“Can I help you?” a voice asked. Hannah turned around. A dark-haired, dark-eyed girl, a little shorter than Hannah but probably older, was standing next to her. She smiled shyly. “That’s pretty, isn’t it?”
Hannah picked up the necklace and held it up to the young woman. She flinched, but didn’t move. Hannah closed one eye to better appreciate the effect. “I think you’d look better in this than I would.” She put the necklace down. “I bet if you wore it so people could see how good it looked, they’d buy more.”
The girl laughed. “Oh, I’m not allowed to do that, but thank you.”
“How come?”
“They’d think I was stealing.”
Hannah shrugged. “That’s stupid,” she said flatly. “I’m not getting paid for another two weeks. Do you think you can hold onto it for me until then?”
The girl looked around. “No problem,” she whispered, then took the necklace and put it in a drawer under the cart.
“Cool. I’m Hannah,” she said, sticking out her hand.
The girl looked at her hand, then gingerly shook it. “Mariela,” she said softly.
“Nice to meet you. Sorry, I’ve got to run; can’t be late my first day.”
“Oh no!” Mariela said. “Please, go on.”
“See you later!” Hannah said as she walked off. She found herself smiling, but didn’t know why.
Josh was waiting for her with a plate of food when she got home. “Are you stupid?” he asked as soon as she sat down. “It’s eleven-thirty at night. You could have been killed biking at this hour.”
Hannah swallowed her food. “I had my brights on.”
“You are not doing this again,” he said firmly.
“Actually, I’m doing it tomorrow.”
“What time does your shift end?”
“Five.”
Josh sighed. Hannah knew he was going to be at work. “Okay, do that this weekend, but next Friday, you’re going to wait for me to pick you up, got it?”
“You mean you’ll let me bike over there? Gee, thanks.”
“Shut up and eat,” Josh said, mussing up her hair.
Hannah visited Mariela the next day on her lunch break. Mariela was surprised but happy to see her. “How was your first day at work?”
Hannah shrugged. “Fine. Not that hard. Just give people food, not too much, not too little, get stuff from the back before you run out. Follow recipes.”
Mariela smiled. “Do you cook a lot at home?”
“Sometimes,” Hannah answered. “Simple things like eggs and spaghetti. Josh does most of the cooking at home.”
“Who’s Josh?”
“My older brother. My parents are awful cooks, but he’s really good.”
“How did he learn to cook then?”
Hannah thought for a moment. “I think it was all those cooking shows on PBS.”
Mariela laughed. “I guess we all have to eat,” she said, then put her hand to her stomach.
Hannah looked at her hand. “Are you hungry?”
“Oh, no,” Mariela said quickly. “I’ll be eating lunch soon.”
Hannah could tell she was lying. She wished she hadn’t just eaten all of her lunch right before she came over. Hmm... “Are you working tomorrow?”
Mariela nodded. “Yes, same as today.”
“Good,” Hannah said.
That night, she asked Josh to make her lunch for tomorrow. “And a lot of it.”
“Aren’t you working at a salad place?”
“Your stuff’s better, and cheaper.”
The next day, Hannah brought a sandwich and salad to Mariela. “I didn’t want to you think I was lying about how good my brother was.”
Mariela blushed as she took the food. “Thank you. I’m sure he’s as good as you say.”
“So,” Hannah said, trying to change the subject, “how long have you worked here?”
“Two months,” Mariela said. She turned away as Hannah was about to ask where she’d worked before. “Where do you go to school?”
Hannah wrinkled her nose. “Wakefield High. I’m a freshman. What year are you?”
Mariela shoulders tensed. “I don’t go to school.”
Hannah nodded. “Yeah, Josh dropped out last year too.”
Mariela relaxed a little bit. “He didn’t like school?”
“Of course not! School sucks.”
Mariela looked down. “I liked it,” she said softly.
Hannah waited a moment. “What year would you be?”
“Junior, I think. I really have to clean up this display,” she said, turning to the already well organized and dusted merchandise. “Thank you so much for the sandwich. And please tell your brother I said thank you.”
