When Rich Meets Poor

24|Home Sweet Home

New York City, New York
September 16, 2018

    I woke up in a car, not just any car, a moving car.

    I try to scream , but, my body doesn't have it in me. I somehow find the strength to sit up in the car. I immediately lock eyes with Olivia. Wait, Olivia?

   "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!" The scream I didn't know I had in me comes out.

   "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!" She screams back.

    "What the hell is wrong with you guys? My God," Oh Connor, how I missed his mean self.

   As we pull into the driveway, my mouth drops, it's been so long since I've seen a nice house. Connor helps Olivia out of the car first, then the dogs. Afterwards he comes to my side.

   "So what did you do for the past three and a half days?" Connor asks.

   "Other than living with homeless people, drinking, smoking weed, and running from the cops, nothing really," I shrug while he picks me up and carries me towards the front door.

    "You did what?!" He shouts.

    "What was I supposed to do? Jump off a bridge because you kicked me out?" Because that probably would have been my second option.

   "You smell awful by the way," he jokes.

    "Okay you wet sock, I don't want to hear it," I snap.

    "What happened to all your clothes?" He asks.

    "They're all in an abandon building downtown," I sigh.

   "That's okay, we'll get you new ones. In the mean time you can wear something of Envie's," he leaves me in his bathroom while going to retrieve clothing for me to wear after I shower.

   "Do you need help with whole clothing removal part?" He winks.

    "Nice try, now skeedaddle," I push him towards the door.

    It feels so nice to shower again, I smelled so gross.

   After showering I change into the clothing Connor gave me. It's a shirt that still has the tag on it and leggings. I get dressed before heading down stairs to get something to eat.

    Three and a half days without food was way too long. I slowly move down the staircase, my body still aches all over.

   I go into the kitchen to cook a box of macaroni. After making it I sit at the table and eat all of it while Olivia and Connor watch me.

    "Did she just eat the whole box?" Connor asks Olivia.

   "Yes, keep talking and I might eat both of you," I joke, kind of. I'm still hungry enough that I probably could do it.

    "That's not how it works, I'm supposed eat you," Connor says innocently.

   I glare at him.

   "Why would you eat Harper?" Olivia confusedly asks.

   "I don't know, why would she eat us?" He tries to play it off and I just laugh.

    "Daddy cried when you left," Olivia changed the subject.

    "Olivia cried when you left!" Connor fires back.

    "You cried more!" She jabs him in the chest with her finger.

    "You cried most!" He crosses his arms.

    "Enough, children," I break up their silly argument.

    Olivia runs off to play with the dogs while I brush my teeth with a new tooth brush Connor gave me. Well, he said it was new anyway.

   After brushing my teeth I return to the kitchen to talk to Connor.

   "So, what does this mean for us now?" I ask him while leaning my back against the counter.

   "I already arranged for Olivia to be put in preschool, starting tomorrow. They usually don't let kids in this late, but I cut some strings. As for you, you can stay here. Olivia needs you," I was hoping he would say that he needs me too.

    "And uh, I need you," he adds, making me smile.

   "I found all your bills in your back pack," he sighs.

    I frown, not knowing what to say back.

    "But while you were gone, I payed all of them off," he has a serious expression on his face.

    "Are you kidding me?" I ask.

    "I already told you the answer to that question a few weeks ago, and the answer was no, I am Connor Humphrey. But, yes, I payed them off," he says and tears begin to form in my eyes.

    "Oh Connor, thank you so much," I grab onto him so tight I'm probably suffocating him.

   "Also, you can either have your old room back or you can live in mine," he has smug look on his face.

   "Gross, I'd rather be homeless," I say making his face fall.

    "I'm kidding," I laugh before pressing my lips softly to his.

    After the kiss breaks, I look to my left and see Olivia standing in the doorway of the kitchen with a camera pointed right at us.

    "Olivia!!!" We shout in unison.