Chapter 7
seven
. . .
Rachel
The wind had died down, but it was still raining.
Heavy cold drops pinged off my rain slicker as I hurried up the sidewalk toward the apartment building.
As much as I hated riding the bus, I had to admit this afternoon's ride was better than most. I also had to admit that I was crushing big time on Ronan.
It was stupid and the last thing I needed, but it was still fun to have a crush.
It would never go further than that. Besides which, I knew from experience that he'd eventually do something that would obliterate the crush.
It was inevitable with men like Ronan. It was true I didn't know him well at all, but I also knew a heartbreaker when I saw one, and he was definitely that.
I could only imagine the trail of tears and broken hearts he'd left behind in his life.
Fortunately for me, I'd tucked my heart away in a block of cement, and it would take more than a sledgehammer and a mesmerizing green gaze to get to it.
I reached the parking lot just as the rain turned from drops to chunks of hail. I hurried through the parking lot but stopped dead cold when I spotted my ancient green Toyota with a massive dent on the side. The back window was shattered and the taillight on that side was dangling by a wire.
My heart slammed into my ribs as I raced up the stairs.
The rain had made them slippery, and I fell painfully to my knees, landing right on the edge of a step.
"Fuck!" I grabbed the railing, hauled myself to my feet and climbed the rest of the stairs with my shins aching. The fall was going to leave a bruise.
I both knocked and fished frantically for my keys. Mom opened the door as I tried to get the key in the hole with shaky hands.
"Mom, what happened? Where's Jack?" My heart was racing so fast I couldn't catch my breath.
Mom held up her hands. "Jack is perfectly fine.
He's sitting at the kitchen table eating boxed mac and cheese.
Those dinosaur shaped noodles are brilliant.
He didn't even ask for ketchup to go with the noodles.
" She spoke lightly as if my poor, sad car wasn't sitting down in the lot with some of its guts hanging out.
Hearing Jack was fine and seeing my mom, also obviously uninjured, helped slow down my heart rate. "What happened, Mom?"
"Oh, you saw the car?"
"Why do you think I entered here as if a serial killer was chasing me? How did it happen?"
"It's all because of this darn storm." Mom turned and walked toward the kitchen.
"I thought the other driver told me to go, but it turned out she was telling me to wait.
I went through the four-way stop, and she took off at what I consider to be a crazy speed, given the weather, and she ran into us. "
Jack looked up from the serious chat he was having with T-rex.
Cheese dripped off his chin. "Mommy, Nonna and I went boom!
" He dropped the dinosaur into the mac and cheese as he attempted to recreate the crash with his tiny fists.
They missed each other, but he still added in the "boom!
" for sound effect. "Nonna cried," he added nonchalantly.
I realized I'd come in like a whirlwind and hadn't assured Mom I wasn't mad at her. "Oh Mom." I hugged her.
She sniffled. "I was only worried about Jack.
I'm so sorry about the car, Ray. But don't worry, I got my car towed down to the mechanic, and I'm waiting for him to call and tell me his diagnosis.
He thought it might just be a bad battery cable.
Now, why don't you go in and take a hot shower.
You're soaked to the bone." Her phone rang. "Oh, that's the mechanic."
Mom answered the call, and I sat down with Jack. "Look, Mommy, big bite." He plunged his fork into the bowl and managed to only get a few noodles stuck to it. Still, he opened his mouth extra wide as if he was about to shovel in a triple decker burger.
"Good job, buddy. How was your day? Did you have fun at day care?"
"Yeah, but Chloe was mean. She took the ball from me."
"Oh well, that happens. That doesn't make her mean. She just wanted the ball, too."
Mom walked over and sat down with a loud sigh.
"That doesn't sound like a bad battery cable," I said.
"He said it needs a new transmission. He can get it working well enough to drive around for another month or two, but he says it's on its way out. A new one is five grand."
"That's more than the car is worth." I rested back against the chair. I was exhausted and cold and just coming down from the fright I'd had, and now that my legs were thawing, they started to ache from the fall on the stairs.
Mom reached over. "Oh, Ray, what are we going to do? I really messed up this time."
