Chapter 4
Natalie
I’ve been living with my brother for coming up on three weeks now.
I’ve been shopping for new clothing and hygiene supplies.
And I’ve been diligently looking for a job.
Unfortunately, I haven’t had any luck so far.
Other than not being able to find work, everything is going really well.
I called my former foster parents the day after I arrived in Las Salinas and told them I was leaving home.
It went as well as I thought it would—as in not good at all.
They tried to coerce me to come back and made threats.
I feel awful leaving the other kids in the lurch like that, but I’m no longer a child.
I’m nineteen and need to live my own life.
Today Rick and Bear insist upon taking me out for lunch at a small Mexican restaurant a few blocks from the clubhouse.
When we walk in, I’m pleased to see it’s one of those spots with snazzy cha-cha music, leather booths and menus written in English and Spanish.
They bring us drinks with umbrellas and chips and salsa in a cute little basket.
When Rick shoves the basket my way, I take a chip and munch on it.
Bear sits across from me with his broad shoulders filling the booth.
He always looks serious when we’re in public, whereas my brother is kinda smiley.
I love going out with my brother and his friend.
In fact, I love everything about my new life.
I also realize I’m starting to get some kind of feelings for my brother’s big friend.
Rick clears his throat and announces, “I guess you are probably curious about why we invited you to lunch in the middle of the workday.”
I flash him a smile. “I’ve been here for coming up on a month and this is a first. Normally, you two are hustling so hard during the day that you rarely even make time for lunch. It’s why I started buying you protein bars to take with you in the morning.”
“And we do appreciate those,” he says, glancing between Bear and me. “So, you have a pretty good handle on what we do for a living, right?”
I take a mouthful of my drink before answering. “You deliver meds to Las Salinas and the surrounding towns.” Pausing to take another sip of my drink, I add, “I think it’s really cool that the two of you are business owners. It was a smart, resourceful thing to do.”
“That’s it in a nutshell. The thing is, our business is growing,” Bear says. His voice is deep and rich. It shouldn’t affect me so much, but it does.
Rick explains, “We’ve got contracts with five pharmacies now and serve the whole Tri-county area. Routes are getting stupid tight.”
“Rick’s still prospectin’ so he’s gotta pull shifts at the clubhouse,” Bear adds, “so coverage is inconsistent.”
Rick winces. “I don’t love being called fuckin’ inconsistent, bro.”
“You are,” Bear replies calmly. “Through no fault of your own. You’re only one dude. You can’t be in two places at once.”
I let them talk, watching how they bump heads then find a way to make it right.
Finally, I tilt my head. “Why are you telling me this? Do you want me to help you brainstorm solutions because of my superior planning and organization abilities?”
Bear snorts a laugh. “No, darlin’. We need another driver.”
Rick jumps in. “What we need is someone reliable with good judgment, who we can trust not to fuck our business model up.”
“You want me to deliver meds?” I ask.
“Yes,” Bear answers bluntly. “You’ve been looking for a job, and we have one to offer you.”
Rick nods in agreement. “It feels dumb to hire an outsider when you’re right here.”
“Don’t I need special clearance or something?” I ask.
Bear folds his hands on the table, careful with the space he takes. “You’re more than qualified.”
That catches me off guard enough that I look over at him. “You can’t know that.”
“I do,” he says. “You’re organized. You pay attention to detail and follow directions. You ask questions prior to getting knee deep in a situation you’re not sure about.”
Rick grins. “We’ve been paying attention to how you operate. We like what we see and think you’d be an outstanding employee.”
I feel my cheeks getting warm. I haven’t gotten a lot of praise in my life and I’m not good at taking compliments graciously yet.
Rick shifts gears. “You’ve got a driving license, right?”
“Yes, of course. It’s a useful skill to have when you’re taking care of children who have to get to medical appointments, school and extracurricular activities.”
“How long have you had your license?”
“Three years,” I say. “Since I was sixteen.”
“How’s your driving record?” my brother asks.
“Clean. I’ve never been involved in an accident.”
“Can you follow navigation apps?”
“Yes. I used them all the time.”
“Ever been in trouble with the law?” Rick asks with a grin.
“Nope,” I say.
“Are you good with paperwork?”
“I’m a fast learner,” I respond. “If you teach me, I’ll make sure it gets done every single time.”
