Miss Me; When I'm Gone (editing)

CHAPTER 30 (Blair)

Blair

I hadn't slept a wink after Owen came knocking on my door. Hearing Travis' voice and his concern had sent me into a fit of tears. Then I'd sat up and thought of every way possible I could make money, and fast. When I got my paycheck this week, it would give me twenty eight hundred dollars total to my name. I would still need twenty two hundred more.

I was afraid to get a night job waiting tables. When I got stressed and panicky, I still had trouble making out words. And my writing wasn't so good yet. I doubted I'd even be able to fill out the application. I had watched the sunrise, knowing I was going to have to see how this played out. If she reported the mirror stolen, then they couldn't arrest me without proof. And I had proof of a sliced open hand to hold up on my side of the story.

The most a judge would do was make me pay her back, which was what I had already told her I would do. I knew I had to call Travis this morning. He was worried last night, but I just couldn't talk to him yet.

This whole mess was too upsetting. If I told him about what his sister was threatening to do, I was afraid he'd think I wanted him to pay her back for me. I couldn't let him do that or think I would want that. This was my problem to deal with, not his.

I pressed his number, and it hardly rang once before he answered.

"Good morning. Are you feeling better?" His voice made all the bad stuff plaguing me fade away.

I missed him. I loved our nightly talks.at night, I had wanted to talk to him, but I knew I couldn't. He could tell I was upset, and I couldn't hide it from him.

"Yes. I'm much better. Thankyou. Sorry about last night," I replied.

"You being okay, is all I'm worried about. Although I won't lie, I missed your voice reading to me last night. Hard to sleep without that."

I smiled for the first time since the awful meeting with De yesterday. He made me happy, even when things sucked.

"That normally doesn't happen to Mr. But if it ever happens again, I promise to  before I go to sleep. I should have thought of calking you earlier and letting you know." Trying to sound normal was not easy. But I was doing the best I could.

" I'll let you get to work. Have a good day, baby."

I said goodbye and hung up, letting the warm feeling I got when he called me 'baby' stay with me most of the morning.

It was almost noon when I got the call from the cleaning agency. I had been fired. De had called them, and they wanted no connection with me. I was to come pick up my cheque and not report for the other two houses I had scheduled this week.

I managed to finish cleaning the Peterson's house that afternoon without breaking down. I was going to be fine. I would call Jessica Stephenson. Two houses would pay the bills. I wouldn't have any left over for extras or savings, so paying De back was going to be difficult. I had to find one more house to clean, at least or another job.

Before I went home today,I was going to cut De a cheque for two thousand four hundred dollars. That was all I had right now. I wouldn't think about the rent just yet; I would worry about that next week. Right now, I needed to show that I was trying to pay for the mirror. I didn't want the cops coming after me.

The idea of facing De again was terrifying. However when I finally got to her house, there were two cars parked outside, De's expensive little sports car and a black SUV. Having company could be a good thing. Duty she wouldn't be nasty in front of guests.

After giving myself a pep talk, I went up the front steps and rang the doorbell. I would give her the cheque, apologize again, and promise more money as soon as possible. Then I would leave. I could do this.

The door swung open sooner than I'd expected, and De's expression immediately turned into a disgusted sneer.

"What are you doing here? I called the agency and had you fired. Do I need to call the cops, too?"

I went over what I had practiced in my head.

"Here is your cheque with everything I have tight now. I'll get you more as soon as I can.I'm really sorry about the mirror," I said, my voice only cracking once from nerves.

Dean Stephenson walked up behind De. He wasn't smiling. What was he doing here?

"De? What's going on? Did you just say you had-" he stopped and looked at me. "Its Blair, correct?" I nodded. "Did you have Blair fired?"

"She stole a five thousand dollar mirror from my house! Yes, I had her fired. This is a cheque for not even half of it, and she thinks that makes it okay." De spat out.

Dean didn't look like he believed her. He turned back to me.

"Blair, did you steal a mirror?"

I shook my head.

"No, I didn't break it, though. I fell. It was an accident. I explained, but-"

"She's lying! She's the cleaning lady, Dean! God! Do you always have to take everyone else's side over mine? I've been gone for months, and this is what I get as a welcome home? A thieving housecleaner and my brother once again taking other peoples sides against mine?" She was yelling now.

But the fact that she called Dean her brother confused me. How was Dean her brother? Travis was her brother, but Dean and Travis weren't brothers to each other.

"She brought you a cheque and is promising to bring you more when she can. Does that sound like someone who stole your mirror? No, it doesn't. Calm the fuck down, and think about this shit before you react. You're not ten goddamn years old anymore, De. Grow up." Dean was clearly annoyed.

"I'm going to go. I'll be back with the rest of the money as soon as I can," I said again, then hurried down the steps.

I probably should have stuck around and continued to defend myself. There was a good chance Dean might start to believe her, and then I wouldn't get that job working at his house. I would have to wait to call Jessica about the job. At least I had a witness who saw that I'd paid her some of the amount for the mirror and promised to pay more soon.

It was an eight mile walk home from here. I had enough time to think about what I would do the rest of the week since I no longer had houses to clean.