by K. C. Crowne
Before I could get an answer from him, Oscar and Skyler came barrelling into the room together. Danielle was behind them. As soon as Oscar reached the living room, he sat down directly in front of where Skyler sat. His eyes looked at Calvin curiously, but he didn’t make a move or even a sound toward him. His tail was flopping around on the floor.
“Oh, what a beauty,” Calvin said, leaning forward. “May I pet him?”
“Of course,” Danielle said from nearby. “He’s a very friendly boy. He’ll come to you if you call him.”
“Oscar, come here,” Calvin said, patting his lap.
Oscar looked at Danielle for permission, then stood up and walked over to Calvin’s side. His tail was wagging even more than usual. He sat down and rested his head in the old man’s lap. Calvin stroked the dog’s fur gently, a relaxed smile on his face. He seemed to be at peace, something I hadn’t seen from him before.
Danielle grinned at me, and for a second, I forgot all the awkwardness between us. She seemed to as well as we watched Calvin and Oscar bond.
“I think we’ve found a match,” Danielle said, wiping away the tears from her eyes. She was smiling brightly, however, so I assumed they were happy tears. Or at least mixed with happiness at seeing one of her dogs comfort a person in need. It had to be a very rewarding job.
Calvin looked up, and for a moment, I thought I saw tears in the old man’s eyes too. He quickly wiped them away with his sleeve.
“He’s a special dog. I can see that,” Calvin said, his voice a bit hoarse.
“He is. I knew it from the moment I met him that he was special.” The two of them shared a smile, and Danielle cleared her throat. “So this seems like a good match, and if you’re interested, we can move forward with more specialized training. I can bring him over to your house, Mr. Forester, and we can work on exactly what you need.”
“Oh, I’m definitely interested,” the old man said. “I haven’t felt this relaxed or happy in years.”
“I’m glad to hear we’re able to help. This is why I do what I do,” Danielle said proudly.
“Are you sure you won’t accept payment?” Calvin asked.
Danielle shot me a look. We’d already talked about this. She bit her lip and said softly, “No, no, it’s all covered through non-profit donations.”
She averted her gaze. I hated making her lie; it was clear she wasn’t comfortable with it. But it was also the only way to get Calvin to accept the dog and to accept me paying for it. His fixed income was barely enough to live off of, much less pay for very specialized dog training like this.
“Well thank your donors for me, then.”
Danielle looked at me again, as if to make sure I got the message. Which I did.
“Alright, well, when should we get started?”
I let Danielle and Calvin work out the details of the training, and when it came time to leave, I pulled Danielle to the side.
“What?” she asked, as we stepped into the kitchen.
I handed her a wad of bills. She stared at it, a confused look on her face. “Payment for the training.”
“I usually only collect half up-front,” she said, looking through the pile of bills with wide eyes.
“I’m paying in advance. If it costs more than that, I’ll give you more. But for now, I wanted to make sure you had everything you needed.”
“No, it won’t cost more than this. I’m sure of it. It’ll probably cost less, so if you’d like me to return the rest, I—”
“No,” I said, holding my hands up to stop her. “No need to. I figure you’re going to spend a lot of time on this, and a lot of gas going back and forth to Calvin. This should cover it plus some. Consider the rest a donation if you have to.”
“Mason, I…”
I turned and walked out of the kitchen before she could give me the money back. I knew she was worried about me wanting something from her; we’d had this talk already. Nothing I could say would convince her otherwise, but I wanted to make sure she was paid fairly. More than fairly, in fact.
I knew it likely wouldn’t cover all the repairs and everything she needed, and God, how I wish she’d accept more. But I was already pushing it with the wad of cash. Hopefully she’d see that I wanted nothing from her in return, and she’d allow me to help her in the future.
“Want to grab a bite to eat on the way home?” I asked Calvin. Not only did I want to make sure the old man ate, I dreaded going home. I knew Eli was still pissed at me for prioritizing this over another client meeting, but my priorities had shifted lately.
