Page 11

CHAPTER

TEN

Rayleigh

It’s been a week since Brick moved me into my own apartment above the club's bar. While I haven’t personally seen him, his brothers as he calls them, have made sure I’m okay. It took me a day or two to get into a routine with regard to working, but now, I know how long it takes to properly clean both places to where they’re spic-and-span. Right now, I’m counting my pay from the bar and tattoo shop, my brows raising with every bill I add.

“That’s too much,” I murmur once I’ve added it twice. “A thousand dollars? I’m only at the tattoo shop for maybe an hour, two max every day! The bar takes me longer, but I hope if I ask Brew for what I found online, it’ll shorten the process because I know I push the time every day.”

I look at the phone Brick gave me the day I moved in with longing. He programmed several numbers in it, including his, Hawg’s, Brew’s, and Phantom’s, but I’m not sure I’m brave enough to question him about the amount I was given. Of course, he has texted me, not every day or anything, just a quick, ‘you ok?’ which I answer with ‘I’m fine, thanks’.

Taking a deep breath, I open up our text thread.

Me : I think there’s a mistake with my pay.

Brick : What do you mean?

Me : It’s too much, Brick!

Brick : No, it’s not, Sprite. You’re working five days a week at both places, $100/day = $500 x 2.

Me : I’m at the tattoo shop for maybe two hours a day tops, the bar up to three hours depending on how bad it is.

Brick : We’re not cutting your pay, Rayleigh. We discussed it in church and since you’re rebuilding your whole life and we can afford it, $500/week from each is what you’re getting.

Me : Fine.

Brick : Other than that, everything good?

Me : I need to learn how to drive.

Brick : Why?

Me : Because I’m going to need to go to the store soon.

Brick : Add it to your list and we’ll work on it when the weather passes. Me or one of the brothers will take you shopping on Sundays. That work for you?

Me : Yes. Thank you.

Brick : You’re welcome.

Since they’re going to be stubborn about what they pay me, I’ll accept it, but now I need something like a lockbox to secure my money in. Grabbing my ever-present notebook he let me keep, I start a new list of supplies I’ll need to pick up from the store, then go back to my original list and add ‘learn to drive’ at the bottom. Already several things have been crossed off, which makes me smile. “I’m doing it,” I sigh to myself.

With the apartment already spotless and both jobs completed for the day, I decide to walk around town to see the other businesses and window shop. Maybe, if I see some of the items on my list, I can get some of the things I need while in town, who knows? There are a lot of distinctive shops, some are specialty places like the tobacco store, which I don’t need, but I thought I spotted a thrift store. I’d like to get a few things to decorate and personalize my space.

Quickly dressing, I take three hundred dollars of my pay then hide the rest inside my pillowcase until I can get a bank box or something like it. Grabbing my key, I lock the door behind me then head down the stairs. One way will take me into the bar, the other leads to an exit out back. Once outside, I move toward the front where the sidewalks are, then begin walking. It’s a good thing I’m healed because the cooler air has me moving rather quickly. Spying a shop I want to check out, I enter, smiling when a clerk welcomes me.

“Are you looking for anything in particular?” she inquires.

“I just moved into my own apartment so I’m wanting to find some things to brighten it up,” I reply, bouncing excitedly on the balls of my feet.

“I’m Cassandra but most people call me Cassie,” she introduces.

“Rayleigh. I call myself Rae,” I state, grinning at her.

“Let’s go look over here, we just got some new things in from a woman who was renovating her house. Some stuff is modern, and some are antiques, but I bet we can find some stuff you’ll like!”

An hour later, with an overladen cart that has pictures, a canister set for my kitchen, some bowls, a throw for my couch, and a cute basket that I plan to put in my bathroom to hold the towels, I look at her and report, “I think I’ve done some damage here and might have to make two trips to get it all home.”

“Oh! I can take you if you’re not too far,” Cassie offers.

“I live in the apartment over the bar,” I confess.

“Perfect! It’s almost time for me to leave so I can take you then if you’d like?” Her question is somewhat hesitant, but after all the years living under my parents’ roof, I’ve got an almost sixth sense about people and she isn’t ringing any bells.

“Really? That would be fantastic.”

She starts ringing me up and soon, I’m parting with eighty dollars. “That sounds kind of low to me,” I state suspiciously as I hand the cash over.

“I used my discount. We can do that for friends.”

Friend?

I don’t remember ever having one of those. Even when I was allowed to go to school, I kept to myself because I was ashamed to be there in stained, dirty clothing. I can feel my eyes start to tear up and have to will them not to fall because Cassie won’t understand.

That was then and this is now, I remind myself.

“Thank you. I just started working and moved into my own place. Honestly, all of this is kind of new to me, so I appreciate it more than you know.”

“You’re welcome. I’m glad I met someone close to my age because I recently moved into town and haven’t really made any friends.”

“Then I guess we’re like two peas in a pod, huh?” I suggest, giggling. The sound is so foreign yet feels right.

