Down to Business (Business Series)

by Alexander, J. C.

  “Grandma!” I cried.

  Lindy laughed. “I will keep her out of trouble, Grams. Don’t worry.”

  Lindy took one of my bags and winked at me. Once we had all of my belongings, she led us across the parking lot and to the building on the right side.

  Her apartment was on the top floor. By the time we got to the door, all of us were breathing hard besides Lindy. I noticed grandma was still below us on the second landing.

  “Josh, go help her please,” Mom said and wiped her forehead.

  Josh rolled his eyes and dropped my suitcase.

  “Josh, dammit! I have picture frames in there!” I slugged his shoulder as he passed me and jogged back down the stairs.

  I could tell Lindy was holding back a laugh as she held open her apartment door for us. “Welcome home, Autumn.”

  Tiny butterflies invaded my stomach as I stepped into the apartment I had heard so much about. It was clean and smelled like cucumber-melon, Lindy’s favorite scent. It was smaller than it looked in pictures, but I loved it anyway. The living room furniture was mismatched. I knew it was second hand but it all came together cute. Her plum colored sofa was accented with vibrant striped throw pillows. The pillows matched the floor rug situated under a retro wooden coffee table covered in a tall stack of celeb gossip magazines. A vintage looking dresser she had painted white held a TV, DVR, and DVD player. Sheer vanilla colored curtains hung from all the windows, and clusters of photos dotted the room. A small eat in kitchen with a dinette table sat to the left of the living room. I noticed a silver framed picture of us from high school on the counter in the kitchen next a clear vase of Gerber daisies.

  “What do you think?” she asked, throwing her arm around my shoulder.

  “I love it,” I said and squeezed her.

  “What a beautiful apartment, Lindy.” Mom gushed. “It smells so nice in here.”

  “Thanks! Make yourselves at home, there’s drinks in the fridge,” Lindy said and took me by the hand. “Let’s go see your room!”

  She led me through the living room to the hall. I peeked into the only bathroom, which was located between the bedrooms, decorated in lavender and white floral prints that screamed Lindy’s style. Afterwards she led me to my bedroom door, which was to the right of the bathroom.

  “Close your eyes.” she commanded.

  I did as I was told. I heard the doorknob turn and she pulled me inside.

  “Open them!”

  My eyes opened to a sunlit room with a single bed and simple white antique furnishings. The Victorian style white metal headboard matched perfectly with the blue and white floral print bedding, complete with fluffy throw pillows. A vase of artificial white daisies sat on the bedside table next to a picture of us. The words Best Friends was printed on the frame. The walls were white and bare besides a single picture that hung over the bed. It was an inspirational quote that read: accept your past without regret, face your future without fear.

  My throat tightened with emotion and I smiled.

  “So, you love it, right?”

  “I do, thank you.” I turned and hugged her tight. “I love that quote.”

  “I found that at a thrift store and I thought of you when I read it.” She smiled and squeezed me.

  “It’s just what I needed.”

  “It’s the truth. It’s time for you to stop living in the past.”

  “Yeah, I’m going to try.” I looked over my shoulder hearing my grandmother complain about the stairs.

  “Ready to kiss them goodbye?” she asked with a smile.

  “You have no idea.”

  We walked back out to the living room to find Grandma at the dining table and my mother going through one of my suitcases.

  “Mom?” I frowned. “What are you doing?”

  “I was making sure I put that first aid kit in your bag… I also packed you a few of my own scarves in case you need extra ones.”

  “I don’t think I’ll need extra scarves, it doesn’t even really snow down here.”

  “Where is that damn first aid kit?” she snapped. “I swore I put it in this suitcase.”

  Lindy and I exchanged a glance and I walked over to my mother and calmly took her hands out of my suitcase. She looked up at me and the frustration in her eyes turned to resignation.

  “I’ll buy another one, Mom. I’m twenty, not two. I’ll be fine.”

  “I’m going to miss you so much, Auti,” she whispered and pulled me into a tight hug.

  “I’m going to miss you too, Mom.” Tears invaded my vision unexpectedly and my chest ached. Maybe I would miss her more than I thought.

