From Riches to Rags (20 page)

“George, what the hell?”

“I needed a picture of you to prove to your parents that you were actually working. Imagine that, Blackie Blackstone with an apron on, schlepping food around. How could I pass up this opportunity to see you in action, Blackie?”

“All right, you’ve had your fun. Now delete the picture, understand? I don’t want my parents or anyone else knowing what I’m doing.”

“Oh dear, and here I was going to give it to them for Christmas.” He laughed and then asked, “So, aren’t you going to introduce us?”

“George, this is Chris Livingston. Chris, this is my uh…”

“Friend. I’m her friend, George Kirk. It’s nice to meet you, Chris.”

“I’m happy to meet you too, George. Have you known Melinda long?”

“Yes, all her life.”

“And yet we’re still friends,” I joked seriously, giving him a scornful look.

“Can I get a picture of you two together?” George asked, and without waiting for us to answer, he held up his cellphone and snapped several pictures.

To his credit, George stayed only long enough to enjoy some barbeque and leave a hefty tip. And since it was Chris’s table, I was thankful to my friend for his generosity. I wish I could say the same for the next surprise. Jeez, I only have two tables to cater too and they sat at one of them, right after George had left.

“Blackie, can we get some service over here, please?”

“What’s your pleasure?” I asked Meg disdainfully.

“Menus would be nice for starters,” she replied contemptuously.

“Oh, sorry, I thought you were just here to torment me.”

“Meg, Frankie, what a surprise seeing you two here.” Chris sat down beside Meg and gave her a hug.

“We were in the neighborhood and thought we’d drop in to see how you were doing, Chrissie.” Frankie explained.

“That’s so nice, I’m so glad you did. I’m doing pretty well, but I’m really missing my folks right now. Melinda and I drove by their house the other day and I saw where dad had a new car. I guess their life has gone on without me.”

I was stunned. I mean I knew she missed her folks, but I had never heard her lose hope like that before.

“You can’t think that way, Chrissie, because you don’t know for sure what they’re doing or feeling. Just give it time. Whatever it is between you and your parents will smooth over eventually.”

“She’s right, Chris, I didn’t speak to my mother for years, but now we’re the best of friends,” Frankie said.

“I hope you’re both right about that.”

“Of course they are, Chris, Meg’s never wrong about anything.”

I didn’t mean it to come out snarky, but it did anyway. Chris gave me a curious look, then asked me if I’d mind getting them some fresh baked bread. Since it was my table, I of course said sure, and went off to get menus, bread, butter and water. And damn it if
Meg
didn’t have to remind me to get them some forks and knives too. They stayed longer than George had, and I felt like Meg was trying to rile me up, having me run back and forth for first one thing and then another. She watched my every move and when I wasn’t moving, she found a reason to call me over and ask for something else. She ran my ass off and enjoyed it. It was Frankie who left the tip, a generous one at that. Damn straight I’m keeping that money now.

At the end of the shift, as I dragged my exhausted body over to the time clock to clock out, I asked Chris how I really got my job back. She explained that the woman with the fur was a legislator who was well known for helping prisoners assimilate back into society, through her jobs for convicts program.

“No shit? She thinks I’m a convict?”

Chris laughed and nodded her head, “Yep, she sure does. The boss told her that he was following her lead when he hired you, and she came to that conclusion on her own. She praised his compassion and said she would bring her friends back to eat here very soon.”

“Damn. He worked that angle pretty good, didn’t he? So does that mean I can keep acting that way?” She knew I was kidding, even before she saw the grin on my face.

“Uh, no, I wouldn’t advise it, that was a onetime only deal.”

I laughed and made a mental note to buy this restaurant when I’m rich again, if for no other reason than to have a keepsake of my first firing.

*

Melinda’s first day at work was unique, to put it mildly. I felt sorry for her at first, trying to keep up with her orders while her feet had to be burning a hole through those Italian suede leather shoes of hers. And her exchange of words with that customer that ended up getting her fired, was pretty scary, and hit really close to home for me. But unlike my former boss, this time our silver tongued manager had the woman wrapped around his little finger, even secured a dinner party from her out of the deal. So he was pretty happy. But I’m most proud of the way Melinda pulled it out of the fire and began to work her ass off. She even helped me and the others out of some jams.

