” So if understand you clearly? You don’t have as much as a ten to fare you down to bear creek? Is that so?” Gallagher asked while still over the phone with Marilyn. ” Yes I don’t have any dime on me. Things are that bad and hotels aren’t hiring. I will hook as a mask lady in your hotel. Minimal service so I can return today and cook for my daughter? Is that possible sir?” She asked with a croaky voice of self condemnation.
” Sure hell yeah. Why not. We can fix that as soon as you are here. Is there a number or perhaps anyone close to you that can lend you the money before you get back from work today.” He asked her trying to show some concern to her plight. ” No one. The only person who could help me have moved away.” She said in soft tone of doubt. Perhaps it was not too late to quit the conversation, she thought and Gallagher could hear the doubt in her voice. By juts talking to her about the did of the last encounter. He was enticed and wanted her even more badly than ever.
” You know what you can do is simple. Get a cab tell him to bring you straight to my place.” He aired with so much might in his tone..” what the hell, that’s going to cost me a fortune. I can’t charter a cab. It’s better using the bus.” She protested.
” Don’t worry. The bill is on me . I understand how difficult things are you. It’s why I’m helping you come to work on the first day.” He chimed in elated tone that made her know what awaited her when she was in bear creek.
” Okay Gallagher. I will be on my way.” She agreed, and gazed at the wall clock. Juts some minutes past nine. She had been managing water for the past two days and hadn’t bathed. She had to keep it to for her daughter while she was just contented to wash up before things materialized for her. Now, she was going to lay with a man or more men and the notion was simple_ she couldn’t go without taking a bath with the last bucket. It was a risk of guts since she believed she was going to get some money for the day. As fast as she could, she got to the bathroom and placed her hands in the water. If stung of coldness causing her to quickly pull her hands backwards.
” Oh God it’s so cold.” She whispered. While she could risk using up the last bucket of water, she could not risk using up the last quantities of gasoline to heat the water neither could she afford to exhaust the kilowatts of electricity. One more sniff to her armpit and she had to agree that she needed the bath if she had to sleep with anyone at all.
” I’m tired. I’m probably going to kill myself with all the bad decision I make.” She mumbled angrily as she began to take off all her clothing till she was bare in the nude. She got into the bathtub and began to shiver, first from the chilly cold in the bathroom. ” If this shit don’t kill me, then nothing else would.” She bemoaned and quickly began to bath till it caused her to scream in agony. She wasn’t going to stop. She was bent on finishing what’ she had started.
” Taxi.” She waved her hand at a cabman who was travelling across the road. Her flay blue gown sashayed over her knees as it got dazzled by the winds. Over it was a thick camo jacket which originally belonged to her husband. She still couldn’t stop shivering even with all that.
” Yes mam. Where are you going?” The cabman asked after bringing the car to stop.
” BearCreek?” She asked with a lot of skeptics in her tone.
” BearCreek?” Are you kidding me! Get a damn bus mam. This is a cab.” Said the rude dude and zoomed away as he mumbled some curse on his mouth while he zoomed away. Gas prices was high and feet’s journey it wasted fuel was frowned upon by any motorists. Just then, another cabman who probably had seen the first one leave, then drove towards her and brought itself to a halt just by her side. She didn’t even need to stop him.
” Hello mam. Where are you going to? He asked as the window of his glass came down. Marilyn was mum for a while not knowing how to start as she did not want any more curses on her head.
” Morning sir. Are there any Taxis that lead directly to bear Creek? She asked in a humble tone.” Yes they exist but you will have to be in luck to get one.” Said gentleman.
” Are you going there perhaps. I will pay you.” She stuttered.
” Yes you will have to pay but sorry I’m not headed that way. I cruise within the vicinity. Bear creek is many kilometers away. Good day.” He said and zoomed off before she could say anything to him.
” Oh god. What’s happening.” She whispered in a rhetorical manner. She was now time conscious and knew she had to come back home in time to prepare some food for her baby. If she had to fly to bear Creek, then fly was what she had to do since there was no going back for her. She had ended up using the last supply of water and if she wanted any of it back then she had to get laid as much as possible. She began to trek towards Bear Creek with nothing but her loafers and her faith. Some minutes into the work and soon thirty minutes to bear Creek on foot with no cabman willing to go her. Not even one had chose to negotiate and it left her flabbergasted to how they didn’t love money. She was still minding her business, shivering in the cold from exposure to cold and a hungry stomach when she saw another cab and signaled it to stop. Someone has to help me. She whispered to herself while waiting for the car to properly pack at the shoulder. To her shock it was a lady of her age grade who drove the car.
“Good morning mam. Where are you going?” The woman asked
” Sorry I’m going far. To Bear creek. You probably aren’t going there .” Aired Amelia and kept on moving after finding out the driver was a lady.
” Well if you are going to pay me why wouldn’t I. I’m out for business not a cruise in the damn cold.” She said with a deep Mexican accent.
” My goodness. You are Mexican to. That’s great. How much to Bear creek?” She asked in Gusto.
” I’m from Cuba. Are you Mexican?” She asked her.
” Oh Cuba. Far south. I’m Mexican. I was born here though it’s where my family have returned to. I’m going to Bear creek and I should be using the bus but I have no money on me. My.. . well let’s say my man would pay for the fares when I arrive at my destination.” She said with a soft smile as she tried hard to stop shivering while her nose kept on running from the cold.
” Oh sister. That side you call is too far. Taxis don’t go so far.” She said to her waved her head in negation.
” Please. You have to help me. He owes me money and if don’t go to get it. My daughter would starve to death. Help me sister. No one is willing to help me and the cold is beginning to make me feel sick.” She enunciated as she shivered vigorously.
” Get in the car. Can your man pay two hundred. It’s the least I would be willing to take. I should charge him a thousand for making you go through this but I know he can’t pay that.”
” Yes two hundred is fine. He will pay.” She said and breathed deeply while finally in the car. She could hardly feel her legs in her high ankle boots.
” I’m doing this for your daughter and not you. My daughter is four year old. She’s at school. I understand how I would feel if I’m alive and she can’t even feed.” Said the woman.
” Thank you. Thank you very much.” Was all Marilyn was strong enough to say as she sunk deeper into the sofa of the car. It was so warm and even her bed was not as warm as it since she could not afford to put on the warmer.
” Are you okay sister. You don’t look to good.” The Cabwoman asked.
” I’m good thank you. I’m just tired and I’m cold. But I’m fine.” She said with a smile on her face and eventually opened her eyes to view her immediate surroundings.
Her sight subconsciously caught a half eaten Burger and in as much as she tried to take her eyes away from it, she still felt sucked to it’s sumptuousness.
” Sister are you hungry? You can have the burger.” Said the Cabwoman who was rather astonished that a good looking woman who smelled so good could get carried away by the sight of a burger.
” No please not at all. I’m not. I just got carried away that’s all. Thank you mam. You are kind.” She adumbrated and quickly took her gaze off the fast-food. She pinched her thighs for letting her hunger instincts embarrass her so much in public.
” Okay.” Said the woman, who gazed at her accomplice for a few second and continued to drive. The pranks of hunger was biting hard in her stomach. Yet it was compensating enough that the chair was warm and through it, her soul found an anecdote of contentment. The silence continued for a lengthy minutes, with Marilyn’s face, bent upwards and her eyes closed. It didn’t help her nostrils from over flooding neither did it help her eyes from shedding tears of reflection. She couldn’t believe Gustavo could abandon her for saving his life.
” Sister. Here you are. A tissue to wipe your nose. And your tears to.” Said the Lady who now found it difficult to concentrate on the road.