“Sure, as long as you let me pay this time,” Calvin said with a frown.
“Not a chance,” I muttered under my breath with a chuckle. I spoke quietly enough that he hadn’t heard me, which was good. I didn’t want him changing his mind. I wanted to make sure he had a good dinner, something other than ham sandwiches.
Danielle
“If you’re comfortable with it, I thought Oscar might stay here while I ran some errands,” I said, patting the dog on the head and scratching his ears.
“I think we’re ready for that, don’t you, pup?” Oscar walked over to Calvin, his tail wagging as he greeted the old man.
We’d been working together for over four weeks, and every day, it felt like I had to do less and less. I could just stand back and watch Oscar take over, caring for Calvin in ways even I hadn’t anticipated. They just connected in a way that felt magical, and I felt like we were getting closer to letting Oscar stay with the man full-time.
My heart felt heavy at the thought, but I knew the day was coming. I had to prepare for it one way or another.
“Call me if you need anything,” I said. “I’ll swing back by after I finish my errands - they shouldn’t take too long - and pick him up.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Calvin said, smiling brightly at the dog as if I wasn’t even in the room.
I took Skyler’s hand in mine and led her to our car. I hated dragging her along with me on errands like this, but I’d promised her, if she was well-behaved, we’d stop for ice cream afterward. But who was I kidding? I had the world’s best daughter. I knew she would behave herself.
In a way, the promise of ice cream might have been more for me, because I was dreading the task at hand. I’d been putting it off for weeks, hoping that the insurance check would arrive at some point. But I was told it could be another month or so since they were really backed up.
Mason’s payment had bought me some time. I was able to pay a month’s worth of bills, plus our living expenses. I tried to fix up my office and part of the rescue to hopefully resume operations, but the money did run out eventually. And I was still behind two months on the property, and after the third month, it would go up for auction. Greg had made it very clear to me what would happen if I didn’t get caught up. Not only would I lose my business and our home, but I’d likely lose my daughter as well.
I had to save the property.
Desperate times led to desperate measures, which was why I ended up parking outside of King Payday Loans. There was no sign to advertise this was, indeed, a business. My GPS had taken me down a back alley, which was a dead end, and I was parked near a dumpster. The front of the building used to be a hardware store, but they had closed down a year or so ago. I didn’t even know they had offices and businesses in the back. I’d done a quick search for lenders online and this was the only such service in Liberty, but I was beginning to think they had closed.
I frowned as I double checked the address I had scribbled down. Yes, this is it, I thought.
Liberty was the type of town where you didn’t have good or bad areas - the city as a whole was pretty safe - but I had to admit, the place gave me the creeps. I decided to call the number I found online, just to be sure they were open before getting my daughter out of the car.
A male’s voice answered the call. “Jim King. How can I help you?”
“Oh yes, I’m outside. I just wanted to be sure you were open. I didn’t see
any signs.”
“We are open. What can I help you with today?”
“Uhh well, I’m hoping to get a loan until the insurance money pays out on my property.”
I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. This was a bad idea. I’d always been told to avoid shady, back-alley places like this. Payday loan companies were predatory, and I knew that. But I also didn’t have many options at the moment. I had no credit, and no bank would give me a loan to help pay off another loan, especially since my collateral was badly damaged.
It’s only temporary, I told myself. Just until I get that check.
“Well come on in, and I’ll see what I can do for you,” Jim said good-naturedly.
We said goodbye, but I still didn’t get out of the car. I sat there, giving myself one last chance to think of something other than this.
“What are we doing, Mommy?” Skyler asked from the backseat.
I couldn’t lose my daughter. She was my whole world.
“Uhh, we’re just going to go inside here and talk to this nice man,” I said, finally summoning the courage to remove my seat belt.
“Then we get ice cream?”
“Yes, honey, then we can get ice cream,” I said.
