A Few Steps To Your Heart

Chapter 5

Gavin was sure he had gotten rid of the woman by now, but she knocked on the door, and he sighed, leaning his head in his hand, hating that she couldn't understand his clear message, even though he had not hidden his request for her to leave.

"Sleeping!" he yelled.

"Not if you're talking!" she countered.

Gavin rolled his eyes. "What?"

Georgia opened the door and poked her head inside. She gave him a small smile but quickly noticed he still had his back turned to her.

"I am leaving."

"Oh, came to say goodbye?" he taunted.

"Yes, an actual goodbye."

Gavin turned around, looking at her. "What?"

"You don't want me here," she said.

"You're correct. Finally understanding it?"

"I am. I understood it right away when you said you didn't."

"But as you said, you weren't hired by me."

"No, but I'm not sure how I see myself helping you recover when you clearly want me far gone," Georgia said.

"I do want you far gone," he agreed.

"Then I'm gone!"

"Good," he said but saw that she wasn't leaving. "Anything else?"

"Yes, maybe be less of a dick."

"What?"

He looked at her shocked, and she smiled a little.

"Your parents are trying hard. Maybe try harder too."

"Oh, they are trying hard?" he mocked.

"They are. Give them at least something."

"You don't know my story or what I have been through."

"And you don't know what they are going through. You're still their son. You aren't dead," she countered.

"I wish..."

Georgia wasn't meant to catch that, but she did, and she looked at him shocked, hearing just how deeply he had sunk into his black hole. He didn't repeat his words, and she didn't ask him to.

"Anything else?" he asked.

"No..."

"Good."

Georgia looked at him for a moment longer, then closed the bedroom door and returned to the kitchen where Martha was waiting, holding some cash in her hand for the day.

"Here."

Georgia looked at it for a moment when she was suddenly brought back to what Gavin said, wishing he was dead. She couldn't take the money. He might hate having her there, but then at least he was feeling something. At least he was reacting.

"I can't take them," Georgia said.

Martha looked confused.

"It's all right," she said. "You can. You still performed a job."

"I know, but I would rather wait until the end of the month."

"Excuse me?"

"I think I will stay," Georgia said, seeing Martha light up like a Christmas tree.

"You will?"

"I will."

"Oh, that's fantastic!"

Martha threw her hands together before she went and hugged Georgia. She was a small woman compared to Martha, who towered over her, and she felt almost enveloped by the woman.

"Thank you!"

"No need."

"No, there is every need!" she said and pulled back.

"He will hate it," Georgia said.

"Good!"

"Excuse me?"

His mother chuckled, though, and Georgia looked at her confused.

"That's good?"

"I am just glad that he didn't scare you off so soon. Maybe this will teach him something too."

"I don't know about that."

"But it might."

She winked at Georgia, who smiled a little before gathering her things, while Martha seemed unable to contain her excitement after hearing that Georgia wasn't leaving just yet.

"I will see you tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow," Martha agreed.