As the words left my mouth I cringed inside. It felt a bit weird to be offering this to her.
Libby sighed and lightly clasped her hands together, interlocking her fingers. I could tell the question had bothered her, but I wasn’t sure if it bothered her because she was offended, or if it bothered her because it might have solved her issue.
“Um, I appreciate it,” Libby said. “But I can’t accept that.”
“So, it is a money issue?” I asked. “Hey, times are difficult for most people. I’m in a position where I’d like to help, if you would be willing to accept it.”
“I…I can’t…” Libby said.
She was beginning to choke up, fighting the tears as hard as she could.
“Libby, what’s wrong,” I said. “I realize we don’t know each other that well, but my son loves you and the education he is receiving is invaluable. I’d like to invest in that, if I could. If I can help in any way, please let me do so.”
Libby ran her hands through her hair and then clasped them together behind her neck. She appeared to be almost shivering, despite the warm day.
“I… I’m in a lot of trouble,” Libby said.
“What do you mean?”
“I owe some bad people a lot of money. If I don’t pay, then I’m dead. I think they are really going to kill me. The only way I can get some more time is to sell the school. I’ll still owe a lot more afterwards, but at least this will buy me some more time until I figure something else out.”
“Libby, how much do you owe?” I asked.
She sighed. “It’s… it’s a lot…”
“How much?” I asked again. “Tell me.”
“Fifty thousand.”
I nodded. “OK. Who do you owe that much to that he would want to kill you for it?”
“They call themselves The East Side Mafia. You ever hear of them?”
I froze. Yes, I’d heard of them. The East Side Mafia were the sworn enemies of the Zeffari family.
“Yeah, I’ve heard,” I said. “How did you end up mixing up with them?”
“A few years ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I didn’t have insurance, but I needed emergency surgery to get the tumor out. And then the recovery process wasn’t cheap. I had to borrow the money to pay it off. It turns out the man I borrowed the money from was a member of the Scarlucci family. And now he wants to be paid. I can’t believe they’ve given me this much time.”
“That’s how they operate,” I said. “The Scarlucci’s are relentless. You’re right to be scared, Libby. They won’t stop until they get their money. And if they need to make an example out of you, they will without any apologies.”
Libby was crying now. I hated seeing her so upset. Her sweet face was red with tears streaming down her.
“So, that’s why I’m selling the school,” she said.
“I’ll give you the fifty grand,” I said. “You don’t even have to pay me back unless you want to and you can take as much time as you need.”
She shook her head. “No. I can’t. I just can’t take money from you. I never should have taken money from that loan shark. It causes nothing but problems.”
“Well, I’m not a loan shark. It’s ok. I can help, so if you will accept it I would like to give that money to you.”
Libby shook her head again. “No. If I just had some more time with them, then I’d be fine. I won’t accept charity.”
“Libby, you are talking about life and death here. Let me help you. Don’t let your pride get in the way of this.”
But Libby was adamant. “No. I won’t take your money.”
I sighed and began pacing back and forth. “Shit, Libby. If you won’t take my money, then at least let me help to get you more time.”
“You can do that?”
“Yes. I know some members of a rival family. I can ask them if they will be willing to apply some pressure to the Scarlucci’s and get them to back off, to at least give you some more time. But it would be so much easier if you’d just let me pay them.”
“No, but if you can talk to your friends and get me more time, I’d be eternally grateful. Then I wouldn’t have to close the school down.”
“OK,” I said. “I’ll make the call tonight.”
Toby and I went home. While he ate his sandwich and then played a bit in his room I tried to focus on some work, but now I was more distracted than ever. Why wouldn’t Libby let me just pay off her debt? I knew she was a prideful woman, but didn’t pride have some kind of limits to it? There had to be a moment when a person decides that their life is more important to them than stupid pride.