Page 25 of Made to Sin

“Yeah, probably,” I agreed, reluctant about the whole thing. The more I thought about it, the more questions I had. I didn’t do anything of significance besides donating an expensive necklace, so why would the organization chair reach out to me? I was sure plenty of socialites had donated, considering the auction was barely a quarter over when I left near midnight.

Emily’s soft voice filled the silence as our conversation floated onto a new subject. Though I was immersed in answering her question about my favorite dessert recipes, the uncertainty ate at the back of my head.

If it weren’t for the napkin, the only other correlation I had with this place was through Luciano. I already had suspicions he was the orchestrator of this volunteering job when he invited me, but whatever he was planning, I was going to make sure he never got a chance to harm this place or my role in it.

I refused to let a man ruin another opportunity for me. This was something I wanted to do, and I was going to do it.

—

Emily and I were laughing until our stomachs hurt at a story another volunteer, Arlene, was telling us. Her late husband was quite a character, obsessed with hosing down anyone who walked on their sidewalks. The logic was that because he had to pay insurance for it, that was his property. It was a little ridiculous, but I hadn’t laughed this much since I was a kid.

Unlike what I was used to, the stories told in this place weren’t the same old stuck-up tales of Made Men and their guns. Rather, everyone here came from different backgrounds and life experiences. It was refreshing.

A chorus of “Good afternoon, Eda” came from the volunteers by the door, breaking me out of Arlene’s story.

Eda’s blonde, almost white, hair was tied into a neat bun, and her outfit was as flawless as one of Luciano’s pressed suits. From looks alone, I could confidently say she was a no-nonsense woman who screamed professional.

I expected her to say an impersonal greeting before leaving to wherever she had to like other bosses, but that was where I wrongfully underestimated her. Eda welcomed and talked to the volunteers, spending a good chunk of time at each station, with a caring smile.

As if she knew every single person, when she got to our bins, her low heels stopped, and she quickly isolated me from the rest. “Oh, we have a new volunteer today,” she announced to nobodyin particular.

“I’m Katarina, nice to meet you. I’ve heard good things,” I timidly introduced, a bit worried she wouldn’t know who I was.

It took a brief moment, but her eyes dawned with recognition as her smile lengthened. “Katarina, it’s so nice to meet you in person. I’ve heard a lot about you too. I’m Eda.”

My head instinctively tilted. She had heard about me? From who? Esmeralda had one conversation with me, and I didn’t think there was anything worth mentioning.

“You did?”

“Don’t worry, it was all good things. Likewise, I hope you are truly hearing good things about me too. Don’t let the kindness and jokes fool you, these people are a herd of rascals. If they ever cause you problems or anything, just holler for me, and I’ll pop up like a fairy godmother.”

Her comment created a joking uproar from a few volunteers around us who overheard. With a thoughtless wave of her wrinkly hand and a hearty chuckle, she dismissed them for eavesdropping.

A longing ache to fit in filled my chest. The paperwork might have had the written commitment, but the relationships were what cemented my decision to keep volunteering.

“Actually, I do have to talk to you if you’re free,” I said once everyone went back to their own thing.

“Sure, let’s go to my office.”

I nodded and followed her as she guided me down a short hallway toward the distal side of the warehouse. I skimmed each room we passed, wondering how it related to the organization.

Upon noticing my interest, Eda informed me about the rooms’ usage: a large cooler for the donated food, a break room for the volunteers, a backroom for shipments, and so forth.

For a small building, this place resembled a factory, having multiple never-ending systems to help the same cause. It mademe wonder about its history. One thing was certain, whoever started this must have had a great vision and a load of money.

Eda opened a flimsy wooden door at the end of the hall. “Welcome to my office. Have a seat.”

I sat on one of the linen chairs, opposite her desk. Compared to the other rooms, this was on the plainer side. It was no bigger than a cubicle, encasing only a small desk, two chairs, and a few picture frames on the wall.

“Expecting something more?” She asked.

I snapped my attention back to the woman in front of me. “No, of course not.”

“I’m just messing with you, dear. Now, how can I help?”

I straightened myself, the nerves coming back. “I’m sorry to bother you, but can we talk about my recruitment, please?”

She smiled. “It’s not a bother at all, ask away.”

---