Page 3

Chapter Three

T he following day, I settled Grandma after breakfast, waited for Monica to arrive, and then rushed off to the first of my jobs. I cleaned a bar, a shady, shitty establishment, that often had me worried if I needed regular Tetanus injections. Once I’d done that, I headed to college for an afternoon lecture. All my tutors were aware of my situation and most gave me some space and leeway, most. One didn’t, and it was that one I had to sit in front of that afternoon. Mr. Jenkins and I had a mutual dislike of each other that was immediate. I don’t know why, but anyone who targeted me, who humiliated me, wasn’t getting a shred of my respect. On my first day, I happened to move my watch on my arm. He made me stand in front of the entire class, remove it, while asking me if I was bored and clock watching. I had a fucking itch, that was all!

When he, or the school, then lost my watch, I got mad, and that hadn’t helped my cause. Since then, I snarled, and he bullied.

“Nice of you to join us, Ms. Montando.” He knew my name wasn’t pronounced as he said it, but he didn’t try and get it right. His three syllables were another slur, in my opinion.

“Trust me, I didn’t want to,” I replied, sliding into my seat. I wasn’t late. Two other pupils had followed me in, and neither received his snark.

He ignored me for the rest of the lesson, which wasn’t ideal as I hadn’t understood the lecture. I sighed, switching off, knowing I’d have to find my own way of learning the crap science I wouldn’t need once I sat my final exams. All I needed were the right grades to get me into university. I should have done better at school. I could have, but life had other plans for me. Now I was catching up; I was two years older than most in the college, but I was determined. Maybe it was time for me to reach out to my counsellor again. I could do with an advocate on my side. Tears pricked at my eyes, making me angrier. I hated my weakness as I saw it. I hated having no one, but I didn’t want anyone, either. I didn’t trust, and that made me difficult, I was sure.

Before I was aware of the time, the class had finished. I gathered by unopened science book and placed it back in my bag. As I stood to leave, Mr. Jenkins asked me to wait. I rolled my eyes, not helping matters.

“I’m concerned about you, Ruby. You’re falling behind a lot.” He licked his lips, and I squirmed, keeping my distance from him.

“Yeah, well, I have plenty on my plate, and your constant criticism of me doesn’t make me want to participate,” I replied, ballsy.

His eyes opened wide. “No one is forcing you to retake this class.”

“I am, Mr. Jenkins. I’m forcing myself because it would be super easy just to quit. I know I’m falling behind. I don’t understand and I don’t want to ask you for help. I’ll catch up.” I hitched my bag higher on my shoulder.

“If you need… additional help...” his gaze travelled over me and made my skin crawl.

It was my turn to widen my eyes. “I’ll manage on my own, thank you. But I will let the head of college know about your kind offer.”

I left the room fuming, and also knowing I couldn’t report him. He hadn’t technically done anything wrong other than make me feel very uncomfortable.

Thankfully, my last lecture was my favourite. Technical drawing.

“Ruby, one day you’re going to design a house for me,” I heard. I looked up and into the face of a smiling Mr. Trent. “Super, well done.”

“I think I can do better,” I replied.

“I’m sure you can. We can always do better, but sometimes we have to stop fiddling and find satisfaction. Put your pencil down. Close your eyes and walk through this building. What do you see? What do you feel? If it all adds up, then that’s the best you can do on this project.”

I did as he asked and imagined myself walking home from work. I pictured arriving at a gateway in a lane that led me onto a pathway that wove its way through trees. I could hear the birdsong, smell the fallen autumn leaves. I felt a chill as if someone had walked over my grave and I shuddered, not understanding why. I breathed in deep, inhaling the scent of earth and foliage. And then I glimpsed, in my mind of course, a figure shadowing me. I sped up, running through the woods, trying to look over my shoulder as I did, gasping for air and holding onto my bag as if it contained precious possessions.

I woke with a start and gasp. The classroom was empty. Mr. Trent looked up from his desk and smiled at me.

“What the...?”

“You fell asleep. I guess your imaging was so lovely that you wanted to dream it as well,” he said, chuckling .

