Page 15 of Whatever He Wants
“Did you sell the watch to Benny?Is that the real reason you went to see him today?”If the job offer was a lie, I might scream.
“No, I sold it to a pawn shop.”
“How much did you get for it?”
“Three hundred.”
It isn’t a diamond setting in the ring then.Not at that price.However, it means we’ll have to pay more than three hundred dollars to get back the watch, and that’s going to hurt.
As a couple of eighteen-year-olds fresh out of high school and with no work experience, Matt and I struggled to find work when we first moved in together.The jobs we did land were seasonal or part-time, usually paying at or below minimum wage, and Matt often lost his for some reason or the other.
We were constantly living hand to mouth, always late or even short on rent, relying heavily on credit cards to pay bills.We weren’t financially responsible either.Desperate to enjoy nice things we couldn’t afford, we sometimes splurged on designer clothes and shoes, or the latest overpriced phone, or expensive tickets to parties and shows.
Eventually, our credit was so deep in the red, no new cards would approve us.Getting evicted from our last apartment was my lowest point.I’ll never forget the humiliation of coming home to find all my belongings tossed outside on the sidewalk like garbage.
When Isaac offered us the basement for free, I swore I’d use the opportunity to do better.I’ve been working hard to pay off the cards while building my savings.It’s only half a year’s worth, so it’s not much.Depending on how much it costs to buy back the watch, it could be a fatal hit.
I turn away from Matt, quickly get dressed, then approach him again.
“Take me to the pawn shop.”
10
Denise
Sorry, we’re closed.
I gawk at the sign, then at the hours listed on the glass door.My frustration spikes when I check the time on my phone.We were only ten minutes late.
The shop’s dark interior makes it clear they’re done for the day, but the owner might still be around, willing to serve one last customer.Pressing my hands to the window, I peer inside.No movement.I yank on the door handle next.Locked.I knock on the door, harder than I should on something made of glass.
Matt grabs my arm.“Babe, stop.Don’t break down the door.It’s pointless.Nobody’s in there.”
But with what’s at stake, I can’t give up.I slip my hand from Matt’s grasp and quickly dial the number on the shop window.Every unanswered ring weighs heavier in my stomach.
Pick up the fucking phone!
Nobody does.Not even after I try five more times.
We’re screwed.
Those two words repeat in my head as Matt and I take the bus home.Isaac threatened if he didn’t get his watch back by tonight, we have to leave on Friday.
On the bus ride to the pawn shop, Matt mentioned he got the job at a warehouse today when he went to see Benny.He starts tomorrow.It’s a step in the right direction for more financial stability, but it’ll be a while before he gets paid.In the meantime, we’ll be at the mercy of picky landlords who’ll take one look at our poor credit and bad rental history and run for the hills.
My anxiety lessens when Matt and I discover Isaac’s car is gone from his driveway.But that’s false relief.The inevitable has only been delayed.I have to tell him what happened, and he’s not going to like hearing that Matt added insult to injury by selling his watch.
“If we have to leave, we could stay at June’s place,” Matt says as we enter the basement.
“June has a roommate.”
“So?We could sleep on the couch.”
“We’re not doing that.”
I sink into our couch, its lumpiness making me miss Isaac’s smooth and comfortable sofa.A song I like to listen to when I’m upset floats through my mind.I lean my head back and close my eyes, trying to focus on the lyrics.But then Matt flops down beside me, jerking my attention to his presence.
“What about my parents’ place?”he says.“We could go back there.”