“Yeppers.” Cassie agrees. “Okay, Tish is here so let’s get this loaded into my car and blow this popsicle stand!”

It takes no time at all for us to put it all in the trunk of her car then drive to my place, where she helps me unload the merchandise and carry all of it upstairs. “Oh, this place is so cute!” she enthuses, looking around.

“I like it,” I admit. “Do you want to go get something to eat? My treat.”

“I’ll never turn down food, but you don’t have to do that.”

“Isn’t that what friends do?” I question.

“Yeppers.”

I giggle again as we leave my apartment. Freedom is a wonderful thing as far as I can tell.

“What’s that noise?” Cassie ponders as we’re leaving the diner.

I listen closely until I hear a mewling meow that sounds like it’s coming from the dumpster or at least, by it. Walking carefully, I follow the noise until I spot two small kittens standing next to a prone body, likely their mother judging from the sorrowful sounds they’re making.

“Shhh, sweet babies, I’ve got you,” I coo, as I crouch down and pick them up to cuddle in my arms. “I’m sorry about your momma, but I’ll take good care of you, I promise.”

“Cassie, do you know what I need to take care of these guys?” I ask since I’ve never had a pet of my own before, standing with both kittens firmly ensconced in my arms. I have no idea if they’re girls or boys, I just know they’re all alone, like me, so I’m bringing them home to love and provide for.

“Let’s get in the car and I’ll Google what supplies they’ll need, okay? They probably should see a vet.”

I mentally tally what I’ve got left on me and figure I should have enough, at least for the basics. “Okay.” She opens the passenger door for me, and I slide inside, being careful not to drop either kitty.

Once she’s inside and the car has been cranked, she pulls her phone out and begins searching for information. While she does that, I look at each of them. One is orange with a tiny bit of white on its tail, while the other is black and gray striped. Both are now purring, their eyes closed as they knead my hoodie with their little paws. “Sweet babies,” I murmur, lightly petting both of them. “You’re so tiny.”

“Alrighty, there’s a big box pet store not too far from here and they’ve got a vet on staff, wanna go?”

I hesitate because what if it’s more than I’ve got on me right now? “Do you think it’ll be expensive?”

“I don’t know, but I’ve got you, my friend. If you don’t have enough, I’ll cover the difference and you can just pay me back!” she proposes. “Now, buckle up, it’s the law.”

Laughing, I buckle my seatbelt as she pulls out of the lot and onto the road.

“Well, now, you two, let me show you your new home,” I softly say to the two of them who are now in a carrier courtesy of Cassie. Normally, with two animals, we’d have two of the carriers, but they’re still so small, she figured they’d be okay for the time being. While I sat waiting at the vet, she went through the store and grabbed the things she said Google advised I needed. All except for food, because she wasn’t sure of their ages.

The vet checked them out, gave them a clean bill of health after doing some tests, then gave each of them their first set of shots, poor babies. She said they were roughly four weeks old, so I added more things to what Cassie picked out. I’ve now got kitten food, both dry and wet, as well as something called replacement milk that I’m supposed to mix with the dry until they’re six weeks old since they weren’t fully weaned from their mom. I feel terrible that she was apparently killed, but I’m so glad we heard their cries, otherwise, they might have ended up dead too. I have to take them back in a few weeks for their second set of shots which Cassie said was no problem, she’d drive me, then several more weeks after that, they’ll get their final set as well as their rabies shots. I also have to get them neutered, but the vet said they needed to weigh a certain amount, then she gave me the information for a low-cost spay and neuter clinic, so I’ll use them, even though I have the money, because she said there was no difference in what she’d do and what they do. Might as well save whenever and wherever I can.

Both kittens are boys, so we got cute breakaway collars for when they get their rabies tags, along with some toys, a litter box, and of course, multi-cat litter. Even though she wanted to stay and help me, Cassie had another engagement, so after exchanging phone numbers, she left and here I am, alone except for Calvin and Hobbes to keep me company.

Carefully setting the carrier down, I open the door and watch as they both cautiously come out. “Hey, Calvin,” I say to the orange kitty, picking him up for a nuzzle. “Hello, Hobbes,” I state, doing the same to the gray kitten. “You boys are going to be spoiled rotten.”

I walk them over to the litter box and set them inside like the vet suggested. She was also kind enough to give me a booklet about raising kittens. I know I’ll be pouring over that and also going online to see what else I need to know. Once they each use it, I walk into the kitchen with both of them following me and set up their food and water dishes. After watching them play in the water and food, I realize they’re going to be a bit messy while they learn.

“No big deal, boys, I’ll never punish you because you did something wrong,” I murmur, bad memories of my childhood resurfacing once again. I push them away as I remind myself I can’t change the past, only the future. While they continue to play, I set up their beds then open the cat tree Cassie insisted on buying for them. “Oh, this is gonna be fun,” I groan, my voice full of sarcasm as I see all the pieces needing to be put together. Pulling the instruction manual out of the box, I set to work creating a play area for my new charges.