The Sister Between Them

Chapter 4

Dani was seething as she got herself ready for work. The terrible conversation with Alyssa had been replaying in her brain all day. How could she have been so callous and awful?

She heard a noise outside her door and ducked out just in time to see her landlord Eric had hung up a notice to evict on her door. She pulled it out off the door and gave him her most pitiful look, feeling awful about it.

"I'm sorry, Dani." Eric's face was grim, and she could tell he felt bad. "I can't continue to allow you to fall behind on your rent."

"Please, Eric, just give me some more time," Dani begged.

"I can't. I've let you slide far too much as it is."

"Just a week. Can you give me a week?"

"One week," he relented as his frown deepened. "That's it, no more chances."

"Thank you so much. I swear I'm going to get the money."

He looked doubtful as he turned to leave, and she didn't blame him. Dani let herself back inside, wadding the eviction notice and tossing it. She had no other choice. There was no one else to call, except...

"You have to call Katherine." Dani blanched at the thought, she'd rather call Alyssa back and beg.

"Damn it." Tears started to brim in her eyes as she forced herself to dial her birth giver, pacing  her small living room.

"Dani?" Katherine sounded surprised when she picked up. 

"Hi, Katherine, I uh..."

"What kind of trouble are you in?" Katherine questioned in a harsh tone.

Dani felt annoyed instantly. How could she be so judgmental all the time? What right did she have?

Not now, she told herself as she sat down on the couch.

"I just... I need a little help, work's been slow, and I had to help Kev. I need a little money for rent." Dani said quickly like she was ripping off a bandage.

"Then what? Will work pick up? Do you have a better job lined up?"

Worse, definitely worse than Alyssa, Dani decided as she cringed.

"Well, I hope so..." Dani stammered. "I mean, I'm sure it will pick up, or maybe I can get a second job."

"You can move in here with me. We'll find you a career, or better yet, we'll get you enrolled in school. You're still young enough for that," Katherine dictated.

"No, I don't want to live with you," Dani said as she bit her lip to refrain from screaming. "Please, can you just send me some money?"

"So, you can stay there and go nowhere?" Katherine questioned. "Are you at least seeing someone?"

"No," Dani scoffed irritably. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It's just more proof. You have no future there," she said crisply. "It's time we changed that. I'll buy you a ticket."

"Forget it, no way. I won't live with you." Dani stood and began to pace.

"That's the contingency. I won't lend you money that's going to get wasted."

"I'll figure something else out." Dani hung up and sank to the couch in defeat, letting the tears run down her face.

For the first time in a long time she didn't know what she was going to do. Even if she did make enough money over the next week to cover the rent, she'd have next month's rent due in two weeks and be right back in the same spot.