Caching In

by Tracy Krimmer

  I rushed out of the bank so fast, customers could've mistaken me for a robber. I jumped in my car, realizing I didn't grab my lunch. Shit. No more incoming money meant I needed to save every piece of food I could get, but I was never going back in that place. Ever. I planned on closing my account because I didn’t want to keep my (soon to be dwindling) account there. In order to avoid embarrassment, I would need to go to a different branch. Fine. I left behind a yogurt and banana - barely two dollars. Possibly, the part of my brain that liked to overreact was taking over, too.

  I started the car, and the tears flowed, trickles of my security racing down my cheeks, under my nose and tracing my mouth. I gulped in the air, until I drove with not only a fit of tears, but a case of the hiccups, too. Certain Chelsea probably accepted the job, I tried to remember despite how disgusting her methods were to obtain it, and she truly needed the money. If forced to live on Ramen noodles at thirty cents a pop, so be it. She needed to feed her baby.

  The bank was only opened a mere ten minutes when I rushed out. What was I going to do with myself? I wanted to call Seth. I wanted him to pick up the phone so I could scream at the top of my lungs, asking if he was back together with his ex and why he lied about it. I wanted to shove my past in his face, and make him feel like a piece of shit for screwing me over the same way Josh did. After I finished with that, I would add the tidbit I just got fired, to make him feel worse.

  Except it wouldn’t. Guys like Seth and Josh - they didn’t care about anyone but themselves. As long as they got laid and didn’t get infected with some STD, they moved through girls like we occupied a conveyor belt. Today proved I should accept my single status for life. One-night stands didn’t suit me, either, so I probably needed to invest in a cut out of Harry Styles and a vibrator. Of course, with no income, I would settle for a CD cover and washing machine.

  The song “Happy” began blaring out of the radio, so I pressed the button to shut it off, surprised I didn’t hurt myself in the time being. “Fuck!” I smacked my hand on my steering wheel, pain vibrating through my hand. “Fuck!” I yelled again. I turned my head and saw a little old lady in a Cadillac next to me looking at me like she witnessed me eating someone’s head for a snack. At least if I were a zombie, I’d have a means to eat, and the whole losing my job thing wouldn’t make a difference.

  I needed something - or someone - to snap me out of it. I grabbed my phone off the passenger side seat, well aware that I’d probably have to dump the smart phone at my next contract renewal if I didn’t find a job by then, and dialed.

  “Perry!” I yelled his name at the sound of his voice.

  “Hey, Ally. What’s up? Why are you calling me in the middle of the day?”

  I pulled over to the side of the road to chat with him. I was nothing if not uncoordinated if I used my phone the same time I drove. “I had one hell of a night and probably an even worse morning.”

  “Oh, no. Did you and that Seth guy get totally shit faced and do it in a public place, only to get arrested for indecent exposure?”

  “You wish,” I told my brother, known for his inability to hide his affections in public places. “Worse.”

  “What could be worse?”

  In one breath I filled him in. “Well, I went to visit Seth last night after my boss told me how Chelsea sold me out to secure the promotion I deserved, and found out he was hanging out with his ex-wife, and I went off on my boss this morning when Chelsea got the promotion instead of me, and accused him of sexual harassment, and he fired me.”

  “Slow down, Ally. Breathe.”

  I snorted as I sucked in more tears. “What am I going to do?”

  “Come see me. Come to Nevada.”

  “Um, did you hear me? I lost my job like five minutes ago. I can’t afford that.” Every penny to my name I needed to use wisely, and only one more paycheck was coming. After that, my income ceased to exist. I would join the unemployment line, and I had no idea what kind of an income that gave me. “Besides, I want to be here for Chelsea. She’s pregnant, and she’s finally coming to terms with the fact that Daniel isn’t going to be around.”

  “You what? Why would you stick around for her? She screwed you over to get ahead, and it’s not your fault she’s pregnant.”

  “I understand, Perry, but she’s Chelsea. She did what she thought she had to do, and I’m sure she didn’t mean to hurt me. She’s not like that.”

  Perry didn’t respond for what seemed like a full minute. “Just come to visit. Crash here for a while.”

