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So, I began to pack, with no idea where I’d end up and no plans for my future. I was still grieving heavily, but anger simmered along with the sadness now. Sure, we hadn’t been close, but I’d never dreamed Andy hated our parents so much that he’d let that spill over onto his only sister. Did he hate me, too? If he didn’t, he had a strange way of showing his affection.
I had nearly everything boxed and bagged and ready to take—somewhere, when the last day of my employment at the company arrived. It had taken everything I had just to go there since all this came down, but I couldn’t afford to miss an opportunity to earn a few more dollars. Our small town had one biggish business. Us. Or what had been us. So, there weren’t a lot of other opportunities to get a good job.
Worse, instead of just putting some of their own employees in, the buyer had decided to move the operation to a facility they already owned. We didn’t know what they planned to do with the real estate they now owned here, but it didn’t look good. Everyone was being laid off at the end of the day. I couldn’t lookanyone in the eye. Sure, they knew it wasn’t me who caused them to lose their jobs, but it was my brother. So, no matter how nice they tried to be, I saw the accusation in their gazes.
And I felt responsible. Logic had no part in it.
While boxing up the contents of my office, my phone chimed with a notification, and I reached for it. A text from the bank informing me my paycheck had not yet been deposited. Surprised, I opened the bank app. The money should have been in shortly after midnight, and while I didn’t have anything bouncing, I had counted on that check to help me find a new apartment. I’d used most of what I had left to rent a storage locker for my furniture and things until I figured out what to do.
But my paycheck? What happened?
A low buzz of conversation rumbled through my office door before shadows darkened the glass. I heard a rap. “Ilya? Can we come in?”
“Yes,” I called. The person who’d spoken was one of the managers, but I wondered with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach who all “we” were. And I feared I knew why they wanted to come in.
The door opened to a flood of people, more than could actually fit in my modest office space. The others clustered in the hallway outside. And none of them looked happy. Of course, none of them had smiled, at least in my presence, since my parents died and they learned they were losing their means of earning a living so shortly thereafter.
“What’s going on?” And please don’t let it be what I thought.
Angela from personnel, spoke first. “We didn’t get paid.”
Shit.
“How many of you?”
“All,” she asserted. “And they came to me first, thinking it was my fault because I do payroll. They thought I forgot to turn it in or something.”
“Did you?” Because that would be an easy fix. They might get paid a day late, but they’d all get paid.
“Yes, of course. I’ve worked here for over twenty-eight years, and I haven’t forgotten to do it yet. Nope, that’s not the problem. She thrust a printout at me. “Look.”
Although I wasn’t an accountant, I did review the books on a regular basis, and, once again, I had a feeling I knew what I’d be looking at. The bank accounts…or rather lack thereof. My head spun.
“See, Ilya? When I went into the accounting software and tried to bring up the accounts…they were gone. Closed. And so I did this.” She handed me another sheet of paper. “A notice from the payroll company. It was rejected.” Her eyes narrowed. “Because there’s no bank account to draw funds from. What do you know about this?”
“Not a single thing except that my parents birthed a snake,” I muttered.
“What are you going to do about it, Ilya?” asked George from the warehouse. “How are you going to make this good?”
“Let me try to call my brother. I’m sure there’s an explanation.” Not remotely sure, but there was nothing else I could do. I managed to get everyone to leave the office so I had a bit of privacy. I dialed and his voicemail picked up. Of course it did, the jerk. “It’s five o’clock somewhere,” rang out. “And that’s where I am, from now on. Leave a message, and if I feel it’s worth my time, I’ll call you back.”
“Andy, what the hell. There are people here counting on their paycheck to pay their rent and buy food. I get that you hated Mom and Dad and maybe even me, but what did they do to you? Please, if you have an ounce of humanity, cover their checks. Please.”
I disconnected and set the phone on the desk again. I had no way out of the office except through the warehouse area whereeveryone waited. Not that I’d have tried to give them the slip. They deserved better from our family. And I didn’t have money to cover what my brother stole, but I could give them respect.
Two hours later, I was back home, exhausted, even more sorrowful, and certainly angrier. I’d called my friend Cindy and asked if I could stay with her, and since she had not worked for us and had no reason to hate my family, she agreed to a two-week visit. As soon as the storage unit picked up all but a couple of bags I needed to get by, I locked my apartment, threw the key in the garbage on the way out, and left my last bit of security behind.
Cindy greeted me at the door and steered me over to the couch. “I’ll put these things in the guest room and then we can talk. You must need to vent.” She disappeared down the hall and then returned with two glasses of wine in hand. Plopping next to me, she passed me one and said, “Vent.”
And so I did, for over three hours while Cindy did what only the very best of friends would do. I’d known her since kindergarten, and it wasn’t our first session like this. Just the worst. When I finally ran out of breath, she snarled, “To think I had a crush on him in high school. Glad he never noticed me. I’d have missed out on the new relationship I’m starting up. That’s why I could only let you stay for two weeks. I’m out of here then, moving clear across the country.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? Here I go on and on about myself…”
“You’ve been kind of busy. I signed up for an app called the Mail-Order Matings app, and I met two guys who are looking for, well, they say mate, but it’s a long-term relationship.” She refilled our glasses for probably the fourth time. “Hey, you should sign up, too!”
Chapter Six
Draven