Just get this over with and make sure your daughter has a roof over her head, Danielle. You have to. You can’t let Greg take her away.
I took a deep breath and emerged from the car. I hurried to the backseat and helped Skyler out of her car seat. She walked beside me, holding my hand, and just as I expected, she was being so well behaved. I really was the luckiest mom alive to have her as a daughter.
I was beginning to get a little emotional. That happened a lot these days, but considering all the stress I was under, it made sense.
I opened the door to what I assumed was the payday loan place, half expecting it to be locked. There were no windows. However, the door opened, and a little bell announced our arrival.
“Good afternoon,” a man said, standing up from the desk. “I’m Jim King.”
The entire office was literally just one room with his desk. No windows. Just a few filing cabinets and a tiny bathroom tucked away in the corner. Everything was covered in dust.
Jim was a robust man. Round around the middle, with pants that sat below his protruding belly. He wore dress slacks and a button-up shirt. Nothing too formal, but nice. His face, however, lacked all the roundness and was instead, all curves and jagged edges. His nose was too thin for his face. His eyes were too small and far apart. His brows were thick and black, reminding me of caterpillars across a wrinkled forehead.
“Hi, I’m Danielle Baker,” I said, reaching my hand out to shake his.
“And who might this little princess be?” he asked, kneeling closer to Skyler’s level.
I had the urge to hide Skyler behind me, not wanting to introduce her to this strange man. I didn’t even know him, but my mom radar went off and I tightened my grip on her hand.
“I’m Skyler.”
“What a beautiful name,” Jim said with a smile that seemed as fake as the giant diamonds encrusted in the wedding ring on his finger. If they weren’t fake, why would he be working out of an office like this? And even so, they were showy and arrogant, a little tacky if you ask me. “Have a seat, you two. Let’s see what I can do for you… Danielle Baker, right? Why does that name ring a bell?” Jim stared at me for a second, as if studying my face.
“I don’t know. I’m a local dog trainer and own an animal rescue. Maybe that’s it?”
His eyes lit up as if a lightbulb went off in his head. “Oh yes, that’s right,” he said, leaning back in his chair. He steeped his fingers in front of his face and a smile curled at the corners of his lips. “You’re Greg Stern’s woman. I have to admit, Skyler looks so much like her daddy.”
“I’m not his woman,” I said through clenched teeth. I gripped the corners of the chair so hard my nails turned white. “We split up. A long time ago, in fact.”
“Oh, of course you did. I wouldn’t expect the wife of one of the wealthiest men in Utah to be sitting in my office asking for a loan, after all.”
I swallowed my pride. He was possibly my last resort, and I couldn’t just walk out of there, as much as I wanted to.
“Well, Greg is a good friend of mine. We go way back,” Jim said, stroking his mustache. “I even knew his dad, before he passed. Often did the books for his company when they were just starting out. Greg Senior was one hell of a businessman, let me tell you.”
Nothing at all like his son, I thought to myself.
I smiled politely without speaking. I couldn’t care less about the history of the Stern family legacy, but again, I didn’t have many options.
“Anyway, about that loan, how much do you need?”
I handed over the paperwork I’d prepared, including the amount I’d need. It was enough to pay off three months on the property - catch up on the back payments and pay for the upcoming month as well. I also included some business expenses for repairs. Jim scanned the document.
“I’ll have an insurance check coming, as noted here,” I said. “I’ve included proof of insurance and the amount that I’m owed on page two.”
Jim didn’t even flip to the second page. He placed the documents on the table and said, “You’ve got yourself a deal, Ms. Baker.”
“What? Just like that?” I stammered.
“Well, no, there will be terms you have to agree with - the interest rate on the loan is higher than a typical bank loan since I carry more risk, and I will ask for collateral. But I couldn’t turn away the mother of Greg’s daughter. Not when it comes to keeping a roof over your heads.”