I didn’t tell him it wasn’t a dream, but a nightmare. I was so embarrassed at nodding off, however.

“I can’t believe I did that.” I knew I’d be mocked by my fellow students the next time I saw them. “And now I’m late.”

I rushed from my desk.

“Ruby, wait,” Mr. Trent called out. “It’s okay. You were tired. I imagine life is a little hectic right now. I’d rather a half hour of quality time with you than an hour and a half of you tired.”

That was why I loved Mr. Trent as a teacher. He was one of a kind and if I could have hugged him, I would have. I smiled my thanks and left. I was late for my shift at Diego’s, as usual.

“I am buying you a watch, Ruby!” Diego shouted from the stove.

“I fell asleep in class.”

He turned to look at me and gave me a small smile and a nod. I was on the till that day. I covered any job going, grateful to have one. I whipped off my hoodie and pulled a restaurant polo shirt over my t-shirt. I tied my hair neatly in a bun and headed out front.

“Thanks, hun,” I heard, and Cathy gave a kiss to my cheek as she rushed off.

She was another one of Diego’s charity cases, as we called ourselves. I smiled and waved. She was a single mum of two and, like me, did all the jobs she could to pay the bills.

I started to layout the order details in time they came in, knowing those would be the people likely to pay first and I wouldn’t have to flick around the paperwork finding the right diner.

The evening seemed to fly by. I loved being busy. It gave me less time to think about all the things that weighed heavily on me. My Grandma’s ever-increasing needs were getting beyond my capability and Monica, and I needed to sit down and have a chat about it.

“Excuse me, Miss, this is the wrong amount,” I heard in a not too pleasant tone.

Dragged back from my thoughts, I looked up. A woman stood by my side and held out a bill.

“Have you checked with your waiter?” I asked.

“Do I need to? Isn’t that your job?” she replied, snarkily.

“I don’t know what you ordered, only what has been written down. That’s the amount owed for what was written down.” I took the bill from her hand.

“You have a terrible attitude,” she said. I smiled; she wasn’t wrong.

Before I could respond, Harry intervened. He took the bill from my hand and headed out back. While we waited in silence, she smirked at me. I shrugged my shoulders in a ‘and?’ kind of way.

“Just pay the bill, Amelia.” I didn’t need to look to see who had spoken.

“It’s not correct, Sir.”

Mr. Wolfe stepped into my line of sight. “Are you stalking me?” I asked.

“No, I wasn’t aware that you worked here.” He reached into his pocket and retrieved his wallet. He pulled out a credit card and placed it on the desk beside me, not once diverting his gaze from mine.

“I wouldn’t have thought this kind of food was your thing,” I said, taking his card and inserting it. I handed him the machine so he could input his security number. He handed the machine to Miss Wide-Eyed-And-Annoyed. I smiled at her as she took it. “Would you like to add a tip?” I asked.

She huffed and keyed in his security number. I wondered why she would know it. She didn’t look his type, but then, I didn’t know him to know what his type would be. And she’d called him sir .

Mr. Wolfe exchanged a twenty-pound note for his card just as Harry returned. “It’s correct, I’m afraid. You ordered the...”

“It’s sorted,” I said, cutting him off.

The woman looked down at her feet. “Would you like me to get the door for you?” I asked her, pushing my luck really, but I was pissed off that Mr. Wolfe was in my place of work, and I wasn’t sure why it should annoy me. He was allowed to eat wherever he wanted.

She walked out. Mr. Wolfe chuckled and, again, that sound travelled through my stomach. “You are extremely feisty, Ruby. I like that. I might have an opportunity to discuss with you. I’ll be in touch.”

Before I could reply, he, too, left.

“Who the fuck is that?” Harry asked, licking his lips. I slapped his chest. “He’s super... alpha and yummy. Please tell me he’s your boyfriend.”

“I don’t do boyfriends and he’s too old. He’s actually my landlord.”

“No way? Oh, he’s whatshisface.” Harry waved his hand in the air as if the answer would magically appear. “He owns, like, everything, around here. Bit of a gangster, so I hear.”

