I'll be There for You

Chapter 7: Paid in Full

Heaving a sigh, Hayley looked at her planner. It was empty of social work related plans. However, it was full of bills that needed to be paid. Had it really been a month? Holy shit, she had forgotten to pay the rent again. "No," Hayley muttered. Walking to her building she opened the front door and then stopped to knock on the door of her landlord's apartment with dread.

"Hayley? There a problem with your plumbing 'gain? I can send someone 'morrow," Crueger told her. He had only opened his door partially and Hayley wondered if he was drunk. His speech was also slightly more slurry than usual. Then she noticed that his nose was at an odd angle. If she was not mistaken she would say that it was broken.

"No," Hayley answered slowly. "I was here to talk about the rent," she felt confused as Crueger eyed her suspiciously.

"Why?" Crueger asked.

"Because I was late again and you told me that if I was late again that you would throw me out," Hayley replied feeling confused as Crueger shook his head.

"Nope. That's not a problem," Crueger told her and he started to shut the door.

Hayley was not sure why she was about to argue with him but she couldn't help herself. "What are you talking about?"

"It's paid," Crueger told her. "That's all. Now, please, go away." Closing the door, Crueger could be heard walking away from the door.

Hayley did not understand. Walking upstairs. She opened her door and then closed the door behind her. Davina had taken Hope to the park so Hayley had an hour to go over which bills still needed to be paid and which could wait a week. Sitting down at her desk, she picked up the electric bill and dialed a number. After fifteen minutes someone picked up to inform her that her bill was paid in full. Then she called the phone company. That was paid as well. Feeling confused, she called the loan company and was informed that her loan had been paid in full two weeks ago. "By who?" Hayley asked but the clerical could not tell her.

Hanging up the phone, Hayley sat back in her chair. Now, she was truly confused. She knew that she had not won the lottery and no one had sent her a check for a million dollars. So, what the hell was going on? Who paid her bills? Hearing a knock on her door, Hayley got up and headed to the door. Looking out the peephole she saw that it was Davina with Hope.

"Hey," Hayley greeted the two as she opened the door.

"You will never guess what happened today?" Davina said as she swept into the room humming a tune.

"You won the lottery," Hayley replied with a smile.

"Better," Davina said with a dreamy smile as she fell onto the couch. Hope climbed onto the couch and then on top of her babysitter's lap.

"Davina is in love," Hope announced in a sing-song voice. "With a boy with a wooden thingy."

"A wooden thingy," Hayley repeated with a laugh as she came to stand above the two.

Davina rolled her eyes with the same big grin on her lips. "Yes, a boy with a wooden thingy or as I would call it a violin."

"A vi-ol-in," Hope sang. "A boy with a vi-ol-in. He plays with it and looks goofy."

"He does not," Davina protested tickling Hope who giggled loudly.

"He does, too. He looks like a goofy guy with a wooden thingy. He's not as cute as Eli-jah," Hope told Davina.

"How is Eli-jah?" Davina asked. Ever since the night that Josh had come over and met him Davina had been trying to find out who the mysterious Elijah was and what he did and when he and Hayley were getting married. She seemed to think that it was as funny as Hope did.