Gumbo.

5IVE.

•

I needed a new place to stay.

Since there was just no way in hell or on earth that I'd stay in a home that someone tragically died in. All I had was $250 in my pockets as I searched the yellow pages app on my phone. That was when he walked in and took a seat in the booth in front of mine.

It was wrong, but I stared like an idiot, yet no words left my mouth.

He smiled anyway.

I needed to say something. But what? All I could do was wave awkwardly, goofy.

There over his broad shoulders was Ines. "How can I help you?" She asked him when he responded her eyes flashed my way. "She'll help you with that. Want you, Gina?"

"I—" I scooped everything up before standing. "Y-yyes I will."

"Great!" he said.

"I'm going to get you back," I mouthed to her then took his order. "Will that be all or—"

"At the moment.. yeah, it will, thank you."

There you have it our first real conversation. No, he did not leap from his seat and lock lips with me in a passionate kiss as I'd usually daydream about. But this would do.

For now.

"Be right back!" I winked then walked away. By the time I made it over to the register, both Dawn and Ines had been there grinning at the whole thing. "How did I do?" I needed to know. I probably looked desperate waiting tables on my lunch break.

"Good."

"He's definitely feeling you."

"For real you gotta get back over there," Ines said.

And that's what I did. "Smells amazing." He sniffed the dish that I set out then got his wallet out to pay. Judging from the thickness of his wallet, I could tell he really worked. I added the money to my bra.

A trick I learned from Selina and wasn't something I often did myself.

"It is." I nodded not even realizing I was still standing there cheesing. He gave me an awkward look after taking the first bite. One that screamed 'why are you still standing here?' I slid my hands down my uniform then walked off.

That didn't go at all how I expected.

I couldn't let it go like I didn't let go of the fact I was now homeless.  And giving my sister a run for her money. Or in her case lack thereof.

After work, I'd crash outside in the parking lot in my car. A car I had spent my entire savings on. It wasn't much but it was for sure better than sleeping on the corner with a cardboard hand sign.

I lived in my car now.

There was no way to make it sound less embarrassing. Believe me I tried. My daily routine consisted of 'ho baths' in the restroom of Nubia's Soul House before anyone arrived.

They probably had me on camera shaving my legs.

To keep this going, I had to be the one closing the store every night too.

No worries because this would only be temporary. I kept trying to convince myself as if I wasn't living from paycheck to paycheck.

Between paying for gas because I was also looking for a second job. And spending at the laundromat I was broke.

My fingers combed through my messy ponytail as I swiped through the yellow pages app. Ines brought over a cup of coffee as I quickly sat my phone aside.

"I see you know who didn't show up today probably due to the weather." She made small talk.

I hadn't noticed but she was right.

His spot in the booth was empty.

"Yeah, maybe." I agreed.

She continued about her business as I went back to my phone. A message popped up about me not having any network connection. Which meant I needed to pay the bills but when I checked through my pocket.

It was empty.

So was my bank account and heart.

And if they weren't yet then make no mistake they were the following morning. I woke up freezing in the backseat of my sedan.

My arms slithered around myself to keep warm. Then I checked the time on my phone. That was when I spotted a shadow outside of the car window. A knock followed actually several knocks. A hand attached to long acrylics pressed against the glass and swiped furiously.

Dawn peered inside. "Gina, what are you doing?"

There was a whole mental debate on rather or not I should even open the door. "What?!" I eventually did after climbing into the driver's seat. I had overslept and got caught up now my secret was hitting the fan faster than Usain Bolt.

"You didn't show up to work, so I went to your apartment to check on you. But I was told you moved out then I-" she was in the middle of saying.

Wrapping the cozy plaid throw blanket around myself I stepped out in the snowy weather. "Well, you found me... and my new home." I motioned towards my car after this.

"Gina, what's going on?" She asked like a concerned mother which made me miss mine.

What does it look like?

"The reason I've been showing up earlier than usual to work is because I'm homeless. And was sleeping in my car outside of the restaurant." Tears started to form. "And before you ask no I don't have any family members I could go stay with. And I have too much pride to go back to a homeless shelter."

Before my sister's drug problem got bad we used to stay in many shelters. Needless to say, neither were fit to house anyone.

"I-" she was at a lost for words.

"Unless you're here to tell me that I got fired. Please save whatever else you're going to say because I can't handle any more bad news." I said.

Dawn shook her head. "Girl, I've been here before." She told me as I wiped away my tears. "You can come stay with me until you get back on your feet."

"Really?"

"Yes, where I stay isn't much, but it'll do for now just unt-"

"Until I get back on my feet," I completed her sentence. "Got it!"

There was no need to tell me twice.

.

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A/N: 5 chapters were updated please go vote, comment, and leave feedback especially if you want updates then you will have to participate by adding this book to your library and reading lists.