“Sure,” Hannah said hesitantly. “I’ll come back on Friday and you can tell me whether it was good.”
Mariela turned back to her and smiled sweetly. “I’d like that.”
Josh reminded her the next Friday morning that he was picking her up that night. “So don’t do anything stupid and leave before I can get there, okay?”
Hannah frowned. “Why don’t you just get there after work so you can make sure I don’t?”
Josh flicked her shoulder. “I think I just might, okay?”
“See you later!”
Hannah arrived at Mariela’s cart before her shift started. “So how was it?” she asked by way of greeting.
Mariela laughed. “It was delicious. Your brother really is a very good cook.”
“Good,” Hannah said, producing another container of food. “Because I’d hate to think this was going to be wasted.”
Mariela smiled. “You’re so sweet! I wish there was something I could do for you.”
Hannah shrugged. “Are you kidding me? I’d be bored out of my mind if I didn’t have a break like this to look forward to, and who knows what kind of trouble I’d get into then.”
Mariela looked at Hannah out of the corner of her eye. “Yes, but I have a feeling you wouldn’t get caught.”
Hannah raised her eyebrows. “Naturally.”
Josh showed up at her counter at six-thirty. “Hi, sis!”
Hannah giggled. “I’m sorry, sir, unless you’re going to buy something, you’re not allowed to come to the counter.”
“What time is your break?”
“Fifteen minutes.”
“Fine, you can talk to me then.”
“Okay, but only if you buy a soda so we can take it to Mariela.”
Josh frowned. “Who’s Mariela?”
“My friend,” she said with emphasis. “Now get out of here.”
Twenty minutes later, Hannah and Josh walked to Mariela’s stand. She brightened as soon as she saw them. “Hi!” she said. “It’s so good to see you.” She turned to Josh. “And you must be Hannah’s brother Josh, the very good cook.”
Hannah had never seen Josh flustered before. She was pretty sure he was blushing too. “Um, yeah. That’s me,” he said, putting out his hand which was holding the soda. “Uh, this is for you. It’s a soda, because it’s hot.”
Hannah was stunned into silence as she watched her brother. “Oh, aren’t you sweet?” Mariela said as she took the soda. “I’m Mariela.”
“I know!” Josh said, and now Hannah was blushing.
“So, Mariela,” Hannah said quickly. “How was business this week?”
Mariela sighed and shook her head. “Not too good. But it never is during the week unless it’s right around Christmas.”
“What do you sell?” Josh asked.
Mariela laughed. “All of this,” she said, gesturing at the stand. “Scarves, hats, headbands, bracelets, necklaces. Sometimes even some perfume. Perfect for your mom?” she asked, then winked. Hannah and Josh both laughed. “Then maybe for your little sister?” She opened the drawer under the stand and took out the necklace. “Wouldn’t Hannah look pretty in that?”
“Ugh, no!” Josh said involuntarily. “She’d look silly.”
“Thanks, br
o!” Hannah said as she elbowed him in the ribs.
Mariela smiled. “You two are so lucky.”
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Josh asked.
Hannah looked at her watch. “I think I should get back to work,” she said loudly.
“Okay,” Josh said, still smiling at Mariela. “I’ll see you after your shift.”
“Yeah, don’t rush on my account,” Hannah mumbled as she walked away, then giggled all the way back to work.
Josh was at her counter an hour and a half later. “Can I get you anything, sir?” she asked sarcastically.
“Huh? Oh, no, I already picked up a sandwich for me and Mariela. So... Did you really want that necklace?” he asked quickly.
She leaned forward. “No. I was going to get it as a present for her. I thought she could advertise better that way.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s a good idea,” he said, nodding and grinning. “Would you mind if I did it? I mean, you haven’t been paid yet, and she could do it more quickly, and maybe she’d sell more.”
Hannah struggled not to laugh. “I think that’s a great idea. You should go do that right now,” she said as solemnly as she could.
