The 3 Month Plan

Declined

Grabbing the small packet of rice, I add it to my basket. I do a double take, counting all the items and mentally doing a sum of the total price in my head.

Walking over to the cashier, I place one item at a time on the conveyer belt as the store clerk serves the person in front of me.

Now that Rocky officially knows where I live, it won't hurt to use my credit card. I desperately need the funds, anyway.

I strum my feet against the linoleum flooring as I wait for my turn. The store clerk watches me from the corner of her eye and the gesture makes me uncomfortable. I pray and hope she doesn't recognise me as Rocky Hamilton's wife.

When the conveyor belt moves forward, pulling along my groceries, the store clerk begins scanning each item and piling them in plastic bags. She looks up from scanning the objects several times to look me in the face. Then looks behind me before looking back. I twist my head back and take a subtle peak behind me to see what she may have possibly been looking at but see nothing behind me.

"One hundred and five dollars," she says as she stacks the last item in the plastic bag.

I nod, as I scan my credit card and enter the pin. It takes a few seconds before the machine spits out declined.

"I think I may have entered the pin wrong," I tell the store clerk.

She hits something on her screen then waves her hand back at me. "Try again."

My second attempt is not less embarrassing. Declined.

The store clerk looks at me. "It's the card," she says. "Do you have cash?"

I frown. I do have cash but only a fifty dollar note. I would have to remove a substantial amount of products.

Going through my purse, I take out my wallet and find the fifty dollar note. Before I can say or do another thing, an arm from behind me outstretches past my face offering a credit card to the store clerk. "You can use this."

My head spins in the direction of the voice that I so clearly recognise.

The store clerk looks from myself to Rocky and back at me.

"Don't," I say to him as I grab the credit card from the store clerk and hand it back to him. "I can take care of myself."

Rocky smirks. "I can see that."

"Leave," I say sternly.

He ignores my word and turns to face the store clerk. "Just put it on this," he says handing her his credit card for the second time.

"I don't need your help," I tell him and face the clerk. "Please just ignore him. I have cash but I won't be buying everything. I will have to put a few things back."

Rocky leans in close, enough that I can feel his body pressed up behind me. "You're causing a scene," he whispers in my ear.

I turn around and push him back, away from me. "You're causing a scene."

The store clerk hands the card back to Rocky. "It has been paid for."

I freeze in my spot. Is she serious? Did I just not tell her to ignore him and that I would pay in cash.

Frustrated, I storm out of the grocery story leaving all the items there.

So my cards are declined, I have no money in my accounts and I no longer have a house to call my own.

Walking down the pavement and onto the street, I walk back in the direction of home. My head spins. This isn't fair.

Finding a wooden seat off the end of a lone street, I take a seat to clear my mind. Sighing, I bend forward cupping my face in my hands.

If the business is gone, I am not making a source of income, and the bare minimum in cash will help me in no way. My mind immediately goes to the new landlord. I will need to speak to them. How am I even going to pay one week worth of rent?

A car horn pulls me out of my thoughts. "Get in the car, Sky."

I look over to Rocky. "When someone says they want to be left alone, they generally mean it."

He frowns. "Will you just get in the car."

I shake my head as I get up from the seat. This man won't let me live in peace. "No."

As I take steps forward, the wheels on his car turn just as slowly. I watch the black Porsche follow my trail. Lucky for him, we're not on a main road or else he would have blocked traffic.

He honks at me a few times to draw my attention but I avoid him. I am not going to be putting up with this.

"I'm just giving you a lift home, Sky."

"I can walk, thanks," I reply condescendingly.

"If that's the way you want to play," he says before he drives off past me.

I watch his car take a right towards the beach, and where I am currently staying. "Please don't be there when I show up," I whisper to myself.

I fumble around with my fingers and nervously pick up the pace. I am two streets down but will be there shortly. I wipe at a tear that is sitting direct against my eye, yet to roll down my face. I'm hurting both myself and Rocky in this process, but the alternative would have been much worse.

———————

When I get to my house, I take a deep breath. He isn't here and his black Porsche is no where to be seen.

My heart stops when I take a step forward and get closer to the front door. A white piece of paper is taped against the door.

To my tenant:
First rent instalment due immediately. Payment to be made today.
Your new landlord can be reached at Rockton Limited & Co as the CEO.

I rip the paper off the door in frustration and take my keys out of my pocket. It seems like my new landlord is worse than the previous owner. When I try the key however, the lock doesn't click and the door doesn't open. My eyes go down to the lock as a frown forms on my face. The lock is different. My landlord has locked me out.

Without access to the property, I cannot get the little remaining cash I have to make the necessary payment. Stumping my foot in anger, I use my phone to search the company and notice it's about a five minute drive from here.

I feel the fifty dollar note in my pocket. Calling the cab, I request to be taken to the office. This landlord is going to get a serving.

———————

"I need to speak to the CEO," I tell the receptionist.

The lady beside the receptionist giggles while the receptionist puts her focus back on me. "You cannot do that. He is a busy man and you would need to book a meeting."

Laying my palms flat on the reception desk, I lean forward. "I do not have time."

"Ma'am," the receptionist says. "I suggest you fill this form and I can ask him for you," she says sliding a clipboard in my direction.

An appointment form. I sigh. I cannot do this. "Get the CEO on the phone now," I say through gritted teeth.

She takes a deep breath and watches the guard behind us before picking up the phone and dialling the CEO.

The guard watches me for a second; a silent warning.

"Second floor to the left," she says. "You can go in, he's ready to see you."

She scans her card and gate in front of me opens.