Chapter 3 Third Chapter

Her face is full of disgust when her eyes meet mine.

"Who are you?" She asks as she walks into the room, shutting the door behind her. Her eyes

flicker to Mr David as though acknowledging him for the first time. Her eyes switch faster than

the speed of light. Her smile was bright even to match the sun's glow.

"David baby! I missed you so much. I had a lot to do yesterday so I was not able to meet up with

our date. I'm so sorry. How do you feel about going today?" She asks as she jumps on him,

kissing his face as though I wasn't in the room.

"We can talk about that later, I'm having a little meeting with a worker of mine. If you don't

mind waiting outside," he said, face still emotionless.

I would have done everything within my power to avoid the glare that followed that declaration

almost instantaneously.

"What do you mean?" She laughs as though finding his words funny. "You are sending me out

because of that thing?" She asked.

"Cynthia, please don't make me say it again," he said, his voice now holding slight irritation.

But she did not seem to notice because she was now staring at me, her eyes bundled in surprise

and confusion.

"That sweatshirt you are putting on..." she said trailing off.

I looked down at what I had worn on my uniform. It was one of the dresses brought in for

washing by one of my mum's customers, she owned a Laundromat, and since I had nothing

presentable to wear to this job, I tended to borrow a little piece of clothing from the store and

return it in one piece.

"What are you talking about?" Mr David asked.

My face was pale now. Is there any way that this dress somehow belonged to her or

someone she knew? This was not the kind of impression I wanted to make on him.

"It's mine. You know Caleb? He got it for me. I spilled coffee on it and told one of the cleaners

to go get it washed. The fool must have taken it somewhere other than the laundry." she said,

startling me with those words even though I already expected them.

There was no way I was talking myself out of this one.

Without another word, she stomped towards me, turning me around and letting out a huge gasp

as she saw the tear on the dress.

I was already shaking like a leaf by now.

" I'm so sorry, my mum has a Laundromat, I have nothing to wear to work today. I just borrowed

it, please. I can get you a new one if you want" I was saying, rambling now and I knew it. Why

did today have to go this way? I looked down at my feet, trying to control my breathing. I lift

my head and the next thing I know, a slap lands on my face.

"What do you mean get me a new one, you poor, good-for-nothing bitch? This is a limited

edition. Do you think paupers like you can afford it? I blame that stupid cleaner for giving me my

clothes. Do you think I'd be willing to take my precious clothes to your cheap slut of a mother's

shop?" She asks, each word stinging.

"That's enough, leave her. I'll get you a better one." He says, holding her on the shoulders and

pulling her away from me. He turns to me, his eyes cold and pitiful. "You can go."

But maybe it is the slap that loses my tongue the adrenaline rush from the whole event or the

words said to my mother but I feel emboldened.

"No," I say.

He looks at me and for the first time his face he's not the cold glare it seems to be every time. I

see shock.

"I mean... I want to speak to you about something." My eyes turn to the woman, Cynthia.

"Alone."

The woman scoffs as though she is surprised at how bold I am. I am surprised too. But I'm past

caring.

"Can I speak to you later, Cynthia?" He says but his eyes are firm on me. I see a ghost of a

smile on his lips and maybe something else. Relief.

She opens her mouth in shock and for a moment I think she might slap me again. But she just

turns away, slamming the door loudly and causing the whole room to reverberate.

"What is it that you want?" Mr David asks.

I breathe in deeply, racking my brain for what to say. I only wanted him to walk Cynthia out of

the office. I didn't know how I knew that he would but I just knew.

What am I going to say

"Please don't fire me." The words leave my lips before I can process them." I have a sick sister

in the hospital and I have to get money for her surgery. I'm not asking that you give it to me-I

know you can but that's not what I'm asking. I just want you to know that if you fire me, I don't

know what I'm going to do." I was near tears when I finally stopped talking, my pride now nonexistent.

I look at his face and for a moment he seems to be considering everything I said.

"Well, why would you want money when you can just steal it? Maybe that's what you were

looking for when I walked in." His words send a sharp pain in my chest.

"What? Steal from you? Why would I-I was just dusting your shelf. I would never steal from

you." I say to him.

"What do you possibly think you can do for me that I want?" He asks. His eyes did not hold

skepticism, perhaps curiosity is the dominant emotion as he stared at me.

I gulp.

"Whatever you want. I can clean, I can scrub, I can grovel and beg. Whatever you want" I say to

him.

Mr David looks at his watch and turns back to look at me. He takes a step forward and it's

followed by another, making my heart skip.

He stops a few inches away from me, so close I can smell his cologne.

"I don't help thieves. Get out!" he said.