“Yeah. You’re right. Okay, I will.” He started to run off, then turned and said, “And I’ll see you when your shift is over. So don’t go anywhere, okay?”
“Not unless I have to find you,” she muttered to herself. And she knew just where she would.
Hannah thought she'd never seen Josh smile as much as he did on the ride home. She cleared her throat. "Do you think you can give me a ride home tomorrow? My legs are getting tired from biking six and a half miles both ways."
Josh grinned. "I think I can manage that."
The next day at work, Hannah handed Mariela another container of food on her lunch break. "You shouldn't have," Mariela said, blushing. "I'll have to bring the containers you already gave me tomorrow."
Hannah noticed that Mariela was wearing the pink necklace. "I told you that would look pretty on you," Hannah said appreciatively.
Mariela gently fingered the necklace. "You and your brother are so nice. You really shouldn't have." Mariela smiled. "Is your brother coming to pick you up tonight?"
Hannah leaned forward. "I made sure of it," she whispered, and both girls laughed.
Hannah came to Mariela's stand after work and found her brother with her new friend. Hannah thought worrying about whether a boy liked you was gross and mushy and a little weak, but when she saw the two of them together, she grudgingly acknowledged why people thought it was important. It was nice to not be lonely.
The next Sunday, Hannah had convinced Mariela to sit and take lunch with her on the bench next to her stand. Mariela stared at the stand nervously and seemed ready to jump any time anyone walked past it. "Doesn't anyone else work here?" It occurred to Hannah that no one ever came to relieve Mariela to give her a break.
Mariela smiled nervously. "No, it's just me."
Hannah didn't like that idea. "Do you work here every day?"
Mariela looked around, then nodded. "It's okay," she said quickly. "I get to keep a commission on anything I sell."
Hannah could tell she was lying again, but she didn't poke it. "Where did you work before this?"
"I cleaned offices." She sighed a little. "With my mother."
"Does your mom still do that?"
Mariela nodded, looking away. She cleared her throat. "She's a very hard worker. She wanted me to do this because it wasn't as hard."
Hannah scoffed. "My parents aren't. But Josh is, and I want to take some of the pressure off of him."
"What pressure?"
Hannah sagged into the bench a little bit. "He dropped out of school last year and he was so excited about working and saving some money, but then Jerry and Meg started making him pay rent."
"Who are Jerry and Meg?"
"Sorry, my parents. I don't call them Mom and Dad because, well, they're not."
"They're not nice?"
Hannah shook her head. "They leave me alone, but they're not nice to Josh. They always called him stupid, but didn't help him with his homework. And they made him work from the time he was really young."
"And then they made you work? That's why you're here?"
"Ha!" Hannah said bitterly. "I'm here because I want to help Josh. I want him to save some of his money so he can get away from Jerry and Meg."
"I don't think he wants to leave," Mariela said gently. "I think he wants to stay with his little sister."
She swallowed. That thought had occurred to Hannah too. "Then I'll go with him," she said quietly. She lightly punched Mariela's shoulder. "And we'll take you with us."
Mariela's sighed. "I can't leave my mom."
"What do you and Mariela talk about?" she asked Josh on the way home.
Josh blushed. "Just, you know, stuff," he muttered.
Hannah rolled her eyes. "You are such a loser! Any real, you know, stuff?"
"Like what?"
"Like...where is she from? Why is she working there?" Hannah scratched her head. "Anything about her mom?"
"I think she worries about her mom." He paused. "I think she's sharing her food with her."
"Then make some more," Hannah said matter-of-factly.
Hannah walked to Mariela's stand on her break Friday night, but before she got there, she saw Mariela talking to an older man: overweight, balding, grey. The drawer was open and he was pointing at it. Mariela was shaking her head while the man talked. Her eyes seemed to be filling with tears. Hannah started walking toward her. Mariela caught sight of her and shook her head again. Hannah nodded, then turned around.
She took out her cellphone and sent Josh a message.
Go to her stand NOW.
‘What's wrong?’