Rick looks pleased with my responses.
As I think over their offer, the waitress drops off plates, the smell of carne asada filling my nostrils. The men start eating immediately. I pick up my fork, shove a bite into my mouth and chew slowly.
I can’t help but think of all those applications I’ve been filling out.
I’ve completed forty-eight of them and haven’t gotten a call back yet.
I’m young. I have no job experience, therefore no prior job reference.
This will likely be my only opportunity to get some much needed experience that isn’t just taking care of kids.
“What’s the catch?” I ask.
Rick blinks. “The catch?”
“Every opportunity comes with a catch. I don’t mind if there is one. I just want to know what it is upfront, so I can be prepared for it.”
Bear answers without hesitation. “There is no catch. You’re looking for a job. We have one if you want it. If you take it, we expect you to get up every morning and do your job. In return we’ll make sure you get paid a fair wage every Friday, just like we do.”
“What if I say no?” I murmur. “Will you get mad and ask me to leave?”
“Then we hire someone else,” Rick cuts in. “This isn’t some power play to control you or get you to work for free. We’re not your foster parents.”
“Thanks for not getting mad that I ask.”
Rick leans forward. “All three of us were raised in the system. We know how bad it can be. That’s why we created our own business, so we can have some control over our own lives. If you come to work with us, I promise that we’ll treat you right.”
For the first time in my life, work feels voluntary and valuable enough to be paid instead of demanded and taken for granted. I love everything about this situation.
“Alright, I’m in,” I say. “When do I start?”
“As soon as possible,” Bear says. “There is a lot of training involved.”
I nod once. “Okay, let me know what you want me to do.”
Rick asks, “Aren’t you gonna ask how much you get paid?”
“I figured it would be a fair wage.”
Bear slides one of those white business cards over to me. It has a salary handwritten in black ink that seems absurd. “Are you two being for real right now?”
Rick nods. “We’re takin’ you on as a partner. That’s thirty percent of what our company makes. Bear and I draw the same salary and ten is reserved for operating costs.”
“You can’t… you barely know me!” I blurt out.
“You’re Rick’s sister, if it’s good enough for him, it’s good enough for me,” Bear says.
I tear up because it’s clear my older brother and his friend are setting me up for life with this job. “You don’t have to do this,” I tell them. “I don’t want to take money that you might need.”
Bear answers, “We’re not vesting you in our business, at least not right now. We’re just saying that for as long as you partner up with us, you’ll be earning your fair share of what we bring in.”
I nod, feeling emotional, grateful and overwhelmed all at the same time. “That’s a very generous offer and I thank you.”
“We’ll train you,” Rick assures me.
“Don’t worry, I learn fast. I won’t let you down.”
“Welcome aboard,” Bear says, with a pleased expression on his handsome face. The way his eyes linger on me causes something warm to wash over me.
To cover those feelings, I reach for another chip and say excitedly, “Guess I’m employed.”
Rick lifts his glass. “To MedEx’s expansion.”
Bear raises his drink as well. “To finally getting some help in place so I can have a fucking day off.”
I clink my glass against theirs, feeling like part of their crew. For the first time since I left my foster home, my life finally feels like it’s taking off.
***
Rick and Bear eat lunch and go back to work. Only this time, I tag along for the ride. They want me to spend the rest of the day getting a feel for what they do. I end up in the truck with Bear. He took the truck rather than his motorcycle because he’s delivering bulkier items today.
He pulls into the first pharmacy parking lot and cuts the engine. He reaches behind the seat for a clipboard and a temperature log before he even opens the door. These two hard-working businessmen clearly have a system in place and I mean to learn it.
“This is the Las Salinas compounding pharmacy. It’s our largest contract, representing almost half of our income. I’m always careful to be respectful and make sure I’m responsive to their needs,” he tells me. “I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
When we go inside the pharmacy there are customers everywhere. A bell chimes as we enter, and an older woman behind the counter looks up and smiles at Bear.
“Afternoon, Bear,” she says. “You’re early.”
“Traffic was light,” he replies. His voice is still calm, but warmer. “This is Natalie. She’s a new hire. She’ll be training with us for a bit before making deliveries on her own.”
Her attention shifts to me immediately. “Good. About time you two got some help.”
Bear says, “Natalie, this is Miss Penelope. She’s the general manager here.”
I reach out one hand. “It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.”