After the run in with the fur lady, I thought for sure that Melinda would lose patience with Meg, who kept her hopping the entire time they were there. I know Meg thinks she’s just a rich spoiled brat, and at times I would agree with her, but this rivalry between the two of them seems to go deeper than what is on the surface. To watch them together you’d think you were watching two roosters fighting over the hen.

While waiting at the bus stop for our bus to take us home, I saw Melinda’s head bobbed, and she woke up startled and looked around. And then once we were finally on the bus, she nodded off again. By the time we got home, both of us were completely exhausted and walked into my apartment like zombies on a death march.

I fed the kitten and changed her water. When I turned around, Melinda was sound asleep on the bed. I had to smile because I knew just how exhausted she must be. I took her shoes off and covered her with my blanket, combing the hair from her face. She looked so peaceful when she slept. I decided to forego the shower and fell on the bed beside her, asleep before my head hit the pillow.

Later that morning I awoke to a knock on the door. It was Norma inviting us to brunch, although it was almost one in the afternoon. We had slept for a solid nine hours and truthfully, I wouldn’t mind sleeping in for another nine hours. That twelve hour shift yesterday was murder on my legs and feet and I can only imagine what it must have done to Melinda. I told Norma that I needed to shower first, then we’d be right over.

Melinda was still asleep and I envied her as I stepped into the shower and washed away the day old restaurant smell. The water was luxuriously hot and the steam on my pores rejuvenated me. I was blissfully ready for another day. The same couldn’t be said for Melinda.

It took several shakes to get her to wake up, and when she did, she sounded drunk, slurring her curse words, as she pulled the blanket up over her head. At one point she thought I was her butler, Charles, because she asked him for an aspirin and a bottle of vodka to wash it down.

“You’re not hung over, Melinda, you’re just sore from yesterday. Go take a shower, you’ll feel a lot better, I promise you.”

She whined for a little bit, but finally got out of bed. But she just stood there, half asleep and not knowing what she was supposed to be doing. I grabbed a clean shirt and pair of boxer briefs from her drawer, and then I took her by the hand and led her to the bathroom. I even turned on the shower for her, and then I closed the door behind me, and tended to the kitten.

I really appreciated having brunch with Norma in her apartment.  I really didn’t feel like boiling hotdogs on my hot plate again. That and I was eager to hear how her visit with her grandchildren was going. She told us that they had already left.

“They’ve already gone back to Texas? Oh I’m so sorry. Norma.”

“They could only afford a hotel room for two nights, and refused to take my money when I offered to pay for an extra night, so they left this morning. Oh, but we had a wonderful visit, and they promised me that they would come back to see me again soon.”

She didn’t sound very convincing and I wondered then, if she would ever see them again. I looked at Melinda and regretted not letting her help them out when she could have. She must have read my mind because she looked at me and shook her head, as if to say it was the right thing to do.
When I get rich again… if I get rich again, I’m going to use my money to reunite Norma and her family permanently.

“So tell me, children, how did you find him?” Norma had a smile on her face and we knew we were busted.

Melinda spoke up before I could, “It was Chris’s idea. Using a private detective I know, they did the legwork for her, and long story short, found Ben living in Texas. Chris wrote the letter to him.”

“Yeah, well you paid for the detective to find him.” I said.

Norma looked at me contemplatively, “So, Chris, you took it upon yourself to have someone probe into my private affairs without my knowledge or consent?”

I flushed a hot red, tears stinging my eyes.
My God, what have I done?

Melinda tried to defuse the situation, “No, Norma, it’s nothing like that at all, she was only trying to help you.”

“I know, dear, I was making a point. Chris was upset when you bribed our landlord for her apartment number and the similarities were just too close to ignore. You paid the landlord, and in a roundabout way, Chris paid the detective.”