I squeezed her hand. "Accidents happen, Mom. Especially in bad weather. I've got some money saved up." It was for the down payment on a small house at the edge of town, but Jack's and my house dreams would have to wait.
"No, Ray, I know you're saving for a house, and you work so hard." She sat up straighter. "You work tonight, don't you? I better get to making you some dinner. Go in and take a hot shower."
I all but dragged myself off the chair. Some days a double shift was doable, but on a day like today, the last thing I wanted was to gear up for another work shift, even if it was good money.
I glanced down at my shins. There was a lump on my right leg.
I hated giving up a shift at Tommy's, but my head and heart just weren't in it.
I walked into the bedroom and pulled out my phone.
"Hey, Ray, what's up?"
"Hi, Jasmine, any chance you can find someone to sub for me tonight? It's been a rough day. Mom got into an accident in my car—"
"Is she all right? What about Jack?" I had some truly remarkable friends, and they made it much easier when times were rough, like right then. Her concern and the shitty news about the cars made me choke up. "Rachel?" she asked urgently.
"I'm sorry, Jaz, Jack is fine. They're both fine, but the car, that's another story. And the rain made the stairs to the apartment slippery. I bumped my shin hard enough to leave a lump. So can someone take my spot?"
"Yes, no problem. Gemma has been begging for more hours. By the way, he came back in, and he was asking for you," she said.
"Uh, you'll have to be more specific. Who are you talking about?" I slipped out of my raincoat and kicked off my wet shoes.
Jasmine made a scoffing sound. "Are you sure you only bumped your shin? You know, Mr. Maserati, the mysterious rich man with the Rolex who is just handsome enough to have the other girls tripping over themselves to get to know him better. But he was asking about you."
"Oh him," I said. I walked in and started the shower.
The pipes made their usual clanging sound.
It would be a good five minutes before hot water came out.
I'd let Bert, the building manager, know that fixing the hot water heating system would pay for itself considering the amount of water wasted waiting for it to heat.
"Oh him," Jasmine repeated. "Look, we've all had our share of—not sure what to call 'em—"
"I think stalker is the word you're looking for," I said.
"Well, a stalker can be tolerated if he drives a Maserati and wears an expensive watch. Besides, he's a nice guy. He hasn't tried anything with you, has he?"
"No, he's polite. Anyhow, I'm standing in wet clothes, and I need to get into the shower. Thanks for getting Gemma to cover."
"Give my hugs to Jack."
The shower felt even better than expected. I stayed in there until the hot water supply started to fizzle. I pulled on sweatpants and my favorite flannel shirt. I was looking forward to a quiet night with Jack and Mom.
Dinosaur roars were coming from the kitchen. Mom was standing in the entryway staring at a green piece of paper. "What's that?" I asked.
She looked up, and a worried line creased her forehead. "It was just slipped under the door. Oh, sweetie, I'm afraid it's more bad news."
We were both startled by a frantic knock at the door. "Ray, are you there?" It was Helen, our neighbor. A bad back had caused her to retire early from her nursing career, and she was living on disability checks.
Mom opened the door. Helen had the same green piece of paper clutched tightly in her fist. "Did you read this? Can you believe they just shoved it under the door?" She was addressing me, but I was still in the dark about what the green paper contained. However, I was starting to get an inkling.
"Is this about the sale of the building?" I asked. "Bert said there'd be no changes. Just a transfer of ownership and that we'd hardly know it happened." I'd hoped that a new owner would mean new paint and better plumbing, but I was just as happy to keep the status quo.
Helen's dry laugh sounded like a bark. "You didn't read it?"
I took the paper from Mom, realizing that she'd been trying to keep it from me for as long as possible. Once I read the message, I knew why.
"Starting next month rents on single apartments will increase $400 and doubles will increase $600.
Renovations on the exterior buildings will start next month so expect some noise and disruptions in your routine.
In one year, the Starfield Apartments will be converted to owner-occupied condominiums. Call this number if you are interested in purchasing a condo.
" I finished reading and reread it with just my eyes to make sure I wasn't imagining it. I wasn't.
I looked up at both women. "Excuse my language, but fuck, fuck, fuck."