Three
The Proposition
I haven’t worn a tie since my grandfather’s funeral when I was fifteen. These bank officials damn well better appreciate that. I’d already spent most of the morning stuck in traffic all the way from Walterboro to downtown Charleston. It’s usually a thirty minute trip, if you take the interstate. Today it took me damn near an hour and a half.
I sat in the lobby and silently prayed that these bank boys would give us a shot at an extension. I just needed some extra time…anything that would keep me and my little family in our home. Maybe they could give us two more months on top of the ninety days? What’s two more months?
The devil on my shoulder stuffed negative thoughts into my brain. What if they refused? We’d have to start over fresh somehow. That’s not really a scary thought for me, except for that fact that poor dad wouldn’t know what to do with himself. The shop is all he’s ever known.
The minutes felt like hours and I found myself dazing in and out. I picked up a magazine and flipped through it without even looking at the pages. I felt like I was being watched so I looked around the room once more. I noticed a lady sitting across from me, an attractive lady actually. She was older, late forties maybe? Not really my type, but she was still kind of sexy in a cougar dominatrix kind of way.
She was openly staring back at me. Doing nothing to hide the fact that she was checking me out, her eyes moved from my eyes down to my crotch. The way she stared at me didn’t match her look. Legs crossed all prim and proper like, she smiled seductively at me. I smiled back. Hey, if she wanted to play, I could play, too. Then her face dropped and her smile was replaced with a sarcastically lifted brow and a pinched mouth.
I shook my head and looked away. I didn’t have time for an old tease.
Finally, after what felt like days, the lady behind the desk called me back. I stepped through the door of the bank manager’s office.
“Mr. Michaels, I presume?” The man behind the desk asked.
He stood and held out his hand, I shook it. My sweaty palm made a squishing noise when I squeezed it, giving away my nerves.
This has to work. It’s our last resort.
“My name is Mr. Schaefer. What can I help you with?”
I took my seat and started to fidget a little. This was the most important thing I’ve ever done and getting refused just wasn’t an option at this point.
“Well, Mr. Schaefer, I won’t waste your valuable time so I’m gonna get straight to the point. We owe this bank more money than we got and we only have ninety days to come up with that money. I’m here to ask you for more time, an extra sixty days, maybe?” I said quickly.
He picked up a small stack of papers and tapped them against the desk as he organized them.
“Mr. Michaels, I’m going to be completely honest with you. I’ve taken a good look at your file and there’s just nothing more we can do. I feel horrible about this, I really do, but if the balance isn’t paid in the next ninety days, we’re going to be forced to foreclose on all of your father’s properties, the business included. I’m deeply sorry. If there’s anything else I can help you with, you just let me know.”
“You’re tellin’ me there’s no other option?” I said loudly.
I knew the people in the waiting room could hear me, but I didn’t care. This was my life he was messing with. This was Jenny’s life he was messing with. Our home and our work, the way we survived.
“Mr. Schaefer, I appreciate the fact that this is your job and everything, but you gotta find another way!” I yelled. “There’s no way that we can come up with that kind of money that fast and I’ll be damned if you or any of these little stuck up bastards you got working here are gonna take our home.”
“Mr. Michaels, I think it’d best if you left before I have to call security.”
“Then I guess you better call security because I’m not leaving until we come to some kind of agreement.”
“I understand that you and your daddy are having money issues, but it’s not really mine or the bank’s problem. If we handed out free money or more time to every poor person that walked through the door we’d go out of business, too. Maybe your father should think about the way he runs things,” he snapped.
Before I knew it, I was standing over Mr. Schaefer with a sore fist and his blood on my knuckles. That bastard better be glad I didn’t keep going. He had the audacity to talk down about me and my dad…in my face, no less. His high-horsed ass needed a big reality check and I’m glad I was the one to give it to him.
Security arrived just as I was backing away toward the door and I knew I was going to jail.
I came here to try and fix things, but because I couldn’t control my damn temper, dad was going to have to dip into our measly savings to get me out of jail. I really screwed up this time.
Four hours later, I laid on the little bunk that the jail provided and ran different ideas through my head. I decided against calling dad to bail me out. I could spend a night in jail. I knew they’d let me out in the morning and to be honest I’d rather dad worry about me for the night than to use money we needed to bail my stupid ass out of jail. It was worth being behind these bars. That bastard got what he deserved.
The cell door opened and a police officer stepped into the tiny space.
