“That’s wonderful news.” His voice perks up. “I’m happy she will get the care she deserves.”
Dr. Marshall is the only person who believed my mother could get better besides me. That’s why he was willing to give me this chance, even though I know it probably puts him in a tough position.
“Me too.” I shift on my aching feet, twisting the bottom of my apron. “I just wanted to call and let you know I can come by and drop off the first half of the money whenever you need it.”
“The first half?” He clicks his tongue. “I need all the money, Paisley. I thought I made that clear to you.”
“I know you said that you needed all of the money, but I assumed you just needed it all before the trial was over.” I did not assume that. I know he needed all the money before the trial started, but I won’t have it then. “I actually have more than half, but I’m waiting for the rest to be transferred over. It should only take another week or so, but the trial is supposed to start Monday and—”
“How much do you have?”
I let out the breath I’ve been holding. I knew he would be more flexible than Andre. I knew Dr. Marshall would understand and that he would work with me to make this happen. “I have almost eighty thousand.” Between my scrimping and saving and the money Andre gave me I’m so close it hurts, and I will give Dr. Marshall every bit of what’s in my account if that’s what it takes.
Because I need my mother to start this drug trial before she’s too weak to handle it.
Dr. Marshall is quiet, and I’m back to holding my breath again.
He has to say yes. He has to be willing to let me get him the rest of the money later.
“Okay. I will figure out a way to make this happen for you.”
I sag against the podium holding the computer where we punch in our orders. “Thank you so much. I promise I will get you every penny as soon as possible.”
“I know you will.” His voice lowers just a little bit. “Go ahead and drop that check off first thing tomorrow morning and I will get her added to the list.”
“Okay. I will.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
I hang up the phone and lean back against the wall, closing my eyes as I take a shaky breath.
I did it.
Mostly.
I still need to figure out how to get the rest of the money, but twenty thousand seems so much more attainable now.
Maybe I can pick up extra shifts at Platinum.
Maybe I’ll see if some of those shifts can be on stage.
Vi said she could get me on next week, and hopefully that offer still stands.
I never expected I’d be hoping for the chance to take my clothes off for money.
Then again, I also never expected to sell my virginity or offer up murder and anal sex for money either, but I’ve already done all three of those things.
Not that Andre’s taken me up on a single one of them.
And at this point I’m not sure if I’m grateful or disappointed about it.
I straighten from the wall, ready to clock out so I can go home and share the good news with my mother. I suck in a final breath and open my eyes.
Every bit of excitement races out of my body when my gaze immediately locks onto the black eyes in front of me.
Andre looks just as unhappy as he does every other time I’ve seen him.
“What are you doing here?” The question rushes out of me.
There’s no point in asking how he found out I work here. The man probably has connections all over the city. People that could tell him every time I sneeze.
But how he found me isn’t nearly as important as why.
Andre slowly peels off his expensive coat, the high-end suit underneath it making him look even more out of place in the diner filled with middle class people eating grilled ham and cheese sandwiches and chicken noodle soup. He drapes the coat over the back of one of the stools lined along the counter before sitting down on the glittery pleather seat, his gaze staying locked on me the whole time.
His lips slowly lift at one corner as he leans toward me. “Aren’t you going to bring me a menu?”