𝗔𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝘁

Chapter 4

January 14th, 2022

3RD PERSON

"Sir, I'm sorry, we are closing now." Sasha said as the unknown male walked in the store.
"Don't you work until 2pm?"
"Yeah, but we have a meeting today."
"Oh, okay. Can I please just get those pink gums? Three packs. My kids are obsessed with them."
"This Hubba Bubba gum tapes?"
"Yeah." His pearly white smile was something that you couldn't take your eyes off. It was so charming.

"3.24."
"Okay, here. Thank you very much."
"Sir, your change-"
"Keep it." He smiled with a wave before going out of the store.

"That rich attractive guy again."
"Yeah. He paid 5 dollars and he should've paid 3.24. I could've at least gave him one more pack."
"Who cares, take it for yourself babe." Serenity reassured Sasha, tapping her shoulder as she went to lock the doors.

"But T-"
"It's okay. It's not even that much. Save that for your kids."
"But your rent-"
"Sasha." Sasha sighed, placing her money in her pocket.

"Hello girls." Their boss, Mike, walked in from the back doors.

"Hello."
"Hi."
"Okay, let me just get straight to the point, I'm giving you girls a little salary increase." Serenity's and Sasha's eyes widened, surprised that this is happening.

"You've been working great, since you started working here, and the earnings in your shift are always bigger than in other shift for some reason. I know it's not too big, but it's gonna be two hundreds more dollars a month, on the previous increase from the beginning of the year that we talked about."
"That's great."
"It's really paying off if you two continue to work the way you do."
"Uh, will you be paying us on the credit card or-" Sasha started, already wondering if she could save that aside without Joseph knowing.

"Yeah. Why? You don't want it on bank account?"
"I'd like it better if you gave me that salary increase in envelope."
"Oh, okay. Would you mind that too, Serenity?"
"No, of course."
"Okay then, it's gonna be in envelope. Even easier for me. Just don't talk about this to your coworkers. Stays between three of us."
"Okay."
"Okay girls, finish your shift now and bring me the money." Mike half joked as he walked out.

"That's so amazing!"
"Yes!" Serenity and Sasha embraced each other in a hug, before Serenity went to open the doors.

"That's great. Now Joseph won't take that money from you. Finally something good happening."
"Yes. I'll finally have something for my kids."
"Yeah. That's so great. By the way, how are they doing?"
"Rhianna and Sofia actually made friends. With some new girls."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Hopefully those kids are normal."
"It was a matter of time for that to happen."
"Yeah. Ry asked me if she could give my number to her friend so they could text. I feel so bad that they don't have phones and it's 2022 but I just can't do anything about it."
"You know, I was about to buy a new phone. Since my phone contract is breaking in like week or two, I thought I'd get myself a new phone. Maybe you can somehow hide that phone in your house, for your girls. They deserve-"
"T, thank you. But you know it's not safe. He'll just find it and sell it, like the old one."
"Not if you hide it good."
"But where to hide it when he goes through all of our stuff?"
"Don't girls have this bush near their window?"
"Yeah, they do. Right under their window."
"Well, just hide it in the bush."
"But he'll find it."
"And if you just move in with me?" It's not the first time Serenity and Sasha were having this talk. They do every now and then, but Serenity can never make Sasha leave.

"T-"
"Sasha, I've been trying to make you do it since I met you and you told me what's going on in your house."
"Yeah, he knows where you live. Even if he doesn't, he knows where I work. Where you work. It's no use." Serenity sighed as their neighbor walked in.

"Okay, but I'll save it in my house." Sasha nodded her head, checking out everything that old man wanted to buy.

——

"Momma!"
"Heyy guys."
"Hey T, happy birthday!"
"Thank you kids!" Serenity hugged three of them with a smile on her face.

"I made you something in daycare!"
"Oh you did?"
"Yes, look. This is you, this is me, mommy, Ri-Ri and Sof."
"Oh, and where is this?"
"This is on a beautiful island. Far away from here."
"Oh, wow. It's beautiful. Thank you Denny." Serenity hugged him and took the paper from him, "I'll definitely hang this on my fridge."
"Yay!"
"Okay, it's time for us to go. Say bye-bye to T until tonight."
"Bye-bye T!"
"Bye-bye kids!"

Sasha and kids got in a car, but neither of them really wanted to go home.

"Are we really going to T's party?"
"Yeah. I told your dad that we have to go. Of course without him. I washed you the new clothes I got from Mrs. Wilson."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I think you guys will like it."
"Of course we will."
"Will there be a lot of people at T's party?"
"I don't know. Not too much, for sure."

——

Finally, today for the lunch Sasha managed to make some real, cooked food. She already put the rest of it in the freezer, so Joseph wouldn't throw it away to the dogs.

"Mommy, leave the rest of it in the freezer too. Just give him a little. T said there will be a lot of food, so we'll manage to wait two more hours. Okay?"
"But you guys are starving already."
"Don't worry. I saved the orange from today, we'll eat it in secret. I'll leave you some of it."
"You don't need to leave any for me. You guys eat it, okay?" Sasha said, stroking Rhianna's hair.

"Are you sure mommy? You have to eat."
"Don't worry baby. I'll eat something at T's house. Now go to the room. Hurry." Rhianna walked away with sad expression on her face while her mom hurried to freeze the food before Joseph is back.

"Joseph, we are leaving in 2 hours."
"I want you in this house at 8:45. Understand?"
"Okay, we will be back."
"Be a minute fucking late, you'll get a nice show then." He got close to Sasha's face, making her keep in her breath as she didn't want to smell him. He smells like alcohol and it's just awful.

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