Chapter 12 Sweet As Sugar
Chapter twelve
Sweet As Sugar
Dad's Best Friend
I am standing in the checkout line, counting quarters.
I am trying to get bread, lunchmeat, peanut butter, strawberry jelly, and ramen noodles so I don’t starve to death.
I am using the last of my money, which sucks because I need gas to get to work.
I can ride the subway, but I always end up getting groped by some creep.
I hate working at Astrid’s Diner, but I can’t seem to find a job.
I have a bachelor's degree in business administration.
I have no issues getting an interview but the moment that they find out my father is Allen Richards, who owns West Richards Financial group, they end the interview.
I have even applied out of state, but no one wants anything to do with the daughter of the owner of the largest investment companies in the country.
You’d think being the daughter of someone so rich would mean I wouldn’t be standing here counting change, so I don’t die of starvation, but no.
Dad thinks it builds character. I have never asked him for anything because I know he would say no.
I wouldn’t even ask for much though. I could make a hundred dollars last a month in groceries.
Hell, I don’t even use my lights or television, so my power bill is low.
I never turn on my heat or air conditioning either.
I have blankets if I get cold and windows if it gets hot.
“Your total is $18.87,” the lady tells me.
“Shit,” I mumble. I’m a dollar short. I look at my items and think about what to put back.
The peanut butter, jelly, and lunch meat is useless if I get rid of the bread.
I could pick the ramen, but then I would either be going without eating or my food wouldn’t last as long as I need it to.
“I’m sorry... uhm... can I just put back the. .. ramen. I’m so sorry.”
The woman rolls her eyes and goes to take the noodles off the total. “I’ll just run it as debit,” I hear a familiar voice say as someone steps behind me and puts their card in the machine.
I spin around to see who it is only to find my dad’s business partner. He is also his best friend and the father of my best friend, Sable. “Marc,” I say, trying to not sound so surprised.
“Hey, Raven,” he says with a kind smile before grabbing my bag and taking the receipt. “Thanks.”
“Mhmm,” the cashier says as she starts ringing up the next customer.
“Thank you so much. I must have just miscounted as I was getting stuff,” I say as we step outside.
“Where are you parked?” he asks.
“I walked,” I say as I go to grab the bag. “I’ll give you the cash I have. I have some change at the house that I can give you the next time I see you, if you want.”
“You walked four miles from your condo to the grocery store?” he asks, raising an eyebrow at me.
“Six miles and a bus for four, technically, and yes,” I say. “I don’t live in the condo anymore.”
“Why?” he asks.
“Because I make $2.13 an hour plus tips at a shitty diner because no one will hire me. That’s why,” I snap but then stop and take a deep breath.
“I’m sorry. I’m just tired and hungry. No one will hire me with my degree because of yours and Dad’s business.
My perv of a boss won’t give me hours because I won’t fuck him, so I’m stuck paying for a week’s worth of groceries in change. ”
“A week? Raven, does your dad know?”
“That I have no money or that I live in the sketchiest apartment building in the city?” I ask. “Either way, no. I always meet him at places, and I’m not dumb enough to ask for money.”
“He would help you, ya know,” he frowns.
“No, he won’t. Since I could walk, he said that he would never lend me money and that it was my responsibility to make it in life.
I got a scholarship for college and will take any job that hires me.
I don’t use power and I shower at my gym.
Luckily the gym still has me listed as a student, so I don’t pay anything for it. ”
“Does Sable know?” he asks, and I shake my head before wiping away a tear. “Come on. I’ll take you home.”
I follow him to his car, and he opens the door for me. Before I sit down, he stops me and hands me his phone. “Type in your address.”
“Why?” I ask.
“Because at a minimum, I will make sure you have food. I understand you are afraid to go to your father, so I won’t tell him, but I am having your meals delivered to you weekly.
All you’ll need to buy is essentials like salt, pepper, and oil,” he says.
I sigh and do as he says. I know there is no use arguing.
“You and Sable like the same things, so I’ll send you the same thing I send her. ”
“Thank you,” I say quietly.
“You can thank me later. Sit,” he says.
When he shuts my door, I realize what he just said. What does he mean I can thank him later? He doesn’t mean... there’s no way. He’s my dad’s age.
Marc drives us to my apartment. I am silent as he hums along with the radio. When he opens my door, he frowns at me. “There is no fucking way your father would approve of this place.”
“When he pays my bills, he can have a say over my life,” I say bluntly. “Want to come in?”