“OK, Michaels, time to go,” he said.
“What do you mean? I just got here.”
“Your bail’s paid. You’re free to go.”
I followed the officer out of the cell and down the hall to the front desk of the police station. I collected all my stuff, my empty wallet included, and turned to face my dad.
He was nowhere to be found. I did one more quick check around the police station trying to find him. He definitely wasn’t there.
Maybe he went to wait in the truck?
I walked out of the police station and checked the parking lot. Dad’s truck was nowhere in sight, which meant that he was so pissed off that he left me here.
I was about to start walking toward home, when I noticed the cougar lady from the bank lobby standing across the parking lot. She was perched against a long, black limo as she motioned for me to come to her with a finger.
Today had officially become the most fucked up day ever, and it didn’t look like it was going to get any better. First, I get eye raped by an old broad in the bank. Then, I beat the hell of the bank manager, which got me a swollen hand and jail time. Then, I get mysteriously bailed out only to find the female eye rapist waiting on me outside the police station.
I made my way over to the limo.
“It’s about time. I was beginning to think they took my money and left you there,” she said in a husky voice.
“You bailed me out?” I asked, confused.
“Well, how else was I going to talk to you?”
“I’m sorry…do I know you?” I continued to question.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Ordinarily, I’d never be caught dead socializing with someone like you.”
Fire cut across my chest as my anger started to spike.
“Then what the hell are you doing socializing with someone like me?” I said in a mocking tone.
One more stuck up bastard in my face tonight and I was going to snap.
“Let’s cut the small talk. I heard you pitching a fit at the bank today. You need money and I have plenty, so let’s talk business,” she said.
“Look, Lady, I don’t know how y’all do things in your world, but in mine selling yourself will get you at least thirty days. Being that I just stepped out of the jailhouse I’d prefer…”
She cut me off with a burst of laughter.
“I know you don’t think I’m suggesting I pay you for sex, do you?” She laughed out loud one more time. “Don’t get me wrong, kid, you’re nice to look at, but I’m into men, not boys.”
“Then what the hell do you want?” I asked rudely.
“I have a business proposition for you.” She pulled open the limo door and climbed in. “Care to join me?” she asked.
“I already said I’m not a…”
“Don’t flatter yourself!” She cut me off again. “Trust me…I’m far too much woman for a boy like you. Now, are you getting in the damn limo or not?” she growled.
I stood there debating what to do. Finally, I stepped toward the limo and jumped in shutting the door behind me.
“Where to?” she asked
“Walterboro…off of Clements Road.”
“My God you are a country bumpkin,” she huffed.
I sat there while she called orders to the driver and then pushed a little button causing a barrier to rise between us and him.
“Now, let’s get back to business,” she said. “I need you to do something for me and since you need money so badly I’m prepared to pay you nicely, as long as you don’t screw it up.”
“OK, is this something illegal? Because I’m no criminal.”
“No, it’s not illegal.”
“OK, shoot me with it.”
She grinned and then slid farther back into her seat.
“I’d like to pay you to date my daughter,”’ she smirked as she poured a brown liquid out of a crystal container into a crystal glass. It smelled like liquor, which was fitting since I was almost positive this bitch was drunk.
“You wanna pay me to do what?”
“You heard me.”
“You’re joking, right?” I snorted.
“No, this is no joking matter and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t treat it like one. I’m offering you a serious business proposition,” she said aggressively.
I sobered and got rid of my smile. If this lady was serious, I was going to be serious, too. This could very well be the break me and dad were hoping for. Still, being paid to date someone didn’t sit well with me. This girl must be some kind of God-awful creature if her mom had to pay a dude to date her.
“What’s wrong with her?” I asked.
“Excuse me?”
“Well, no offense or anything, but if you gotta to pay someone to date your daughter, there’s gotta be something wrong with her.”
“There’s nothing wrong with my daughter. There’s something wrong with all the boys who can’t see how wonderful she is.”
“So, she’s ugly?”
“Absolutely not!” she snapped. “She has a small weight problem, but she’s beautiful and that’s exactly how you treat her. Take her out, show her a fabulous time, and make her feel like she’s the most gorgeous creature you’ve ever seen.”
“Basically you want me to blow smoke up her ass?”
“Stay away from her ass, but yes…whatever you have to do.”
“Exactly what do I get out of this and how long do I have to do it?” I asked.
