CHAPTER FIVE
-:- BLAKE -:-
Today I am going for my interview for the cleaning position. I’m good at cleaning because I’ve done more than enough of it over the years. I take out the letters, receipts and list of how much I have to finish paying before I’m debt-free. Placing them on the kitchen table, I take a seat and for a few minutes stare at the things in front of me.
Sitting with a glass of water that I’ve taken from the tap before sitting at the table, I lament that it’s not a nice bottle from the fridge. I have no more of my favorite bottled water left, so beggars, as they say, cannot be choosers, and have to be satisfied with what they can get their hands on.
Looking at the three statements for the debts Stefan created in my name, I see one I’ve nearly paid to completion. Two more payments and that one will be finished. The next one I’m looking at as I scribble figures on a notepad, I estimate if I pay what I’ll save on the first one, along with what I pay now, I can have this one paid in full in ten months. The third one will take me probably two years!
If I can get this second job, I will use the entire salary on these debts. It will be such a relief when I am clear of all the mess Stefan left. Four years and I’ve been living on peanuts while throwing every cent I can to get things paid. I’ve also the mortgage on the house Yax lives in, and it is coming to the point she either pays me rent on a lease agreement, or she’ll have to move out so I can sell it.
I’m happy as I can be that things are all paid in full for this month. My utilities are paid, and I’m thankful that I had taken insurance on both mine and Stefan’s lives to cover the mortgage on the house I live in. The only thing that has saved me in a lot of ways, is the fact that I don’t have a mortgage on this house anymore.
Noticing the time, I quickly get ready to walk into town for my interview. Ten minutes later, I lock the door and start walking, to only be stopped by one of my elderly neighbors.
“Hi, Blake. How are you?”
“Good morning, Bitty. I’m good, thank you, and yourself?” I ask. Now I like Bitty, but she is friends with a couple of other ladies that I’m going to describe as bat shit crazy.
“I’m good. I am thinking of selling my place because I’m hardly here anymore. Oh, what was that awful Yax woman doing hanging around outside your house yesterday?”
That has taken me by surprise, because I didn’t know Bitty knew Yax, and I sure didn’t know that Yax had been hanging around the house yesterday. “Well, you know the story with her and her son, Franklin. She seems to have it in her head that I am responsible for paying for her son’s upkeep.”
Bitty laughs before shocking me and spitting on the ground. “That’s what I think about that awful woman. You know she has a man living with her in that house you own, don’t you?”
“No, I did not, but thank you for telling me. That is very interesting.”
“Yeah, well, I’ll keep my ears to the ground, and you know I have friends all over town. We watch out for each other, now that we are older. Of course, I have a whole MC at my back.”
I giggle at the look on Bitty’s face, because anyone would think she was the Queen of England the way she is puffing out her chest, lifting her chin and looking mighty regal.
“I have to run, Bitty. I’m going for an interview.”
“Where at?” Bitty asks before I can move away from her.
“The cleaning company, you know, Helping Hands,” I reply as I start to walk backwards, hoping she sees I have to get moving.
“You tell them Bitty said that you are under my wing. If Heather is there for your interview, you tell her she’ll be eating rocks if she doesn’t employ you.”
“Oh, okay, will do. Thanks, Bitty.” I turn and start to speed walk because I have to make up time, or I’ll be late and that would be a terrible impression to give.
A while later I take a seat where indicated, which is in front of a desk where Alf is looking me over. He gives me a warm welcome and the lady who I overheard talking about the job gives me a finger wave as she passes the office I’m sitting in.
“Okay, Blake. First, can I see your references?”
I pass the envelope with all my references inside. I have seven and they are all good ones, showing I am reliable, honest and can work unattended. I am rather proud of my working experience, even though they are lowly in some people’s eyes. But to me, it doesn’t matter as a job is an honest way of making a living, no matter what that job is.
I wait calmly and quietly as Alf reads each one of the references. He eventually places them back into the envelope and passes them back to me. “I’m impressed with those, Blake. You have continually shown excellent character, and the cleaning, nursing home and serving ones give their personal contact numbers as well as the company’s. That, to me, shows how much they valued you as a worker and an individual.”
“Thank you.”
“No need to thank me Blake, you have obviously earned the praise they are giving you. I’d like you to start on Wednesday if you can. It will give me time to get your clients organized. I will go around with you the first time you meet them, then they won’t be frightened to open the door to you.
“The job entails cleaning kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms, and if needed, anywhere else. The people you are being placed with see no one after they have had their lunchtime meal. We have included hot meals for any of our customers who can’t get a hot meal for themselves. I don’t give a rat’s ass what anyone else wants us to do officially. We included a little on the cost of our service to our commercial clients, which covers the meals. Hence, our elderly customers don’t have to pay for a meal each day.
“I need you to check their fridge, freezer, and cabinets. If you think they don’t have enough food, offer to shop for them. If you do any shopping, I will give you a bonus at the end of the month to cover your time and effort.”
“I can do that, and would do it without you needing to give me a bonus.” Alf gives me a considering look, searching for something in my face, I’m sure. I calmly look back at him, showing I have no hidden agenda.
“Let’s put you on a three-month trial, and then we can part ways if we feel we are not a good fit. If you are a good fit your salary will increase a little more.”
“Okay, that’s good. Do you want me to come here and go with you to the customers? Oh, there is one problem, but you may not employ me after I tell you.”
