Saving Della Ray

“Wow, you didn’t think to ask that before you started blasting me?”

“I didn’t blast you,” she countered calmly. “I was looking out for you. As it happens, they’re both equally dangerous to a woman like you so everything I said stands.”

I raised my eyebrows. “A woman like me?”

“A woman with a big heart who thinks everyone else lives by her high standards too. Now answer me. Was he a biker or a regular dude?”

I shrugged and turned back to Jess.

She grinned innocently at me, a thick ring of tomato sauce around her lips.

I smiled back at her, before turning back to Nichole. “I have no idea. How can you tell?”

“By their patch. You know, the symbol of their club, they usually wear it on their clothes or sometimes they even tattoo it onto their bodies.”

“Well, I don’t remember seeing any patches on him. He was just in a black tee and a pair of faded jeans.”

Nichole put a soapy hand on her hip. “And why couldn’t you afford to pay?”

“I have no idea. My paycheck should have cleared the night before, so I didn’t even bother checking my balance before I went to the store.”

She frowned. “Have you got some instalments other than your loan payment coming out?”

“Not any more, I took them all off my card … even the phone contract. It was becoming a nightmare to even have money in the card.”

Her face filled with anxiety.

“Please don’t worry about it, Nichole. I’ve got it all figured out. I’ve called all my creditors and agreed to pay them all in small instalments. By the end of this year, I should be debt-free. And I’ll sort my paycheck out when I get to the bar tonight. Perhaps Karl just forgot to bank it.”

I saw her mentally bite back whatever she wanted to say and return to her dishes in silence.

I was sorry I had brought up the issue of my debts. “Are we going to at least talk about how hot he was?” I asked lightly.

She turned back, one eyebrow raised. “You want to say all that in front of Jess?”

I turned to my little niece, my heart aching just a little bit when her face broke into another huge smile of pure trust and love. I threw a teasing look at Nichole. “I don’t think Jess will mind if Nichole and I indulge in a bit of girl talk.”

“I’m not in the mood for girl talk,” Nichole shot back. “I’m not happy.”

“Well, I am. So … just back off.”

“Are you really?” Her eyes moved to Jess.

I instantly grew defensive. I knew what she was thinking. “Yes, Nichole,” I replied firmly. “I’m incredibly, deliriously happy.”

“I’m not,” she stated firmly.

“For Pete’s sake, what’s wrong with you today?”

“I saw your shoes at the entrance.” Her frown dug deep into her forehead. “They look battered.”

“Of course, they are. I’ve had them for almost two years and worn them almost every day.”

“Exactly!” she said. “You need new shoes.”

“And?”

“You need to buy them.”

I blinked at her. “All this harassment was because I need to buy some new shoes?”

“No, all this is because that is not the only thing you need.”

“Nichole …” I softened my voice trying to understand her. “What is wrong with you today? Did something happen at work?”

She made a frustrated sound. “No, nothing happened at work. I’m just tired of seeing you this way. You have two jobs and everything else you can get your hands on in between. This is not the first time your card has been declined. You’ve stopped going to the mart by your work because you’re sure now that they’ve labeled you and now, you go all the way to Walmart to get bits and pieces.”

“That’s because it’s cheaper.” I shrugged.

“Of course,” she replied. “You go thirty minutes away from home to get milk because it’s a dollar cheaper. You’re not living, Della-Ray and I can’t breathe. Watching you … I just can’t breathe. I’ve known you for ten years now, and you weren’t like this. You had dreams and plans even. More than any of us. You wanted to be a writer, remember? You used to write all the time. You wanted out of that forsaken town we lived in. You dreamed of going to New York … You wanted to live and create. Instead, look where we’ve ended up. When was the last time you wrote anything other than a food order?”

I pushed so angrily out of my chair that it fell back behind me.

Jess jumped and made a surprised O with her mouth.

Controlling myself, I looked down at her and brushed her hair away from her face. “I’m sorry, sweetie. Did I startle you?”

She shook her head.

“I tell you what, why don’t you go and wash your hands and face and we’ll go and play on the swing for a while.”