  God, I’d love to. I’d never been out to visit him, and I wanted to explore the casinos and the desert land, hopefully run into a few movie stars, during a big Vegas red carpet event like the Billboard Music Awards, and take long bike rides and clear my head. But, my frugal mind took over. I couldn’t use my reserves for a trip. “Sorry, Perry. I want to, but, Chelsea aside, it’s not a smart thing to do.”

  “What are you going to tell Mom?”

  “Nothing yet. She doesn’t need to know. The same way I didn’t need to know…” I stopped myself. It was my mom’s responsibility to tell him about Paul, not mine.

  “What, Ally?”

  “Forget it.”

  Not one to pry, Perry said, “Your secret is safe with me.”

  Secrets. Everyone had them, and everyone swore to keep them. Biggest lie ever. Secrets weren’t meant to be kept. The same way trust was meant to be broken. Show me a one-hundred percent loyal person, and I’d be able to show you a hundred backstabbers.

  “So what should I do, Perry?”

  “Open up the classifieds. Start looking.”

  Obvious point. “And Seth?”

  He sighed. “I don’t know this guy, but it sounds like you like him a lot. Confront him. Put it out there and listen to what he has to say.”

  “What if I don’t like what he says?”

  “Then you don’t, and you move on. But you’ll never know the truth unless you ask for it.”

  I hated when my brother was right.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  The dry heat hit me as I stepped out of the airport and into the cab waiting for me. The last time I came to Las Vegas was when Perry first moved away years ago. At twenty-five, he insisted moving out of state would guarantee his success. I worried about him getting lost in the casinos and gambling away every cent to his name. Over the course of time he lived there, he proved me wrong and then some. Not only did he barely set foot in a casino, he immediately obtained a job as a personal assistant and maintained a steady income. When some acting opportunities began rolling in, he quit the assistant job to focus on his dream. The smart guy he is, he created a savings account for himself, and when the acting jobs stopped, the money allowed him to continue his lifestyle for a few months. Thankfully, a full-time gig opened up and his income started increasing again.

  I mulled over Perry’s offer to visit for the entire day as I waited for Seth to call or text me. For the life of me, I couldn’t understand why he didn’t at least try to explain. Kate didn’t like me, so I didn’t doubt she hid from Seth I stopped by, and if she did tell him, she probably made up some lie to make him not call me. His unwillingness to even put an effort into our relationship pained me in a way I didn’t think possible. I wanted to try with him, as Perry suggested. When he called me to explain about Alyssa, I planned to hear him out and try and make things work, if we could. Apparently, he didn’t feel the same, and Chelsea, well, that friendship was destined to be damaged for a while, if not forever. She should have talked to me instead of swooping in underneath me and taking the job. Never did I feel more alone, which was why I needed to go see my brother. The next day, I purchased a ticket with my rewards credit card and sixteen hours later, boarded on a plane.

  Twenty minutes later the cab rolled up to Perry’s stucco covered home in Henderson. I pictured the outside much different than what I saw. When he first moved to Las Vegas, he rented a small apartment. I knew he upgraded when he started working full-time
again, but he downplayed the size of the house. Seeing the rocks for the “lawn” already made me miss Wisconsin. Sure, trees still covered the area and plenty of greenery surrounded his home, but it wasn’t the same as a plush green lawn. I thanked the cab driver, handed him cash, and stood at the bottom of the driveway, my suitcase set down next to me. I didn’t tell Perry I decided to come.

  The garage door was shut, so I hoped he was home. It was four in the afternoon, but already six by my clock, and my stomach didn’t disagree. Four long years passed since we saw each other last - despite the texts we shared weekly - and for some reason my body tingled with nerves. I picked up my suitcase and headed for the front door.

  I gripped my suitcase in one hand while I rang the bell with the other. I hoped this didn’t turn out to be a mistake. Perry typically loved surprises, mostly if they benefited him and included a night out with beer and presents. I wasn’t sure how his sister dropping her suitcase on his doorstep and expecting a place to stay for a week would go over, even if a few days before he offered.