  She stroked my hair and sniffled. “Call me every day like you promised.”

  “I will.” I whispered back and fought off my unshed tears.

  “Do you have a bathroom? All this driving messes up my plumbing,” Grandma said.

  “Yeah, down the hall, first door on the right.” Lindy answered with a laugh.

  “You have toilet paper in there don’t you?” Grandma asked as she hobbled past her with her cane.

  “Can we get something to eat? I’m dying of starvation,” Josh groaned.

  “I was planning to stop someplace nearby,” Mom said, dabbing the corners of her eyes with her fingers. “Grandma needs to eat to take her pills.”

  “Are you excited to be a senior this year, Josh?” Lindy asked my brother, who had made himself comfortable on her sofa.

  “Not really. High school fucking blows. I can’t wait until I get to go to college.”

  “Watch your mouth.” Mom chided.

  “College is no joke either,” Lindy said. “You don’t have anyone to hassle you to go to class. It’s easy to fail.”

  He shrugged and tossed the gossip magazine he was looking through back on her coffee table. “I’ll probably never get to go to college anyway. Autumn got lucky because she got a scholarship. I’ll just be a line cook at Malones for the rest of my life.”

  “You say that like it’s a terrible thing, Josh,” Mom said. “You’re getting experience. Maybe you can be a chef someday.”

  “Oh yay,” Josh mocked. “I’d rather be getting experience in other areas. I hate cooking.”

  “Well, I hate cleaning,” Mom said, after she zipped my suitcase back up. “But I still clean up after you don’t I?”

  Grandma came back into the room and looked at all of us. “Are we leaving, Lori? It’s almost dinner time and I need to take my pills.”

  “Yes Mother, we will leave in a minute,” Mom said turning to Lindy and I. “Did you girls want to come to dinner with us one last time?”

  “You act like you’ll never see me again, Mom.”

  “It feels like it’s an eternity until Thanksgiving.” Mom frowned.

  “I’m not hungry, I’d rather get settled in.”

  “Are you sure, Auti?” she said, petting my arm. “You barely ate this morning, you were so anxious to get on the road.”

  “Yeah, I’m great. You guys go ahead.”

  “Well, okay. Make sure you call me tonight like you promised, you know… to let me know you are okay.”

  “I will Mom,” I pulled her against me and gave her one last big hug then I did the same to my grandmother.

  “You behave yourself, Autumn. Don’t come home with any tattoos or a SND.”

  I laughed. “I don’t plan on coming in contact with either of those things, so you don’t have to worry.”

  “Take good care of her Lindy. Make sure she makes good choices,” Mom said, wringing her hands. She acted as if she was dropping me off in the middle of the Congo.

  Lindy smiled and took my hand. “I will, Mrs. M., stop worrying!”

  We followed the three of them to the door.

  Mom’s lower lip quivered as she looked at me one last time. “Be good.”

  “I will!” I groaned.

  “Josh, hug your sister,” Mom demanded when he tried to sneak past me without a goodbye.

  Josh turned and reluctant
ly waited for me to hug him.

  “See you asshole,” I said yanking him against me.

  He pat my back extra hard. “Whatever dumbass.”

  Mom sighed. “When will you two stop with the name calling?”

  “Never.” Josh shouldered past Mom and out the door.

  “Lori? Are you coming? I need help with these stairs!” Grandma yelled from outside.

  The emotional turmoil on Mom’s face faded. “I’m coming, Mother.”

  Lindy and I hung back and watched the three of them as they descended the steps. Once they reached the bottom, Mom looked back up at us and gave one last wave just as two hot guys were walking down the sidewalk.

  “Call me! I love you, Babygirl!” she yelled just in time for them to hear.

  I waved back and then covered my face.

  Lindy giggled. “She’s so crazy. Come on…” She pulled me back into the apartment and shut the door. “You’re finally free! No more annoying family, no more Malones! What do you want to do first?”

  “I want to eat a steak.”

  “What?” She laughed.

  “Mom’s boyfriend Gary is a vegetarian so she is on a health kick. I haven’t had red meat in a month. I need meat, Lindy!” I said, shaking her.

