Gold Heart

Chapter 23

"Well, I say we go to a gay bar and hire a sexy stripper when we're drunk and we come back home with him." Jesse writes this down fiercely in his notebook.

"No!" I laugh and place my hands on my face.

"Oh come on. His best man is probably going to take him to a strip club!" He argues.

I look pointedly at him. 

"No."

"I want a normal bridal shower."

Jesse fake yawns, "Fine, grandma."

We start making plans and game ideas, Victoria is my maid of honor, but Timmy has been sick for two days already so Jesse asked if he could help and she actually felt relieved because she was stressing that she needed to help me already. We both told her not to worry and since I want to be a part of this, I'm helping Jesse. We planned our invitations after we figured out all the stuff we're going to do. 

After three hours my phone rings and it's Caroline, I check the time and see that she was supposed to be here 30 minutes ago.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Ms. G- Cassandra, I am so sorry, but there has been an emergency." She says and her tone is worried.

I frown, "Are you ok?"

I hear a muffled sob before she speaks, "Yes I am."

"Caroline, where are you?" I ask her as I stand and motion for Jesse to follow me.

There is a big pause that at one point I thought she hung up. 

She gives me an address and Jesse types it down on his phone. It takes us about 30 minutes and that's only because I was speeding a little. 

The neighborhood looks really bad and I'm glad I brought Jesse with me. We see Caroline sitting on the sidewalk with her head in her hands as luggage and boxes sit around her. As soon as I park the car I get off and go to her.

When she sees me she stands and I hug her immediately. She sobs on my shoulder as I rub her back.

"I am so sorry you had to come here." She pulls away and it breaks my heart.

"Don't be sorry about that." 

I walk her to the car while Jesse grabs her stuff and starts putting it in the back.

The metal door to the house slams against the wall and a beat-up older man with a beer belly and a bad comb overcomes out looking angry.

"You broke stuff in my home and you told me you couldn't afford to pay me back! You have rich friends! I know you have money!" He yells and takes one step down from his tiny porch.

I really hope he didn't refer to the large black Range Rover parked in front of his house, looking rather out of place here.

Jesse looks at her, "Do you have more stuff inside the house?"

"Yeah." She nods.

"Where is your room, baby girl?" He asks her and she tells him.

We see him talk to the guy and then walks right past him. The man almost looks in shock before following him inside.

My eyes go wide as I tell her to get in the car.

When Jesse comes out, he comes out with another luggage and two boxes. I think I hear Caroline sigh in relief.

"You need to pay rent and pay for the broken window!" The old man yells as he sees we're about to leave.

Jesse suddenly stiffens and turns around, "How much is the rent?"