass.
12
Holly
It’s just cold enough to be bitter and crisp outside as I drag a box of string lights out to the front of my house. Even though I’m not having guests this year, I’ve always liked the way that Christmas lights look from the inside of a house at night. Maybe it’s a childhood thing, or maybe that’s just the whole point of them. Either way, it’s something I do every year.
The box feels so much heavier this year for some reason, and I want to attribute it to moisture from the attic being absorbed into the cardboard, but I realize this is unlikely. I’m probably just weaker now from the shitty diet I’ve had, along with the significantly reduced time spent working out. Every time I think about what chasing this stupid promotion has done to me, I feel more resentful. So far, it’s done nothing to me but cause me stress while eliminating half of my boss’s workload. I’m probably wasting my time, and it’s important that I see that before I’m further taken advantage of.
When I drag the box all the way out to the front of the house, I feel like I’ve chosen to take on a project that I can’t complete on my own this year. It’s just another grim reminder that beyond my coworkers and scattered family, I really don’t have anyone. I’d do anything to have someone I can call for help, or even just to talk to sometimes, but it’s been so hard to find friends since I moved out here. All I wanted was to venture out into the world by myself, but I didn’t intend for it to stay that way.
I untangle a roll of lights, cursing myself for being so lazy with wrapping them up last year. At least this time, I’ll remember to put them away properly.
After wrestling with a large knot in the cord, I climb a ladder up to the right corner of my front porch and carefully begin to place it in order to reach the outlet. As I’m obsessing over the placement, I hear a vehicle coming down the street. Not unusual, of course, but the engine sounds so distinctive, like I’ve heard it before…
The car reveals itself as a large black SUV pulling straight into my driveway.
I’m not expecting anyone, and none of my family is rude enough to stop by without a text first. When I realize that the windows are tinted abnormally dark, my heart begins to race. Could it be the bratva? Is Saint here to collect the debt I owe him from losing his drugs? I didn’t think that he would still be angry at me for that, but I guess that was wishful thinking.
Even worse – could it be Vadik?
I tremble almost uncontrollably as I attempt to ease myself down each step on the ladder without losing my balance. I have no idea how I would approach any of those possibilities, but at least with Saint, I wouldn’t feel as threatened.
But maybe I should.
The SUV parks, and I have barely ten seconds to finish descending the ladder when I realize that it’s Saint.
Even though I’m relieved that it isn’t Vadik, I still can’t be certain that Saint is here on good terms. I brace myself for a confrontation, walking over to him casually as if I’m not shaking under my coat.
When I approach him, his expression seems neutral. I want to be relieved by this, but I’m mostly just nervous that I can’t read him. He could be collected enough to appear unbothered, but it might be an act before he gets me into my house to strangle me.
Besides, he said he was never going to come back. So why is he here?
I have to admit that even under dubious circumstances, I’m happy to see him. It might be naïve of me, and maybe pretty stupid, but I want to believe that he’s here under positive circumstances. I might only have a few moments to believe it, but I’ll hold onto it where I can.
“Hey Saint, wasn’t expecting to see you any time soon,” I say, grasping for the appropriate words to say to someone I met under such abnormal circumstances.
“Yeah, I know, but I found your wallet in my car and figured you’d want it back,” he replies, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out my wallet.
“Oh, I mean, that’s really nice of you, but I’ve already had my license renewed and my new debit card is almost here. I canceled the old one,” I say as I take the wallet from him. “I have a feeling this isn’t why you came all the way out here.”
“Why do you assume I drove a long distance?” he asks, somewhat defensively.
I pause for a moment. “Whatever, it’s not important. Since you’re here, do you want to come inside for some cocoa? It’s Swiss chocolate that my mom got for me when she visited Zurich,” I ask.
“What?”
He seems confused, but the prospect of me inviting him inside doesn’t seem that hard to grasp. “Yeah, it’s really good. I mean, it’s chocolate. Everyone likes chocolate.”