  The lock clicked, the door opened, and Perry stood before me, his dark hair matted to his head, full of who knows how much hair product, his once clean - shaved look replaced by a full beard and mustache, which fit him very well. His eyes opened wide and he smiled, yelling my name as he opened the door and pulled me into his arms.

  “What are you doing here, Ally?” He let go of me. “I thought you refused to come and,” he created air quotes, “waste your money on an airplane ride.”

  I shook my head and let out a sigh. “I feel so alone.”

  “Oh, sis, I’m so sorry. Come in, come in.” He picked up my suitcase and waved me in.

  I walked in behind him, entering into a huge great room with wood floors varying in darks and lights. Ahead of me a staircase disappeared into a second level. I admired the archway from the great room into the kitchen, which welcomed me with deep blue walls and simple, gray tile floors. Oak cabinets filled the open room, and the granite counter tops made me curse my linoleum. “Perry, how can you afford this? Did you make it big on some TV show or movie I’m unaware of?” I ran my hand down the cool granite.

  “I kind of have a roommate.”

  My brother Perry with roommate? Never. Perry needed space. He wanted to be able to come and go as he pleased, not do any laundry, order take out every night, and entertain plenty of women. “Doesn’t a roommate cramp your style?”

  Perry smirked, his eyes sparkling. “No. Not this time.”

  Okay, something was up with my brother. I’d tackle him later for details. I needed food. “I’m starving. My internal clock thinks it’s six. Can we go eat?”

  He set my suitcase down on the kitchen floor. “I actually don’t eat out too much anymore.” I grabbed a stool by his breakfast bar and sat down. “If you want a snack, I have some fruit in the refrigerator, and we’ll eat in about an hour and a half.”

  “What? You don’t eat out anymore? What did you do with my brother?”

  The door slammed in the entryway, and the clip clopping of shoes got louder as they approached the kitchen. “Perry! I’m home!” A tall woman with honey blond hair pranced into the kitchen, stopping when she saw me. “Are you Ally?” She looked at Perry. “Is this your sister?” She smiled.

  Perry walked over to this mystery woman, put her arm around her and announced, “Ally, this is my girlfriend Shelly. Shelly, this is Ally.”

  Holy shit. Perry had a girlfriend? My brother, the ladies’ man, the new-girl-every-month, the guy who could never be bothered to settle down because of his huge acting career that would come to play any minute? “Um, hi, Shelly. Nice to meet you.” I hopped off the stool and shook her hand, taking note of her long, perfectly painted fingernails, which matched the lavender tone of her blouse.

  “I’m so glad you decided to come visit! Perry has told me so much about you. Where’s Seth? Did he come with you?”

  How did this woman know so much about me, yet I’d never heard so much as a peep about her? Dumbfounded by this bomb Perry dropped on me, I struggled to find the response. “No. He didn’t come. We’re not together anymore.” Perry must have forgotten to tell her.

  She sucked her lip in, pouting, as though she went through the breakup, not me. “I’m so sorry to hear that. Are you staying for a while?”

  Perry’s attention stayed on Shelly, obviously smitten with this woman whose name I never even heard before. “About a week, if possible. I mean, if I could stay here.” I already put the plane ticket on my credit card. I didn’t want to add a hotel room to my debt.

  Shelly grabbed my shoulders. “Yes! We have a spare bedroom and we’d love for you to stay! Right, Perry?”

  “Of course, Ally. You can stay even longer if you want.”

  When I stepped off the plane, I obviously entered a whole new dimension. “A week should be fine.” Of course with the oddness surrounding me, I was uncertain if I’d make it out of this Twilight Zone I apparently entered.

  “Spectacular! I’ll get your room and bathroom all ready.” Not skipping a beat, or taking a breath, she turned to Perry. “Can you start dinner, honey? I’ll be downstairs in a bit!”

  I was left in a trance as Shelly left the room with my suitcase, my brother beside me, seeming an entire different person than came out to Las Vegas four years ago.

  ----------

  I tapped my fingers on the counter as I waited for Perry to fill me in on Shelly. Rare silence danced between us as he took spinach leaves out of the refrigerator, toss them in a bowl, and start cutting cucumbers, clearly avoiding the conversation.