Alf leans forward, clasping his hands together on the desktop. “What’s that, Blake?”
“I don’t have a vehicle. I am okay to walk from one customer to the next, but is it a problem?”
Tapping his fingers on the desk while obviously thinking, we both turn when a lady walks into the office and gives me a bright smile.
“Hi, are you Blake?” she asks.
“I am, yes,” I return the smile, trying to maintain a good impression.
“Well, you’ve got the job. I’ve been told by Bitty that you are solid, you need the job and that you are her friend. She also told me she’d spit in my food at the clubhouse if I didn’t employ you.”
I’m so shocked that I’m sitting here with my mouth hung open. Alf looks about as shocked as me, but then both he and this woman throw their heads back, laughing.
“Those three are beyond anyone I’ve ever known. Honestly, Heather, how the three ended up in that clubhouse I’ll never know, but I bet they are trouble at times,” Alf chortles.
“I’m not sure I can take the job because I don’t have a vehicle at the moment,” I quickly let her know that I’m on foot these days, because I don’t want them to employ me, and then they are embarrassed to say they can’t use my services.
“That’s not a problem. Alf, have you placed Blake on a trial basis?”
“I have, Heather. Three months. Blake's references are excellent and I’m sure we won’t have any problems.”
I realize that Heather is the owner, along with Alf, that I’ve heard of. I have not heard a single bad word about her, and if I’ve heard right, she is the woman of Forest, our local Sheriff. I don’t think they are married? But then I don’t know them so they could be, but either way, it isn’t my business.
“We have the Nissan NV200 out back, and nobody has used that in quite a while. It’d be better to be used than left to rot,” Heather is looking at Alf with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah, okay, Blake can use that, and I’ll give her the usual contract we put on the vans with the stipulation it’s returned, if at the end of the three-month period we part ways.” Alf looks at Heather, who nods her head in agreement.
“Okay, I’ve got to get to the clubhouse this morning, but I’ll see you soon, Blake.” Heather quickly waves at Alf and disappears. She is a bit of a whirlwind.
An hour later, I’m driving home in the van I’ve been allocated, and I have the broadest smile on my face that you could imagine. Even my cheeks hurt with it. This, I hope, is going to be a tremendous step up for me and my circumstances. It’s going to be tiring working two jobs and from morning to nearly midnight, but I need it and that’s all that matters.
Parking the van, I climb out, lock up and turn to walk towards the house when I hear my name called. Turning, I can’t hold back the frown that flashes onto my face. Yax! What the hell does she want now?
“What do you want?” I ask, standing with my back to my front door because no way am I going to have her get inside.
“I need you to give me money for Franklin.”
“Not happening, Yax. You are already living rent free in a house I own, which I allow out of the goodness of my heart. I’m paying a mortgage on that place, and if you want to continue trying to squeeze money from me, then I’ll see a lawyer about you signing a tenancy agreement.”
“You can’t do that. Franklin is your stepson. You have responsibilities towards him.” Yax is getting red in the face, and I can see something behind her eyes that I’m not liking.
I open my mouth to respond when again, Bitty appears from nowhere. Now she said she was going to the clubhouse, so I’m shocked she is still around. But what she says next has my blood starting to boil.
“Oh, hello, Yax. Is Benny still living at your house? I hear he is the real father of your son Franklin, and not Blake's poor, dead husband. Is that why Benny is living at your house with you and his son?”
My head spins toward Yax, and I can see another flash behind her eyes. Oh yes, there is something going on here, and I’m not going to be made a fool of any longer. “How long has this man been living in the house that I own?”
Yax swallows hard, before muttering. “Not long.”
“He’s been there a year or more, Blake. I have proof because my friend Marjorie lives directly opposite Yax, and she has photographs on her cellphone of that man coming and going. That right Yax, over a year? He’s Franklin’s dad and you are screwing Blake over for a free roof over your head.” Bitty is nearly nose-to-nose with Yax and is so angry each time she speaks, spittle flies hitting Yax in the face, who jerks back trying to not get hit by it.
“I’ll be seeking legal advice, Yax, about Franklin’s DNA and for you to either sign a lease or get the hell out of my house.” I turn and open the door, giving Bitty a smile. “You want a cup of coffee, Bitty?”
“No, I have people to see, but I’ll find out more information for you about this bitch, don’t you worry,” pointing at Yax, who is rushing down the street. “I’ll be having my boys look into you and your man, Yax, so I’d start packing, ready to run if I were you.”
“Thanks, Bitty,” I say, as soon as Yax is far enough away.
“Don’t thank me. I’m more than happy to take that bitch down. That poor son of hers is going to have no life at all. He’s not your husband’s son, Blake. She saw him as an easy one to fool. She bragged about it while out of town at The Nitelife, in Midville, which is only fifty-minutes away. She was overheard by Marjorie’s granddaughter Carolyn, and of course she told her Grammie, because Marjorie loves gossip.”
“I’m going to have to find out the costs of legally getting a DNA from Franklin, and to have Yax removed from my house. I don’t want her living there anymore.” I rub my face with the palms of my hands and give Bitty a smile as I thank her again and head inside.
How I’m going to afford this I have no idea, but I’ll have to look at how much I can save in various places, like utilities. I’m pleased that the van for work is not my responsibility regarding gas. I have an allowance and I’ll walk everywhere, apart from my cleaning duties. That way I cannot get into any kind of trouble because I have it.