Wrapped around your finger - Post Malone

58

New York is stifling. The air feels heavy and dirty, and when Hazel breathes in too deeply she finds her chest hurts. She has been trying to pack but she doesn't have much drive. Half of her apartment is in boxes and the other half is strewn out on the floor. Dirty dishes are piled high in her sink, the dishwasher is open and full of more dirty dishes, she hasn't showered in days and her bed remains unmade. Well, technically she has hardly gotten out of bed. She drags herself out of bed when she hears a knock on the door and shuffles to the door, opening it without even looking through her peephole. "I knew you were on drugs!" her landlord screeches at her. Hazel should defend herself from such a stupid accusation. Austin is her drug of choice and he hates her. She bursts into tears at the thought and then wraps her arms around her now stiff landlord's neck. "He hates me," she sniffles into his neck. "Uh, who hates you?" he asks nervously. "The love of my life. He hates me and I miss him and Evelyn, oh I miss her so much," she cries into his neck. "Who's Evelyn?" he asks, still stiff. "His daughter!" she wails. "Look, miss Montague, I just came about the rent. You are two weeks late," he says untangling her arms from his neck.

"Two weeks?"

"Yes. Two weeks."

"How long have I been back in New York?"

"I was not aware you had even left."

Hazel shuffles back into her flat and grabs her phone, checking the calendar. Three weeks. She has been back here for three weeks. She checks her messages. She has three weeks worth from Tina, Mags, her editor, and some friends. She has an endless stream of missed calls too. She should phone Tina. Should she phone Tina?

"Do you think I should phone Tina?" she asks turning to her landlord. "I mean...sure...if you want," he says with a shrug. "I am. I am going to phone her," she says searching for her name. "Miss Montague, your rent," the landlord stresses. "I will pay it and I am putting in notice.  I will be out in two weeks," she says to him. "Rehab?" he asks. Hazel glares at him. "If you really must know I am moving to Salt Lake City so I can be close to Evelyn and pine over Austin," she says. "I think you should go to rehab first," he says looking around her apartment. "Get out," she hisses pushing him out and closing the door behind him.

"Hellooo?"

"Oh, shit. Hello. Hello, Tina!"

"Hazel! Oh my heavens! Mags! Mags! It's Hazel! Hazel, we have been phoning you."

"What did he say?"

"Oh...Hazel...he...he refuses to talk about you. But, Evelyn is good. She started school again and she loves her new teacher, she says she is real nice and clever too. Christmas Dinner is still alive and Ace thought he was gonna get a thumpin' from Austin last week, nearly scared the boy half to death, but he just got a growlin'."

"And Star?"

"Oh, she is so big already. Evelyn is doing an amazing job training her, but she gives her a real hard time - she is as feisty and free as Lightning."

"And you? How is the baby?"

"Growin'. Old man Cally's wife says she thinks it's a boy. She said because my ass has gotten huge it has to be a boy."

"Nice..."

"I am sure he misses you. He's been in one hell of a mood these past weeks. Jack says Mr. Post threatened to thump him on the past cattle run. I have tried to talk to him but...that man is as stubborn as an ox and those lawyer men are coming at him fast and heavy, heavier than they ever did before. Linda is worried his temper will get the better of him one day, it's wearing thin."

"Tina. I need to go. I have a plan."

"No! Wait! Hazel! Hazel!"

Hazel cuts the call and looks around the room - maybe she should go to rehab. She rings a moving service, they can deal with this shit. She packs a bag, showers, and makes herself look presentable. Then she dashes downstairs and hails a cab.

"Where to miss?"

"Montague building."

Once there Hazel hauls her bag up to the top floor and then rolls it behind her as she walks into her father's office. It's very fancy and very corporate, it even has a waterfall in the waiting room. It's so fake, she hates it. "I would like to see Mr. Montague, please," she asks the receptionist. "Do you have an appointment with him?" she asks without even looking up. "No," Hazel says. "No appointment, no visit," she says, still not looking up. "Just tell him Hazel is here. He will see me," she says. The receptionist looks up at her with a frown but calls his office anyway. "Third door on the left," she says putting the phone down. Hazel nods and then walks to her father's office and opens his door.

"What are you doing here?"

"Relax. No one knows who I am."

"What do you want?"

"I need your help."

Hazel sits down and her father stares at her then sighs and sits down too, gesturing with his hand for her to continue. "My mother told me that you two came to an agreement...to keep her quiet and hide me away," Hazel starts. Her father nods. "I want to make a new deal with you. One I think you would like very much," Hazel says. Her father smirks and shakes his head. "Your mother was very clever. I lost two companies that made a lot of money to her in that deal. I break my back keeping them alive and I don't see a penny," he says with an annoyed face. "Close on a billion a year, right?" she says. He shifts uncomfortably in his chair, "Yes," he hisses. "I get a payout every year from them. I have a huge bank account and lots of investments from that money...I will give you the companies back and all the money I have, and I will never bother you again. I will even change my name," she says. Her father sits forward in his chair, surprised. "What's the catch?" he asks. Hazel takes the contract from Cottonwood and hands it to him. He takes it and reads through it then looks at her. "This is only worth one hundred million. You would be at a loss of hundreds of millions if we make this deal," he says. "No. I would not lose anything. That is my home. All I want is for you to run that company off and make it clear to any other big-shot company that Cottonwood is a no-go. I don't want to see another suited man on my ranch again. That's it. That's all," she says. "Hazel, this is a very bad business deal," he says. "Well, I am not a businesswoman. I am a cowgirl," she says. He looks at her and then rings his secretary to bring documents for him. He places them down in front of Hazel and she signs them without hesitation.

"You can keep what you have, that's pocket change to me...like your little ranch."

"It's one of the biggest ranches in Utah."

"I own countries."

Hazel smiles at him. She feels sorry for him - he will never know a life like Cottonwood. It's depressing actually. She stands and takes her bags. "Goodbye, Mr. Montague," she says and turns to leave. "Hazel," he calls and she turns to look at him. "For what it's worth I did love your mother. I was wrong to blame you for my mistakes," he says. Hazel gives him a small smile and nods.

"And you will never see another suit on your land, you have my word."

"Thank you."

A/N: I will apologize now for the next chapter...