Page 8 of Remember When We
Mine and Dad’s both.
The bills, the debt, and all his medical related stuff.
Jesus, I didn’t know how I was still going. I didn’t know how I was doing everything I was doing and for so long.
I parked up around the corner of Perfection, Carla’s salon I was currently working at.
Thank God for skills that paid off. It was what was paying for everything now.
During the day I worked here. I’d get a chance to go home for a few hours in the afternoon and then I’d head to dad’s bar to open and stay until closing.
Day in and day out that was my every day.
Today I should have gotten here a lot earlier, but this morning started out like shit with the news that Dad needed more treatments for his liver. Not to mention the insurance company wasn’t going to cover it because he’d require some inpatient stay.
It was one more thing I didn’t need. One more thing I’d need to find money for and I was already stretched to the limit. I’d had enough and didn’t know what more I could do.
I got out of the car and rushed inside the salon thankful there weren’t many people around.
No customers were waiting and the stylists on the floor were just doing the standard wash and trim. One of the new girls was doing a manicure.
I went past a group of ladies who were all having their hair styled for a party. They each had fashion mags and were talking about what they wanted to wear later.
Carla would be back in her office and she wouldn’t have minded me heading straight there to see her for a minute or two.
The door was open and there she was swiveling around on her chair with a huge smile on her face. My friend looked extra gorgeous today with her shiny black hair sparkling and her sun kissed skin, looking like she’d just come back from vacationing in Brazil where she went to see her family.
“Girl, there you are. I have a lunch date with Sean. Oh my God, I can’t believe I insisted on a lunch date and he gave in.” She giggled.
I tried to smile, but it didn’t come. A little one pulled at the corners of my mouth, but I was just too worked up after seeing Gio.
“I’m so glad.” I answered. That was about all I could manage before a tear ran down my cheek.
Fuck, I didn’t want to cry.
Not now when I had all the admin stuff to do and I was supposed to go through the online booking system.
“Lyssa, what happened?” She got up and came over to me.
I shook my head, not sure if I could say the words.
Did I really see him?
Gio …
“Lyssa, tell me now, what’s happening? Is it your father?”
“No, it’s not. Today has just been shit.”
“It’s ten, how can the day already be shit?” She tried to joke. She knew my struggles though and knew I’d often had shit days that started way well before I even set foot in the building.
“It is Carla.”
She ushered me over to the chair to sit.
“Do you need more money. Let me help you.”
I shook my head. She’d already given me money and I’d worked it off. Carla was a good friend to me and I appreciated her. I would never take advantage of her kindness and the type of money I needed was …