“In return for you dating my daughter, I’ll pay your unpaid balance to the bank. If I heard correctly, you have ninety days. When the ninety days are up and as long as my daughter’s happy and you’ve done your job correctly…I’ll pay it.”
“You can’t be serious.” I choked. “You’re gonna pay me eight thousand dollars to date your kid? How old is she anyway? She not like some high school kid or anything is she?” I asked.
“Is that all you owe? Sounds perfect. Yes, I’ll definitely pay you eight thousand dollars and no, my daughter’s not a high school student. She’ll be twenty-one next month; you’re kind of an early birthday present.”
This couldn’t have happened at a better time. Actually, it was kind of freaky how convenient it was, but at this point I’d be willing to do almost anything. I couldn’t refuse if I wanted to. It’s not likely that another opportunity like this would fall into my lap.
Eight grand was pocket change for this woman.
“Make it fifteen thousand and we got a deal,” I said.
If I’m doing this, I might as well get something out of it, too. Lucy was going to look good with her new paint job.
The car wasn’t moving anymore and the silence in the small space was suffocating as she thought it over. I still couldn’t believe this was happening. It was wrong to lead some poor, fat girl around making her think that I wanted her, but I knew I could pull it off. We needed this money—I could do this for Jenny.
“Fine,” she gave in. “I’ll pay you three grand to start. We’ll call it a courtesy payment. There are a few rules, though. You screw this up and you will not get the other twelve grand in ninety days. Plus, I’ll personally make your life a living Hell. I’ll make it my mission to make sure that you and your loved ones lose everything…and Mr. Michaels, I’m filthy rich. Don’t think for one minute that I can’t ruin you.”
“What are the rules?” I snapped.
I wasn’t too happy with being verbally threatened.
“First of all, don’t put your filthy hands on my daughter. I understand that you’re probably going to kiss her. You’ll be dating her for at least three months and I know that kids do that sort of thing in that time period. You’re not allowed to do anything more than that. The last thing I want is my daughter getting knocked up by some countrified chop shop boy,” she huffed. “Do you understand?”
“Well, golly jeez, Miss, I think I reckon I understand what you’re sayin!” I said sarcastically with my deepest fake southern drawl.
Kissing? Hah! It wouldn’t even go that far. I could make this girl feel like a princess without touching her. Playing women is kind of my niche.
“How can I find her?” I asked.
“She works. As much as I hate it, she’s the manager at Franklin’s Jewelry store downtown on Meeting Street. You can find her there. Also, she spends a lot of free time with friends at a little café called Mirabelle’s. Are you familiar with these places?” she asked.
“Yeah,” I said, as I opened the limo door to get out.
“And, Mr. Michaels…my daughter better not ever find out about this agreement, do you understand?
“Yeah, I got it!” I snapped.
“Good. I’m glad we understand each other. Her name’s Lilly and you better not screw this up. I’ll be in touch and you’ll get your first installment when I’m sure that you’ve started the job, so I suggest you get to it.” She straightened her top.
“I gotcha covered,” I said as I climbed out of the big, black limo that was now parked in front of my house.
It’s a little creepy that she knew where I lived without telling her. It’s like she had done her homework and dug up information on me. This lady was clever, and clever ladies are dangerous. I’ll be watching my back around this one.
“See you soon, kid,” she said as I slammed the door in her face.
I watched the limo drive off. The whole scheme was crazy, but I had to do what needed to be done. One thing was for sure, dad would never approve, which meant he and Jenny could never know. I needed to think long and hard about where I’d tell him I got the money from, but that would come later. One thing at a time, and right now, I had a chubby chick to enchant. Doing hurtful things to strangers wasn’t my thing, but extreme situations called for extreme measures.
I now had three things that I have to do first thing in the morning. One, I had to make Renee think that I’ll be out of town for a while. I’ll just make up an uncle in Georgia or something. There’s no way she’d keep her trap shut long enough for me to finish the job if she thought another girl was getting something she wasn’t. Of course there was money involved so maybe I could just buy her something and shut her up.
Second, I had to clean myself up a bit. If I was going to win some girl over, I really needed a good shave and a haircut. Third, I had to put on my charming face. I had to get rid of “asshole Devin” and bring out the nice boy that I knew I could be.
It could be fun. I’d get to go out a little on someone else’s money with a girl that I’d never have to see again in three months. It wasn’t really a bad deal.
I stripped down to my boxers and jumped into my bed. Before I could do anything, I needed some sleep. Within minutes, I passed out and slept better than I had in the last two weeks.