“You know, you’re just as cruel as I’ve heard.” She says. “You are cold-hearted and I hope for your sake that you aren’t like that in the rest of your life.”
She storms out, slamming the door behind her.
I roll my eyes a bit at that. She’s throwing a temper tantrum like a child.
I get back to my work. The foreclosure date is coming up fast. Now that I know we’ll get the property, I can start prepping the supermall.
Five
Rachel
I shake with rage as I leave the building and stand outside for a while trying to calm myself down. As I take deep breaths to rid myself of my anger, a wave of despair crashes over me in its place. What the hell am I going to do now?
I can’t believe what a cold bitch that woman is. She clearly has no regard for anyone’s welfare other than her own. How can she be so dismissive when people’s survival and livelihoods are at stake?
I feel sorry for her staff, but then my shoulders slump and I sigh. She might be a bitch but at least her staff can be paid without putting her company in the red. Maybe I should warn my girls, tell them they need to start hunting for better jobs with bosses who deserve them.
I walk slowly back to the shop. bookstores have always been my favorite places in the world, and I feel calmer and at home among the stacks and shelves of bright colors and imp
ossible worlds. Besides, there’s nowhere else I can go.
I push open the heavy wood door and a rush of warm air hits my face. I inhale the scent of new books, sandalwood, and the sugar cookies the new girl baked this morning.
I look around the shop. It’s busy for mid-morning, and I watch a few people browse the shelves waiting for something to jump out at them. It’s always fun to see the difference between customers and how their browsing habits sometimes have clues to their personalities. I smile as a teenage boy hovers awkwardly around the fantasy section, glancing around to check if anyone is watching before pulling down one of our new vampire graphic novels and hotfooting it to the checkout.
I wave to Cody behind the counter and smile again as Abbie’s lyrical voice rings out from the children’s section, where she’s already half an hour into today’s children’s reading corner. I’m suddenly filled with determination. This is our home, and I have to be able to do something to save it.
I grab my cell phone from my pocket and make to call Lucille. She’s one of the most level headed of us all, and she always knows what to do. If I just tell her everything, she’ll be able to help me fix this.
I dial all but the last digit before I stop. I forgot that Lucille and Sara are away on their honeymoon, gallivanting around Hawaii with the boys. I’m desperate, but I can’t ruin their honeymoon.
I sigh and put my phone back into my pocket. I suddenly feel more alone than ever. I must look utterly hopeless because Cody appears beside me with a cup of coffee and a concerned expression in her eyes.
“Is everything okay?” she asks, squeezing my arm gently.
I try to smile but it comes out more like a grimace. I’m just not sure how to put into words the dire straits we appear to be in. Fuck.
I inhale sharply causing Cody to look at me with more alarm. Are we going to have to close? Am I going to have to let the girls go and give up on all of my dreams? On my aunt’s dreams?
I take a sip of my coffee and try to think about how I can put all of this to Cody. I don’t want to make her worry, but I just don’t know how I can struggle on by myself.
I’m so absorbed in my wallowing that I barely register the high pitched scream, or Abbie’s shout of alarm. Looking up, I see a man grabbing at the arm of a little girl sitting listening to story time.
No.
I look around frantically for anything I can use as a weapon, but the only thing within reach is my broom. Oh well. Better than nothing.
I grab the broom and throw myself over the counter, trying to get between the guy and the door. The little girl is shrieking and I yell to Abbie to get the other kids away before charging forwards and aiming my broom at the stranger’s face with all of the rage and despair I’ve been storing up for the past few days.
It smacks into his jaw and he stumbles in shock. I raise my makeshift weapon high and bring it crashing back down again, hitting him on the head and shoulders, trying not to catch the girl in the process. My assault startles him and his grip loosens on the tiny girl, who throws herself onto the ground and out of his grasp.
I hit him again and hear a feral roar as Cody comes charging up beside me. She’s grabbed her now cold cup of coffee and throws the liquid into his face, following it with the mug itself. She kicks out at him and he stumbles backwards.
I shove him with the broom again and again, and finally he gives up, turns tail and runs from the shop. I’m sweating and breathing hard from the exertion and have to lean on the broom while trying to recover. Good old trusty broom, always here for me.
I look around to make sure the kids are okay, noting with pride how Abbie, Candy and Jess have managed to round up all the patrons and push them towards the back of the shop out of harm’s way. Cody is still beside me, eyes wild as she dials the cops.
I feel something grip my leg and look down to see a pair of big brown eyes staring up at me in fear and confusion. I reach down and hug the precious little girl hard.