Page 17 of On Everything 2

I cut the line off after the first three.

Albert, Mrs. Taylor, and Dinna all grabbed baskets to shop, and I knew to help Mr. Albert with his basket.

He turns ninety-two on Christmas Day and still gets around on these metro buses.

One thing I learned about Mr. Albert is that he loves his canned green beans.

Most of the time, that is the first thing he looks for.

"Mr. Albert, you will love me because I did something for you. Follow me this way."

"Okay. I'm right behind you." He slid his feet as quickly as he could behind me.

"Look, I have two big cans of green beans that came in last week, and I saved them for you. Do you have your wagon parked outside?"

"Yes, ma'am, I do. You know, you are an angel, Ciara. Thank you, sweetheart."

His Shaky voice and bad posture were the only things that were down about Mr. Albert.

He was sweet, kind, and positive even through his struggles and disability.

If my body couldn't stand up straight, I would probably sulk in misery even harder.

People like him always reminded me that life could be a little worse.

I helped Mr. Albert around the store, and then Mindy and I allowed the line to flow as we got people checked out.

There was no payment made; we just had to keep track of how many people we helped each day to continue receiving state funding.

I would say out of all the centers in all of the Boroughs, we were the most effective and helpful.

I'm sure before our cut-off time today at 3:00, we will have helped at least fifty people.

"Alright, Mrs. Taylor, have a good day. I'll see you next week."

"Okay, same time."

I helped her out of the back door. I peeked my head outside to call the next person in line, which was Adolph Hines, and his two chihuahuas, whom we had to tell not to bring inside every time.

But before I could even say anything to him and the dogs, I caught eyes with who was standing behind him with his hands in his pockets.

"Kairo, what the hell?"

I rolled my eyes and approached him in the line.

"What the hell are you doing up here?"

"I'm in need, I'm homeless, remember. Your new man kicked me out of my spot."

His nose flared with his sarcasm.

"Uh, Mr. Adolph, you can go in now."

"Alright." He shrugged his shoulders, entering the building with his two dogs, but I was sure Mindy would handle him. Once it was just me and Kairo out here, I could really get off my chest what I wanted to say.

"Why the fuck are you at my job? You know I don't fucking play that."

"Well, I'm homeless, so I have the right to be here.

Your nigga put me out of my apartment last night.

I should've killed his ass." He shook his head, staring down at the concrete.

Hov hadn't gone into detail about what happened when he put Kairo out, but I knew something like that would fuck with Kairo’s ego.

I never thought he would come to my place of work, though.

"Kairo, you can have the apartment. I'll get another one."

"How? Oh yeah, you are going to move up to the east side with your new rich nigga? Play side piece to Cashmier's beautiful, perfect ass?"

"I'm not playing sidepiece to anything. Trust me, I'm a grown woman and I know my role in every person's life that deserves me."

"Tuh. You think you know what you're doing with Hov, but you have no idea.

If you thought I was bad in high school, or my little drug charges were the end of the world, just imagine how it will feel when your man goes down for a Rico charge.

Where are you going to go then? Or will you just fall in line with the rest of the homeless people here like me? "

The door to the building opened before I could respond, and Mindy shooed Mr. Adolph's dogs out of the building.

I pressed my lips together tightly, barely opening enough to let words escape.

"Kairo, I really don't want to do this right now. Can you just go?"

"Nah, I can't do that."

He looked past my shoulder.

"What's poppin, Mindy?"

"Hi, Kairo. Bringing me and your wife some lunch for today?"

"Nah, I'm not bringing Ciara anything. I'm not sure if she told you or not, but she's fucking someone else now with way more money than me. I just came here to ask when I can come get my stuff."

Mindy's eyes showed she was lost, and the expression on her face after she looked at me could've made me melt right there.

"Kairo, please leave now." She finally spoke up.

"I'm leaving, but I'll be back every day until you let me know when I can get my shit."

When he turned the corner of the building, I started crying so fucking hard because I was beyond upset, and I couldn't hide it.

"Oh my God, Ciara, are you okay?"

"Yes, yeah, I'm fine. It's just. He's."

I couldn't get my words out, just like when I would cry as a child. I was the kid who did that jerking thing when crying while trying to talk. It was always best that I stayed quiet until I calmed down, or no one would understand anything I said.

"Here." Mindy took a napkin from her pocket.

"Wipe your face, stay out here for a minute, and get some air. I will handle everything on the inside."

"Okay, thank you." I nodded my head. When Mindy went back inside, I paced the back alleyway from the dumpsters to the entry door until I felt I'd calmed down enough to go inside and get back to work. Just that quickly, he had turned a good, easy workday into a day that I am just ready to get over.

