Chapter 4: Waiting on Him

Calla stood before her wardrobe, contemplating which clothes, bags, and shoes to bring with her. And which she should give away.

She and Eli are finally leaving this darn old house.

Rico got an apartment for them. He said he would, and he did.

Sometimes she still couldn't believe it. She was Rico’s... just for a year, still, but that was huge.

Eli walked into his sister's room, a worried look on his face. "Do we really have to move?"

She smiled at him, "You know we have to," She said. "And besides, aren't you tired of this old house?"

Eli sighed and nodded. "Sure, I am. But where did you get the money for a new apartment?" He asked.

Calla bit her bottom lip, turning back to her small wardrobe. "I told you, Eli."

"Yeah yeah, you told me. But I'm not buying it!" He uttered. Calla turned around to face him again. "You seriously want me to believe your boss got you the apartment, because you're 'employee of the month'?"

Calla stifled a laugh. Hearing her brother say it, she realized how stupid the story was.

She cleared her throat and held his face in her hands. "Just trust me, okay? I love you so very very much, and I want the best for you. I want you to have the most comfortable life." She explained.

Eli’s head went up and down in his sister's hands. "But promise me you aren't stressing or hurting yourself too much Lyra... You work nonstop. Day and night for us." He said.

Calla could see how genuinely worried her brother was for her, "I promise you I'm not stressing big guy!" She chuckled.

"And promise you're not doing anything bad or illegal. Nothing that'll disturb your conscience. I don't want you to end up in prison... or for y-you to leave me. You're all I've got." Eli said.

She could see the seriousness in his bright little eyes. Her emotions failing her, she quickly wrapped him in a tight embrace.

"I promise, I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me and I'm stuck with you... For life." She responded, kissing his hair and patting his back.

♡♡♡♡

The days that followed were the same. Calla didn’t hear from Rico, and she couldn’t call him.

'He hired you, so he's your boss.' She reminded herself.

But she was getting impatient and frustrated! Did he just hire her to keep her idle and jobless?

Well, she has been paid for the week. It's safe to say her eyes almost popped out when she saw the large amount in her account.

"Fuck it!" She kicked off the blanket and turned off the TV.

Eli was in school, and she decided she would go shopping before she died of boredom.

Calla pulled out her phone and dialed Luxe. The call connects in two seconds. "Hey gurlfrienddd!" Luxe's high-pitched voice came through the phone.

Calla had to hold the phone away from her ear, then place it back. "Busy?" She asked.

"Uhm... not 'til nighttime. Why?" Luxe asked.

Calla paused then smiled to herself. She spoke again to Luxe who was popping gum on the other end. "I'm fucking bored girl, I wanna go shopping. Wanna come?" She asked.

Luxe, shocked, replied. "Shopping?! What's the occasion?"

"There isn't one. Just wanna... hang." Calla said, twirling strands of her hair with her finger.

She heard Luxe's sigh on the phone. "He still isn't back? And hasn't called you yet?"

Calla knew who Luxe was referring to, "Nothing."

There was a pause between them. "Stay put, I'll be there in a bit." She didn’t wait for a response before ending the call.

Calla shook her head as she chuckled.

She grabbed the blanket from the couch and headed to her room to get changed.

***

Luxe said she'll be there in a bit, and a bit later she was there.

Her high heels clicked loudly against the floor as she made her way to the front door. She rang the doorbell and Calla opened up.

"Darlinggggg!" She enveloped Calla in a suffocating hug, but not in a bad way.

"Come in!" Calla invited her in after the hug. "I hope this place wasn't hard for you to find?"

"Oh come on! Ya know I know everywhere in this city! Big, small. Developed, underdeveloped. Expensive, cheap!" Luxe spoke. "But it was the coming in that was the problem!"

Calla’s brows furrowed. She sat beside Luxe, who was already seated on the couch. "Why? Anything happened?"

Luxe leaned in closer to Calla. "Two men, dressed in all black. They wouldn't let me in!" She explained.

Calla’s worry dropped, replaced with a smile. "Rico’s men."

"What?"

"He– They're basically my bodyguards," Calla explained to Luxe.

"So ya wouldn't run away?" Luxe teased.

"What? No!" Calla denied immediately. She wouldn't dream of running away. "For my safety, and Eli’s too... I think." She wasn't sure. At least, that's what Rico told her before he left.

"Ya sure?" Luxe wouldn't drop it.

Calla only shook her head and got up.

"Let’s go!"

***

The drive to the mall was loud and chatty as one of Rico’s men drove both girls to the city mall. Luxe wouldn't stop telling Calla about everything she'd missed these past days in the club. With their boss.

"...he was so fucking angry. Yapping and yipping about how she lost two clients in a week. I felt so bad for Taylor."

Calla pressed her lips together. "He should cut you girls some slack," She could only say.

"I know right? I'm gettin' tired gurl!" Luxe sighed.

Calla wasn’t sure how to console her friend, so she didn’t say anything.

***

They got to the mall in less than ten minutes, and Luxe was the first to jump out.

Calla told Bruno, the man who drove them here, to wait for them.

"We won't take long," She said.

Bruno smirked, giving her a knowing look. He was right, girls' shopping always takes a long time.

Calla rolled her eyes at him and pulled Luxe with her.

The shopping was therapeutic for her... both of them even. They tried on different outfits, shoes, bags, jewelry, and other accessories. Went into different stores while laughing and living freely.

Part of the contract amenity was, Rico gave her an unlimited black card. She was allowed to buy whatever she wanted, however she liked.

***

After long hours of shopping, Calla and Luxe were both exhausted. They dragged their tired body and feet to the car.

Bruno's brow twitched in surprise as they had with them more than ten shopping bags. Big, medium, and small.

"What?" Calla noticed his stares, "I'm just a girl, you know."

He didn’t reply, but he helped them with the bags. They got into the car and he drove them back home.