Chapter 9 Mr. Darcy
I woke to what sounded like someone repeatedly trying to kick down our front door. For a second, I honestly thought Niko had found me so he could finish insulting me to death. But no, this banging had the rhythm of unpaid bills and eviction notices.
Larna burst into my room first, wild-eyed, hair sticking up in twelve different directions, and makeup smeared across her face like she had lost a fight with a raccoon. I knew I must have looked just as tragic. My mascara had probably melted off sometime during the night and was now decorating my pillowcase like abstract art.
Alecia came in next, looking alive only because rage kept her functioning. "It's Mr. Darcy," she hissed. "He's come to collect."
"Shit!" I shot upright so quickly my vision blanked out. I grabbed my phone without even checking if it had charging, and the three of us sprinted toward the door like criminals caught in the act.
"OPEN UP!" Mr. Darcy screamed from the hallway. "I NEED MY FUCKING RENT! IF YOU DON'T PAY, YOU'LL HAVE TO GET OUT OF MY APARTMENT!"
He banged the door again. "AND WHO TOLD YOU THREE TO CHANGE THE LOCKS WITHOUT MY PERMISSION?!"
We yanked it open before he kicked it down. Mr. Darcy barreled inside in his robe and slippers like a deranged grandfather. He was a short, stocky man in his late fifties, with a balding head, a permanent scowl, and a threadbare plaid robe he seemed to live in. His breath carried the stale mix of coffee and cigarettes, and his gravelly voice always sounded like he'd been yelling long before we woke up. His eyes darted around the apartment first, searching for damages like he expected disaster.
Meanwhile, I was frantically opening my banking app. My heart was beating like a faulty drum. Then I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that the $20,000 from my PayPal had been deposited in my bank account. Relief washed over me so hard I almost sobbed. Then I actually saw the balance.
$17,471.
I blinked.
Of course as soon as it dropped my overdraft was paid, plus Affirm, Klarna, CreditGenie, Cleo and Bridget all took their money as well.
Everybody and their mother dipped into my account before I could even celebrate. Even the universe took its cut.
"Look, I'm sorry we're late," I said, trying to sound mature and responsible when all I actually wanted was to scream into a pillow. "But I have the money."
"You do?" His voice cracked like he couldn't believe it.
"Yes. Do you have your receipt book?"
"I... yes." He reached into his robe like he was about to pull out a weapon, but instead he pulled out a sad, wrinkled receipt booklet.
"I'm going to Cash App you $7,500," I said. "That will cover five months of rent."
Mr. Darcy went absolutely still. Then his eyebrows shot up. A slow smile stretched across his face.
I did the transaction for instant transfer. "It's done. The money should be ready in a few minutes to an hour."
I sent him the transfer info, and almost immediately he got the notification that he'd gotten a transaction from me. Mr. Darcy scribbled on the receipt book like his life depended on it, tore the slip out, and handed it to me with both hands, as if it were a sacred scroll.
"If... if there's anything you girls need, anything at all, just let me know and I'll fix it."
Alecia crossed her arms. "How about fixing that damn elevator?"
Mr. Darcy's smile twitched. "Why don't we talk about that another time."
"Great idea," Larna said quickly, shoving him through the door. "Have a good morning, Mr. Darcy!"
He opened his mouth to speak again, but she slammed the door so hard the frame rattled.
We all stared at the closed door in silence.
Then Alecia groaned, "I need coffee."
I flopped onto the couch. "I need Jesus."
Larna rubbed her temples. "I need therapy."
The three of us sat in the living room, lounging on the sagging couches and sipping on our coffee. I was still reeling from last night's insanity, and all three of us were far too exhausted to talk about it or even consider going grocery shopping. It was mine and Larna's day off, but Alecia was actually supposed to be at work.
"Ally, weren't you supposed to be working today?" I asked.
"Yeah, but I called out sick," she said casually, taking another sip of her coffee.
"Big Boss is going to be pissed," Larna warned, raising an eyebrow. Since she worked as the motel's receptionist and Alecia worked as a housekeeper, they both knew exactly how their boss operated.
"Well, he can't fire me," Alecia scoffed. "I'm the only housekeeper who's stayed this long. No one else has lasted past a month."
I ordered about a thousand dollars' worth of groceries, cleaning products, and hygiene items through the Walmart app. The delivery time said less than six hours, which would give us enough time to straighten up, take showers, and hopefully grab some rest before the mountain of bags arrived.
To mine and Larna's surprise, Alecia announced she had an errand to run.
"On a Saturday?" I asked.
She shrugged. "Isn't Saturday a day too?"
I didn't bother pushing further.
My phone rang, and I rolled my eyes the moment I saw my boss's name flash across the screen. I knew I shouldn't answer, but I needed my job. I still had student loans and medical bills breathing down my neck.
"Hello, Mr. Parks," I said.
"Don't hello me," he snapped. "Didn't you see the schedule change? You were supposed to be at work an hour ago."
"What schedule change?" I gasped, sitting up straighter on the couch.
"Sasha, if you don't get your arse down to the diner right now, you're fired."
"Yes, sir. I'll be there in thirty minutes."
"Make it twenty minutes, Sookie, or you'll be out of a job."
The call cut off immediately.
I jumped to my feet and sprinted toward the bathroom. "Lala, you'll have to look out for the groceries. I need to go to work," I shouted behind me.
"But it's your day off," she said, following me as I stripped out of my clothes and turned the shower on full blast.
"My boss changed the work schedule, so I need to be there."
Alecia appeared beside her, arms crossed. "Mr. P is an asshole. He keeps overworking you and underpaying you."
"I know," I admitted, "but I have to keep this job until I find something better."
I showered and dressed in ten minutes flat.
Alecia grabbed her keys. "Come on, I'll take you."
I hugged Larna before rushing out the door with Alecia, bracing myself for whatever fresh hell awaited me at the diner.