My stomach turned. I hated owing anything to a man. But at least this was a business transaction, one that I knew what was expected from me up front. It would all be in the contract.
“Let’s get started then,” I said, feeling like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
Ooo000ooo
“Ice cream!” Skyler took off ahead of me toward the ice cream shop.
I quickened my pace, and my stomach rumbled. I hadn’t felt well all day but told myself it was the stress. But now that I was done with the hard part and was relieved to be out of debt to the bank, I should have been feeling better. But I wasn’t.
Skyler got to the door before I did and tried to pull it open herself. It was a heavy, metal door and she couldn’t quite get it open. I stepped up behind her and laughed as we opened the door together.
“Good afternoon,” a woman’s voice greeted us from behind the counter. Mabel was a pudgy woman with her grey hair pulled back in a bun. Her smile was warm and welcoming. Such a welcomed respite after meeting with Jim King. “What can I get for you two fine ladies?”
She knew us fairly well, and she likely had Skyler’s order memorized, but she asked anyway. Mabel’s little ice cream shop had been a staple in the community ever since I was a young girl. She always seemed to remember exactly what I had wanted back in the day, but she knew that Skyler enjoyed ordering for herself, which was why she asked.
“Strawberry! Strawberry!” Skyler shouted as she bounced in front of me.
She’d been so good all day, sitting still to the best of her ability during my meeting with Jim. She could finally let out all that energy. She was so happy, and I loved seeing her happy.
“Strawberry it is!” Mabel said. “In a cone or a cup?”
“Cone, please,” Skyler said.
“Sugar or waffle?”
Skyler looked to me for that answer. To her, an ice cream cone was an ice cream cone, she didn’t know the different varieties yet.
“Sugar cone, please,” I said.
“And for you, Danielle?” Mabel asked.
I looked down at the ice cream options in front of me. So many flavors and choices, and not a single one sounded good to me. Still, I’d been looking forward to a treat all day and wasn’t about to deny myself one now.
“Cookies and cream, please,” I sai
d. “In a cup. No cone for me, please.”
“Coming right up,” the old woman said with a smile.
She prepared our ice cream and handed it to us with a napkin. As soon as the smell hit my nostrils, however, I felt like I was going to be sick. I swallowed and paid for our treat.
It was a beautiful day outside, and I wanted to sit on the patio with my daughter, but the rumbling in my tummy made me nervous to venture too far from the bathroom. So we took the table closest to the restroom, just in case I had to make an emergency run.
Skyler dove right in, her face instantly smeared with strawberry ice cream.
I stared down at my little cup and frowned.
“What’s wrong, Mommy? Why aren’t you eating your ice cream?”
Not wanting to worry my daughter, I took a small spoonful of what was usually my favorite ice cream flavor. I moved the spoon toward my mouth and caught a whiff of the sweetness. My stomach twisted and turned, and I knew it had been a wise choice to sit near the bathroom. I dropped the spoon and rushed for the bathroom.
“Can you please watch her for a second?’ I hollered to Mabel.
“Certainly,” the woman said, concern etched on her face.
I opened the door to the bathroom and was barely on my knees in front of the toilet before everything I’d eaten that day came back up. I threw up until there was nothing left in my stomach, and then I dry heaved some more.
What is wrong with me, I wondered.
I didn’t want to leave Skyler out there too long, so as soon as I felt like I could stand, I pushed myself up from the floor. I cleaned up and went back into the lobby.
“Thank you, Mabel,” I said.
“Are you okay, dear?”
“I’m fine, just a lot of stress at the moment.” I took my seat across from Skyler, who was halfway done with her ice cream already. Mine was melting in my cup.
I pushed the cup away, and Skyler frowned. “Would you like mine better?”
She pushed her cone in front of my face, and once again, that sweetness hit my nose and I thought I might vomit all over the table. I pushed it away and shook my head. “No thank you, sweetie. Mommy doesn’t want ice cream after all.”