Now I blushed with relief and embarrassment, “Oh, my God! You’re right, Norma. How could I have not seen that?”

“In both cases, your hearts were leading your actions, and as for me, I will be eternally grateful to both of you. Thank you doesn’t seem like enough to say, but I do indeed thank you.”

Now I was crying with love, “Norma, you are so…” I choked on the words and Melinda finished my sentence for me.

“You are so crazy! A wise, all seeing, all knowing, all loving kind of crazy and we love you for it.”

“Um, yeah, what she said.”

Chapter Sixteen

First Argument — Melinda Blackstone
and
Christine Livingston

“No, I don’t want to go back!”

Melinda was having a crisis of faith, as she faced her second day of work. I couldn’t say that I blamed her very much.

“Listen, that was my first experience at working a holiday shift too, and you don’t hear me complaining. We need the money, Melinda, because I can’t support you on my measly little salary.”

“I’m not asking you to support me financially. But damn it, how about a little compassion here? My feet hurt, my back is killing me and I’m tired.”

“And you think I’m not? Stop being a brat and get ready for work.” I didn’t intend to be mean, it just popped out of my mouth before I could pull it back.

“A brat? Try looking in the mirror sometime, why don’t you.” She threw her work T-shirt, clean jeans and briefs on the bed and slumped down beside them, her arms crossed defiantly.

“I can’t. You’re always hogging it.”

“Well, at least I don’t take all the hot water in the shower.”

“Oh, the hell you don’t, Melinda. It’s just that I’m too much of a lady to scream at the top of my voice about it.”

“Bullshit. You scream about everything else,
Chris~tine.
So what if it’s not about that.”

The way she said my named pissed me off even more. “Listen,
Miss Blackie,
get that stick out of your ass and pay attention to what I’m saying.”

She sneered at me and said, “You’re not saying a damn thing. You’re shouting orders and making demands, but you’re not being helpful at all.”

“You want helpful? Here, let me draw your bath for you, your highness. I’m sure that’s what Charles would do for you, right?”

I walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a towel and washcloth, slamming the door shut. Then I picked up her clothes from the bed, walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. When I walked back out, Melinda was drawing on the wall.

“What are you doing?” I screeched.

“I’m counting down the days.”

She had taken a pencil and drawn a calendar on the wall with Thursday and Friday scratched out, and half a line through today’s date. She turned, shoved the pencil at me and walked into the shower.

Her point was made, but still, I didn’t appreciate her drawing all over my walls. Even if they were dreadfully drab. Then, to add salt to the wound, she started singing in the shower.
Too rough!

I poked my head in the bathroom and could see her shadow behind the curtain. Smiling, I walked inside and flushed the toilet. “Helpful my ass!”

She screamed at the sudden spray of ice water down her back, and yanked the curtain back in time to see me dart out the door. A moment later she walked into the room wearing only a towel wrapped around her midsection, water dripping from her hair and glistening on her shoulders, leaving puddles of water trailing behind her. She took the pencil that was still in my hand and scratched out the dates again, including today’s date. She shoved the pencil at me again and walked back toward the bathroom. Just before she went in she called my name, then bent over and pulled up the towel. Mooned, right here in my own home. I clapped my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing out loud.
Damn, she’s got a sweet looking ass.

We barely spoke to one another on the bus ride to work, and when we got there, we went straight to our stations and began serving the patrons. It wasn’t until I saw her in the break room, touching her toes and then rubbing her back that I spoke to her.

“Tonight, I think we should switch sides and see if that helps your back any.”

“Thanks.”

That was it. That was all she said to me the rest of the evening until we got home. Thankfully, we both had Sunday off so maybe we could catch up on our sleep enough to be civil to each other again.

I switched the pillows on the bed, and she immediately laid down, again with her work clothes still on. I asked her if she intended to change into her pajamas and she said no, she didn’t have the energy. I knew she would sleep better if she’d got out of those smelly, constricting garments. I told her if she would change, I’d give her something to help her back. She lifted up on one hand and looked at me suspiciously.