5.Come Home

First, a stranger had asked her to carry his child, and then her father had tried to sell her. Maybe she really did come across as a pushover. 

She wiped the sweat off her brow while waiting outside Andrea’s small office. Andrea was in charge of housekeeping, but she liked to act like she was in charge of the whole hotel. She could have gone to the manager first to ask for more hours, but Andrea would feel slighted and would make her life more miserable. She would even find any little reason to get her fired. 

That’s why she had to suck up to her even though she’d pissed her off that morning and with the warning from Human Resources.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket again, and when she pulled it out, she saw her father’s name flashing on the screen. Her father only called her to ask her for money or to pick up more beer on the way home.

Andrea came around the corner talking to one of the other cleaners, so she cancelled the call and made sure she still looked tidy. Sweat dripped down her back again, even though she’d just washed before she had changed back into her clothes. The one thing she was thankful for her mother for was that her skin tanned rather than burned like many redheads; otherwise, Andrea would wrinkle her nose at her again.

“What do you want?” Andrea said when she finally noticed her.

“Can I have a word in private, Miss Roberts?” she asked politely.

“If it’s about removing the warning you had this morning, forget it. It’s already in the system, and it’s final,” Andrea said as she opened her office door. 

The other cleaner continued walking towards the housekeeping staff room, but she looked back and smirked. She was one of Andrea’s favourites. 

“No, it’s not about that, although I apologise again for being late,” she said as she followed. “I know you’re trying to find cover for the coming weeks, and I was hoping—”

“No.”

Andrea didn’t even wait for her to finish her sentence, and that irritated her more. She tried not to react as she waited for Andrea to settle behind her desk. It was just a power trip. Andrea loved that; she loved making sure everyone knew she could get rid of them whenever she wanted.

“I understand that you might be a bit weary of my offer after I’ve received two warnings already this month, but I promise you, I will work—”

“I said no, Layla. You’re irresponsible and unreliable,” Andrea said with disinterest as she put her computer on and didn’t even look at her.

That statement made her clench her fists. She had been nothing but responsible since the day she’d had to become a mother and father to her sister. Everyone in town knew that, even Andrea. 

“I won’t let you down again,” she said instead of what she really wanted to tell the vindictive woman. 

“Go home, Layla. If I were you, I’d start looking for another job because I don’t think you’ll last long here.”

She had worked at the hotel for four years, and her work ethic had more than satisfied the previous supervisor. But she could see it would do no good to argue with Andrea because her job was obviously already at risk. Andrea seemed determined to get rid of her.

Panic fluttered in her stomach. What about the debt? What would she do if she had no job? If that man came to take her away?

Britney would be left alone and would have to drop out just before graduating. She couldn’t let that happen. She would have to go over Andrea’s head anyway to secure her job.

It wouldn’t be enough, but it would be a start. She only had to last a few more months before Brit turned eighteen and they could skip town. 

Without another word, she left Andrea’s office and made her way out of the building. She was still lost in her head, trying to come up with another plan, when something prickled the back of her head. Someone was watching her! The sun was still out, and the staff parking lot was full after the shift change, but no one else was around.

It was quiet, though. Too quiet. Her instincts had never let her down before, and something told her to run. There was danger nearby. 

She quickened her step until she got to her old car and quickly opened the door to get in. She locked herself in and then looked around the parking lot again. Still nothing. Maybe she was imagining things. Perhaps the fact that some strange man expected to receive her as payment for a debt had put her on edge.

Her phone vibrated again, cutting through the eerie silence and startling her. Her heart pounded when she pulled her phone out again and looked at the screen.

“Brit? Are you okay?” she asked quickly when she answered.

“Come home,” Brit whispered.

She could hear loud voices and sounds in the background, and Brit sounded scared. She knew immediately what was going on. Her fingers were shaky as she turned the key and started the car, forgetting about the sinister feeling she’d had just seconds before as she drove out of the parking lot. Her body trembled as fear took her over.

“What’s happening?” she asked her sister.

“I don’t know. These men just came in and started trashing the place and hitting Dad,” Brit answered.

“Get out of there. Open the bedroom window slowly so it doesn’t make any noise.”

She didn’t know how she sounded so calm when fear had taken over her body. That wasn’t the first time their father’s problems had followed him home, but she had always been there to protect Brit the other times. If anything happened to her sister...

She put her foot down to get her piece-of-shit car going as fast as possible, ignoring the speed limits through the well-maintained neighbourhoods and going through red lights. If the cops tried to stop her, they could chase her to her house. That was the only way they would cross the tracks to help anyone on that side. People like her didn’t matter to anyone; otherwise, someone would have saved them from their father when they noticed she was skipping school to care for her baby sister.

“I tried,” Brit whispered. “There are more of them standing outside. I’m scared, Layla.”

Her sister sounded so small, and it broke her heart. How many other seventeen-year-olds had to put up with stuff like that in their town? She was willing to bet that Brit was the only one.

“Hang in there, Brit. Hide in the wardrobe and don’t make a sound. Keep me on the line. I’ll be there soon.”

It was the most excruciating trip she had ever made. She could hear Brit’s harsh breathing and every whimper she made. She could feel her sister’s fear through the phone. 

She had just crossed the tracks when she heard Brit scream.

And then nothing.

“Brit?!” she shouted. “Brit!”