I sighed and shook my head. If every successful man was a gangster, as Harry thought, there would be no legitimate business owners left in London. Mind you...

I cashed up and helped clean as soon as the restaurant closed. As was becoming the norm, we divided the leftover food among us. I took my bag and headed home. Monica would have been that evening and put Grandma to bed. I knew I’d pop my head into the living room and she’d be snuggled with the blanket pulled up to her chin. She’d knitted the blanket years ago, and it needed a wash. But like a child, or a dog, she wasn’t giving it up just yet. I’d have to sneak it into the wash while she was asleep.

I set off on my journey home, flicking my hood up and knowing it was getting closer and closer to needing that winter coat. I shivered and shoved my hands into my pockets. I had arrears on utility bills that needed to be a priority. I didn’t have enough left over each month to even pick up a decent coat in a charity shop.

I heard nothing from Mr. Wolfe for a few days, although the boiler man had returned to install a new heating system. That was a bloody nightmare, and I was at the point of either pulling my hair out or contacting him myself. The house was cold, and Grandma was getting affected by the noise and activity. At no time in their training had any of the plumbers learned to shut a bloody front door, either!

“Close the frigging door!” I shouted. “There is a poorly elderly woman in this house.”

Apologies were abundant and the door would be closed until the next time someone needed something from their van.

A day and half later, we had heating and hot water. And both at the same time! New windows would be next, then a repaint of both the inside and out. Apparently, the entire street was getting a make-over. It was about time. It looked like a slum most days. If people took pride in their homes, it might help and I hoped that a fresh coat of paint, that might encourage them.

Later that evening, I dug out my lease agreement. Mr. Wolfe had said that he owned the company that owned the street. His name wasn’t listed anywhere, but I didn’t expect that. I circled the email address, making a mental note to write with some form of thank you.

Years ago, I used to love writing letters. My grandma would encourage me to write a thank you for any birthday and Christmas presents I received, and I used to enjoy doing it. I guessed, as life got harder, those things, and most that gave me joy, went out the window. I sighed. Nostalgia wasn’t worth the effort or the upset. My focus was simply on the here and now and paying the next bill.

Despite my thoughts, I emailed, and the following day received a response from Mr. Wolfe thanking me for thanking him! I wasn’t sure his response was necessary and once again wondered why he’d received my communication, and not an employee at a lower level.

I was contemplating a reply when my mobile rang. I stared at it and the unknown number for a while before I picked it up. I wasn’t even sure it would answer, the screen was so damaged .

“Hello?” I asked, tentatively.

“Ruby. I wanted to see if you had received my email.”

He didn’t announce himself; he didn’t need to.

“You just this minute sent it and this is creepy.”

He chuckled. “You do like to insult me, don’t you?”

“Not intentionally, but you often deserve it.”

I found it strange that I wasn’t mad. I settled back in my chair with a smile on my face. If I was honest, I liked the banter. There was something about Mr. Wolfe that I enjoyed, and his voice was nectar for my broken soul.

“I’m sure I do. You offered your mobile number up when you signed your contract. I think, if you read the small print, it says we may need to contact you by telephone.”

“Mmm. Is it normal to call someone to check they received an email?”

“In my world, yeah. How is the heating?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Warm, on constant, for once.” I still couldn’t help with a jibe. “What a shame it took you drowning me for that to happen.”

His laugh rolled over me, stopping at my core.

“You amuse me, Ruby.” His laugh had stopped, and his voice dropped a notch.

“I’m glad I do.”

For a moment, there was silence .

“Sleep well, Ms Montando.” He pronounced my surname perfectly.

“I will now,” I replied, then switched off my phone.

I sat for an age, thinking about him. I had no idea how old he was, where he lived, what he did for fun, nothing. But there was something compelling, for sure. Perhaps I just needed to get laid, not that there were many offers on that front. I sighed. A couple of guys had shown an interest in me at college, but I was too tired, too moody to take up any offers of dates. All that would have to wait, I’d decided.

I went to bed that evening frustrated, and much to my annoyance, had wild dreams about him ravishing me. I woke annoyed and more frustrated.