Friday, September 16
(Kate)
I hear the text alert from my pocket just as I step through the door into Three Petunias. I'm not working today, but Shelly asked me to stop by; she burned a CD for me and wants me to check it out.
I retrieve my phone from my pocket while I wait for her to wrap up a phone call. The text is from Maddie. Can I borrow $500? Rent's due tomorrow.
The fact that I've been thrown for a loop by the text must show on my face because as soon as Shelly hangs up the phone, she asks, "What's wrong, Kate?"
I shake my head. "Nothing. I just got a text from my aunt. I haven't heard from her in a while."
"Is this the aunt who lives in Minneapolis?"
"Yeah, she was pissed at me. I've been trying to get in touch with her for a couple of weeks now."
"Is she still mad?"
I shrug. "Don't know. She says she needs money."
Shelly looks shocked. "And she's asking you? How old is she?"
I'm still running the text over in my head. "Twenty-seven."
"You're not going to give it to her, are you?"
I exhale as I come to my conclusion. "Probably. She's dealing with some pretty messed up stuff right now. She says she needs it. She wouldn't ask if she wasn't desperate, right?"
Shelly's looking at me. In her face, I see Audrey's—Gus's mom—motherly and concerned. "I don't know, Kate. You work hard for your money. You need it, too."
I point to the computer on the counter. "Can I use the computer real quick?"
"Sure," she answers, still looking motherly.
I look up the address for Rosenstein & Barclay, the law firm Maddie works for, and jot it down on a piece of paper along with general directions to get there. I have some free time this afternoon, and she said her rent's due tomorrow, so I'll take her the money now. Why is she paying her rent in the middle of the month, anyway?
The building Maddie works in is right smack in the middle of downtown Minneapolis, so after I find an open meter and plunk in a few coins, I enter and take the elevator to the third floor. The elevator opens to Rosenstein & Barclay's foyer. The floors are stone and buffed to a high sheen. There are fresh flowers on the table outside the floor to ceiling glass doors that mark the entrance to Maddie's employer. I feel underdressed in my flip-flops, jeans, and Virginia is for lovers T-shirt. I'm suddenly regretting not calling first. I mean, lawyers are super busy, right? She's probably in some important meeting, or maybe she's in court. Who knows? Now I feel like an idiot. After I take a deep breath, I pull open one of the giant doors, and a chime sounds announcing my arrival. Jesus, it's the bell's evil cousin.
A woman looks up from the other side of the reception desk just inside the door. She's polite, and she addresses me directly, "Good afternoon." She's dressed in a trim, tailored black suit and looks too professional to be sitting behind this desk.
I clear my throat. "Good afternoon. I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm looking for Maddie Spiegelman. Is she available?"
The woman smiles. "Sure. She should be back any minute." The woman holds her hand up to shield her mouth from the rest of the room and lowers her voice. "She just ran to the restroom. I'm covering the phones for her until she gets back."
Okay, I'm confused. "Covering for her? You mean Maddie's the receptionist?"
The woman nods, but looks confused by my question.
"I'm sorry, Maddie's my aunt. I just...I just didn't realize what her position here was."
She nods. "Well, here she is now."
I turn, and Maddie's face drops when she sees me. Her voice is low and malicious as she nears. "Kate, what are you doing here?" she hisses.
I hold up the check I've already written out from my emergency stash. "Your text sounded urgent. I wanted to make sure you could get it to the bank today since your rent's due tomorrow."
"You could have called, Kate. A little courtesy, please," she chastises.
"Sorry, dude. If you don't need the money anymore, it's no sweat off my—"
She interrupts me and rips the check from my hand. "No, I'll take the check. I had a lot of unforeseen expenses come up this month...stuff you wouldn't understand."
I can't help but roll my eyes at her. "Seriously?" Try me, I want to say. Been-there-done-that is my middle name.
She doesn't reply.
I'm a little irritated, but I'm also worried about her. "Why haven't you responded to any of my texts? I mean, how have you been?"
She inhales deeply and lowers her voice. "I'm fine. There's nothing to talk about."
I lower my voice to match hers. "Why'd you lie to me about your job?" I'm not being mean; I'm just asking a question. A question she should be adult enough to answer.
Or not. She just looks at me like I've insulted her. "You need to leave now. I have work to do. Something you probably wouldn't know anything about, being Janice Sedgwick's daughter. I bet you had it rough living on the beach with all of Mommy's money."
I blink through the shock of her words for several seconds. "Wow...okay...so that's how it is..." I trail off, dumbfounded, my cheeks hot with anger. I turn toward the door and by now adrenaline is coursing full throttle through my veins as I push the door open. As I cross the threshold, I turn and lock eyes with her. "I'm really glad you can make your rent this month, Maddie. You're welcome." I let the door slam behind me.