  “I guess I’ll start then,” I took the initiative. “Shelly. How come this is the first time I’m hearing of her? When did you start dating?”

  Perry kept his eyes on the knife as he sliced through the cucumber. “About eight months ago.”

  “Eight months!” My brother didn’t keep things from me that long. We texted all the time, and when I told him about Seth, he could’ve told me about Shelly. “Why did you keep this from me? Does mom know?”

  He set the knife down. “No, she doesn’t. Please, don’t tell her. I’ll bring Shelly home for Thanksgiving. I can tell her then.”

  I massaged the back of my neck as I realized I hadn’t even told her I lost my job yet. “You’re planning on waltzing in there on Thanksgiving with a long-term girlfriend in tow?” Maybe by then I finally would spill the beans to my mom about my job. “She won’t react well to that. You should tell her before that.”

  “I know. It’s just, ever since Dad died, she’s been trying so hard to move on. I don’t want her to think I’m moving on when she’s not ready.”

  “Ah!” I let out. “You’ve got no idea.”

  He went back to cutting the cucumber. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean mom’s out there dating, Perry. It’s been almost two years. She’s moving on. She’s managing.” And even though she and Perry were close, his life shouldn’t halt because the love of her life was gone. As much as Dad wanted Mom to be happy, Mom wished her kids happiness, too.

  “Mom is dating?”

  “Yes.” So, I told him. Mom was a big girl; she could deal with it. “In fact, she has a serious boyfriend named Paul.”

  He stuck his tongue out. “I don’t want you telling me anything else.”

  “Good. I don’t either, and I don’t ask. Being aware she’s in the dating game is plenty for me.” I reached over and snatched a cucumber slice. “Seems hiding relationships is a special skill in this family.” And outside of it, too, I thought as Seth entered my mind.

  He scooped up the remaining cucumber slices and tossed them in the bowl, ignoring my comment. He maintained his silence as he grabbed cherry tomatoes and ran them under water.

  “This house is fantastic.” His eyes jetted toward me and back to the sink. “Win the lottery or something?”

  Perry shut off the water, and leaned against the sink, crossing his arms. “Stop it, Ally. No, I didn’t win t
he lottery. No, she’s not a sugar mama. No, I’m not involved in some underground drug ring. I’m bringing in a steady income, and Shelly makes a pretty good living as a sales rep.”

  “A sales rep?” I couldn’t be hearing this correctly. I worked in the banking industry (definitely past tense because I planned on staying far away from banks in my job hunt) and barely afforded my tiny duplex in the Midwest of all places, and Perry’s live-in girlfriend worked on commission and helped pay for this house way too big for the two of them, which easily cost them upwards of three or four hundred thousand dollars.

  “Yes. A sales rep. She’s an incredible saleswoman. How do you think she got me?”

  A cocky grin filled his face and I couldn’t help but laugh. Perry always made me smile, even when I told him about Josh and how cheated on me. A situation I found myself in, leaving me with regret and devastation, and he made me laugh about it. Our sibling bond was strong, and I loved that.

  “You’re going to love her, Ally.”

  “That’s not what’s important, Perry. The question is, do you?” He smiled at me and that told me everything. “That’s great. It really is.”

  He was right, too, there wasn’t much not to love. Shelly joined us for dinner, discussing her day, but asking plenty of questions about me. Her interest in my life made me a little sad I didn’t know about her until that day. I didn’t let on her existence was news to me. Instead, I asked about her family, learning she had one younger sister who worked as a Blackjack dealer and her mom and dad were self-employed selling some sort of weight loss supplement. Watching my brother move Shelly’s hair out of her eyes, rub her back while she laughed and shared stories with me, moved my heart. My brother deserved happiness. Didn’t I?

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Retail therapy: the tried and true way to get over a breakup. After a restful sleep in quite possibly the most comfortable bed ever, I awoke to Shelly bringing me eggs and toast to my room. Perry needed to get to work, but her appointments didn’t start until the afternoon, so suggested we go shopping.