Page 88 of What's the time, Mr. Wolfe
I slipped off the jumper/shirt and put it on. I flicked up the hood. Jeans and the hoodie were what I was wearing when I’d first met Sebastian. It felt like a long time had passed.
I grabbed my red military coat and placed it on the bed. I had my new clothes, most of which were at Sebastian’s, and once I took out my newest charity shop purchases. What was left could really just go as rags.
I threw my horrid underwear and old tights. With my first pay packet, I vowed to get some new underwear.
I carried a black sack of old clothes downstairs and was startled by a knock.
It was the charity shop that had come to take furniture. They only left one item, a heavily scratched old coffee table. I hauled it outside hoping one of the neighbours would have it.
I sat and waited for the agency to collect the disabled items.
The house was way too quiet, so I turned on the radio. I wasn’t listening, it was just a welcome background noise. I had no idea what channel it was set to, but thanked it wasn’t a modern one. I couldn’t deal with screaming or sad songs.
The house needed a repaint. Before Sebastian, Idecorated myself, only because it was too much hassle to get the landlords to do it. I chuckled at the number of shitty emails and phone calls his office would have taken from me. I remember having a conversation with the only sympathetic person I’d spoken to. She’d told me, when my name flashed up on their screen, the call handlers would groan.
I picked at a corner of wallpaper that had come lose, before I knew it, a whole strip had peeled away in my hand.
“Oh, shit,” I said, and then laughed. It would have to be redecorated now.
There was a second knock on the door and expecting the hospital agency, I opened it. Instead, a man stood there. One I recognised.
“Hello, Ruby,” he said, his accent pronounced.
I slammed the door in his face. He had the gall to chuckle. I wrenched it open again.
“She’s dead.”
“I know.”
“How? How do you know?”
He sighed. “I have visited her, only through the window. I don’t come in.”
I frowned, shaking my head. “You’re dead according to the police.”
He chuckled again and I wanted to punch him in the face.
“And I’d prefer if it stayed that way.”
“Do you have my money?”
He shook his head. “No, I needed it more than you did.”
“Then fuck off, and don’t you ever knock on this door again. In fact, I’ll be moving out soon.”
“She was my mother, Ruby,” he said.
“Wasbeing the important part there. Fuck off, don’t ever come back. Do you hear?” I screamed the words and slammed the front door again.
I slumped against the door. I couldn’t get my breath and started to hyperventilate. My vision blurred, and my fingertips tingled. I shook, my legs wouldn’t hold me up. I stumbled to the living room and fell into a chair. All I could do was hold my throat. I felt like I was choking, my cheeks burned. My heart stopped when I heard another knock. I spun on my heel and wrenched the door open.
“I said—”
“What happened?” Tony asked. I guessed he’d come to check on me.
“My... he... I can’t breathe.”
“Lean over, Ruby. Deep breath in, okay?”