When my break started at noon, I went down the street to the Pizza spot that served $3 slices of cheese and pepperoni pizza during happy hour.

I didn't eat much of it. Only taking a few bites as I walked back down to the Assistance center.

It had been hours since I got embarrassed by Kairo, but it was still weighing heavily on me.

I can't stand it. I couldn't form an appetite, and I probably won't until tonight.

When I walked back into the front entrance, Gretchen waved because she was taking a call, and I hit the back hallway. Only after a few steps towards the time clock did I hear my name being called from one of the offices.

"Ciara." I stopped in my tracks.

"It's Rhonda Can I please talk to you in my office for a minute?"

My boss, Rhonda stuck her head out of the door just as I was about to go to the back after my lunch break. I followed her into her small office that was filled with so much clutter, junk, and paperwork that I don't see how she keeps any of it organized.

"Good morning, how are you doing?"

"I'm good, I'm better than yesterday."

She smiled and gestured for me to take a seat.

My stomach started hurting badly just from sitting across from Rhonda I'd never been in any kind of trouble here before, so I know this had to be because of my absence from work or Kairo acting like an ass outside.

Of course, Mindy told her what happened. She always has to kiss Rhonda's ass.

"Hey, so I called you in the office this morning to discuss your position and future with The Bronx Assistance Center."

"Rhonda i'm sorry that I let that happen. My goal has always been never to do anything that could get me in trouble or fired from my job."

"Fired. Honey, no!"

She started that obnoxious ass laugh that we could hear all the way back in the warehouse.

"How are we going to fire someone who had their new boyfriend donate three hundred thousand to the center?"

"Huh?"

"Yes, while you've been working hard out back, I got a call from someone representing your boyfriend.

They said he was looking to donate to our organization for charity purposes in your honor.

With the check he brought in to us and the $ 300,000 start-up grant we can obtain from the government, we can clear the ground for the center by the beginning of the year.

We already have an idea of the location! "

The excitement on my boss's face made me excited to say the least when I came in here thinking I was about to get fired.

"Wow, Rhonda, that is awesome. That's great. I'm, I'm sorry if I seem a little off, but I didn't know he would be doing this."

"That's okay. The representative told me that you didn't know he was doing this, but that you inspired him, which is a good thing. The best part is that he only had a few requests for us to receive the donation, and we accepted them all right away."

"What was the request, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Well, the first request was that we make you the Head Director of the new center's agricultural program.

Because of that Director position, your pay will go up tremendously, and you will have free range to make the program whatever you desire.

Of course, I would want to see your ideas, but that's just for a second look. "

"Wow! Really? That sounds amazing. I, I, I am stunned."

My heart was beating so fast, I felt dizzy as fuck right now.

"Wait, what about Mindy? Will she still be in the back of this warehouse? I hate to leave her in that position alone."

"Well, yes, Mindy is very important in the position we have her in now. Plus, the girl enjoys it. I've never seen someone so pleased to be stacking can goods." She tried to laugh it off with me, but I didn't actually find anything funny.

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to leave her in that position alone. Someone else will come take advantage of how hard she works, and that's just not fair. She would be a great help to me."

"Don't you worry about help. Help will come. We will hire more qualified individuals to help operate the new center."

I didn't like shit about what she was saying, and I was about to take the opportunity I had with the upper hand to say something about it.

"Rhonda, I don't want anyone new hired when we have someone here who can do an amazing job.

She has way too much drive and ideas to waste them in the warehouse anyway, if you ask me.

So, if Mindy doesn't come with me to the center, then I will have to speak with Jehovah about maybe donating to another organization. I'm sorry."

"No, no, no. We don't have to do that. I'm sure it won't be hard to find a replacement in the warehouse for both of you and get them trained in time for opening. How does that sound?"

She clasped her hands together, and I smirked before standing up from my seat.

"Okay, then, everything else sounds good. I am going to get back to work. I don't want to be behind today."

"Of course, thank you for everything, Ciara. Or Director, I should say. Please let me know if you need anything."

"Of course I will. Thanks."

I walked out of her office and quickly pulled my phone out to text Hov.

Me: Hov! You did not just get me a new position at work. Like how? Oh my god, I can't wait to kiss your lips, big man!

I didn't have to wait long for him to reply to any of my messages, which I love about him.

Hov: I want your dreams to come true. You deserve to be happy.

To think Kairo came up here trying to ruin my reputation at my job, while Hov was behind the scenes making my job a career.

That's the difference between a real man and a little boy.