Chapter Three: Money Makes the World Go ‘Round

 

“Mother? Me her mother?” She snorted ungracefully. “Listen here. I don’t care if she hired you, I’m firing you. So get lost.”

            “I came to get paid. I don’t do my job, I don’t get paid. So I stay and do my job, because I want the pay.” Hiiro’s voice rose to almost a shouting level.

            “You keep your voice down, you hear me?” The woman whispered in rage.

            “Serena?” A little voice called from the shadows. Hiiro watched as Serena glared at him, then turned to the shadows and sweetly replied to the voice.

            “Yes Lizbeth?” She replied in a sweet voice.

            “I heard screaming. Who’s that strange man?” The voice answered. A little blonde girl stepped out of the shadows and into the light. Hiiro inwardly groaned. What kind of a house was this? Little kids? Still another sin to add to his conscience. Defiling a child.

            “The strange man is a friend. And he was just going to leave.”

            “Serena! Don’t be rude!” Ilene giggled. “Cin is going to stay with me all night! We’re going to…”

            “Do nothing.” Hiiro growled. He picked up his coat.

            “See Lizbeth? Nothing’s going on. Go back to sleep, alright then?” Serena told the little girl.

            “Is Mommy alright?”

            “Sure she is. She’s just tired. Like you. Now go to sleep.”

            “Night Serena! Night Mommy!” The little girl cried before running back into the shadows.

            “Cin. Stay.” Ilene purred, rubbing herself against Hiiro’s back. He flinched momentarily. To think he had been about to bed a mother in a home with her own children. And her husband would most likely not be too happy when he caught them either.

            “No. I want a hundred dollars though. Compensation.” He argued.

            “Cin baby!” Ilene cried.

            “Mother! You promised him a hundred dollars?” Serena accused.

            “ An hour. But she’s only wasted an hour of my time. So a hundred.” He smirked coolly.

            “Fine. Stay here.” Serena growled, but left for a moment.

            “Cin baby, stay!” Ilene pleaded.

            “Your husband…”

            “Died in the war. Son of a bitch beat me anyway. Good riddance. You, you’re different. Come on. Stay.” She begged. He felt sorry for her. She was just another statistic. Most likely worse off than he. Still.

            “No.”

            “But I…” She got cut off when she gave a loud belch, then her eyelids fluttered and she collapsed. Hiiro shrugged. Figured. She would have passed out before he had even gotten her to…

            “Oh no!” His thoughts were cut off by Serena’s voice. She rushed in and cradled her mother’s head. Lifting the eyelids of her mother’s still form, she noted the dilated eyes. She’d have to watch her all night to make sure she didn’t get serious alcohol poisoning. And how was she going to get her up the stairs? But she had bigger problems.

            “Look, Cin, or whoever you are. I don’t know why my mother agreed to you and your fees, but I don’t have the money to cover you. I’ve got thirty bucks on me. Will that be enough?”

            “No. Full payment.” He smirked, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.

            “Well I can’t give you the full payment.” Serena retorted. She stood from her mother’s form and crossed her own arms, taking a stand against Hiiro. He eyed her up and down.

            “You could pay me another way.” He said. All he wanted was an escape from his conscience right now. He didn’t care if he got paid for it.

            “And how’s that?” She asked, a frown playing upon her lips. He pushed himself off the wall and stepped towards her, backing her against the wall he had had her mother against only moments before. He traced his index finger down her cheek and ran his thumb over her lips.

            “You really can’t think of another way to pay me?” He smirked. She stood frozen with disgust.

            “You are a sick man. I will not perform ‘favors’ for you to pay for my drunk mother’s mistakes.”

            “Why not?”

            “Because!” She cried out in exasperation. He backed away. Serena licked her lips.

            “Fine. You’ve got two days to get the cash. Meet me at the bar on Fifth and Crab St. on the second day at eight thirty. If you don’t show, I’ll track you down.”

