Page 53 of Unsaid Things
That smirk again. “I thought you’d been coming around this week because you didn’t have anything better to do.”
“As exciting as these conversations with you always are, I’d like to go home, so if you have something to say, say it already.”
His face grew serious, his eyes still calculating. “So, about that money you gave me …”
“You used it to pay those guys off, right? That’s what it was for. And then you were going to get a job. Mom said you’ve been paying for things, so that means you got a job, right?”
He stared at her, and she dreaded his answer at the same time she needed to hear it. “Right, Aaron?”
Looking away at the trees behind her, he gave a tiny shake of his head.
Cold dread filled her. “Where have you been going during the day?”
He shrugged, a careless gesture that conveyed nothing and everything all at once.
“Aaron? Where have you been going?” She used her best classroom voice, putting every ounce of strength behind her words to try to force him to answer.
“I used part of the money you gave me to buy some time, then I used the rest to try to make more money. I was on a winning streak for the last few weeks, and things were going good. But yesterday and the day before didn’t go so well. I borrowed some money again, and lost it all. I need more.”
“No.”
“Abby, come on—“
“No!” She didn’t care that she was shouting, that their mom might hear their argument through the flimsy walls of her manufactured home. “You said that you needed the money to pay off your gambling debt. You said you’d get a job or leave town once you did that.”
“Abby, I—“
“No! No, Aaron. You promised me. I told you that was it. I emptied my savings. I gave you all I had. I don’t have any more.”
He shifted his stance, putting on his best pleading puppy dog face. “But you’ve been taking on those extra translation jobs. That has to pay pretty well. And your boyfriend’s got extra cash just lying around. Enough to pay for you to fly to Texas and change your tickets on a whim. Enough to just hand me a wad of bills from his wallet like it’s nothing. Ask him.”
Abby stood shaking her head throughout his little speech, disbelief warring with the realization that she’d been waiting for this since he’d taken her money and stayed. Some part of her knew that he’d ask for more. He couldn’t help himself.
“You need help.”
He nodded, looking pleased, like she finally understood him. “Yeah, that’s what I’ve been saying. I need—“
“No, Aaron. I mean you need psychological help. Like rehab. For gambling addicts. Do they have that? I mean, I think I’ve heard of Gambler’s Anonymous.” Her eyes had wandered away from him, looking over his head while she thought out loud, but zeroed in on him again. “Start there. I’ll find you their number.”
But he was shaking his head. “No, I just need some cash to get these guys off my back.”
“That’s what you said before. It’s been a month. A month! What happens if you do con someone into giving you money? In another month you’ll need more again? Or will it be less this time? Two weeks? Two days?”
He scoffed. “It wouldn’t be two days. I’m trying to become a professional poker player. You have to—“
“With my money! With my boyfriend’s money! Get a job and gamble with your own money, jackass! No! I told you I wouldn’t give you anything after last time, and I meant it! I can’t believe you! I can’t believe I—“ Not even finishing her sentence she whirled around, yanking her car door open.
Aaron’s hand reached over her shoulder, slamming it shut. “Come on, Abby. Please? I just need a couple thousand this time. Your boyfriend won’t even miss it. Hasn’t he put you on his bank accounts already? I saw the way he looked at you. That guy’s totally whipped. You have him wrapped around your little finger.”
She spun to face him once more, shoving him back. He stumbled, more because she’d caught him off guard than any real ability on her part to overpower him. “Oh my God, Aaron. Seriously? Do you hear yourself? You want me to ask him for money, or, if I won’t do that, just steal it for you? And, not that it’s your business, but I don’t have access to his accounts. Because I didn’t feel right about sharing a bank account with him.Idon’t take advantage of the people who care about me.Idon’t use them so I can get whatever the fuck I want, everyone else be damned.”
He shook his head. “Your loss, Abs. With your looks, you could get a lot of cash from pathetic dudes.”
“Fuck you, Aaron. I’m not a whore. Leave. Go back to wherever you came from, and leave us alone. We’ve all got enough problems as it is. None of us need you to add to them. Con some sap into giving you enough money to get out of here. And don’t bother calling again.”
She jerked her car door open again and got in before Aaron could stop her. Once behind the wheel, she noticed that he hadn’t even tried. He stood there, frozen, his hands in his pockets once more, only his eyes moving to follow her progress as she backed up and turned around before heading out onto the street. After checking to be sure no cars were coming, she watched him in her rearview mirror as she pulled away. Wondering—hoping this might be the last time she saw him.
