On Thursday afternoon, I got out of the cab I’d boarded and crossed the street, moving towards the supermarket, my grocery list in hand. After so many months of saving, I finally had enough to pay for my rent for at least a year. I was so excited, and I couldn’t hide the spring in my step. My next plan was to save up some more for Finn’s education, and also to get him some new shoes and wears. I knew I could do it.
“Good afternoon, Miss Elaine,” Pat, the security greeted me as he pushed open the door. I nodded in acknowledgment and slipped into the familiar store. Before I could locate the beverage section, my phone began ringing loudly. I pulled it out of my purse, my brows knitting together when it turned out to be Cora calling.
“Hey, girl,” I said with a smile. “Are you home now? Max and Finn – ”
“Oh… my… fucking God, Elaine,” she squealed breathlessly. “You’re never going to believe it!”
My frown deepened. “What’s happening?”
“Max has completely gone nuts! He went out with Finn about an hour ago and came back with a brand new red Porsche, fitted with a car seat for Finn in the back seat. It’s such a beautiful car.”
I shook my head, hardly believing it. “Is this some sort of joke?”
“I wish it was a joke too, but it’s fucking real. He told Finn that instead of going on walks, he could take him on long, soothing rides around the city and they’d get to see a lot of interesting places.”
“Fuck,” I whisper, almost bumping into a middle-aged lady making her way slowly down the electrical appliances aisle. She gave me a sharp look and muttered something incoherent under her breath. I couldn’t care less.
“That’s not even all! Along with the car seat, the Porsche came stocked with a lot of white shopping bags. They’re bringing them in right now, and get this, Elaine, I’ve never seen Finn with such a huge grin on his face.”
“What are the things contained in the bags?” I asked, scrunching up my face. “Sweets? Chocolate? Max should know that those things aren’t healthy for Finn.”
“No, no. There’s no chocolate. There are clothes and shoes. Lots of shoes. As well as a new bike!”
My jaw dropped.
“He practically bought Finn the entire kiddies’ clothing section in the mall.”
“Is he insane? That’s…”
“A whole lot of money! I never would’ve thought he was so stinkingly rich!”
Oh, God. I was boiling with fury. How dare he? He always had a way of messing things up. “I’m sure it’s all a ploy to bribe Finn and get the poor boy to like him. He has no shame. He’s really lost it this time. Such desperation.”
“Babe, calm down,” she whispered, chuckling. “It’s not that deep. Maybe, he’s trying to make amends for these past five years.”
“No, he’s not,” I maintained vehemently. “He’s doing all this to prove something. Such a spoilt thing. I won’t have him influence Finn negatively. Not on my watch.”
I made a detour for the door, walking out towards the road. I could come back later for the groceries. “Expect me back home in a few minutes.”
“Elaine, I advise that you take things easy. Don’t tell him I told you anything. I don’t want to get involved in whatever… this is between you two. I haven’t seen Finn this excited in months. Don’t ruin it for him.”
I blew out a deflated breath, rubbing my temples softly. “I’ll be cautious,” I sighed. “Thanks for telling me about this. See you soon.”
I didn’t even know where to start with handling this sort of situation. Such a living nightmare. Flagging down a cab, I clambered in after giving him my address, my heart spiking with adrenaline. Halfway home, my phone chimed once more with a new notification, and I gasped in horror when I read that my rent had just been paid!
Holy cow!
Placing a prompt dial across to the Real Estate agency, the receptionist picked up on the first ring. “Good day, there. How may I help you?”
“Hey, um, it’s me, Elaine Matthews,” I said quickly. “The lady that lives with her son at Estate 4?”
“Oh,” she exclaimed in recognition. “What may I do for you, ma’am?”
“I just got a notification that my rent has been paid up to the end of my lease. I’ve got no idea who effected the payment, and I was hoping you could tell me who did it.”
“Oh, okay. Give me a few minutes so I can cross-check our records,” the line went silent for a while before she got back on, clearing her throat. “Yes, I just confirmed that it’s been paid by one Mr. Max Sturm.”
Steam whooshed out my ears as my face went beet-red in anger. “What?!”
“I said it’s been paid,” she reaffirmed, unaware that I wanted nothing but to punch her lights out for saying it so casually. Didn’t they have a company policy that obstructed payments from third parties? There had to be. “He came here by four – ”
I allowed the phone to slip out of my grasp. She called my name a few times, then hissed and the phone went dead. I sat, rigid, my vision blood-red. The cab pulled up behind Max’s shimmering Aston Martini and my anger intensified.
The fucking audacity! He’s dead meat!
I couldn’t see straight as I pushed through the gate, into the house. Cora rushed out and dragged me back with her into the kitchen. I tossed my bag on the island and whirled around to face her. “You wouldn’t believe what he did! He paid our rent for a whole fucking year.”
Her jaw slacked, eyes brimming with delight. “Oh, my God Elaine. That’s so thoughtful and romantic.”
I scrunched up my face in disgust. “Seriously? No, it’s not. He wants everything to go back to normal, and that’s why he keeps throwing his money around.”
“And if he wants everything to be normal, what’s the harm in that, Elaine? You’ve got to give him a break. He’s trying his best, and he can also afford it.”
“I’m not pissed that he paid the rent or bought stuff for Finn. I’m annoyed that he thought it best not to consult me before going right ahead with his plans. I know we’re no longer lovers, but I must be aware of these little things. He’s my son, as well. It’s my house, too! He can’t just walk in and be the boss. He can’t be the head.”
“Take a deep breath. You’re red!”
“So be it, I’m so angry right now,” I yelled.
She clamped a hand over my mouth. “Shh. Don’t be so loud. Finn could be anywhere around, and he’s so happy.”
I sighed, burying my face in my palms. “This is so fucked up, Cora. I don’t know what to do. I barely have any control. He’s stripped me of everything!”
“You should be glad that he’s making efforts to correct his mistakes. Not all men are willing to admit that they’re wrong and own up to it.”
I blew out a breath, running a hand through my hair. She had a point. “Fine. It’s not easy, but I’m trying.”
She pulled me down to sit. “Take a few minutes to catch your breath first before you go up and say, hi. The least you can do is try to be civil, and hope that things fall into place. Who knows? You two may fall back in love someday again. But for now, my little boy is so happy, and I won’t let your petty tantrums ruin his mood for him.”