Bailey hugged his coat closer as he trudged up the driveway. He held the thick fabric closed with one hand, while the other held an umbrella aloft as a barrier between him and the relentless drizzle. The weather had started to warm up and they’d had one or two mild days but now the rain and chill were back with a vengeance. He was focused on skirting around the puddles that dotted the cracked driveway, but almost stopped in surprise at the call of his name. He was tempted to ignore it, pretend he hadn’t heard over the constant patter of the rain, but that would only delay the inevitable. He stopped mid-stride, plastered on a smile, and looked up. The smile quickly faded at the sight of Mr Green’s grandson, Adrian, standing beside the old man on the front verandah.
“Bailey. I need to talk you to. Come over here.”
He regretted stopping, particularly now that he knew Adrian was there, but had no choice. Resolutely he crossed the muddy yard until he reached the steps. Mr Green made no effort to motion him up the stairs to the verandah, so he stood at the bottom on what was once grass but was currently boggy as a swamp. He held the umbrella over his head, watching the two men through the falling rain.
He nodded a greeting to Adrian, then addressed his landlord. “How are you, Mr Green? Everything okay?”
“What do you expect? It’s cold. I’ve got arthritis. It’s pissing down cats and dogs.”
“Oh.” Bailey bit back his automatic response and considered how to respond. The old man always greeted him with a litany of complaints, and he’d learned long ago that his expressions of sympathy and offers of help would at best go unheeded. At worst, his response would just stir up the hornets’ nest and Mr Green would prattle on for hours about the states of the economy, the health care system, and how young ones today did not have a work ethic. If Bailey ever had to hear another one of Mr Green’s stories about what it was like “back in my day” it would be too soon.
“Anyway, I wanted to tell you I’m giving you notice.”
“What?” Bailey swallowed hard. He couldn’t mean what Bailey thought he meant. “Notice about what?”
Mr Green glared. “I’m giving you notice that you have to move out. I need the flat.”
“But I’ve always paid my rent—”
“It’s got nothing to do with that.” The old man glanced at his grandson. “Adrian needs the room.”
Adrian stepped forward, arms folded and narrowed eyes, almost as if he expected Bailey to go at his grandfather or something.As if I’d threaten an old man.
“Oh, he can’t live with you? In the house, I mean.”
Mr Green looked at Adrian again but before he could speak, Adrian leaned forward. “No, I can’t. And who my granddad lets live in his place has nothing to do with you.”
“I know that. It’s just that I’ve been a good tenant….”
Adrian was obviously not up for a discussion on the matter. He stood with his arms folded across his chest and a scowl on his face. Mr Green stood mute at his side, obviously happy to let his grandson lead the conversation. Bailey tried anyway, ignoring Adrian’s piercing glare and hoping to appeal to his landlord’s good side.Surely he has one?
“Please, Mr Green. I’ve always made my payments and you’ve said how much you’ve relied on the money.”And made a song and dance about the rent being so much as a day late.Not to mention getting cash so as not to impact your pension payments.But Bailey held his tongue. “I take out the bins every week and I’ve always helped you with jobs when you’ve asked. Can’t we work something out? Maybe Adrian can stay in the house, look after you—”
“I don’t need looking after,” Mr Green spat.
Too late, Bailey realised he’d put his foot in it. “I just meant—”
“For God’s sake,” Adrian interrupted. “Stop grovelling. You’ve got two weeks.”
Bailey’s heart plummeted and for the first time he regretted not having an official lease. A handshake agreement for reduced rent had left him totally exposed.Two weeks.That was no time at all. Bailey gripped the handle of the umbrella tighter as his chest tightened.Where will I go? How will I even afford to move?
“I… I’ve p-paid up until the end of the month,” he stuttered as thoughts flew through his mind. That was another two weeks past the date Adrian was proposing, and there was no way Bailey was leaving a moment before he had to.How will I even find somewhere to move that fast? Something that I can afford. How will I even get a lease without a fucking job?
“Gramps?” Adrian looked to his grandfather.
The old man gave a brusque nod. “Okay, the thirtieth then. You’ll need to have all your stuff gone, and don’t even think of leaving the place in a mess.”
“Yeah, if there’s any damage it’ll be coming out of your bond, and that includes cleaning too,” Adrian added.
Bailey nodded hopelessly. There was nothing left to say. The old man had never been the understanding type and wasn’t likely to change his mind. Bailey watched the two men turn and head into the main house. He eventually got moving, trudging through the soggy yard, now heedless of the puddles. A little rain seemed such a small thing to worry about.
By the time he’d let himself in to his apartment, his shoes were saturated and wetness had soaked the bottom of his jeans. He pulled off his shoes and peeled off the damp socks, leaving them by the front door. He tossed his coat on top of them. He removed the rest of his clothes, leaving jeans, hoodie, and T-shirt on the floor where they fell. He didn’t have the energy to pick them up. The floorboards were cold and he shivered, goose bumps rising on his chilled skin.
The hot shower did little to relieve the tension in Bailey’s shoulders. The pain crept up his neck and he felt a headache coming on. He hung his head under the stream of water, focusing on the rush of water, trying to allow it to drown out his swirling thoughts.
Why did this have to happen? Just when things were starting to go so well and life was definitely looking up. Why now?
Bailey slid down the wall until his arse hit the floor. The tiles were freezing against his back. He wrapped his arms around his knees and dropped his head.What the fuck have I done to deserve this?
