Chapter 5 Candrin
CANDRIN
Wait until the popping stops
I was out of the house before Tanner and didn’t see him because my car was in the shop until I collected it after work, and I wanted to get to the office before everyone else.
Catching a bus was awkward because I’d never done it and I got on the first one and when confronted by signs and people pushing me from behind, I got off, accompanied by muttering from passengers waiting in line.
I was more prepared when the second bus arrived and while I didn’t have a card, I counted out coins in my pocket and jingled them while waiting to pay.
No one else made eye contact as I stood holding a strap at the front of the bus until an elderly woman hissed at me to move back, allowing other people to get on.
Bus etiquette was something I had to learn, and learn fast.
The bus jerked and swayed as we made our way downtown and I missed the stop closest to my office.
Not that it mattered as it was so early.
As I wandered back in the direction of my building, I took note of people on the street.
Parents dragging their kids, shift workers going home, students giggling as they made their way to school and office workers like myself, heading to their jobs.
This was an aspect of city life I’d missed out on, driving to and from the office five days a week.
I almost raced into a coffee shop to grab a latte until I remembered I had little money, only what I’d found under the statue and a chunk of it had gone on rent.
The good news was I’d paid for my car repairs on Saturday morning before the reading of the will and it had a full tank of gas. But from now on, I’d be taking the bus.
Gods, I had to budget, something I’d never done.
Not that I was reckless with money, I’d just never had to think about it before.
And now I did. As well as dealing with the sadness at losing my dad, having everything familiar whisked away was overwhelming and then there was rage seething just below the surface at my so-called brother.
I was the first one in to work and I closed the door to my office, hoping I wouldn’t be disturbed until mid-morning when I had a meeting scheduled.
But as people drifted in, I caught their quick glances before they looked away and sat at their desk or got coffee from the machine.
Damn, I’d forgotten to close the blinds, something I’d never bothered to do because I didn’t hide away from the staff.
Dean, my assistant, arrived and knocked. “Morning.” He glanced over his shoulder as Amy, our accountant, nudged him. “Ummm I’m sorry… about your dad.”
I’d been out of the office most of last week after Father died but I got the feeling Dean was talking about more than my late father. He hesitated and Amy pushed him aside and said, “We should talk later, Candrin.”
“Yeah.” My salary had always been plowed back into the charity which Amy was well aware of.
The pair paused in the doorway and shared a glance. Dean nodded at Amy. “People have been talking.”
And there it was. Not surprising as Mr James was on the charity board and while I hoped he’d kept his mouth shut, the people in his office may have let slip about my situation. I had no energy to find out who it was who blabbed. It was done now. Probably best it was out in the open.
Mid-afternoon I got a call from Anders, the guy who’d always worked on my car. “I’ll drop it by the house later.”
“No.” That came out more sharply than I intended. “Sorry, no it’s okay.” I made a spur of the moment decision and said, “You don’t know anyone who’d want to buy it, do you?” It was only a year old.
“Surprised you’re looking to sell. You love that beast of a car,” Anders said, a question in his voice.
I did. “I haven’t made a final decision.
” Anders said he’d put out feelers and I told him to keep the car for the moment.
Rolling up to Tanner’s home in a snazzy sports car worth almost as much as his house wasn’t a good look and would invite more questions.
Selling it would give me breathing space.
Amy and I’d had a long discussion about the charity’s finances. Father’s company had kept us afloat and while my newly-declared brother hadn’t yet cut off the flow of money, it had only been two days since the reading of the will.
Charles and his tiny little brain and grasping hands probably hadn’t had time to comprehend what all he had and that there was a significant outgoing stream supporting the charity I was head of.
Father had always been very generous but when that money dried up, we’d be forced to beg for donations and compete with every other similar organization in the city.
Taking the bus home was another new experience. It was packed and we were butt to butt, BO and bad breath spiraling around the confined space. Once again I missed the stop because I wasn’t familiar with the neighborhood, but it was a pleasant evening and I didn’t mind the walk.
But as I opened the front door, two voices drifted out. Tanner’s and another guy. Maybe one of his brothers had returned early, possibly to check out the new tenant. Me!
I walked into the living room, a huge smile on my face as I readied myself to meet my second landlord. Tanner's eyes lit up when he saw me, not so much the other guy. They looked nothing alike and his sour expression was anything but welcoming.
“Hi. I’m Candrin, your new tenant.”
“Hardly,” he sneered.
Shit! Was I being given the boot after only two nights? I hoped I’d get my money back.
“This is my friend, Blake,” Tanner said, his face creased in an amused smile.
“Oh sorry.” Not a brother. I still had my room, even if I had little else.
Blake looked me up and down and his expression didn’t improve as he basically dismissed me. “As I was saying before we were interrupted, there’s this new restaurant I want to try.”
This was awkward. Did I walk backward hoping no one would notice or say, “I’ll just leave you two alone.” But Tanner saved my ass by asking me to join them. Blake’s eyes narrowed and I was definitely getting a vibe that he didn’t want me around.
“Thanks but it’s been a long day. I’ll make myself something to eat and head upstairs.” I gave a little wave and left. Blake was still trying to convince my landlord to go out while I fossicked in the bag of food Molly had given me. There was a bag of popcorn. That was food, right?
The instructions were pretty simple. Put it in the microwave and wait until the popping stopped. Simple. I had one ear on the conversation in the living room where Tanner was wavering about going out, saying he couldn’t afford it.
You and me both.
It took me a while to figure out how to operate the microwave but doing research on my phone helped. I’d never used the one at the office, preferring to order in at lunch time.
After setting the timer, I checked my emails and messages. Nothing from Mr. James saying it was all a sucktastic joke and to stop playing at being a tenant and come home.
Blake was at the whining stage, saying he needed a night out and he hadn’t seen Tanner in over a week. Were they together as in a relationship? Gods, if I had to listen to that voice, I’d plug my ears.
I sniffed the air at the acrid smell of burning. Had the popping stopped? There was still an occasional pop. Nothing worse than unpopped corn. I’d almost broken a tooth on that once.
“What the hell is that stink?” That was Blake.
“Candrin, you’re burning something,” Tanner yelled.
Damn! How did I stop the stupid microwave? The timer was set for another minute. Shit! There was no time to do research so I yanked the cord and the humming from the microwave stopped.
“Please tell me you’re not saying that because your new tenant can’t boil water.” Blake had stopped near the front door but not before glaring at me as he passed the kitchen.
“As I said, it’s too expensive, but have fun without me. Say hi to the others.” Tanner shut the door behind his friend and strode into the kitchen.
He scrunched up his nose, looking adorable while doing it. “Burned popcorn. Yum.” He yanked open the microwave door and jerked his head at the kitchen windows. “We need fresh air.”
I definitely did because his scent smacked me in the face, and curled itself around me, squeezing the air from my lungs. Even though the atmosphere was heavy with charred popcorn, Tanner’s aroma trampled it and headed straight for me as if I was a deer in his headlights.