Page 10 of Valentine's Daddy To Go
He shrugs.
“Come on, Brian. If you want me to help, you’ve got to tell me what happened.”
He looks up, eyes angry and sad at once.
“I got fired again, okay? I lost my job, and Vivica wasn’t happy or whatever.”Of courseshe wasn’t happy. He’s the only one bringing money in because she’s at home raising their two young daughters, Mackenzie and Madison. My brother is talented when he puts his mind to it, but the problem is holding down a job and being a reliable breadwinner.
“So, Jaybird let you go.”
He looks miffed.
“That’s one way to put it.”
I’m not surprised. My brother is a mechanic, and a good one at that, which typically, would make him an easy hire. But no, he manages to get fired from every chop shop in Fresno and its surrounding areas. Jaybird Choppers was one of our last efforts at keeping him employed.
“Okay, okay, okay,” I take a seat next to him on the couch. I push my hair back, getting it out of my face. “So, what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” he whines. “It’s hopeless. There’s nothing Icando.”
I take a deep breath.
“Well, why did they fire you?”
Brian scoffs, leaning back in the couch. This is the first sign of emotion that isn’t pure sadness, so that’s a good thing, I guess.
“It was some stupid misunderstanding. I was supposed to have a bike ready by yesterday, but I thought I had until Monday, you know a good weekend push to get things done. So when the client came in, and their bike wasn’t finished, they got angry, and then my boss got angry, and then I got fired.”
That sounds like something my brother would do. He’s a mess when it comes to any kind of planning. I’m sure he was told to get the bike finished by Friday, but for whatever reason, he didn’t.
I don’t think firing him was necessary though. Things could have just been explained and renegotiated.
“Do you have any plans to get a new job?”
“No…”
I know he doesn’t have any savings because he and Vivica are living paycheck to paycheck. The “no plan” thing, though, irks me. That should be avoidable because this isn’t the first time Brian’s been around the block. I’m sure there’s something to be done. But then my brother cuts me off.
“My rent is due next week,” he starts, tearfully. “We won’t have enough to give our landlord, and I know he’ll kick us out if we’re late. Is there any way you could spot us the cash, Nell?”
He’s making it out to be a potential loan, but I would never see that money again, that much is certain. Whenever I give Brian any amount of money, it’s gone for good. But I don’t even care about that. The problem is that I don’t have the money to give.
“I’m sorry Bri, I can’t.”
He grows teary again and even swipes at his eyes.
“Why not Nell? You know I’ll pay you back, and I’ve been working hard. I just need a bridge loan. I’ll pay you back, I promise.”
I shake my head firmly.
“I’m sorry, Bri. I just don’t have the money. I would spot you if I could, but my own bank account is practically at zero.”
After all, I’m only a junior accountant at Porter Peabody. I barely make enough to keep myself afloat. Between rent, student loans, and all my other expenses, I’m living just like my brother and his wife, hand to mouth. But while I don’t have enough to pay Brian’s rent, I might have a way to give him a little help.
I get up and go to my room. Closing the door behind me, I go to my secret stash in the corner of my closet, hidden behind my old backpack and a couple of towels. I take out what I have. It’s only three hundred bucks, but hopefully, it’ll do something.
I go back to the living room, and my brother looks at me. I sit back down next to him and sigh.
“So it’s not a lot of money, but I hope it helps.” I pass him the bills, and he takes them tearfully.