            “You couldn’t.” Serena smirked. He pushed her up against the wall roughly and she yelped in fear and slight pain. He was strong.

            “I couldn’t, huh? I was a soldier for ten years little girl. I think I can track you down. Besides. Let’s remember. I know where you live.” He could see the white of her eyes and decided he had done enough threatening for the time being. “Are we clear, Serena was it?”

            “Crystal.” She managed to choke out.

            “Good. Two days. Let’s not forget now. Ms. Tsukino.”

            “No, let’s not.” She muttered under her breath as he backed off and she rubbed her aching left arm. She watched him turn around and nonchalantly stroll out her front door and off into the cold night air. She quickly scrambled to close the door and then back to the floor next to her mother.

            “Oh mother.” She whispered. “What have you become?” She sighed deeply. Then gathering her strength, she pulled her mother to the couch in the room next door. Laying her on her side, she finally decided it was time for sleep. Covering her mother with a blanket, she shut off the lights and climbed the stairs in the empty dark to her room.

            As she entered her room, she relaxed. It was the end of another trying day. Serena sat down at her vanity in front of her mirror and dropped her head briefly. Then she looked up at her reflection.

             Silvery blonde hair was out of order and in a messy bun. What little makeup she wore was smeared and almost gone. Ocean blue eyes had heavy bags under them and were glazed over with exhaustion, and her waning form seemed brittle and paler than the day before. Her clothes were dirty and worn; and her shoes were missing. How could that man have even found her attractive enough to suggest what he had? She was a sickly looking shadow. One that wouldn’t have had the stamina or endurance to perform any such action as he had so blatantly made clear he wanted from her. Not to mention the conscience. No matter how horrible she looked, how poor she got, she would keep her morals. And she had thought the same of her mother.

            Yet here they were. Three years since the war in which her father had died. Now her mother was an alcoholic. She never used to drink at all. Now she was the one to take care of her brother and sister. Her mother was busy falling down drunk or sleeping, or crying. For all that he used to beat her, Serena could tell her mother missed her husband. Luckily, she vaguely remembered the man, making the loss easier on her and her siblings. Still. She had never thought her mother would drop to such a primitive level of being. All she could do was pray. Pray and wait for her next paycheck. Thank god it was coming tomorrow.

            There were bills to pay, mouths to feed, and a brand new debt that needed to be paid off right quickly. So much to do and so little time to do it. And Kara needed a new backpack for school. Her old one had frayed. Brian needed new jeans. And Lizbeth. Lizbeth needed a new blood counter for her problem with diabetes. All three of her little sisters and brother needed shoes that fit, and she herself needed a coat… preferably one that was warm and fit. So many needs. They were barely scraping by, but they were scraping by nonetheless. She had to stop. She couldn’t stand to think of their situation any longer.

Sleep was what was needed the most at the moment. The future would play out all in due time, but the present was slipping away quickly while she lost herself in thought. And the present was the only time she would get to rest until the same time tomorrow night. Without washing off her makeup, Serena stood and crawled into her bed, shutting out the decaying world behind her.

>>>)(<<<

            “Cin.” The voice called from the shadows of the alley.

            “I’m here. You get it?” Hiiro responded calmly.

            “Yeah, I got it. I ever not get it?”

            “Hnn.”

            “Look, whatever man, it’s your deal. Where’s my cash?” A man stepped out into the dim streetlight and flashed a package in Hiiro’s direction.

            “I have all but a hundred buck’s worth.”

            “Not good enough.”

            “I’ll have the rest in two days.”

            “I don’t give out my merchandise on credit accounts. All or nothing Cin.”

            “Fine. Come by the bar in two days. Eight thirty. I’ll have your cash in full then. And bring it all.”

            “That such a safe idea?”

            “I’m not worried about safety.”

            “I know. Christ, I know…” The man’s voice let out a nervous laugh, as he remembered the last time he had been in a ‘situation’ with Cin. No wonder the man was scared of nothing. Fear was scared of him.

            “Good then we’re on.”*