I stuffed my things into my purse and walked with as much dignity as I possessed toward the bank of elevators, hiding my mirth as I saw Mr. Trevor being escorted out by security. His pants were buttoned, but not zipped, and his once-impeccable suit was spattered with blood. Two more security staff members were going from cubicle to cubicle, looking for me, I supposed.
I took the stairs and exited the building.Since my temp agency never had any parking spots available, I caught the bus over to their offices, hoping I’d be able to find another job right away.My contact, Christiana, tapped on her computer for several minutes, then turned to me with a slight frown. “I’m sorry, Freya, but we just don’t have anything else right now.”“He sexually assaulted me, Christiana.”Christian let out a long breath. “I understand that, Freya, and he will be dealt with accordingly, but that doesn’t change the fact that I don’t have any work available at the moment.”I tried to keep breathing. “Can you check again? I’ll take anything. Literally anything.”She looked again, and then glanced back up at me with a shrug. “Nothing. I’m so sorry. Maybe try again in a few weeks.”“I won’t have an apartment in a few weeks.”“I’m sorry, honey. Things are tight. What can I tell you?” She laid a manicured hand on mine. “Do you need a few bucks? I can spare you—”I stood up. “No. Thanks.” I did need the money, desperately. I had skipped lunch today, just to have a bit more cash to go toward the rent. But I wouldn’t take pity charity. “I’ll figure something out.”Slowly, I walked back to get my car from the parking lot. I started it, and then remembered that, because I’d just been fired, I wouldn’t get my parking slip validated. Shit. There went another fifteen bucks I couldn’t spare.The drive home was long in more ways than one. I’d been working in an office downtown, but I lived more than forty-five minutes away in the suburbs north of Detroit. My car was running on fumes by the time I got home, and my stomach was empty, rumbling and growling and gurgling.I struggled to hold back the tears as I checked the mail. I was fumbling through the envelopes, muttering “fuck…fuck…fuck” under my breath at each new bill. There was DTE Energy, Consumers, AT&T cable and Internet, water, gas, Jax tuition, my tuition, Mom’s hospice bill…and a plain white envelope with no return address, just my name— Freya Lomie, handwritten in neat black script in the center, along with my address. I tucked the other bills into my purse and stuck the envelope between my lips as I inserted my key in the lock.That, of course, was when I saw the white notice taped to my apartment door. Eviction Notice: pay rent or quit within 3 days.I was still a hundred dollars short on rent. Or rather, short of the one month of rent I could scrounge up. I had been hoping to avoid eviction long enough to be able to catch up on the past due amount. But that wasn’t going to happen now. I’d just been fired.Still holding back tears, I opened my door, closed it behind me, and stifled a sob. I let the envelope fall to the floor at my feet and covered my mouth with my fist, tears hot and salty in my eyes. No. No. No tears, no regret, no self-pity. Figure it the fuck out, Freya, Figure it out.I pushed away from the door, knelt to retrieve the bizarre envelope, and flicked the light switch.Nothing.Of course the power had been turned off.On top of everything, I was starving. I’d had one of my granola bars on the drive home, but I needed something more. The only food I had in the kitchen was one package of ramen, some ketchup, two-week-old Chinese carryout, and a bag of baby carrots. And a single, lonely little cup of black cherry Chobani.I took my yogurt from the dark, still-cool fridge, opened it, grabbed a spoon from the drawer, and stirred it up. I opened my blouse all the way, unzipped my skirt, and perched on the counter, eating my yogurt, relishing every bite. Apart from the meager amount of food, I had one paycheck for not quite eight hundred dollars for two weeks of temp office work, plus my severance pay. That was it.Finally, I couldn’t hold back the sobs any longer. I gave in and let myself cry for a solid ten minutes. I tore off a piece of paper towel—my last roll—and dabbed at my nose and eyes, making myself stop. I’d figure this out. Somehow.The strange envelope caught my eye. It was sitting where I’d left it on top of the microwave. I reached over and grabbed it, slid my index finger under the flap. Inside was…a check?Yes, a check. A personal check.For twenty thousand dollars.Made out to me.I took a deep breath, put the check face down on my lap, and blinked several times. Hard. Okay, look again. Yep. It said, Pay to the order of Freya Lomie, in the amount of twenty thousand dollars and zero cents. At the top left of the check was the payer: Trn, Inc.And there, in the bottom left-hand corner, on the single line opposite the illegible signature, was a single word. YOU. All caps, all in the same bold, neat script that appeared on the envelope. I examined the signature again, but it was little more than a squiggly black line, but there was no way to be sure. I guess that would make sense, given the fact that the payer was TRN Incorporated. But that didn’t tell me much.No note, nothing in the envelope except the check. For twenty thousand dollars.What the hell was I supposed to do? Cash it? Twenty thousand dollars would pay current rent due, as well as the past due amount; it would get the electricity turned back on after paying what I owed them…twenty thousand dollars wo
At Kelly's apartment, I kicked off my shoes and accepted the Bud Light she handed me. Kelly was half-black, half-Italian, all attitude and curves. Long black hair, dark brown eyes, and flawless mocha skin. We had been best friends since the first day of college, roommates for two years, until she met Tom and got serious enough to move in with him.I sat back on her ratty couch, drained half of my beer, and then handed Kelly the envelope. Or, as I thought of it, The Envelope. “I got this in the mail today. Just like that. Out of the blue. Open it.”She frowned at me, then examined the outside. “Nice handwriting.”“I know. But look inside. And…maybe sit down.” I took another long pull of my beer.Kelly perched her butt on the arm of the couch beside me and withdrew the check. “Holy shit!” She looked at me, her eyes wide. “Frey, this is twenty thousand dollars. You know what you could do with this?”“Yeah. I do. But…where did it come from? Who sent it? Why? And more importantly…do I dare