I don't know, but some big guy is there and she's crying.
Josh didn't write back, but Hannah knew he was on his way.
When Hannah found the two of them after work, Mariela and Josh were arguing. "Because if you come back, I will get in a lot of trouble!" Mariela said desperately. She saw Hannah and her eyes filled up with tears. "I'm sorry. Please go."
"That guy—" Josh started to say.
"Is in charge," Mariela finished. She fought back tears. "Please go before he comes back."
Hannah put her hand on Josh's arm. "Let's go." Josh looked like he wanted to cry too, but Hannah dragged him away. "I can see her tomorrow," Hannah said softly.
"Fine," Josh said reluctantly.
"Thank you," Mariela whispered, tears streaming down her face.
"What happened?" she asked as soon as they were out of earshot.
"When I got there, the guy was gone but Mariela was crying. She said I couldn't come anymore because..." he scoffed, shaking his head. "Because she wasn't making enough money and they said it was because she was too busy talking to people who weren't buying anything from her."
"But...no one sells from stands like that this time of year. Mariela said so herself."
Josh wiped his eyes. "She was really scared, and now she's telling me I have to leave her alone."
"But did she say I have to leave her alone?" she asked.
"No, but—"
"Good." She put her finger on her lips. "Don't forget to make lunch tomorrow."
Hannah took Mariela lunch the next day. Mariela looked tense, but Hannah put on her fakest smile. "Hi! I can't stay long, I just wanted to drop this off." She put a bag with the container of food on Mariela's stand. "Can you make sure that you give me that container back tomorrow? Oh, and you should take a look at it to make sure you can eat it."
Mariela was puzzled, but she opened the bag. Hannah saw her take the folded piece of white paper and put it in her pocket. "Yes," she said, tying up the bag. "It looks delicious as usual."
Hannah received a text message a half hour later.
It's not safe. This isn't my phone.
‘Okay, but at least you have our numbers. Just delete this message and the
one you sent.’
Josh picked her up that night. “Maybe we should find Mariela another job,” she said as soon as she was buckled in. Josh was silent. “What? It’s not hard to give people food, and at least you get tips.”
“I don’t think she can leave,” Josh finally said.
“What are you talking about?” Hannah asked. She was angry and didn’t understand why. “You can’t have slaves anymore.”
“People break laws all the time,” Josh answered, not looking at her. “What makes you think they can’t break that one?”
Hannah had always absorbed information quickly, but for some reason, she didn’t want to absorb this. “You think Mariela’s a slave?”
Josh swallowed. “I don’t know. Maybe she’s being paid a little bit…maybe. But if she can’t quit, it’s the same thing.” He smiled sadly. “She’d rather be in school, Hannah. She didn’t start working because she wanted to.”
Hannah sat back and thought. “Okay,” she said after she made herself accept what her brother had said. “Then we’re going to get her out.”
Josh reached over and squeezed Hannah’s hand. “Yeah, we are. But how are we going to do it?”
“I’ll think of something.”
There was a kid in school named Hank Hope who everyone knew was a dealer. But there were other rumors about him, and that was what Hannah was interested in. She found him after school on Monday and he looked her up and down as if he were about to enjoy a really good meal.
“I thought you were straight,” Hank said as Hannah leaned against the school building.
“I am,” Hannah said calmly. “But I understand you can get me...other stuff?”
Hank clicked his tongue and winked. “Depends on what you’re looking for.”
“I want a phone.”
He made a face. “Seriously? Go down to Radio Shack. Don’t you work in the mall?”
“I want it untraceable, and I want it already hooked up to a phone company.”
Hank looked more interested. “What’ve you got going on?”
“I just thought it would be good to have a backup. Just in case.”
“Alright, it’s cool. You don’t have to tell me.” He moved closer to her. “Anything else I can do for you?”
Use mouthwash. “Maybe,” she said instead. “What if I needed to come into some cash quickly?”
Needs, Wants and Other Weaknesses (The New Pioneers Book 6) Page 6