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I knew that the sun would have to set on my happy little moment sooner or later, I just hadn’t expected it to be the very next day.
I rip the eviction warning off the front door before I leave for work, not wanting Ma to have to worry about that. But now, I have to not only figure out how to pay Mateo by the end of the day, but I have this hanging over my head as well.
My entire drive to work consists of me trying to come up with ways to make an extra six grand by Monday morning. I have some in savings, but it’s only enough right now to cover my weekly payment to Mateo. The warning from the bank says I have five days from today to pay the overdue amount on our mortgage before the file an eviction notice.
To make matters even worse, Penny called in sick today, so Teagan has been here alone all morning, and since she can’t be in the back baking and up front taking orders at the same time, we are severely understocked. On everything.
“Holy shit, thank God you’re here,” she says after her customer walks away, sagging forward as I round the counter to put my stuff away.
“You should have called this morning. I would have come in early,” I say, trying my best to keep a calm frame of mine, but I’m already so annoyed.
“I know, but I honestly thought I could handle it. Clearly, I was wrong,” she says, and I don’t dispute her.
“What needs to be done?” I ask, tying my apron around my waist.
“Well, we’re out of almost all the baked goods. I had to use whatever was left from last night’s stock. I haven’t washed anything or taken out the trash yet, either,” she says, covering her face with her hands.
“Okay, well, it looks like it’s slowing down a little, so you take a quick break, grab some food, and I’ll start restocking what I can up here,” I tell her.
“Thank you,” she says, pulling me into a quick hug before heading into the kitchen.
I have about an hour before the brunch crowd comes through, so I get everything in order and make sure we’re stocked up.
When my phone chimes with an incoming text, I slide it out of my pocket and see Bodhi’s name.
Bodhi: I talked to my mom. Dinner is tomorrow at 7. Good?
I drop my head back against my shoulders, having completely forgotten about agreeing to dinner with his parents. I’m not in the right headspace for this right now, but I already agreed, and maybe a nice evening will help me relax. Or I’ll just be so nervous that I won’t have time to worry about my own problems.
I type out a quick ok, and then slide my phone away, only for it to chime again a few seconds later.
Bodhi: What’s wrong?
Me: nothing
Bodhi: Don’t lie, I can tell. What’s up?
It wouldn’t take a genius to be able to tell something is wrong, but the fact that he doesn’t just take my answers at face value, and makes me talk to him, is comforting… in an annoying kind of way.
Me: Just been a rough morning.
Bodhi: meaning?
I debate how much to tell him, but know that he won’t stop asking until I do, so I just tell him.
Me: I got an eviction warning this morning. I have 5 days to make a payment before they file to evict us.
Bodhi: Shit, babe, I’m sorry.
Me: Yeah
Bodhi: I know you don’t want it, but I have to at least offer to help…
Me: Thank you, but I’ll handle it.
Bodhi: Okay babe
I stare at the screen, waiting for him to fight me on the matter, but he doesn’t, which is odd given how adamant he usually is about helping me. Whatever, I don’t have time to dissect that conversation right now.
