“I want payback.”
“Diablo, c’mon, we were kids. It’s been over ten years.”
“You be in this hell hole for fifteen years and tell me how you will feel once you are about to get out. Would you let bygones be bygones?”
The words hit me like a punch. He’s getting out? I thought he was locked in for twenty-five. My grip tightens around the phone.
“You know I had nothing to do with what happened. It was all a misunderstanding. You know this, Diablo.”
“I didn’t call to argue, just to warn you that payday is coming, soldier boy.”
Click.
The line goes dead.
And just like that, the past I buried claws its way back to the surface—ugly, vengeful, and very much alive.
5
MELANIE
Iblinked rapidly, trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with these people.
“Excuse me?” I said in a condescending tone.
“We’ll give you a call after we have made a decision. We still have some other candidates to interview.”
“It’s fucking cookies and tea, what could you possibly have to think about?.”
The overweight lady winces as she covers her mouth.
Stop being so dramatic, lady. It’s just a curse word.
“Excuse my French, but I sat here and bullshitted for twenty minutes, talking about your cat and plants at home, and now you’re telling me you are going to think about it? It’s stocking tea and pouring it into a cup. It’s not brain surgery, for God's sake.”
“A lot goes into what we do, young lady, and it’s much easier to train someone with experience. Besides, the only thing on your resume is babysitting, and you acted for a few years when you were younger. That’s great and all, but it doesn’t meet our standards, so I was trying to be nice by saying we’ll give you a call, but to put it to you straight, you are not hired. How about you try being interviewed by a male next time? Maybe you’ll have better luck.” She eyes me up and down conspicuously.
“Have a great day.” She says, handing me my resume over her messy desk.
“And maybe you should try skipping lunch.” I grabbed my purse off the floor and stormed out before giving her a chance to process my insult.
After we got Nick's truck from the parking lot, I drove back to the lake house, showered, and decided to get back to job hunting. I thought that if I showed up early at these random businesses, I would have better luck today at landing a job. I figured nothing could be worse than what I’ve been forced to do in my past, but the difference was that men and producers wanted me, but here, not so much.
As I walked out of the tea shop, I paused. Scanning my surroundings. I noticed a couple of other stores to my left and a boutique next to a liquor store. As much as I was trying to stay sober, this place only made me want to drink more. Who knew finding a measly job would be this hard? As much as I wanted to give up, the last thing I wanted to do was ask my parents for money. I started to walk toward the liquor store.
“Hello, welcome in. Can I help you find anything?” A male employee asks.
I look up and spot the different categories of liquor hanging above each aisle. I found the one I’m looking for. “No, thank you,” I say, and walk down the aisle to see my favorite champagne and vodka.
“Would that be all for you?” the clerk asks.
I stare at the bottles, and a surge of remorse rushes through me, but I brush it off and tell myself I deserve this.
“Yup, that’s all.” I handed him the little bit of cash I had left. The money I brought was dwindling quickly. Who knows, maybe going broke is the only way I can be sober. Who would have guessed being poor would be the blessing in disguise I needed? The cashier bags my liquor, and I thank him, slip my sunglasses on, and head to my car. The moment I round the corner. I’m met with a body, causing me to lose my grip on the two bottles, and they go crashing to the ground.
“Excuse me,” the girl says, and when I look up, it’s Abigail. “Mel? I’m so sorry, what are you-” she pauses and looks up at the sign behind me that says liquor store, then back at the ground.
Fuck. That was probably my last chance at buying alcohol before I got a job. I try not to curse and get mad, but I want to go off on her.
