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She would try the Food Bank again, she decided.
You make more now than the last time you tried. They won’t approve you. You make too much money, and it’s not their problem that most of it goes to caring for Mama J.
Suddenly overwhelmed and wracked with self-pity, she turned on her side and wept bitterly.
* * *
“Sorry, I’m late.” Luke sat on the barstool next to Mark.
“No problem.” Mark took a sip of whiskey as the bartender nodded to Luke before bringing him his usual. “I assume work was the usual culprit?”
Luke sipped at his drink. “No.”
“Interesting.” Mark raised his eyebrows at him. “Don’t leave me in suspense.”
Luke studied his best friend. Mark’s dark hair was too long, and dark circles were under his eyes. “You look like shit. You need a haircut.”
“Thanks, Mom. Don’t change the subject. Why were you late?”
“I was driving an employee home.”
Mark jerked in surprise. “You’re shitting me.”
“No,” Luke said. “My assistant, Jane Smith.”
“Ahh, the tiny Jane Smith – a perfectly good data entry clerk until you poached her from me. How’s she working out?”
“Fine,” Luke said. “She’s smart and works hard. How well do you know her?”
“Honestly, not that well. She was only in my department for a few months and mostly worked with Kyla.”
“Is she in a relationship?”
“How the hell would I know,” Mark said. “Why do you want to know?”
“Just curious,” Luke said.
Mark laughed. “It’s more than just curiosity.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“Sure it is. Don’t tell me you’ve got a hard-on for your PA. That’s asking for trouble.”
“I’m not attracted to my PA,” Luke snapped.
“I’d be surprised if you were. She weighs, what, ninety pounds? You’ve always liked the ladies with curves.”
Luke didn’t reply, and Mark took another drink of whiskey. “So, why were you driving your PA home?”
“Because she was standing in her stupid thin jacket at the bus stop, and it was freezing outside. The wind nearly blew her over.”
“So now you’re a Good Samaritan?” Mark said with a grin.
Luke sighed. “She lives in the Badlands, Mark.”
“Jesus. You’re kidding me.”
“I’m not. You should have seen her apartment building – it’s filthy and dangerous. Her drunk neighbour tried to get her into his apartment while I was standing right there. He outweighed her by at least a hundred pounds. Who knows what would have happened if I hadn’t been there? Then, her landlord showed up and told her that her rent cheque had bounced. He demanded the rent in cash right then, or he would kick her out into the street.”