  “Okay!” she laughed. “Let me grab the keys to—”

  “Are they gone?” an unknown male voice asked unexpectedly.

  I let out a yelp and clung to Lindy. We both looked over to see a tall guy watching us, dressed in jeans and a navy blue Adelphi wrestling t-shirt.

  “Dammit Tyler! You scared the crap out of me!” Lindy said.

  Tyler? Her boyfriend? Was he in the apartment the whole time?

  He laughed and his bright blue eyes shifted to me. “You must be Autumn.”

  “Autumn, meet my boyfriend Tyler,” Lindy said as she pulled me toward him.

  He flashed me a friendly smile and combed his fingers through his short brown hair. “Nice to meet you finally. Lindy has told me all about you. It’ll be nice to have you living with us.”

  I reached out to shake his hand and then pulled back fast when I heard his comment. “Wait… what? You live here, too?”

  “Yeah, didn’t Lindy tell you?” he asked, giving Lindy a look.

  “No, she didn’t.” I answered and narrowed my eyes at Lindy.

  Lindy’s brow knitted with worry and she bit down on her glossy lower lip. “Yeah...that’s what I meant when I told you I had a surprise for you when you got here.” A nervous smile crept across her face. “He moved in last week. You’re not mad are you?”

  Mad? Why would I be mad? I had my whole life planned around living with my best friend and going to college. Now I suddenly had to share my space with her boyfriend I didn’t know. I wasn’t mad, I was livid.

  “It’s only temporary…until he gets into a frat,” Lindy assured me.

  “Yeah, it should be like two months tops,” he added.

  I looked over at Tyler then back at Lindy, my blood that was boiling turned to a simmer. Two months I could deal with, as long as it wasn’t permanent.

  “It would have been nice if you would have let me know first. This isn’t the kind of surprise you just spring on someone.”

  “I know, I’m really sorry Auti,” Lindy whined in her forgive me voice. “I didn’t want to freak you out. I know you were stressed out enough with moving and everything.”

  I looked between the two of them, still not comfortable with the idea.

  “I’m not a slob, don’t worry,” he said to me then flashed Lindy a smile, throwing his arm around her. “Tell her.”

  She smiled up at him and caught his hand in hers. “He’s amazing.”

  I bet.

  I grimaced as they rubbed their noses together and shared a soft kiss that made me gag.

  What the hell was I getting myself into? Seeing her looking at him like that made me nauseated. My best friend suddenly turned into a lovesick loser.

  “I guess I’ll go and unpack,” I said, walking to my suitcase on the kitchen table.

  “Let me get that for you!” Tyler stepped in front of me before I could grab it.

  “No, it’s okay. I don’t need help,” I argued, probably sounding a little more acidic than polite.

  “I need to do my part around here…let me get it.” He snatched up the suitcase and my duffle bag near the door and carried both off toward my room.

  Lindy bit her lower lip as I marched past her with my clothes basket, following Tyler.

  As he left my bags in the middle of my bedroom, his cell phone rang and thankfully, he abandoned me to take the call.

  Lindy came in and sat on my bed while I unpacked.

  “Isn’t he cute?” she asked. And when I didn’t reply, “He’s cute, right? You’re not mad, right?”

  “Like I said, it would have been nice if you actually asked me if it was okay first.”

  “It wasn’t like I planned on it. He got kicked out of his parents’ house, and I was the only one who could take him in. What was I supposed to do?”

  Tyler stepped back into the room before I could answer and sat down on the bed next to Lindy. I turned my back and ignored them while I unpacked, hoping the awkward silence would scare them off, but unfortunately it didn’t. Tyler rambled about the wrestling team and Lindy sat there and nodded like a dumb blond. Maybe bleach did kill brain cells, because the Lindy I knew never kept things from me.

  I shut the top dresser drawer extra hard to interrupt them. “You guys don’t have to sit here and keep me company.”

  “We want to,” Lindy said, her fingers laced with his.

  “Hey Autumn, I heard you wanted a steak for dinner,” Tyler said. “I know a great place right around here. It would be my treat.”