“Please,” he says. He follows me down the hall, past the drunk guy, Billy, who is always passed out in the hallway.
“Raven,” he slurs happily.
“Hey, Billy,” I smile. “Hit the bottle early again I see.”
“You know it, girl. Who’s the dude? I’ll beat him up if he tries to hurt you,” Billy says, pointing at Marc.
“He’s good people, Billy. It’s okay,” I laugh.
“Good. That’s an expensive suit, man. You should have the money to get her the hell out of this place. It’s no place for a smart girl like her.”
“Oh, she won’t be here for much longer,” Marc says. “You always look after her?”
“That’s why I sit in this hallway at night,” he hiccups. “Can’t fuck with her if they’re too busy fucking with the drunk guy.”
“You’re too kind, Billy,” I say with a smile. “Go sleep in your bed. I have Marc here to protect me.”
“I do like my bed more than the floor. The rats bite,” he frowns before peeling himself off the floor. “Night, Rave.”
“Night,” I say as I unlock my door and force it open. The door gets stuck sometimes, so you have to get aggressive with it.
“Is he a good guy?” Marc asks.
“He is,” I say. “He’s a wounded veteran.
When he got back, he couldn’t get a job because of PTSD.
He tries though. If he’s sober, he ends up having flashbacks.
He wants to get cleaned up and get therapy, but the VA isn’t exactly helpful.
I go and check on him every night before I go to bed to make sure he hasn’t had too much to drink.
When he does, I make sure he’s on his side, so he doesn’t throw up and choke on it. ”
“Damn... he seems to care about you,” Marc says before there is a knock at the door. He turns to open it.
“I’m not expecting anyone. You really shouldn’t open that,” I warn.
“I ordered dinner,” he says as he pulls the handle. “Thank you so much.” Marc hands the kid who is no older than maybe fourteen a fifty as a tip and he’s wide eyed.
“Uh. Sir... I think you gave me too much,” he says.
“No, it’s all yours,” Marc says. “Have a good night.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” I say before my stomach growls loudly.
“Your stomach says differently,” Marc smirks. “You like Chinese, right?”
“I do,” I admit. “Let me go change and I’ll come sit.”
“Don’t be too long. Food will get cold,” he says.
I go to my bedroom and change into spandex shorts and an oversized T-shirt. It feels nice to not have a bra on. Normally I would wear a tank top but it’s freezing in this apartment and my nipples will show.
When I go back to the living room, Marc is standing in front of the thermostat. “Why is your heat off?” he asks as he glances at me, then back to the little white box.
“Because that costs money. “You’re lucky I have the lights on for you,” I say. He goes to turn the heat on, but I try to stop him. “Aht. Unless you’re paying my bills, you don’t get to touch my heater. I have blankets.”
Marc looks me dead in the eyes as he flips the thermostat on, as if he is daring me to argue with him. “Go sit so we can eat.”
I sigh heavily and grab my blanket from the back of the armchair before sitting cross legged on the couch. When I cover my legs, he hands me a container of food. “Now I know where Sable gets it from,” I frown at him.
“Which I’m sure is why she doesn’t know you live in poverty,” he says as he sits beside me with his own container of food. He looks over at me and frowns when he sees I am scarfing my food down. “When’s the last time you ate?”
“I don’t want to tell you,” I laugh.
“I assure you... nothing about this is funny,” he scolds me. “When did you eat last, Raven?”
“Uh... two days ago,” I say. “I was supposed to meet Dad for lunch today, but I cancelled because I didn’t have the money.”
“Slow down so you don’t get sick, please,” he says. I nod and slow down. I am silently eating my food as I watch Marc do the same as he does something on his phone.
“What are you doing?” I ask as I stand. “You done?”
“Yes. Thank you,” he says, and I take his empty container.
“Come back and sit when you’re done, and I’ll tell you.
" I toss the trash before turning off all the lights but the lamp beside the couch that I use for reading. I stop in front of the thermostat and Marc glares at me. “Sit. Your power was paid, so don’t touch that.”
“You annoy me,” I say bluntly. “That wasn’t a request for you to pay my power bill.”
“Fine. You want to thank me for the groceries, dinner, and power?” he asks as he stands.
“Y-Yes,” I stammer. He steps to the side before pointing for me to come over and stand in front of him. When I get closer, he pulls me to him before turning me to face the couch as he stands behind me.
“If you want to thank me, pull those tight little shorts down, bend over, and grab the back of the couch,” he says in my ear.
“Marc,” I say hurriedly. “I can’t”
“Why?”