on bikes.”
“Did you think I stood on corners singing to strangers with my guitar case open. I gotta pay bills somehow.” I shrugged my shoulders causing him to laugh with humor “My Dad was an ass, yeah he was another Anthony, and my Mom was broker than shit, but she dated guys that knew how to work on cars and my attention was always on the bikes.” He held my hand as we walked in the house.
Natalia was already sitting on Scott’s lap when we returned to the guys place. Martin had taken my car to the shop and Davien promised to work on it on Monday. Vince would drop my things off later.
“Holy shit, Avery, are you okay?” Natalia jumped from her spot. She examined my entire body head to foot.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just lost. I’m confused. I’m hurt and I’m scared.” She pulled me into her arms. We embraced for long moments and she held me tight.
I felt Scott’s hand on my back. “Avery, can I talk with you in the kitchen?” He looked at Natalia, then Davien. “Alone.”
I followed him to the next room. “Sit.” He pointed to the wooden kitchen table. I tried to study his face, looking for answers. What was there that he needed to talk about in private. Maybe this was the moment when he was asking me to find another home “Here.”
“What’s this?” He held an envelope in my direction
“Davien told me to take you shopping days ago, before we even picked you up.” He smiled. “I figured you’d rather go with Natalia.”
I opened the envelope which was intended for Scott to use. Davien trusted his judgment on how it was to be used. Inside sat 10 single one hundred dollar bills. “I can’t take this.” I looked with shock. I closed the envelope and pushed it across the table to his area. “This is too much. You guys said you’d take me to grab a few outfits.”
Scott only shrugged his shoulders and left the room. I sat with my envelope and tried to put things together. I didn’t need much money for a few outfits and I could live off a generic brand for a while. I only spent maybe ten bucks a day on food and I was far from being high maintenance. Then reality sunk in and truth was, the envelope contained enough for at least a deposit and possibly first months rent on a small apartment. This was it. I was on my own and time to grow up. Anthony had taken care of me for the last year and now I was forced to the real world without notice. Obviously both men were too ashamed to actually say the words, but I already heard them as soon as the envelope had opened. It wasn't their fault though. They had done enough for me.
I called Davien into the kitchen. When he walked in I asked him to sit across me. I pulled the envelope between us. “First off I wanted to thank you, second off you’ll have to give me some time before I can pay you back, I’m not only homeless.. But I’m jobless.” I laughed with his grin. “And third I only ask one favor from you. Since I have the money to start searching for a place, will you take me around looking for somewhere?”
He sat straight in his chair, his nostrils flared and he stared at the ceiling fighting over my words “Now my turn, Avery. First off, it was a gift, you’re not paying me back. Second, I have no problem taking you to search for apartments. Third, I can get you a job when ever you are ready, Martin needs a book keeper very badly. And finally, the money was not intended for an apartment. You will get that when you save enough of your own money. Until then you get the right side of the bed…. Or possibly the middle.” He pulled my hands to the center of the table.
“Just possibly?” I
“Did you think I stood on corners singing to strangers with my guitar case open. I gotta pay bills somehow.” I shrugged my shoulders causing him to laugh with humor “My Dad was an ass, yeah he was another Anthony, and my Mom was broker than shit, but she dated guys that knew how to work on cars and my attention was always on the bikes.” He held my hand as we walked in the house.
Natalia was already sitting on Scott’s lap when we returned to the guys place. Martin had taken my car to the shop and Davien promised to work on it on Monday. Vince would drop my things off later.
“Holy shit, Avery, are you okay?” Natalia jumped from her spot. She examined my entire body head to foot.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just lost. I’m confused. I’m hurt and I’m scared.” She pulled me into her arms. We embraced for long moments and she held me tight.
I felt Scott’s hand on my back. “Avery, can I talk with you in the kitchen?” He looked at Natalia, then Davien. “Alone.”
I followed him to the next room. “Sit.” He pointed to the wooden kitchen table. I tried to study his face, looking for answers. What was there that he needed to talk about in private. Maybe this was the moment when he was asking me to find another home “Here.”
“What’s this?” He held an envelope in my direction
“Davien told me to take you shopping days ago, before we even picked you up.” He smiled. “I figured you’d rather go with Natalia.”
I opened the envelope which was intended for Scott to use. Davien trusted his judgment on how it was to be used. Inside sat 10 single one hundred dollar bills. “I can’t take this.” I looked with shock. I closed the envelope and pushed it across the table to his area. “This is too much. You guys said you’d take me to grab a few outfits.”
Scott only shrugged his shoulders and left the room. I sat with my envelope and tried to put things together. I didn’t need much money for a few outfits and I could live off a generic brand for a while. I only spent maybe ten bucks a day on food and I was far from being high maintenance. Then reality sunk in and truth was, the envelope contained enough for at least a deposit and possibly first months rent on a small apartment. This was it. I was on my own and time to grow up. Anthony had taken care of me for the last year and now I was forced to the real world without notice. Obviously both men were too ashamed to actually say the words, but I already heard them as soon as the envelope had opened. It wasn't their fault though. They had done enough for me.
I called Davien into the kitchen. When he walked in I asked him to sit across me. I pulled the envelope between us. “First off I wanted to thank you, second off you’ll have to give me some time before I can pay you back, I’m not only homeless.. But I’m jobless.” I laughed with his grin. “And third I only ask one favor from you. Since I have the money to start searching for a place, will you take me around looking for somewhere?”
He sat straight in his chair, his nostrils flared and he stared at the ceiling fighting over my words “Now my turn, Avery. First off, it was a gift, you’re not paying me back. Second, I have no problem taking you to search for apartments. Third, I can get you a job when ever you are ready, Martin needs a book keeper very badly. And finally, the money was not intended for an apartment. You will get that when you save enough of your own money. Until then you get the right side of the bed…. Or possibly the middle.” He pulled my hands to the center of the table.
“Just possibly?” I
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