Here.” I folded her fingers over the edge. “I know you need it.”She stared at me. “Um. No.”I nodded. “Um, yes. You didn’t think I wouldn’t share with my best friend, did you?”“Freya. You can’t give this to me. You need it.”I smiled at her. “You do, too. I have enough now. You’re not just my bestie, Kelly. You’re…you’re like family. So just take it and say thank you.”She sniffled. “You’re gonna make me smear my mascara, hookerface.” Kelly took a deep breath, blinked, and visibly forced away the tears. “Thank you, freya. You know I love you, right?”It was a big deal for her to say that. She had grown up in a tough household. No abuse, just cold and closed off, not the kind of family that exchanged declarations of love on a regular basis. I knew she loved Tom, but I’d never heard her say it.I was very much the same, growing up in a stable and happy home, but not one where everyone was given to frequent hugs or I-love-you’s. Kelly and I had been best friends for more than five year
Shit. Not good. Not good. Not good at all. I called Kelly, and she agreed that the meaning could be ominous, but she also agreed that since I had cashed the first one, I might as well cash the second one. I was in deep; I already owed whoever it was more money than I’d ever be able to pay back, so why not dig myself in that much deeper? If they came collecting I’d be just as fucked, so I might as well enjoy it while it lasted, right?So I cashed it. Paid bills. Fixed the AC on my car, and replaced the long-dead radio. I went behind Kelly's back and paid her rent. Attended class, went to work, begged for extra shifts, begged to be trained as a server. And, eventually, I got the server position, which helped a lot. The month passed, and soon it was the middle of the month again. As the days folded one into the other, I tried to ignore the hope that I’d get another Envelope.And I did.My hands shook, as they always did, when I opened it. This time, there were two words on the notes line
I feel a tear prick my eye. “No, Mama. I love you. You know I love you.”“You love me. My daughter would never say that. You’re an impostor! A fake! You’re their agent! Get out! Get away from me!” Mama rushed at me, and I had to back away quickly to avoid her flailing hand.I jerked open the door and fell backward through it, felt myself caught by a nurse.“We’ve got her, sweetie. She’ll be okay—she’s just having a hard day. She didn’t sleep well last night. She hasn’t had her meds yet, and we’ve got to give her a shower today.” The nurse patted me on the shoulder. “She knows you love her. She was asking for you the other day, you know. Asked if you’d come to visit her soon.”“She—she did?” I heard my voice break.“She did.”“Well, if she asks again, tell her I love her. Tell her—tell her I’ll visit again soon.”Inside the room, another nurse was talking Mom down. I watched for a moment and then turned away, waving at the nurse.I cried on the way home, as I always did after visiting
“Collect me?” I spat the word. “What am I, a piece of jewelry?”“Did you or did you not cash twenty checks, twenty thousand dollars each, for a total amount of four hundred thousand dollars?”I swallowed hard. “Yes, I did.”“Do you have the funds available to repay it?”I shook my head. “I don’t. Not all of it.”“Then you will comply. Now. Please, dress. Your finest lingerie, the blue evening dress, jewelry. Style your hair. Apply makeup.”“Why?”“I am unable to answer any questions.” He stepped closer to the door. “May I come in, please?”“I’m—I’m not dressed.”“I am aware of this. I will pack your belongings while you dress.”“Pack my belongings? Where am I going?”He lifted an eyebrow. “Away.”I swallowed again. “For how long?”“Indefinitely. Now, no more questions. Will you let me in, please.” It was phrased as a question, but it wasn’t. He could easily break down the door—of that I was certain. And he had a pistol. His eyes pierced mine. “Please, Miss Freya. I know this is an unu
I sighed. “Fine.” I closed the door, unlatched the chain, and let Marcus in.He eyed my apartment with open amusement. “I must say, I would have expected you to find yourself a nicer place with the money you’ve received.”“Nothing lasts forever. I had no guarantee the checks would keep coming. I can afford this place on my own. Sort of.”“Wise of you.”Trying to delay things, I asked. “Can I get you anything to drink?”Harris blinked at me. “No. Thank you. We don’t have much time. Get dressed, please.”I went into my bedroom, rifled through my closet until I found the blue dress I had worn to a fundraiser gala with my last boyfriend. It dawned on me that Marcus knew I had a blue dress, and that in itself was terrifying.It wasn’t an expensive dress, but it fit me like a glove, showed off my curves and accentuated my skin and hair. I glanced at Marcus who had my two suitcases—Mom and Dad’s old luggage—on my bed and was packing all of my jeans, yoga pants, skirts, blazers, dresses, and
I dug my phone from my purse and called Kelly.“What’s up, frey? Wanna meet for drinks?”I let out a breath. “I—can’t.”“Why not? What’s up?”I blinked hard. “I’m going away.”“Wh-what? What do you mean? Where? Why? For how long?”“I don’t know, kel. I don’t know. The checks? All that money? I’m about to meet the man who sent them.”“Who is it?” she demanded.“I don’t know. I don’t know anything. A man showed up at my door an hour ago and said he was here to collect me. I’ve been collected, kel”“Does he know you’re calling me? Are you, like, in danger?”I forced myself to breathe calmly. “I don’t—I don’t think so. I don’t really have a choice, but I’m not in danger. Like, I don’t think anyone is going to kill me. I am scared, though. What’s going to happen to me?” I whispered the last part.“freya…Jesus. This would only happen to you.” I heard her breathe, sounding as shaky as I did. “Where are you?”“County International Airport. About to board a fucking massive Gulfstream or someth