  I glanced over at Tyler, my hunger pangs suddenly flaring up. A steak was the least he could do after the roommate bomb was dropped on me.

  “Sure. I’m starving.” Maybe I could learn to like him.

  Tyler climbed off the bed and clapped his hands together like he was breaking up a football huddle. “You can unpack later. Let’s go!”

  I refrained from rolling my eyes.

  Never mind about learning to like him.

  I didn’t take directions from idiots, especially ones who had jock itch. Lindy on the other hand was bouncing after him like a dumb puppy. I tossed down my handful of socks and sighed. This was going to be the longest two months of my life.

  We rode to the restaurant in Tyler’s black BMW sedan. I learned that Tyler’s parents both lived in the Hamptons and his father was a heart surgeon. He bragged that his father bought him his Beemer for his twenty-first birthday and he prided himself in never having worked a day in his life. Those two things gave me more reason to not like him. I couldn’t believe Lindy would date some spoiled rich kid like Tyler. It also made me wonder why Tyler couldn’t find a place to live if he was so well taken care of. Something told me this was a set up.

  The Black Steer Steakhouse was decorated in western décor, from rough wood floors to cow suede seat covers. Once the server took our orders and left, Tyler reached over and took up Lindy’s hand for the tenth time since we arrived.

  “So, are you from Hamilton too, Autumn?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” I dropped my straw into my iced tea and took a sip. “So, how did you two meet anyway?”

  “Through a friend at a spring break party,” Tyler said and rubbed his thumb over the back of Lindy’s hand. “She was in the pool wearing this sexy little pink bikini and I just couldn’t look away. So, I asked my friend Vivian what her name was, and I thought Lindy was the cutest name I ever heard. So Vivian walked me over and introduced us, and we’ve been inseparable ever since.”

  “I can’t believe it’s already been five months,” Lindy gushed at him with a stupid smile.

  “I know, I still think you’re the hottest girl at Adelphi,” he said and kissed her.

  I rolled my eyes and sipped my iced tea, looking out over the restaura
nt. I wondered if I could really get used to this arrangement. Neither of us ever had a serious boyfriend, and I wasn’t used to seeing her like this. I turned back to them and just in time to see them rub their noses together.

  “So, how long until you get accepted into the fraternity?” I interrupted.

  Tyler pulled away and turned to me. “Well, it’s actually not that easy to get accepted. The rush is the first thing.”

  “Rush?”

  “Yeah, it’s when all the frats throw parties and you have to attend them and meet the members. Then if they like you, you’ll hopefully get a bid.”

  “They bid on you? Like horse racing?”

  Lindy laughed. “No silly, bidding just means they will bid on Tyler for a place in their fraternity and then comes the fun part…”

  “Pledge time.” Tyler said.

  I bit down on the end of my straw. “What happens at pledge time?”

  “I’m at their mercy. They can make insane dares and I have to do them or I won’t get in.”

  “Like what kind of dares?”

  “Like eat twenty raw hot dogs or let a poisonous snake crawl through my clothes.”

  I blinked. “What if you chicken out?”

  “I lose my frat brothers trust and I don’t get in.”

  “Is it worth it?”

  “Hell yes it’s worth it,” he said, as if I was crazy. “This is my second year of college. I have to make it in this year. Last year I was a freshman and freshmen’s never get in. But I’ve met a lot of the frat brothers and I think my chances of getting in are good this year. You two are going to come to rush parties with me, right?”

  “Of course we will baby,” Lindy said all snuggled up under his arm.

  Now she was electing me to go to parties, too?

  I stared at Lindy and narrowed my eyes. “When did you start partying, Lindy?”

  She shrugged. “Since I arrived at Adelphi and got a life. Don’t worry. College parties are different from high school parties, Autumn. Everyone just lets loose and has a good time.”

  I didn’t see any difference about the two, besides maybe the age and curfew. I drew a breath and remembered the last time I went to a party and how horrible it went. I guessed she could sense my apprehension because she tilted her head and gave me a knowing look. “Remember what you said about not living in the past and how you wanted to try new things?”